Reply to Russell's Question

[Bristol Bronze]

Dear Russell,

I'm not sure why but I was unable to reply directly to your question so I am using a new message to do so.

The boat on the home page of the Bristol Bronze web site is my own personal boat "RESOLUTE". She is a Herreshoff "S" Boat. The class was designed by Nat Herreshoff in 1919. My boat is the 17th one built and is hull # 858 from the Herreshoff Yards. She was constructed in Sept. of 1920. I named her "RESOLUTE" because as the time of her construction the America's Cup defender of that name was doing her job defending the Cup.

I use her on my home page because I am trying to make Bronze fittings of the same quality and design as those that I am used to on my own boat. Most of my Bronze fittings are still working fine. After all they are only 80 years old. They should still have plenty of life left in them. In another 20 years or so I will begin to think about replacing them. If they had been made of Brass and not Bronze I would be on my fourth of fifth set by now.

If you ever have any question on metals I can be reached at 401-625-5224.

Roger W.
Bristol Bronze



rogerw@meganet.net

[Russell]

Designed by Nat Herreshoff, skinny (3.8 L/B), well ballasted (60%), and with good sail area (21 SA/D), I would expect them to be a fun sail.

[Bristol Bronze]

Designed by Nat Herreshoff, skinny (3.8 L/B), well ballasted (60%), and with good sail area (21 SA/D), I would expect them to be a fun sail.

Dear Russell,

Thanks for your comments. The Herreshoff "S" is a joy to sail. In a conversation with Olin Stephens he made the comment to me that "The Herreshoff "S" Boat is one of the best designed boats ever made". Since he is the greatest living yacht designer he should know.

The "S" Boat has a self tending jib and turns on a dime. I can do a 360 degree turn in my own length. I consistently walk away from much larger and new boats. In light air I have caught 12 meter yachts. The boat is so well balanced that I can go up wind in 30 knots with only one finger on the tiller. On one down wind leg I had her to a sustained 9 1/4 knots. The "S" Boat does not have the comforts below deck of other boats her size but as a day sailer she is a joy.

Roger W.
Bristol Bronze



rogerw@meganet.net

[John Isbister]

Designed by Nat Herreshoff, skinny (3.8 L/B), well ballasted (60%), and with good sail area (21 SA/D), I would expect them to be a fun sail.

Dear Russell,

Thanks for your comments. The Herreshoff "S" is a joy to sail. In a conversation with Olin Stephens he made the comment to me that "The Herreshoff "S" Boat is one of the best designed boats ever made". Since he is the greatest living yacht designer he should know.

The "S" Boat has a self tending jib and turns on a dime. I can do a 360 degree turn in my own length. I consistently walk away from much larger and new boats. In light air I have caught 12 meter yachts. The boat is so well balanced that I can go up wind in 30 knots with only one finger on the tiller. On one down wind leg I had her to a sustained 9 1/4 knots. The "S" Boat does not have the comforts below deck of other boats her size but as a day sailer she is a joy.

Roger W.
Bristol Bronze

I crewed and occasionally skippered on S-Boats out of Larchmont from about 1940 until 1951. They are indeed a magnificant boat and are very fast in light air. Unfortunately there are only a few left in WLIS and are expensive to maintain.

[Russell]

So Roger can continue to maintain his S boat.

[Laura Calderone]

You wrote:

I crewed and occasionally skippered on S-Boats out of Larchmont from about 1940 until 1951. They are indeed a magnificant boat and are very fast in light air. Unfortunately there are only a few left in WLIS and are expensive to maintain.

And I'd like to ask: How Expensive?! What is actually involved in maintaining a wooden boat? I love wooden boats, and wanted to buy one, but I was strongly discouraged by sellers. Sexism? Cost of the baots I was lloking at (didn't want to spend much on a first boat). I admit to being about as un-handy as anyone could be. I do take care of things though! I wound up with a Typhoon; not expensive to maintain, but the marina fees . . . It's worth it though!

