Sail Number: 123
Vessel Type: Gaff Cutter
LOA: 61 ′ 0″ / 18.59m – LOD: 53′ 0″ / 16.15m – LWL: 40′ 0″ / 12.19m – Beam: 10′ 6″ / 3.20m – Draft: 8′ 0″ / 2.43m – Displacement: 41,000 lbs – Ballast: – Sail Area: 1,400 sq ft – Yard Number: 665 – Hull Material: Original Double Planked Topsides – Cypress over Yellow Pine on Red Oak – Current Mahogany on White Oak – Designer: N.G. Herreshoff – Built by: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, Bristol, RI – Year Built: 1907 – Original Owner: Dr. Ed Dunham – Contract Price: $9,000
Historical:
Neith, named after the Egyptian Goddess of the Hunt, was intended as a gentleman’s weekender for N.G. Herreshoff’s personal doctor.
Sold to her third owner Neith attempted to sail to England in 1920, but was forced to sail back after encountering Hurricane force winds. A year later, now as a yawl, Neith attempted the crossing again, this time successfully.
Spending much of her life abroad Neith cruised and raced throughout Scotland and Europe, where she proved slow with her new stubby yawl rig. By 1926, Charles E. Nicholson convinced the owner to try the new Marconi rig. The experiment proved successful, and as testament to the brilliance of Nicholson, still stands rigged as a Marconi to this day.
As the story is told, one Scottish owner, as a tribute to Neith’s heritage with much fanfare kept a bronze statue of the Egyptian Goddess of the Hunt on the hearth of his home. Each time through her commissioning and decommissioning, the owner’s party celebrated through the sounds of bagpipes, as the statue was moved to and from the yachts hold.
In spring of 2014 Taylor and Snediker Yacht Restoration relaunched NEITH, a Flush Deck Cutter built in 1907 by Herreshoff Mfg Co. Rather than a comprehensive restoration, this work was the continuation of the ongoing commitment of the family which has owned her for over 30 years. Nearly everything from the sheer planks up was replaced, her sheer line was restored to original specifications, the strength of the hull was improved with new structural upgrades and replacement of any degraded structure, including the stem and several frame pairs. NEITH was awarded “Best Restoration” at the 2014 IYRS & Museum of Yachting Regatta and “Judges Choice” by the 2014 WoodenBoat Show at Mystic Seaport. In 2015 NEITH won several awards at the Mystic Seaport Antique and Classic Boat Rendezvous including, Best Restored Sail Award (in the 46’ and over category), “Grundy Insurance BRILLIANT Boat Award”, Centennial Society Award honoring vessels over 100 years old.
Comments
Anne Converse – May 8, 2020
Hello,
I am a Marion, MA photographer and I’ve enjoyed photographing classic yachts for years, admiring them as a young child in Sippican Harbor in Marion. I started Photographing the Opera House Cup Race of Nantucket since the late 1980s, and published a book in 2002 about the race. Wood, Wind and Water, A Story of the Opera House Cup of Nantucket. Carolyn M. Ford wrote the text along with my photographs. I first photographed NEITH in Newport during the Classic Yacht Race which started my love of photographing the classics and admiring NEITH. In editing photos during this at home time, I plan to find the slide. My book features NEITH in the fog with the woman skipper whose name eludes me, on the boom taking down the jib during a jib change. I’ve sold it a few times and it remains one of my favorite photographs. the book is featured on my website, which at time is being changed and photos added. Please visit it when you have time. The book is available for sale as well.
I wish you fair winds and beautiful sails!
Best Regards,
Anne Converse.
R. Lehmann – October 25, 2022
Neith can still regularly be seen sailing around Narragansett Bay, in the waters where she was built back in 1907. She is still one of the most beautiful boats in the bay, and that’s saying a lot because Narragansett Bay is home to some of the most beautiful yachts in the world. She is impeccably maintained, but still regularly shakes out her sails and shows onlookers she is more than just a museum piece. What a beauty!
