The Launch of the Schooner Yacht Katrina, Built in Pelham, on Tuesday, May 29, 1888

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It was a magnificent yacht designed by famed marine architect A. Carey Smith for a pair of brothers:  Edgar Stirling Auchincloss and Hugh Dudley Auchincloss.  It was built in 1888 in the Pelham shipyard of Henrich Carl Christian "Henry" Piepgras once located at the eastern end of Pilot Avenue (today's Pilot Street) on City Island.  It was named "Katrina."  The grand yacht launched from the rails of the Piepgras shipyard into the waters of Long Island Sound on May 29, 1888.

I have written extensively about the Piepgras Shipyard that once operated on City Island in the Town of Pelham.  For one example of such articles, see:  Tue., Dec. 08, 2015:  Heinrich Carl Christian "Henry" Piepgras and His Shipyard in the Town of Pelham on City Island.  

The launch of any large ship from rails on City Island during the 19th and early 20th centuries was a grand spectacle.  Spectators crowded the shores and lined the gunwales of yachts and ships that crowded the nearby waters for the event.  Shipyard owners hosted celebrations in their yards for the workers and even served kegs of beer and gave the workers time off for their jobs well done.  Sometimes yacht owners and their families and friends would crowd onto their new vessels before the launch and ride the vessels down the rails for the monumental splash as the large ships plunged into the waters of the Sound.  Nearly always, the new owner (or a member of the owner's family) would smash a bottle of champagne or wine against the bow of the ship as the ship is named aloud and launched, a tradition intended to invite good luck on the vessel and its future crew and passengers.

On May 29, 1888, about fifty members of the Auchincloss families and their friends were on board the steamboat Laura M. Starin to watch the launch.  Among those on board with them for the celebration were Albert Bierstadt and Mr. John Hyslop, the measurer of the New York Yacht Club.

A daughter of one of the owners cracked a bottle of wine over the bow of the sloop to begin its slide down the rails.  As the Katrina struck the water amid cheers from spectators and vessel passengers.  A host of steamship and sailing yachts gathered for the celebration with steamships blowing their whistles as the yacht slid effortlessly into the water.  According to one account, "all the steam whistles and cannon in the neighborhood echoed their approval." Many spectators witnessed the grand event, including famed American painter of the Hudson River School Albert Bierstadt.  Henry Piepgras gave his shipyard workers a half-day holiday that day and provided them with kegs of beer at the shipyard to celebrate the launch of the Katrina.  

Work on the Katrina began with the laying of the keel shortly after the Great Blizzard of 1888 that occurred March 12-13, 1888.  That storm was so massive that, as one account of the launch of the Katrina put it, "all dates are now B.B. [Before Blizzard] and A.B. [After Blizzard] in Westchester."  By the time of the launch, the schooner was nearly complete.  A little work still needed to be done including rigging the spars of Oregon pine and fitting the interior with white pine and mahogany facing.  

Construction of the yacht cost about $15,000 (the amount budgeted for the work).  This would be about  $505,000 in today's dollars.   

An image of the Katrina is included below.  Her dimensions reportedly were about 84 feet over all; 69 feet 6 inches length of water line, 20 feet 4 inches beam, 12 feet 7-1/2 inches depth of hold and draught 9 feet 3 inches aft.  

Immediately the yachting world began calling for a race between the Katrina and the recently launched Titania also built at the Piepgras Shipyard.  Pelham, for a time, was the center of the yacht-building world.

 

 Katrina, A Sloop Built for Edgar Stirling Auchincloss and

Hugh Dudley Auchincloss in 1888 at the Piepgras Shipyard

in the Town of Pelham.  Source:  Wikimedia Commons.

NOTE:  Click Image to Enlarge.

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"HAIL!  KATRINA!
-----
LAUNCH OF THE NEW SLOOP OF MESSRS. AUCHINCLOSS AT CITY ISLAND.