Laura



lcaldero@earthlink.net

[Bristol Bronze]

You wrote:

I crewed and occasionally skippered on S-Boats out of Larchmont from about 1940 until 1951. They are indeed a magnificant boat and are very fast in light air. Unfortunately there are only a few left in WLIS and are expensive to maintain.

And I'd like to ask: How Expensive?! What is actually involved in maintaining a wooden boat? I love wooden boats, and wanted to buy one, but I was strongly discouraged by sellers. Sexism? Cost of the baots I was lloking at (didn't want to spend much on a first boat). I admit to being about as un-handy as anyone could be. I do take care of things though! I wound up with a Typhoon; not expensive to maintain, but the marina fees . . . It's worth it though!

Laura

In response to the above comments: there is still a fleet of better than twenty Herreshoff "S" Boats here on Narragansett Bay. For our seventy-fifth anniversary in 1994 we had thirty-three boats show up. There are still over seventy boats around today out of the ninety that were built between 1919 and 1938.

The restoration of a basket cast boat can be expensive. If that boat is in good condition the work and expense in not all that bad. It takes my crew (one other person) and I three weekends in the Spring to get my boat ready. Other than bottom paint I use a quart of top side paint and two quarts of varnish, one bottle of two-part teak cleaner and a quart of teak oil each year. That plus incidentals like sand paper and paint brushes.

Anyone that is interested in more info on the Herreshoff "S" Boat can contact me at 401-625-5224.

Roger W.
Bristol Bronze



rogerw@meganet.net

[Bristol Bronze]

So Roger can continue to maintain his S boat.

Dear Russell,

Thanks for the beautiful sentiment. I started Bristol Bronze because I could not buy either the fittings that I needed or the quality of fittings that I needed to restore my boat. (I paid $3000.00 for the thirty-one years ago.) After a few years of supplying the needs of myself and my friends it dawned on me that there were many more boat owners out there with classic boats, such as Cape Dorys, that would like well made well designed fittings made in the U.S. using proper metalurgy, ie. Bronze, instead of the poorly designed, poorly made brass fittings from third world nations. That was eleven years ago and now I have more business than I know what to do with. A few years ago I made all the fittings for the reproduction of the Schooner America. The past Winter I supplied over $9000.00 worth of Bronze for the restoration of the two times America's Cup defender "Columbia". Right now I am working on the fittings for a 125 ft Briganteen being build in Tacoma, Washington.

I will be happy to help any Cape Dory owner that wants to keep his boat in proper "Bristol" fashion in any way that I can. From what I have seen the CD people are more serious about keeping up their boats that just about any other owner's association.

Roger W.
Bristol Bronze



rogerw@meganet.net

[John Isbister]

You wrote:

I crewed and occasionally skippered on S-Boats out of Larchmont from about 1940 until 1951. They are indeed a magnificant boat and are very fast in light air. Unfortunately there are only a few left in WLIS and are expensive to maintain.

And I'd like to ask: How Expensive?! What is actually involved in maintaining a wooden boat? I love wooden boats, and wanted to buy one, but I was strongly discouraged by sellers. Sexism? Cost of the baots I was lloking at (didn't want to spend much on a first boat). I admit to being about as un-handy as anyone could be. I do take care of things though! I wound up with a Typhoon; not expensive to maintain, but the marina fees . . . It's worth it though!

Laura

It has been some time since I priced an S boat because I purchased a Cape Dory 30. However, I would suspect the price in this area would range from about $15,000 up depending on condition. Maintenance would vary depending on your preference. They are old boats and occasionally will need refastening. The deck is wood covered with canvas - this would need repainting annually and, again, occasional replacement. Topsides usually need annual repainting and eventually removing the paint when it gets too thick or begins to come off. The interior is also painted. They are very well built but some have replaced or sister ribs in places. The coamings and toe rails are typically varnished and some still have the varnished rub rail. Its a labor of love but thats true of any boat. Be aware that although most of the boats were made by Herreschoff, Lawley turned out a few. Also, some have been refitted with aluminum masts but I would prefer the original varnished wooden spars.