View source for Henry B. Nevins, Incorporated

{{Short description|Yacht builder}}{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2020}}
'''Henry B. Nevins Incorporated''' was wooden-hull yacht builder in [[City Island, New York]] founded in 1907 by [[Henry B. Nevins]]. Nevins was a master yacht builder and author on vessel construction who apprenticed at the island's Charles L. Seabury & Company.<ref name = 061254time >"MODERN LIVING: As Idle as a Painted Ship – TIME." TIME.com. N.p., 12 June 1954. Web. 2 July 2010. <[https://web.archive.org/web/20101116213132/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,861010,00.html]>.</ref> Later he purchased the nearby Byles Yard to increase his company's acreage. Henry B. Nevins Inc.  built custom sail and motor yachts and racing craft for affluent clients,<ref name=hbnsyc>"Henry B. Nevins, Inc. Shipyard Collection." Mystic Seaport. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 July 2010. <http://library.mysticseaport.org/manuscripts/coll/spcoll028.cfm>. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100304214215/http://library.mysticseaport.org/manuscripts/coll/spcoll028.cfm |date=4 March 2010 }}</ref> but also small tugs and barges for commercial customers.<ref name = wm>{{cite web |url=http://wikimapia.org/12009493/Former-Site-of-Henry-B-Nevins-Yacht-Builders |title=Former Site of Henry B. Nevins Yacht Builders (New York City, New York) |publisher=Wikimapia |website=www.wikimapia.org |access-date=9 October 2018 }}</ref> Run by a perfectionist, Nevins' company seasoned its own lumber, designed and machined its own fittings, made its own glue, and balanced spars by weighing shavings. As a result, Nevins built more cup-winning yachts than anyone else in the industry.<ref name = 061254time/>

In 1939, Henry B. Nevins Inc. was awarded $15,000 by the [[United States Navy]] for the best design of a {{convert|54|ft|adj=on}} motor torpedo boat, used by [[George Crouch]].<ref name = 041039time>{{cite web |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,760967,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081214220211/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,760967,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=14 December 2008 |title=NATIONAL DEFENSE: Small Boats |publisher=Time |date=10 April 1939 |website=[[Time (magazine)|Time]] |access-date=9 October 2018 }}</ref> During [[World War II]], Henry B. Nevins Inc. built 24 [[YMS-1 class minesweeper]]s for the U.S. Navy and 4 aircraft-rescue boats during as part of the war effort.<ref name=ussbh>"Henry B. Nevins Yacht Builders." U.S. Shipbuilding History. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 July 2010. <http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/6yacht/inactive/nevins.htm>. {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100504074928/http://www.shipbuildinghistory.com/history/shipyards/6yacht/inactive/nevins.htm |date=4 May 2010 }}</ref> A few yachts built by Nevins before World War II, such as [[USS Saluda (IX-87)|USS ''Saluda'']] served the Navy during the war.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navsource.org/archives/09/46/46087.htm |title=Saluda (YAG-87) |publisher=NavSource Online: Service Ship Photo Archive |website=www.navsource.org |access-date=9 October 2018 }}</ref> Following World War II the yard resumed private and commercial shipbuilding.<ref name = wm/>
Nevins died in 1950.<ref name = 061254time/> Except for three minesweepers built for the [[Belgian Navy]] in 1953–54,<ref name = wm/> the shipyard was unable to compete with postwar European shipyards able to make yachts at 1/3 the cost. His widow sold the yard in 1954 and it ceased operations in 1962. The former site is now occupied by the [[City Island, Bronx#Education|City Island School]].<ref name = ussbh/> Today little remains of the yard except for marine railways and slipways only visible at low tide.<ref name = wm/>

Nevins built the Fishers Island One Design. Designed by [[Charles Mower]] these sloops had a {{convert|24|ft|adj=on}} hull with {{convert|15|feet}} on the waterline and {{convert|7|foot|adj=on}} beam.<ref name=egan>Egan, James F.X.. "Fisher Island One Designs." Groton Long Point Yacht Club. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 July 2010. <{{cite web|url=http://www.glpyc.org/fisher_island_one_designs.htm |title=Fisher Island One Designs |accessdate=3 July 2010 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110601005926/http://www.glpyc.org/fisher_island_one_designs.htm |archivedate=1 June 2011  }}</ref> The first boats were gaff rigged sloops. Twenty-five were built.

== Ships built by Henry B. Nevins, Incorporated ==
* [[Brilliant (schooner)]] - 1932
* [[Columbia (1958 yacht)]] - 1958 Winner of the [[1958 America's Cup]].
* [[USS Grackle (AMS-13)]] - 1943
* [[USS Magpie (AMS-25)]] - 1943
* [[USS Robin (AMS-53)]] - 1953
* [[USS Saluda (IX-87)]] - 1938
* [[USS Seagull (AMS-55)]] - 1943
* [[USS Tamarack (SP-561)]] - 1915

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{PT boat}}

[[Category:American shipbuilders]]
[[Category:Yacht building companies]]
[[Category:Maritime history of the United States]]
[[Category:City Island, Bronx]]
[[Category:Companies based in the Bronx]]