The full building plans including the Table of Offsets for this catboat 'Hitty' (below) appeared in the March 1951 edition of Rudder Magazine (Two months before I was born). I like to think she was built and launched around the time I was born (Yes this photograph appeared in the Rudder in March and I was born in June, but just settle down and stop letting facts get in the way of a good story).
Using given station measurements on the plans (not the scale rule in this instance) Hittys' length is 15 foot 2 inches, so she appears to be about 1 foot shorter than Jenny. So if she is not a twin sistership she is at the very least a slightly shorter sister belonging in the same family.
Interestingly the designers name doesn't appear anywhere on the plans or in the written article about Hitty in the Rudder magazine. It appears that 'Cape Cod Catboat' was at that time synonymous with the famous Cosbys, so I am presuming it is a Cosby design. It would be a long shot but it may not be a Crosby Cat as there were other designers of note that designed Cat Boats in the first decades of the 20th century e.g. Fenwick Williams, John G Alden, Charles Wittholz, Fred W Goeller, C C Hanley et al. But when you look at the similarities between Hitty with Jenny I would bet my cotton picking sailing socks that she is a Crosby.
I have been looking at Hittys' plans for years now and despite other pressing projects - I would dearly love to build this little centerboard Cat Boat.
12 comments:
Corrrrr... now there's a winter project... :o))
Quite right Steve, although a little longer than just winter - I reckon, all up, it would be a 12 month project. I shall give it some thought!
Hitty was sailed out of Milford, CT in the late 1950s. Walter Skinner was the owner. My family sailed Wings, an old Great South Bay sloop and often sailed along with Hitty out to Charles Island. I am still enamored with the design. This is the first reference I have ever seen about Hitty.
Walter Skinner did not design Hitty. In the October 1961 issue of Rudder Magazine there is a much larger catboat design Tabby, by Mr. Skinner.
Thanks for the memorable reference.
Ken
Thank you very much Ken for your comment, it is much appreciated.
I would be interested in your opinion as to one, whether she is a Crosby design? and two, whether you think is a sister ship to Jenny? (perhaps my information about Jenny being 16 feet long is incorrect).
Also, would you by any chance have any photographs of Hitty sailing? Now that would be finding treasure indeed !!!
I may have seen catboat design(s) by Walter Skinner in the Rudder as the name is familiar but I haven't ever had any luck when Googling his name. I originally thought he was the designer of Hitty and was just being modest in not putting his name to the plans but as she is not his design I think she is probably a Crosby design.
Thanks again - Alden Smith
Ken, of course I failed to ask the obvious question - is Hitty still around and sailing??
Alden, I do not know if Hitty was a Crosby design, but I suspect so. Walter Skinner as I remember was an architect, but not a naval architect in Bridgeport CT. I remember him as sort of a Goddard (The Complete Cruiser) character. That was probably 55 years ago.
Walter Skinner commissioned a David Stevens baby Bluenose schooner to replace Hitty. We did the same but it was delivered by rail to the West Coast as we had moved by completion. I don't remember any pictures but I will check some old family albums.
The boats were stored and moored at what Google now identifies as Port Milford. If I come up with anymore details I will let you know.
Ken
Ken, that makes Walter Skinner a lot more familiar, I know Goddard quite well! 'The Complete Cruiser' is a book I had put off reading for some time because of its didactic style, but I read it recently and enjoyed it immensely.
I did a Google on the Baby Bluenoses - quite a lot smaller than their namesake, but a serious cruising boat all the same.
Thanks for taking the time to comment, and yes, if you happen to come up with any more details I would be very interested in hearing from you.
Alden, Thank you for reviving the memory of Hitty. I too have considered building her. The springy sheer and hull shape is mesmerizing.
My best, Ken
Jenny was definitely built by Herbert F. Crosby in 1933. Her builder's plate states that fact. As a previous owner of the boat, I think I would know. Curiously, that plate was not brass or bronze.... it was bakelite. The mould allowed for the raised lettering and border to be highlighted with a layer of white paint.
Garry L. Sherman
Garry, thank you for this information. Builders didn't put brass, bronze or bakelite plates with information on them into boats for no reason. Jenny is doing well considering she was built in 1933.
I think I have solved the problem of who the designer of 'Hitty' is. I received a couple of years back a set of plans from Wooden Boat magazine of the popular double ended yawl "Annie", designed by Fenwick Williams the build of which was featured many years ago in Wooden Boat Magazine.
By comparing the handwriting and the particular way dimensions, numbers etc are presented (there is one particular curvy squiggle that is prominent) and written, I am very sure that 'Hitty' was designed by Fenwick Williams. Having said that, the similarity of 'Hitty' and 'Jenny' is remarkable.
Hello Alden,
Regarding Hitty: I have found four pictures in an old slide catalog. I don’t see a way to send them in the comment format. An email address other means would be helpful. Do you have a link or file of the original plans in Rudder magazine?
Ken
Hi Ken - I would very much like to see these photographs. If you can get them into a suitable file format then you could send them to my email address:
aldensmith@xtra.co.nz
I don't have any links or files of the original plans - all I have is a copy of the plans in a Rudder Magazine which are basically the building plans including the table of offsets. If you give me your name and postal address I will photocopy the article which includes these plans and send them to you. You can contact me at the above email address.
Regards - Alden
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