Famed Pelham Yacht and Boat Builder George Washington Byles and His City Island Shipyard

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George Washington Byles was a successful yacht and boat builder who established and operated a successful Pelham boatyard on City Island during the 19th century.  Byles was a son of William Henry Byles and Anne Eliza Barker Byles.  He was born in the seventeenth ward of the Borough of Brooklyn on September 16, 1848.  His father, a Brooklyn shipbuilder who worked with famed shipyard owner George Steers, was a native of England.  His mother, Anne Eliza Barker, was a native of the Town of Eastchester, adjacent to Pelham.  

George W. Byles was raised and educated in Brooklyn and learned the yacht and boat building trade.  According to one biography, he moved to City Island in the Town of Pelham on June 1, 1869 where he became involved in the shipbuilding trade there.  A report published in 1875 shows him involved in the construction of a small skiff for C. W. Lawrence.  Byles seems to have specialized in small boats and yachts for the remainder of his long career.  

On August 17, 1872, Byles married Mary A. Pease (born July 1848), a daughter of Elias Pease and Mary H. Fowler Pease.  Less than four years later, George's father, William Henry Byles, died on May 4, 1876.  It seems that, upon his father's death, George W. Byles and Mary A. Pease Byles welcomed his mother, Anne Eliza Barker Byles, into their City Island home.  The 1880 U.S. Census reflects George and Mary Byles living with George's mother in the household.  His mother died a few years later in May, 1885.  George and Mary do not appear to have had children (if they did, it does not appear that any survived childhood).   

Constant newspaper references throughout the 1870s, 1880s, and 1890s suggest that George Byles was consistently busy at his yacht and boatyard on City Island.  Though it is not possible to assemble a complete list of the yachts and boats he built (or on which he worked), below is an incomplete list of some of his work.  

1875 - Small skiff for C. W. Lawrence.  

1879 - Eighteen-foot copper-fastened oyster skiff, for an unidentified City Island oysterman.

1879 - Order to build a 17-foot shell boat for Mr. Aaron Vail.

1880 - The alteration and lengthening of the yacht Mary B to bring her to 14 feet, 11 inches long (lengthened nine inches, and the position of her center-board changed).  

June 18, 1882 - George W. Byles launched Surf, a cutter he built in his boatyard.  

May 2, 1884 - A "large amount" of "small boat building" reportedly was underway in the boatyard of Georg W. Byles.

June 20, 1884 - Mr. George W. Byles "has several sailboats under way" at his boatyard.

February 13, 1885 - "Mr. George W. Byles, has several new boats about ready to launch, and prospects of three more to build."

February 27, 1885 - "Mr. George W. Byles has just contracted for the building of several boats."

December 12, 1885 - Steam launch Frolic built for company formed by New Rochelle residents.  The dimensions of the boat were:  length, 50 feet over all; keel, 43 feet; beam, 11 feet; depth, 6 1-2 feet; tonnage, 20 tons.  According to a report, though launched on December 12, 1885, "In the spring work will be resumed on the boat.  The cabin and births [sic] will be elaborately fitted up, and she will be supplied with a 20 horse compound engine, and a 36 inch screw.  When finished she will be capable of accommodating about 60 persons."

May 10, 1894 - Cutter yacht Mopsa, built for J. W. Harrison, was launched from the yard of George W. Byles.

June 15, 1895 - The yawl Pilgrim, owned by Charles Crawford of Brooklyn, was hauled out at the boatyard of George W. Byles for a complete "overhaul."

July 18, 1896 - E. D. Morgan Waterman’s new yawl-rigged yacht Pawnee was launched from the yard of George W. Byles.  Her dimensions were 53 feet over all, 35 feet 7 inches water line, and 13 feet 7 inches beam.  She was designed by H. G. Gielow.

June 16, 1898 - Launch of the catboat Dot built for Rear Commodore C. T. Pierce, of the Riverside Yacht Club and designed by H. J. Gielow with the following dimensions:  length over all, 37 feet 3 inches; length on load waterline, 23 feet; beam, 12 feet; draught, 26 inches.  According to one report:  "She has good freeboard, and her cabin is roomy and well lighted, being 15 feet long, with 5 feet 7 inches clear head room under carlines.  The cockpit is 9 feet long, and is self-bailing."  [See image of Dot below.]

May 1900 - The launch of the knockabout Why Not took place at Byles’s yards, City Island.  She was built for owner Arthur F. Mills of the New-Rochelle Yacht Club. 

