Nathanael G. Herreshoff
Designer description Nathanael G. Herreshoff
The history of the brand
Nathanael Greene Herreshoff was born in 1848 in Rhode Island to a family of ships. After graduating from Massachusetts Tech, the future Captain Nat joined the Corliss Steam Company, where he worked on steam engines. In 1878, with his brother John, he founded the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company and built the first steam trawler and torpedo boat. By 1890, the company had focused on designing and building yachts for wealthy customers.
Herreshoff's revolutionary decisions are quickly gaining fans. From 1893 to 1920 five yachts of his design won the «America»'s Cup (in 1930 and 1934 two more winning yachts were built at his factory). The first in the series, the Vigilant, was driven by Captain Nat himself. Herreshoff became a lifelong member of the New York Yacht Club, included in the «America»'s Cup Hall of Fame.
Philosophy
At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, everyone was obsessed with speed. This is what Herreshoff achieved in his developments, experimenting with hull materials, contours, weapons and even the rules of measurement.
Specialty
Herreshoff Company has custom built steam and sailing boats and yachts, both wooden and with metal hull.
Cooperation .
The clients of Herreshoff Manufacturing were the great people of the century. They included the commander of the New York Yacht Club, banker JP Morgan, the Vanderbilt and Maxwell family of railway tycoons and others. For them Herreshoff built not only sports boats but also pleasure boats (including steam ones).
Landmark projects
2,600 Herreshoff projects documented and all, if not museum projects, are collectible. Reliance (60m, 1903) is the largest yacht in the history of the «America»'s Cup. The oldest existing private Rhode Island yacht, Sprite (1859), is in the Herreshoff Museum. Designed by Nat, S-Class has survived the creator and is still on water. As well as club monotypes NewYork-30, and many other projects. Herreshoff was the first who patented the catamaran and won the annual New York Yacht Club regatta on it.
The team at .
In many ways, Herreshoff Manufacturing's success was determined by Neth's older brother and partner John Brown Herreshoff. The company employed 400 people. Herreshoff Marine Museum is now located on the company premises. Captain Nath's heirs are building a number of custom projects at Herreshoff Designs.