With the broad bosomed Sound nodding her white caps in welcome, the new yacht Katrina, iron hull and sloop rig, was launched yesterday at Piepgras' ship yard on City Island.

Her keel was laid shortly after the blizzard (all dates are now B.B. and A.B. in Westchester) and in a week or two, or perhaps a little longer, she will be sparred and rigged ready for service.

'It was a won'erful fine launch!' said . . . one old [fellow] who has lived on City Island sixty years.

'I never saw a finer launch!' remarked Captain Herman Golden of the Lurline, Mr. J. M. Waterbury's fleet winged craft.

The verdict among the fifty persons who composed the party on board the new born offspring of the lathe, chisel and mallet was that she went off 'very slippery,' and the local genius in water lore had hopes that 'she'll be a terrible smart boat.'

Not a mishap occurred to mar the event.  The owners, Messrs. Edgar S. and Hugh D. Auchincloss, were present, accompanied by half a hundred friends, on the steamboat Laura M. Starin, among whom were Mr. John Hyslop, the measurer of the New York Yacht Club, and Albert Bierstadt, the artist.  A daughter of one of the owners cracked a bottle of wine over the bow of the sloop as she struck the water, and all the steam whistles and cannon in the neighborhood echoed their approval.  The workmen in the shipyard were given a half-holiday and beer was provided for them by the keg.

The Katrina's contract specified a cost of $15,000.  She was designed by A. Cary Smith.  Her dimensions are about 84 feet over all; 69 feet 6 inches length of water line, 20 feet 4 inches beam, 12 feet 7-1/2 inches depth of hold and draught 9 feet 3 inches aft.  She is to be rigged with spars of Oregon pine and fitted with white pine and mahogany facing.

A yachting expert alleged that the bow of the Katrina resembles the Thistle.  The stern is fashioned somewhat after that of the Priscilla, although much lighter than the latter.

Among the yachts about the launch were Mr. Augustus Mott's Puzzle, a roomy and elegantly fitted steam vessel; the Priscilla, which, under the ownership of Mr. R. Lenox Belknap, is being transformed into a schooner; the Bo-Peep, and the Mischief.

The Mischief is the property of Messrs. Auchincloss, and her captain and crew will man the Katrina.  

A hope was expressed yesterday that the Katrina, when ready, and the Titania should be matched for a race to test the relative merits of the respective designers -- Smith and Burgess."

Source:  HAIL!  KATRINA! -- LAUNCH OF THE NEW SLOOP OF MESSRS. AUCHINCLOSS AT CITY ISLAND, N.Y. Herald, May 30, 1888, No. 18,909, p. 8, col. 6

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The City Island Bridge Regatta of 1878

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The Town of Pelham was abuzz with excitement and anticipation as the first annual City Island Bridge Regatta approached.  The sailing yacht race was scheduled for Saturday, June 22, 1878.  A news report published the day before the race noted that entries were expected from City Island, New Rochelle, and Cow Bay, Long Island.  Prizes for the first, second, and third place finishers were $20, $10, and $5 cash.  (About $730, $365, and $183, respectively, in today's dollars.)

Race day dawned with heavy gray skies.  A steady rain fell in the morning.  For a time it was feared that the race would not proceed.  According to one account, however, "A large crowd of spectators had gathered to witness the race."  Thus, at about 12:30 p.m., the referee's boat headed out onto the course.

The course covered eight miles, to be sailed over twice.  It began from a stake boat off City Island Bridge and proceeded to a buoy eight miles distant, southeast of Throgg's Neck.

The water that day was very rough.  To make matters worse, a strong southeast wind blew against the slow current from the west.  It seemed impracticable even to attempt the race.  Conditions were so poor that only five sailing yachts appeared at the start:  Lulu (New Rochelle), Little Pluck, Nettie, Mary B. (City Island), and Susie (New Rochelle).  

At about 12:45 p.m., the Umpire Boat and the Press Boat took their positions near the starting line at City Island Bridge.  Precisely at 12:51 p.m., the starting gun signaled the first start (Lulu).  Within the next two minutes, the starting gun signaled all of the remaining four boats.