May 30, 1900 - F. E. Wright’s sloop yacht Nellie was relaunched after being overhauled and fitted with a new iron keel at the Byles boatyard.  

June 26, 1900 - Edward Jaeger’s keel yawl Reco was sold to Oppenheimer & Meyer of New York, and was overhauled at the Byles boatyard.

August 10, 1900 - William Simonson’s fin keel yawl Aura was hauled out at the Byles boatyard "to have her bottom smoothed and repainted."

February 1901 - Centreboard sloop was scheduled to be built at the Byles boatyard for Dr. Sayre with dimensions of 40 feet over all, 25 feet water line, and 11 feet 6 inches beam.

April 14, 1901 - E. Eberspacher’s centreboard sloop Wacondah was reportedly "undergoing a number of changes at the yard of G. W. Byles, including a gasoline engine, converting the yacht into an auxiliary.”

March 1903 - George W. Byles reportedly is building a new auxiliary yawl named the Yabwoc for owner William P. Trench of the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club.  The yawl was designed by Charles D. Mower with the following dimensions:  32 feet over all, 24 feet on the water line, 9 feet 6 inches beam, 3 feet 2 inches draught, increased to 7 feet, with centerboard down.  According to one report:  "The boat will carry 640 square feet of canvas and have 2,400 pounds of outside ballast.  The lines of the Yabwoc show a very able craft, with plenty of freeboard and moderate overhangs.  The cabin has head room of 5 feet, with comfortable accommodations. The boat will in every way fit the owner’s requirements, which called for a dry, well balanced, powerful little cruiser, with no useless ends.  The power will be furnished by a 5 horse power Lozier engine.”

As such an incomplete record of boat building activity suggests, the Byles boatyard seems to have been fairly busy throughout its many years of operation.  Indeed, by 1882, George W. Byles was sufficiently successful to afford a new home that he had builder Charles Baxter construct for him on Schofield Avenue on City Island.  The home was 35 feet by 26 feet in size.  

In addition to building yachts and small boats and overhauling vessels at his yard, George Byles seems to have been either a boat broker or a hustler (in the positive sense) who bought, repaired and resold small boats and yachts.  There are countless "For Sale" advertisements too numerous to quote below demonstrating that Byles offered boats for sale that could be viewed at his yard on City Island.  

After more than fifty years of service as a yacht and boat builder on City Island, on November 30, 1922, George Washington Byles died in his home at 101 Center Street, City Island.  He was buried in Kensico Cemetery.  

View of Portion of City Island in About 1900 Seen from Offshore Looking

Toward the Northwest from City Island Harbor With George W. Byles

Boatyard on Left, then the Archibald Robertson Shipyard and the Hawkins

Shipyard with the America's Cup Yacht Columbia Hauled Out and in

Storage.  Image Courtesy of, and Used with Permission of, the City

Island Nautical Museum.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Image of George W. Byles Boatyard, on the Right, Adjacent to the

Yacht Yards of Henry B. Nevins on City Island in About 1910.  Image

Courtesy of, and Used with Permission of, the City Island Nautical

Museum.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

Detail from Map Published in 1893 Showing Location of G. W. Byles

Boatyard (To Left of the Large "A").  Source:  "Towns of Westchester

and Pelham" in Bien, Joseph Rudolf, Atlas of Westchester County,

New York Prepared Under the Direction of Joseph R. Bien, p. 3 (NY,

NY:  Julius Bien & Co., 1893).  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

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1901 Advertisement for George W. Byles Yacht and Boat Builder.

Source:  "GEORGE W. BYLES [Advertisement]" in Day, Thomas

Fleming, ed., The Rudder, Vol. XII, No. 6, p. xxii (Jun. 1901).NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.  

"THE NEW CATBOAT DOT." Built by George W. Byles in 1898.

Source:  THE NEW CATBOAT DOT -- New Under Construction

at City Island for Rear Commodore C. T. Pierce, of the Riversides,

N. Y. Herald, May 15, 1898, p. 4, col. 2.  NOTE:  Click on Image to Enlarge.

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Below is the text of a large number of items regarding George Washington Byles and his City Island boatyard.  Each is followed by a citation and link to its source.  

“GEORGE W. BYLES.

