The Golden Age of Yachting

By L. Francis Herreshoff

Ontario Sailor Magazine, June/July 2008:

“Yacht designer Lewis Francis Herreshoff (1890-1972), who was born in Bristol, R.I. and is the son of British-born yacht designer Nat Herreshoff, first published this book on the history of sailing in 1963 under the title An Introduction to Yachting. It was reprinted in 1980 and this newly titled book features more than 145 rare photographs and illustrations on some of history’s greatest yachts, such as competitors in America’s Cup races from a bygone era. One of Herreshoff’s own designs called TICONDEROGA in 1956 sailed 264 miles in 24 hours and held the record in ocean racing for many years. That’s not bad for a 72 ft. yacht, with an average speed of about 11 knots, considering the Twelve Metre yachts that were only three feet shorter raced that summer in the America’s Cup and hit top speeds of nine knots, with fully-trained crews and rule-cheating sails. In the foreword in this book, detailing the history of yachting from its early days to the 1920s, editor Peter Spectre says the author was ‘cantankerous, obstinate, opinionated in the extreme and maddening . . . but he knew a lot about a lot.’ Within the pages of this large-format book is chronicled the formation of the New York Yacht Club, Sir Thomas Lipton’s several unsuccessful attempts at winning the America’s Cup and plenty of yachting skippers and boats of note throughout the ages. Yes, this is the man who sniffed at fiberglass, calling it ‘frozen snot.’ He was a purist, and what he presents is pure history for the realist.”

SAIL, April 2008:

“With AutoCAD and computational fluid dynamics now casting long shadows across the field of sailboat-design, it’s important to go back and learn how the game started, who the leading practitioners were, and what craft came from their drawing boards. There couldn’t be a better tour guide than L. Francis Herreshoff for this particular magical journey into the past. He was a son of Captain Nat, the Wizard of Bristol, and when his book was first published in 1963, he had for many years been practicing and writing about naval architecture and yacht design.

Herreshoff had plenty of opinions about the dozens of yachts he mentions and he didn’t hesitate to season his narrative with the eccentricities of the captains and owners who maintained and paid for these magnificent craft. Like very great performer, Herreshoff knew that enthusiasm and humor would keep his audience from leaving the hall before his show was over.

The era when yachts sprang from a pencil, a hunch, and even the occasional touch of whimsy has gone. But Herreshoff’s eye for detail and his well-crafted phrasing allow our imagination to keep these boats sailing forever.”

Book News, November 2007:

"This volume traces the history of yachting in America and Britain from the 1600’s to the 1920’s. Herreshoff recounts the steam era, the development of the marine steam engine, the origin of the America’s Cup, developments in English yachting, and specific yachts, races and types. Many b&w photos and illustrations are provided; no bibliography. The book was first published in 1963 as An Introduction to Yachting and was reprinted in 1980; it now has a new title for his paperback edition. Herreshoff was a yacht designer and the author of The Compleat Cruiser."

Sailing & Yachting (S.A.), October 2007:

"This book was first published an 1963, under the title ‘An Introduction to Yachting’, a misnomer that no doubt caused many a would-be-yachtie to pick it up in the hope that here was a book that might transform him from zero to hero in a few comprehensive lessons.

Instead, the reader would have found himself drawn into a world of yachting very different from anything he may have imagined. For here is a history book, quickly tracing yachting from 6000BC to the era of great steam yachts, before lingering lovingly on not only lifestyles of days gone by, but giving wonderful accounts of some stunning yachts and their races, in what was truly The Golden Age of Yachting, which was a far more appropriate title for publication that will really appeal to lovers of folklore and traditional sailing."

Good Old Boat, October 2007:

"Reprint of An Introduction to Yachting with new foreword by Peter Spectre. Herreshoff presents a panoramic view of yachting, providing insightful introduction to the pleasures, the boats, the history of the sport, and a way of life gone by. Humorous, sarcastic, original."

Soundings, October 2007:

"For these admirers the man born into a family that designed and built some of the most famous yachts wrote The Golden Age of Yachting, revealing a panoramic view of the history of yachting. The book is actually a reprint of An Introduction to Yachting, first published in 1963. Herreshoff died in 1972.

His review of the sport’s history begins in 6000 B.C., with ancient Egyptian paddle craft and concludes in 1920 with the steam-powered and sailing yachts of the era. Along the way, he touches upon crews and engine, American versus British styles, and match racing such as Sir Thomas Lipton’s challenge of the America’s Cup in sloops named Shamrock.

The 22 chapters are accompanied by illustrations, photographs and diagrams, and a brief glossary is included at the end of the book.

Herreshoff is the son of Nathanael Herreshoff, and also wrote The Compleat Cruiser and The Common Sense of Yacht Design."