Herreshoff 12½

Chesapeake Bay Builders Pre-War 1914-1943 $15,000-$45,000

Why it matters

Nathanael Herreshoff was the greatest yacht designer in American history. He designed America's Cup defenders. And then he designed the 12½ for teaching his grandchildren to sail. It's perhaps the most beautiful small sailboat ever drawn. The proportions are perfect. The hull form is still being built today, over a century later.

Specifications

Hull Material Cedar planking on oak frames
Length 15 ft 10 in
Beam 5 ft 10 in
Draft 2 ft 6 in (centerboard up)
Weight 1,350 lbs
Engine None (sail only)
Engine Type sail
Horsepower N/A
Passengers 4
Production ~375 built by Herreshoff, hundreds more replicas

Notable Features

  • Nathanael Herreshoff design
  • Perfect proportions
  • One-design racing
  • Gaff-rigged beauty

Patina notes

Herreshoff 12½s show their wooden boat heritage in the patina of the varnished coaming, the worn bronze hardware, and the checked deck seams. The gaff rig requires careful maintenance, and the running rigging shows use. These are boats that were sailed, not displayed.

Preservation reality

Original Herreshoff 12½s are collectible, but the design lives on through modern builders. Cape Cod Shipbuilding builds fiberglass versions. Artisan Boatworks builds wooden replicas. Prices for original boats start around $25,000 for project condition.

Clubs

  • Herreshoff Marine Museum
  • One-design class fleets nationwide

Events

  • Bristol Herreshoff Rendezvous
  • Museum of Yachting Classic Yacht Regatta

Sources