George W. Byles, a successful and enterprising yacht and boat builder of City Island, borough of the Bronx, where he has been engaged in ship building for a number of years, was born in the seventeenth ward, borough of Brooklyn, September 16, 1848, son of William H. and Eliza (Barker) Byles.  His father, William H. Byles, was a native of England, and his mother was a native of Eastchester, Westchester county, New York.  William H. Byles was for many years engaged at the trade of ship carpenter in Brooklyn, where he was employed with the celebrated ship builder, George Steers, who designed and built the yacht ‘America,’ that won the English cup, a trophy much prized by American yachtsmen.

Mr. Byles [William H. Byles] died May 4, 1876, and the faithful wife and mother of his children died in May, 1885.  They had by their union in marriage a family of seven children, of whom George W. and William H., of New York city, are the only surviving ones.

George W. Byles was reared and educated in his native city, and upon attaining to manhood years learned the yacht and boat building trade.  On June 1, 1869, Mr. Byles came to City Island, where he became engaged in the ship building trade, which line of enterprise he has successfully followed up to the present period.  Among his patrons are many well known New York families.  By his skill and enterprise Mr. Byles has done much to improve and design various classes of pleasure craft and has become recognized as one of the leading yacht and boat builders of City Island.  Mr. Byles is a member of City Island Council, Royal Areanum.  He was married at City Island, August 17, 1872, to Mary A. Pease, born July, 1848, daughter of Elias and Mary H. (Fowler) Pease.”

Source:  “GEORGE W. BYLES” in Pelletreau, William S., Historic Homes and Institutions and Genealogical and Family History of New York, Vol. IV, p. 281 (NY and Chicago:  The Lewis Publishing Company, 1907).

“CITY ISLAND.

Capt. James Hyatt’s sloop, Romans, is being overhauled; a much-needed piece of work.

Mr. Geo. W. Byles has just completed an 18-foot copper-fastened oyster skiff, for one of the City Island oystermen.  Mr. B. has an order to build a 17-foot shell boat for Mr. Aaron Vail. . . .”

Source:  City Island, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Jul. 18, 1879, Vol. X, No. 513, p. 2, col. 4. 

"CITY ISLAND AND PELHAM. . . .

Mr. Geo. W. Byles has just finished the alteration and lengthening of the yacht Mary B.  She has been lengthened nine inches, and the position of her centre-board changed.  The prime object of the addition in the length was to make her sharper at the bow.  She is to be fitted with a new suit of sails, for which Mr. A. H. Burrill, of the firm of Phillips & Burrill, corner of East and Delancy streets, New York, took the measure on Wednesday last.  The Mary B. is 14 feet 11 inches long."

Source:  CITY ISLAND AND PELHAM, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Mar. 5, 1880, Vol. XI, No. 546, p. 2, col. 5.  

"CITY ISLAND NOTES. . . .

CHARLES BAXTER is building a two story house, 35 x 26, on Schofield avenue for George W. Byles.  He is also building a two story house for Mr. J. Abraham, on Main street, 24 x 36. . . ."

Source:  CITY ISLAND NOTES, New Rochelle Pioneer, Jun. 3, 1882, p. 2, col. 5.  

"CITY ISLAND. . . . 

The Surf, a cutter recently built by Mr. George W. Byles, was launched on Monday last. . . ."

Source:  CITY ISLAND, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Jun. 22, 1883, p. 3, col. 4.  

"PELHAM AND CITY ISLAND . . . 

Messrs. A. B. Wood and son have on hand a large amount of work in small boat building, as has also Mr. George W. Byles. . . ."

Source:  PELHAM AND CITY ISLAND, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], May 2, 1884, p. 3, col. 4.  

“CITY ISLAND. . . .

There is unusual quiet just now, at the ship yards, nothing more extensive than repairing being done.  Messrs. Carll, Hawkins and Robinson & Co., each getting their share of small boats, quite a number are building.  Mr. Geo. W. Byles has several sailboats under way, and Messrs. Wood & Son are kept busy. . . .”

Source:  CITY ISLAND, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Jun. 20, 1884, Vol. XV, No. 770, p. 3, cols. 3-4. 

“PELHAM AND CITY ISLAND. . .

Mr. George W. Byles, has several new boats about ready to launch, and prospects of three more to build. . . .”

Source:  PELHAM AND CITY ISLAND, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Feb. 13, 1885, Vol. XVI, No. 804, p. 3, col. 3.  

“PELHAM AND CITY ISLAND.

Mr. John O. Fordham has been engaged recently in small boat building.  He completed the ninth one on Wednesday last.

