SEPTEMBER 2024

Issue: No. 11

Contents: Issue No. 11

FEATURE: RI Boat Builder's Project: Luke Bliven

UPDATE: Cataloging the Ratsey & Lapthorn Sail Plan Collection

FEATURE: The Great Ocean Race of 1905; Part 3

EXHIBITS: The America's Cup in Newport

UPDATE: Film Digitization Project

FEATURED VIDEO: Hydrofoil Monitor

VIP VISITORS: 1964 AC Winning Constellation (US-20) Crew

Rhode Island Boat Builders Project: Luke Bliven

The library has begun a new blog focusing on the history of local boatbuilders – Rhode Island Boat Builders Project. Approximately every four to six weeks we will be highlighting the story of a particular boat builder, and our first is on the Newport builder Luke Bliven, an excerpt of which follows;

On Spring Wharf in Newport in the late nineteenth century and early years of the twentieth, opposite the bottom of Pope Street and where Casey’s Marina now operates, Luke Bliven was one of the busiest boat builders in the city. 

Born in 1826, he grew up in Providence, left school at age 10, and spent the next six years working with his father who was a master of packet boats running between Providence and New York. At age 16, Bliven was apprenticed to boat builder Thomas Thurston at Fox Point Wharf in Providence, however a year later he moved to Newport and began working as a carpenter. A few years after this, in about 1846, he returned to boat building, going to work for the Newport boat builders Silas and Joseph Cottrell, who he remained with for the next ten years or so.

Bliven first begins to appear in the annual Newport city directories on his own account in the 1860s, initially listed as a carpenter, by 1878 as a provider of “pleasure boats”, and from 1884 as a boat builder based on Spring Wharf. He remained in business at this location until his death in 1907, when the operation was taken over by his son Walter who carried it on until 1920.

The variety of boats he built was extensive. In 1891, for example, he built an 18’ catboat for the Rose Island lighthouse keeper, an 18’ yawl for the city engineer’s office, a 15’ double-end lapstrake surf boat for the Point Judith rescue station, as well as two catboats for Block Island customers.

Bliven died in October 1907 at age 82, and after his son Walter’s death in 1920 the business closed, and Tallman and Mack Fish and Trap Company began operations on the wharf, with new buildings at the far western end. They remained in business at this location until 1998, and the wharf is now occupied by Casey’s Marina. However, just to the east of IYRS’s Brooks Building at the end of the wharf, there is a short alleyway and a reminder of Luke Bliven’s history at this location.”

The next blog post will be on the early twentieth century East Greenwich boat builder, Frederic S. Nock.

36' ketch, Nereia ~ designed by L. Francis Herreshoff

Cataloging of the library’s collection of Ratsey and Lapthorn sail plans has begun, and detailed descriptions of our holdings of plans by the following designers can be viewed online; Carl Alberg (9), Sam Crocker (18), L. Francis Herreshoff (35), Walter Hubbard (1), C. Raymond Hunt (17), George Kettenberg (2), K. Aage Nielsen (12), and E.B. Schock (8).

Hamburg’s syndicate head, Adolf Tietjens had refused to speak to the press while in New York, which fueled even greater curiosity when a mysterious guest identified as “Sigmund Picconnelli, an Italian merchant” was welcomed aboard like royalty. The public was fascinated with this enigmatic personage; some thought that he was actually Prince Adalbert. Picconnelli was listed on the vessel’s manifest as an owner’s guest for the race, but the day before the start he was seen boarding a German ocean liner where he registered under the name Oberleutnant Gliser of the German Imperial Army.

