America (1897)

Last updated
America
America, No. 1.png
Boston Pilot Boat America, No. 1, photograph by Nathaniel Stebbins.
Profile of the America.png
Profile of the America, drawn from the lines by the designer Thomas F. McManus.
Development
Designer Thomas F. McManus
Location United States
YearApril 19, 1897
Builder(s)John Bishop
RolePilot boat
NameAmerica
Boat
Crew Bruce B. McLean, James H. Reid Jr.
Draft 12 ft 6 in (3.81 m)
Hull
ConstructionWhite oak
Hull weight97-tons TM
LOA 101 ft 0 in (30.78 m)
LOH 85 ft 0 in (25.91 m)
Beam 23 ft 0 in (7.01 m)
Hull appendages
Keel/board typeIron
Keelweight10 ft 6 in (3.20 m)
Rig
Mast length79 m (259 ft) Mainmast
Rig other40 m (130 ft) Topmast
Racing
Class association Schooner
[ edit on Wikidata]

The America, No. 1 was a 19th-century American pilot boat built in 1897 for Captain James H. Reid Sr. of Boston and designed by Boston designer Thomas F. McManus. The Boston America did not resemble her famous namesake, yacht America, rather she was designed with a fishing schooner "Indian header" bow. After serving 21 years in the Boston Pilots' Association, the America was sold to David W. Simpson of Boston in 1918.

Contents

Construction and service

On January 18, 1897, the iron keel for the pilot boat America weighting six tons, was taken by a six-horse team to John Bishop's shipyard at Vincent's point, in Gloucester, Massachusetts. [1]

On February 28, 1897, Boston's new pilot boat America was on the stocks at the John Bishop's shipyard. She was designed by Thomas F. McManus of Boston for Captain James H. Reid Sr. of Boston. Reid was the principal owner and formally of the pilot boat Florence. [2] [3] She had the new design from which other boats tested their speed. [4]

On April 19, 1897, America was launched from the shipyard of John Bishop of Gloucester. Pilots James H. Reid Jr. and Captain Bruce B. McLean were assigned to the new boat. She went on her trial trip down the Boston Harbor on May 19, 1897, with 50 guests. Her dimensions were 101 feet overall, 85 feet length on waterline, 23 foot beam, depth of hold 10 feet 6 inches. She was built of white oak frame planking and fastened with galvanized iron and bolts and spikes below the waterline. [5]

The Boston America did not resemble her famous namesake, rather she was designed with a fishing schooner 'Indian head' bow. [6]

On July 8, 1897, the pilot-boat America was in the Fisherman's Race against the fishing schooner James S. Steele. The race went along Long Island. The America beat the James S. Steele by three minutes. Pilot Bruce McLean took the place of Captain James Reid who was on the battleship USS Massachusetts. [7] In December, of the same year, Captain Reid of America, No. 1, won another Fisherman's Race against pilot-boat No. 2 and the schooner Harry L. Belden. [8]

On April 1, 1898, the Boston pilot-boat America rescued the crew of the Nova Scotia vessel Genius, 18 miles off the Boston Light. The rescued men were transferred from the America to the pilot-boat Hesper, No. 5. [9]

In 1900, Boston had seven pilots boats in commission. The America was Boston's pilot schooner number one. The other Boston boats included, the Liberty, No. 3; Adams, No. 4; Hesper, No. 5; Varuna, No. 6; Minerva, No. 7; and Sylph, No 8. [10]

On January 20, 1902, Pilot Benny Nelson, of the pilot boat America No. 1, brought in a Dominion Line steamer New England. [11]

On August 22, 1901, pilot Joseph W. Colby of the pilot boat America, No. 1, brought into Long Wharf the fruit steamer Admiral Schley through a thick fog 140 miles from the South Shoal lightship. [12]

The pilot boat America No. 1, was used as a lightship station boat. Captain James Reid boarded the Warren liner Sagamore, from the America station boat on November 3, 1901. [13]

When the Boston pilots reorganized in 1901, down to five boats, the pilot-boat America was one of the boats that continued in the service. Captain Reid was with the America, and piloted the last vessel under the old system. [14]

On April 29, 1902, Boston pilot-boat America, No. 1, carried the ashes of Captain Franklin Fowler, encased in a small rosewood box, at the National Dock wharf, East Boston. Captain James H. Reid was in attendance on the deck of the America during the memorial. [15]

End of service

On December 29, 1918, after serving 21 years in the Boston Pilots' Association, the America was sold to David W. Simpson of Boston. The America had been laid up at the National Dock for the past 2 years. [16]

See also

Related Research Articles

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USS Liberty III (SP-1229), sometimes written Liberty # 3, and also referred to during her naval career as Liberty and as Pilot Boat Liberty, No. 3, was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919. The Liberty was a pilot boat from 1896-1917. She was a replacement for the pilot boat D. J. Lawlor. After World War I, the Liberty returned to pilot service until 1934 when she was purchased as a yacht.