A special musical exercise for Easter Day services, in the Church of the Redeemer, is in preparation by Mrs. I. C. Hill.

Mr. George W. Byles has just contracted for the building of several boats.  Messrs. Wood & Son are also quite busy building small boats.  The shipyards are dull places this winter. . . .”

Source:  PELHAM AND CITY ISLAND, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Feb. 27, 1885, Vol. XVI, No. 806, p. 3, col. 3. 

“New Rochelle Steam Launch.

Last summer several residents of our village conceived the idea that a Steam Launch, that could be used as a pleasure boat or for other purposes, was what was wanted in New Rochelle.  The idea was promulgated among our citizens and was favorably received.  Last September a company was formed, and incorporated under the laws of the State of New York for the purpose of towing vessels, and carrying passengers and freight.  The company is composed of the following gentlemen:  John S. Nicholas, President; James Ross, Vice President; Wm. E. Johnson, Treasurer; C. H. Morgan, Secretary.

An order was given to Mr. George W. Byles, shipbuilder, of City Island, who has a wide reputation for being a first-class boat builder, to build a first class boat.  It was expected that the hull of the boat would have been finished by the first of November, but through pressure of business that gentleman was unable to complete it by that time.  Last week the company received word that the boat would be ready to launch on Saturday morning at about eleven o’clock.  Saturday morning the exceedingly wet weather somewhat ‘dampened’ the spirits of many of the company, who had expected to be present at the launch, but after some little ‘drumming up’ a sufficient number was got together to comfortably fill one of Coe & Morgan’s stages.  Arriving at City Island they found thy were too late to see the boat slide down the greased ways.  The boat had not floated, however, and they had the satisfaction of seeing the launch of the boat completed, and were enabled to render some assistance in so doing.  The boat had already had a bottle of wine broken over the bow, but the delegates of the company had supplied themselves with a bottle of wine for that purpose, and securing the services of little Miss Bertie Barstow, proposed that when the boat floated she should break the bottle on the bow and name it the ‘Frolic.’  After some few preliminaries all hands put a good strong ‘shoulder to the wheel,’ and the ‘Frolic’ glided into the Sound, where she floated as buoyantly and gracefully as a swan.  The bottle was broken, the boat named, and exclamations of delight were expressed by those present, and Mr. Byles felt happy.  Captain DeVeau, of the propeller ‘Captain Joh’ towed the boat to New Rochelle in the afternoon, and on Tuesday it was drawn on ways on Mr. Stephenson’s property, and safely housed for the winter.  The dimensions of the boat are:  length, 50 feet over all; keel, 43 feet; beam, 11 feet; depth, 6 1-2 feet; tonnage, 20 tons.  In the spring work will be resumed on the boat.  The cabin and births [sic] will be elaborately fitted up, and she will be supplied with a 20 horse compound engine, and a 36 inch screw.  When finished she will be capable of accommodating about 60 persons.  The capital stock of the company is $1,750, nearly all of which has been paid in.  They are sanguine of success in their new enterprise.”

Source:  New Rochelle Steam Launch, The New Rochelle Pioneer, Dec. 19, 1885, p. 2, col. 3.

“City Island. . . .

Judge George W. Byles sold his place to a New York party for $8,000.  The spot is to be used for manufacturing purposes. . . .”

Source:  City Island, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Feb. 20, 1891, p. 1, col. 6.

“Yachts Reported at City Island.

CITY ISLAND, N. Y., May 9. – The following yachts passed here to-day:  Bound West – Steam yacht Trophy, Edwin H. Bennett.

Passed East – Steam yacht Evelyn, J. K. Hegeman, and yawl yacht Lettie, C. A. Harraman.

Cutter yacht Mopsa, J. W. Harrison, was launched to-day from the yard of George W. Byles and is nearly ready to go into commission. 

Sloop yacht Sasqua, Henry Andruss, from New-Rochelle, arrived here this afternoon to haul out at the yard of William McAllister to clean and paint.”

Source:  Yachts Reported at City Island, N.Y. Times, May 10, 1894, p. 3, col. 4 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link). 

“YACHTS REPORTED. . . .

Yawl Pilgrim, Charles Crawford, from Brooklyn, arrived here and was hauled out at George W. Byles’s yard to overhaul. . . .”