Program given to VIP guests at a pre-race dinner held on May 13, 1905

Photo of the "golden" Kaiser's Cup contained in dinner program ~ courtesy T.J. Perotti

Further stoking speculation about Picconnelli’s shrouded presence and hasty exit from New York tied him to more than one unsolved dockyard fire in the 3 months preceding the race. The first in Hoboken Basin where 2 auxiliary steamers burned to the waterline—both were owned by NYYC Commodore Frederick G. Bourne. Weeks later a massive explosion aboard Grisle, a gasoline powered yacht caused the damage and destruction of 4 more NYYC yachts including-- Kanawha and Tarantula owned by oil magnate H.H. Rogers and Cornelius Vanderbilt respectively. Two mysterious, multiple ship disasters, at 2 locations, both involving NYYC vessels, so shortly before the race raised suspicion... meanwhile Hamburg was under tight surveillance and was never troubled by mishap.

Sunbeam's owner, a prolific ocean voyaging yachtsman, peer and officer of the Royal British Navy, Lord Brassy was not shy about letting his politics be known. During a pre-race event held in his honor, he was quoted: “Is it not in our (U.S. and U.K.) policy to keep together? Great change is at work and in those changes the interests of our two countries are involved. The unity of all English-speaking men is the only sure guarantee for peace, for equal justice among nations, for the general happiness of mankind.” Meanwhile, the German press openly maligned the U.S. and U.K. competitors—naming them cowards and dilatants content to have hirelings sail their boats.

The excitement surrounding the race was widespread and palpable. Mirroring the racing fleet itself, disparate vessels ranging from workboats to luxury liners—were hired and packed with spectators to crowd the foggy starting area. Clubs hired all available tug boats and the NYYC needed a second vessel to accommodate the 400-passenger overflow from Cygnus, the 1600-passenger liner booked for their guests. Day charters were an option for anyone who could pay the fare and were sold out. But no matter the craft or class, everyone had to wait for the fog to lift before the main event could commence.

During the foggy 22 hours while the race was postponed there were multiple incidents. One involved Cunard’s newest luxury liner, the 674ft., 3300-passenger state-of-the-art Caronia went aground at Flynn’s Knoll where she remained stranded like a beached whale for the duration. Meanwhile, little Fleur de Lys was struck alongside by a mud scow in tow. Although there was significant damage that left her viability in doubt, Cpt. Tommie Bohlin and crew didn’t miss a beat. They made major repairs overnight (during the race delay) and the boat appeared at the starting line on time the next day showing 40’ of new unpainted planking.

Finally, on May 17 at 12:15pm at Sandy Hook Lightship, the race committee fired a gun to signal the start of the Great Ocean Race of 1905.

Ailsa won the start with Hildegarde in her lee, but was soon passed by Atlantic; Hamburg caught up quickly and proved her speed when she took the lead by early evening. The first night out was “nasty and foggy”—but to the German’s chagrin by sunrise, Atlantic had regained the lead and Fleur de Lys was close astern. For various reasons, the larger vessels were late to start and two fouled requiring them to restart.

The yachts that sailed the shorter route across the Grand Banks reported sighting icebergs close aboard. These included Atlantic, Thistle, Hildegarde, Apache and Fluer de Lys. The larger yachts avoided ice by sailing the longer route keeping south of the Banks before turning north. Competitors on both courses diverging toward the finish recorded a very violent gale about ten days out. Some hove to—but winning captain, Charlie Barr famously refused to shorten sail despite the entreaties of owner Wilson Marshall insisting: “You hired me sir to win this race, and by God, that’s what I am going to do.” Barr’s sheer determination likely clinched the race then and there; he continued to push Atlantic toward finish line and crossed it nearly a day ahead of his closest competitor.

As reported in Rudder: From the time Atlantic passed Hamburg she held a good course, and favored by strong winds and with the skill and good judgement of her skipper always in evidence, made good runs each day steadily increasing her lead, so that she saw nothing more of her rivals.

Like the man himself Barr’s log entries were succinct. On May 24: “Set jib topsail; strong breeze; made record for day’s run for a yacht in North Atlantic passage; fresh breeze; overcast breeze increasing…"

And after finishing in first place with no competitors in sight, he simply wrote: 9:16:19 pm GMT, crossed finish line and received winning guns; headed up channel E 1/4 S, light wind.