<i>Sylph</i> (pilot boat) Sandy Hook Pilot boat

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<i>America</i> (pilot boat) Sandy Hook Pilot boat

The America, No. 21 was a 19th-century pilot boat built in 1880 for the New York City and Sandy Hook Pilots. She was a replacement for the William H. Aspinwall, No. 21, that was lost off Point Judith, Rhode Island in 1880. She weathered the Great Blizzard of 1888. In the time of steam, the America was sold in 1896 by the New York Pilots. A new pilot-boat America was built in 1897 for Captain James H. Reid of Boston and designed from the line drawings by Thomas F. McManus of Boston. After serving 21 years in the Boston Pilots' Association, the America was sold to David W. Simpson of Boston in 1918.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">James H. Reid</span> Boston Pilot

James H. Reid, was a 19th-century American Maritime pilot. He is best known for being the dean of the Boston pilots, serving for 55 years. He was captain of the famous yacht America for 17 years when she was owned by Benjamin F. Butler. In 1897, he built a new America, named after the America's Cup defender.

D. J. Lawlor Sandy Hook Pilot boat

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<i>Hesper</i> (pilot boat) Boston Pilot boat

The Hesper was a 19th-century Boston pilot boat built in 1884, designed from a model by Dennison J. Lawlor as a Boston yacht and pilot-boat for merchant and ship owner George W. Lawler. She was known to be the largest pilot boat under the American flag at 104 feet long and the fastest of the Boston fleet. She competed in several first-class sailing races, and in 1886, the Hesper won the silver cup in what was known as the first Fishermen's Race. She was withdrawn from the pilot service and sold in 1901. The Hesper became a wreck on the point off Cape Henlopen in 1919.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Thomas F. McManus</span> American yacht designer

Thomas Francis McManus was a fish merchant who became a naval architect, responsible for introducing the shortened bowsprit and long stern overhang to give speed to his vessels. He was well known for revolutionizing the Gloucester fishing schooner. He made the fastest vessels of their type in the world and was honored on two continents for his skill as a naval architect. He became known as the "Father of the Fishermen's Races." 500 fishing schooners used his designs to improve speed. He was a friend of Sir Thomas Lipton and President Theodore Roosevelt.

<i>Florence</i> (pilot boat) Boston Pilot boat

Florence was a 19th-century Boston pilot boat built in 1867 from a model by Dennison J. Lawlor for William C. Fowler. The vessel had a reputation for being fast under sail. She had a long career in the Boston service, skippered by many famous pilots. She was the oldest pilot-boat in the service. In 1897, she was sold to a Portland, Maine group for fishing and yachting excursions. The pilot boat America, No. 1, was launched on April 19, 1897, to replace the Florence.

<i>Minerva</i> (pilot boat) Boston Pilot boat

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<i>Adams</i> (pilot boat) Boston Pilot boat

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<i>Varuna</i> (pilot boat) Boston Pilot boat

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<i>Trenton</i> (pilot boat) New Jersey Pilot boat

The Trenton was an auxiliary motor pilot boat built in Essex County, Massachusetts for a company of New Jersey Sandy Hook pilots in 1907. She was formerly the fishing schooner Kernwood, designed by Thomas F. McManus of Boston in 1904. As a pilot boat, she spent twenty-five years in pilot service before being placed out of service in 1934.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Franklin Fowler</span> Boston Pilot

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<i>Hermann Oelrichs</i> (pilot boat) New York Pilot Boat

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<i>Friend</i> (pilot boat) Sandy Hook Pilot boat

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References

  1. ↑ "Gloucester". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 18 Jan 1897. p. 3. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  2. ↑ "New Pilot Boat, America. Designed by Thomas F. McManus of This City for Capt James H. Reid". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 28 Feb 1897. p. 16. Retrieved 2021-04-28.
  3. ↑ "Along The Water Front". Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 9 Mar 1897. p. 6. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  4. ↑ Dunne, W. M. P.; Patrick, William Matthew (1934). Thomas F. McManus and the American fishing schooners: an Irish-American success story. Mystic, Conn., Mystic Seaport Museum. p. 185.
  5. ↑ "Worked Well On Trial Trip. The Pilot Boat America No. 1 given a "Limbering Up" Today". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1898-02-27. Retrieved 2020-08-24.
  6. ↑ Cunliffe, Tom (2001). Pilots, The World Of Pilotage Under Sail and Oar. Brooklin, Maine: WoodenBoat. p. 135. ISBN   9780937822692.
  7. ↑ "Easily Beat Fisherman, Pilot Boat America Showed Her Stern to the Steele". The Boston Daily Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1897-07-08. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  8. ↑ "Flying Fisherman. New Design by Thomas F. McManus, Designer of the Jas S. Steele". The Boston Sunday Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1897-12-12. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  9. ↑ "Crew of Sch Genius Had a Close Call". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1898-04-01. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  10. ↑ "Boston's Pilot System". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 29 Apr 1900. p. 32. Retrieved 2021-02-14.
  11. ↑ "Along The Water Front". Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 1902-01-20. Retrieved 2020-09-01.
  12. ↑ "Along The Water Front". Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 1901-08-22. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  13. ↑ "Along The Water Front". Boston Post. Boston, Massachusetts. 1901-11-03. p. 11. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
  14. ↑ Eastman, Ralph M. (1956). Pilots and pilot boats of Boston Harbor. Boston, Massachusetts: Second Bank-State Street Trust Company. p. 60.
  15. ↑ "Throwing The Ashes Of Capt Frank Fowler's Remains Into The Water". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1902-04-29. Retrieved 2020-08-11.
  16. ↑ "Port Of Poston". The Boston Globe. Boston, Massachusetts. 1918-12-29. p. 3. Retrieved 2020-10-14.
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