Source:  YACHTS REPORTED, N.Y. Times, Jun. 15, 1895, p. 3, col. 4 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

“June 11, 1896 CHAP. 426. – An Act For the relief of William H. Scofield, Jacob Brady, James Ketcham, Annie Booth, as administratrix of the goods, chattels, and credits of George W. Booth, deceased; Wilson P. Billar, Ezra L. Waterhouse, Moses C. Bell, George W. Byles, and George A. Scofield.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That William H. Scofield, Jacob Brady, James Ketcham, Annie Booth, as administratrix of the goods, chattels, and credits of George W. Booth, deceased; Wilson P. Billar, Ezra L. Waterhouse, Moses C. Bell, George W. Byles, and George A. Scofield be, and they are hereby released from any liability as sureties on the bond of Neil Hepburn, by reason of the defalcation of Neil Hepburn, as late postmaster at City Island, New York. And the Secretary of the Treasury is hereby authorized and directed to discontinue as against said William H. Scofield, Jacob Brady, James Ketcham, Annie Booth, as administratrix of the goods, chattels, and credits of George W. Booth, deceased; Wilson P. Billar, Ezra L. Waterhouse, Moses C. Bell, George W. Byles, and George A. Scofield any action that may have been instituted against them to enforce such liability, and to cause to be satisfied of record any judgment that may have been entered against said sureties in any such action:  Provided, however, That the provisions hereof shall apply only to the bond covering amounts accrued subsequent to September thirtieth, eighteen hundred and ninety-three.

Approved, June 11, 1896.”

Source:  “June 11, 1896 CHAP. 426” in Public Laws of the United States of America, Passed at the First Session of the Fifty-Fourth Congress, 1895-1896, p. 50 (Washington, D.C.:  Government Printing Office, 1896).

“The Yawl Pawnee Launched.

CITY ISLAND, July 18. – E. D. Morgan Waterman’s new yawl-rigged yacht Pawnee was launched this afternoon from the yard of George W. Byles.  Her dimensions are 53 feet over all, 35 feet 7 inches water line, and 13 feet 7 inches beam.  She was designed by H. G. Gielow.”

Source:  The Yawl Pawnee Launched, N.Y. Times, Jul. 19, 1896, p. 6, col. 3 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link). 

“THE NEW CATBOAT DOT.

-----

New Under Construction at City Island for Rear Commodore C. T. Pierce, of the Riversides.

-----

George W. Byles, the City Island yacht builder, has on the stocks in an advanced stage a saucy looking catboat for Rear Commodore C. T. Pierce, of the Riverside Yacht Club.  She is being built after designs by H. J. Gielow, and is of the following dimensions: --

Length over all, 37 feet 3 inches; length on load waterline, 23 feet; beam, 12 feet; draught, 26 inches.  She has good freeboard, and her cabin is roomy and well lighted, being 15 feet long, with 5 feet 7 inches clear head room under carlines.  The cockpit is 9 feet long, and is self-bailing; in fact, the boat is designed as a thoroughly comfortable cruiser, with all the home comforts permissible on a craft of her dimensions.  Her construction has been worked out very carefully and is thoroughly strong and substantial, more than one-half the fastening being driven through and clinched on the inside.  She will have a moderated rig, with hollow spars, and her sail will be from Wilson & Silsby’s loft.  No expense will be spared to make her a comfortable boat.  She has a graceful sheer, unusually handsome stern and fair, easy lines.

Commodore Pierce has named her Dot, and expects to have her ready for Decoration Day.  She will be enrolled in the Riverside and the Atlantic Yacht clubs.”

Source:  THE NEW CATBOAT DOT -- New Under Construction at City Island for Rear Commodore C. T. Pierce, of the Riversides, N. Y. Herald, May 15, 1898, p. 4, col. 2.

“YACHTING NOTES.

------

The launching on Thursday at City island of the cabin cat built by George W. Byles for Rear Commodore C. T. Pierce, of the Riverside Yacht Club, was very successful.  The yacht was covered with bunting, and as she went into the water Miss Alice C. Rogers, of Boston, stood at the bow and scattered flowers on the deck and said, ‘I name thee Dot.’  There were quite a number present, and the yacht presented a fine appearance. . . .”

Source:  YACHTING NOTES, N.Y. Herald, Jun. 19, 1898, First Section, p. 11, col. 6. 

“YACHTING. . . .

The launch of the knockabout Why Not took place recently at Byles’s yards, City Island, and the owner, Arthur F. Mills, of the New-Rochelle Yacht Club, has taken her to her moorings off the club. . . .”

