Henry B. Nevins, Incorporated facts for kids
Henry B. Nevins Incorporated was a famous company that built amazing wooden boats in City Island, New York. It was started in 1907 by Henry B. Nevins, who was a true master at building yachts. He learned his skills at another company on the island called Charles L. Seabury & Company. Later, he bought a nearby boatyard called Byles Yard to make his company even bigger.
Henry B. Nevins Inc. built special boats for wealthy customers, including custom-made sailboats and motor yachts, and even racing boats. But they also built smaller boats like tugs and barges for businesses. Mr. Nevins was a perfectionist! His company prepared its own wood, designed and made its own metal parts, created its own glue, and even balanced the masts of boats by weighing wood shavings. Because of this incredible attention to detail, Nevins built more yachts that won famous races than any other company in the industry.
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Helping Out During World War II
In 1939, Henry B. Nevins Inc. won $15,000 from the United States Navy for designing the best 54-foot (16 m) motor torpedo boat. These boats were used by a designer named George Crouch. During World War II, the company played a big part in the war effort. They built 24 YMS-1 class minesweepers for the U.S. Navy. Minesweepers are special boats that find and remove dangerous underwater mines. They also built 4 aircraft-rescue boats. Some yachts that Nevins built before the war, like USS Saluda, were also used by the Navy during the war.
After the War and Closing Down
After World War II ended, the shipyard went back to building boats for private owners and businesses. Sadly, Henry B. Nevins passed away in 1950. After his death, the company found it hard to compete with shipyards in Europe. These European companies could build yachts for much less money, sometimes at only one-third of the cost.
Even though they built three minesweepers for the Belgian Navy in 1953–54, the company struggled. Mr. Nevins's widow sold the shipyard in 1954, and it finally closed its doors in 1962. Today, the place where the shipyard once stood is now home to the City Island School. You can still see a few things left from the old shipyard, like parts of the marine railways and slipways, but only when the tide is low.
The Fishers Island One Design
Nevins also built a special type of boat called the Fishers Island One Design. These boats were designed by Charles Mower. They were sloops, which are sailboats with one mast. Their hulls were 24-foot (7.3 m) long, with 15 feet (4.6 m) on the waterline, and they were 7-foot (2.1 m) wide. The first ones had a special type of sail called a gaff rig. Twenty-five of these unique boats were built.
Famous Boats Built by Henry B. Nevins
Here are some of the notable boats built by Henry B. Nevins, Incorporated:
- Brilliant (schooner) - Built in 1932
- Columbia (1958 yacht) - Built in 1958, this yacht won the famous 1958 America's Cup race!
- USS Grackle (AMS-13) - Built in 1943
- USS Magpie (AMS-25) - Built in 1943
- USS Robin (AMS-53) - Built in 1953
- USS Saluda (IX-87) - Built in 1938
- USS Seagull (AMS-55) - Built in 1943
- USS Tamarack (SP-561) - Built in 1915