Conversely Hamburg’s Log was effusive, written in a self-congratulatory tone by a Captain eager to impress the Kaiser: “We left Endymion in grand style… a fine race so far.... We gained the weather side of Atlantic and slowly drew ahead, leaving Ailsa, Hildegarde, Endymion and the other yachts way behind us.” (In fact, Endymion was making numerous repairs including a broken spar when Hamburg “left them in grand style.”) In the published log of the Sunbeam, Lord Brassy was always appreciative of his crew: “There has been no delay in setting any sails that could do any good; the crew are always eager for cracking on.”

As reported in Rudder (Vol 16, 1905): The first three yachts to finish were of 3 different rigs and represent the 3 nations of the competitors. They were: Atlantic (12 days, 4 hrs, 1 min), Hamburg (13 days, 2 hrs, 6 min) and Valhalla (14 days, 2 hrs, 53 min).

Between 2000hrs GMT on May 31 and 1100hrs on June 1, eight of the eleven yachts finished the 3000nm race within a window of just 15 hours. The Kaiser’s "Golden" Cup was awarded to Atlantic owner Wilson Marshall at a prize-giving during Keil Week.

In 1934, Marshall’s NY Times obituary reported:

After the death of his son who was killed in World War I, he donated the Emperor’s Cup, to the Red Cross; it was subsequently auctioned several times and returned by the winning bidders netting the charity $125,000. Finally, at an event with President Wilson and a paying audience at the new Metropolitan Opera House, Marshall was to demolish the solid gold cup with a sledge hammer and the gold would be melted and sold for the benefit of the Red Cross. When he struck and shattered the cup, it proved to be merely pewter with a thin gold plating, worth about thirty-five dollars.”

In June of 1918, The New York Morning Telegraph wrote: The Kaiser’s Cup of pewter symbolizes the whole German political and commercial concept… and the brazen effrontery of the four-flush empire of which he is head… the Cup is about 1% pure gold and 99% pure gall.

FEATURED VIDEO: Monitor Hydrofoil

LIBRARY EXHIBITS:

Our new exhibit, “The America’s Cup and Newport, 1930-1983”, has recently opened, and will run through the end of the year. Covering the 12 AC regattas that took place off Newport, the exhibit includes photographs, films, blueprint plans, documents and more, including;

Sir Thomas Lipton's private signal flag, 1930

Color film of Ranger and Endeavour II, 1937

Newport welcomed the crew of Southern Cross, and mascot, 1974

Also included are:

• Annotated preliminary blueprint lines plan of Rainbow, 1930
• Blueprint plan of the “Park Avenue” boom, drawn 1931 
• Sceptre photograph album, Beken of Cowes, 1958
• Film of 1958 trials and races (including Easterner, Weatherly, Columbia, and Sceptre)
• Film of the 1962 and 1964 races (including Weatherly, Gretel I, and Constellation)
• Syndicate income and expense report for Constellation, 1964
• And much more

Constellation Crew Celebrates 60th Anniversary of America's Cup Win!

Recently members of the 1964 America's Cup winning 12mR Constellation (US-20) crew celebrated their 60th Anniversary including a visit to the IYRS Maritime Library where they enjoyed looking at many items from their campaign donated to the collection by the family of syndicate head Walter S. Gubelmann.

The crew seated, left to right, are Daniel "Putter" Brown, Dick Enersen, Stephen Van Dyck, and standing are Dave MacFarlane and James Gubelmann.

And Speaking of the Auld Mug...

America’s Cup researcher Mark Holland has completed his 16 volume “America’s Cup Compendium”, which includes much research done in the library, and it is available for purchase online. He has kindly allowed visitors to the IYRS Maritime Library free access to this extensive resource online.

IYRS MARITIME LIBRARY COLLECTIONS

• Location: 4th floor of the historic 1831 John Mecray Aquidneck Mill building on the IYRS campus at 449 Thames Street, Newport, Rhode Island.
• Open to: Students, Researchers and Armchair Sailors
• Hours: Wednesday-Saturday ~ 12pm-5pm
• Search: Online Catalog anytime