Source:  YACHTING, N.Y. Tribune, May 7, 1900, p. 5, col. 4 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

“Accident Attends Cygnet’s Launching. . . .

F. E. Wright’s sloop yacht Nellie, which was overhauled and fitted with a new iron keel at the Byles yard, this place, was launched to-day.  She will go into commission next week, and will fly the burgee of the New Rochelle Yacht Club this season. . . .”

Source:  Accident Attends Cygnet’s Launching, N.Y. Times, May 30, 1900, p. 5, col. 2 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link). 

“City Island Yacht News. . . .

Edward Jaeger’s keel yawl Reco, which was equipped and used last season for a practical demonstration of a patent recording compass, has been sold to Oppenheimer & Meyer of New York, and is being overhauled and prepared for commission at the Byles yard. . . .”

Source:  City Island Yacht News, N.Y. Times, Jun. 26, 1900, Jun. 26, 1900, p. 8, col. 4 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

“City Island Yacht News. . . .

William Simonson’s fin keel yawl Aura has been hauled out at the Byles yards, to have her bottom smoothed and repainted. . . .”

Source:  City Island Yacht News, N.Y. Times, Aug. 10, 1900, p. 5, col. 2 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

“Yacht News of City Island. . . .

A new centreboard sloop for Dr. Sayre will soon be started at the yard of G. W. Byles.  Her dimensions are 40 feet over all, 25 feet water line, and 11 feet 6 inches beam. . . .”

Source:  Yacht News of City Island, N.Y. Times, Feb. 3, 1901, p. 6, col. 3 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

“City Island Yacht News. . . .

E. Eberspacher’s centreboard sloop Wacondah is undergoing a number of changes at the yard of G. W. Byles, including a gasoline engine, converting the yacht into an auxiliary.”

Source:  City Island Yacht News, N.Y. Times, Apr. 14, 1901, p. 6, col. 5 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

“City Island Yacht News.

Special to The New York Times.

CITY ISLAND, N. Y., June 29. – George W. Byles has sold the twenty-foot knock-about Ask Me to a Lake George yachtsman. . . .”

Source:  City Island Yacht News, N.Y. Times, Jun. 30, 1901, p. 20, col. 2 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

“NEW AUXILIARY YAWL FOR WM. P. TRENCH.

-----

William P. Trench of the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club is to have a new auxiliary yawl from the designs of Charles D. Mower.  The boat is to be built by Byles of City Island and will be named Yabwoc.

She is 32 feet over all, 24 feet on the water line, 9 feet 6 inches beam, 3 feet 2 inches draught, increased to 7 feet, with centerboard down.  The boat will carry 640 square feet of canvas and have 2,400 pounds of outside ballast.

The lines of the Yabwoc show a very able craft, with plenty of freeboard and moderate overhangs.  The cabin has head room of 5 feet, with comfortable accommodations.

The boat will in every way fit the owner’s requirements, which called for a dry, well balanced, powerful little cruiser, with no useless ends.  The power will be furnished by a 5 horse power Lozier engine.”

Source:  NEW AUXILIARY YAWL FOR WM. P. TRENCH, The Brooklyn Daily Eagle, Mar. 19, 1903, p. 13, col. 2 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link).

“City Island Yacht News. . . .

William Simonson’s yawl Aura has been overhauled and prepared for commission at the Byles Yard, and will be launched as soon as weather permits. . . .”

Source:  City Island Yacht News, N.Y. Times, Jun. 25, 1903, p. 8, col. 5 (Note:  Paid subscription required to access via this link). 

“FOR sale – 35 ft. glass cabin launch, 5 cylinder, 4 ¼ x 5 7/8 inch, cycle motor.  GEORGE BYLES’ yard, City Island.”

Source:  FOR sale [Advertisement], The Evening Telegraph [NY, NY], Mar. 4, 1911, p. 10, col. 6. 

“George Washington Byles

George Washington Byles, aged 74 years, one of the best known ship builders in this state, and who has been engaged in that work for the last 54 years at City Island, died yesterday at his home, 101 Center street, City Island.  He was well known to scores of Mount Vernonites, particularly those who spent any time at City Island and who had been interested in boats.  He had done considerable work for local residents also.  Funeral services will be conducted tomorrow evening at 2 o’clock at his late home.  The interment will be in Kensico cemetery and will be private.”

Source:  George Washington Byles, The Daily Argus [Mount Vernon, NY], Dec. 1, 1922, p. 2, col. 4. 

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