The results were bad.  Two of the three sailing yachts suffered substantial mishaps and failed to complete the race.  A third had to complete repairs on the course and, only then, was able to complete the race.

The Nettie was the first to suffer a problem.  Off Horton's Point on City Island, she carried away her bobstay and broker her rudder.  (A bobstay is a rope that is part of the rigging of a sailing vessel that counteracts upward tension on the bowsprit from jibs and the forestay.)  The Lulu soon carried away her bobstay and her mast went overboard.  Like the Nettie, the Lulu failed to complete the race.  The Mary B. was the next to suffer a mishap.  Its bobstay broke.  The crew was able to repair the problem and finish the race, but it took about fifteen minutes to fix it.  

The Mary B. and the Susie made quite a race of it.  The Susie was the first to cross the finish line at about 4:25 p.m. with a final time of three hours, thirty-two minutes, and twenty-two seconds.  The Mary B. took second place, crossing the finish line barely three minutes later at about 4:28 p.m.

In the meantime, the Little Pluck was very far behind the two leaders.  Nowhere near the finish line, the Little Pluck suffered terrible luck.  At about 5:00 p.m., about 35 minutes after the other two racers had crossed the finish line, the wind ended and there came a dead calm.  

The Little Pluck wasn't able to cross the finish line until about 6:08 p.m.  It was enough, however, to take third place and the third place prize of $5.  

Given the maritime history of City Island and its boatyards, it should come as no surprise that such sailing yacht races were a common sight off the shores of the little island.  

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"City Island. . . . 

The City Island Bridge Regatta will take place to-morrow (Saturday). At present it looks as though the race will be a very interesting one. New Rochelle will be represented by the Lulu and Centennial, and probably the Susie. City Island will be represented by the Mary B. and A. F. Vail, and two or three boats are expected from Cow Bay, L. I. Entries can be made as late as 10 o'clock. . . ." 

Source:  City Island, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Jun. 21, 1878, Vol. IX, No. 457, p. 2, col. 5.

"City Island. . . .

The first annual City Island Bridge Regatta was sailed on the 22d inst.  The day was unfavorable and the race proved unfortunate for three of the boats.  During the early morning hours the rain fell steadily and when it ceased a strong south-easterly wind sprang up and continued until about 3 o'clock in the afternoon when it began to die out and at 5 o'clock there was a dead calm.  A large crowd of spectators had gathered to witness the race, and at 12:30 P. M. the referee's boat was ordered over the course.  The water was very rough, the strong south-east wind blowing against the slow current from the west, and it was at one time thought impracticable to call the race.  However, at ten minutes to 1 the first gun was fired and the Umpire and Press boats took their places at the starting point.  The course was from a stake boat off City Island Bridge to a buoy 8 miles distant, south-east of Throgg's Point, to be sailed over twice.  The following is the time of starting, finishing and time of race:

		Start				Finish				Time
	h.	m.	s.		h.	m.	s.		h.	m.	s.
Lulu……………	12	51				Withdrawn			..	..	..
Little Pluck…	12	51	30		6	08	1/4		5	16	30 1/4
Nettie………..	12	51	43			Withdrawn			..	..	..
Mary B………	12	52			4	28	15		3	35	15
Susie………….	12	53	08		4	25	30		3	32	22

The Nettie carried away her bob stay [sic] and broke her rudder when off Horton's Point.  The Lulu had to be withdrawn on account of a mishap off Button Ball Tree; she carried away her bob stay [sic] and her mast went overboard.  Off old Tom the Mary B. broke her bob stay [sic], and it took about 15 minutes to fix it.  The prizes were $20, $10 and $5; the Susie, of New Rochelle, took the first prize.  There will be another regatta next month by the same club.

AESOP."

Source:  City Island, The Chronicle [Mount Vernon, NY], Jun. 21, 1878, Vol. IX, No. 457, p. 2, col. 5.

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