Henry B. Nevins Incorporated was wooden-hull yacht builder in

City Island, New York City Island is a neighborhood in the northeastern Bronx in New York City, located on an island of the same name approximately long by wide. City Island is located at the extreme western end of Long Island Sound, south of Pelham Bay and east ...

founded in 1907 by

Henry B. Nevins Henry B. Nevins (1878–1950) was a master yacht builder and author on vessel construction in City Island, New York. Born in New York in 1878, Nevins wanted to be a doctor but was too frail, so he decided to work Gas Engine & Power Company"Henry B. ...

. Nevins was a master yacht builder and author on vessel construction who apprenticed at the island's Charles L. Seabury & Company."MODERN LIVING: As Idle as a Painted Ship – TIME." TIME.com. N.p., 12 June 1954. Web. 2 July 2010.

. 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,"Henry B. Nevins, Inc. Shipyard Collection." Mystic Seaport. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 July 2010. . but also small tugs and barges for commercial customers. 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. In 1939, Henry B. Nevins Inc. was awarded $15,000 by the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...

for the best design of a motor torpedo boat. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Henry B. Nevins Inc. built 24

YMS-1 class minesweeper The ''YMS-1'' class of auxiliary motor minesweepers was established with the laying down of ''YMS-1'' on 4 March 1941. Some were later transferred to the United Kingdom as part of the World War II Lend-Lease pact between the two nations. One sh ...

s for the U.S. Navy and 4 aircraft-rescue boats during as part of the war effort."Henry B. Nevins Yacht Builders." U.S. Shipbuilding History. N.p., n.d. Web. 2 July 2010. . A few yachts built by Nevins before World War II, such as USS ''Saluda'' served the Navy during the war. Following World War II the yard resumed private and commercial shipbuilding. Nevins died in 1950. Except for three minesweepers built for the

Belgian Navy The Belgian Navy, officially the Belgian Naval Component ( nl, Marinecomponent; french: Composante marine; german: Marinekomponente ) of the Belgian Armed Forces, is the naval service of Belgium. History Early history The Belgian Navy w ...

in 1953–54, 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 School. Today little remains of the yard except for marine railways and slipways only visible at low tide. Nevins built the Fishers Island One Design. Designed by Charles Mower these sloops had a hull with on the waterline and beam.Egan, James F.X.. "Fisher Island One Designs." Groton Long Point Yacht Club. N.p., n.d. Web. 3 July 2010. < The first boats were gaff rigged sloops. Twenty-five were built.

Ships built by Henry B. Nevins, Incorporated

Brilliant (schooner) ''Brilliant'' is a schooner located at Mystic Seaport in Mystic, Connecticut, United States. ''Brilliant'' was built in 1932 on City Island, Bronx, by Henry B. Nevins Yard to a design by Olin Stephens of Sparkman & Stephens for Walter Barnum. ...

- 1932 * Columbia (1958 yacht) - 1958 Winner of the 1958 America's Cup. *

USS Grackle (AMS-13) USS ''Grackle'' (MSC(O)-13/AMS-13/YMS-312) was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. History The second Grackle was laid down as ''YMS-312'' on 7 June 1943 by Henry B. Nevins, Inc., City Island, Bronx; launched 9 November 1 ...

- 1943 *

USS Magpie (AMS-25) USS ''Magpie'' (AMS-26/YMS-400) was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. History ''Magpie'' was laid down as ''YMS-400'' by Henry B. Nevins, Inc., City Island, New York, New York, 3 July 1942; launched 24 March 1943; spons ...

- 1943 *

USS Robin (AMS-53) USS ''Robin'' (MSC(O)-53/AMS-53/YMS-311) was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. History ''Robin'' was laid down as ''YMS-311'' on 7 May 1943 by Henry B. Nevins, Inc. of City Island, Bronx; launched 6 October 1943; sponsor ...

- 1953 * USS Saluda (IX-87) - 1938 *

USS Seagull (AMS-55) USS ''Seagull'' (MCS(O)-55/AMS-55/YMS-402) was a built for the United States Navy during World War II. History ''Seagull'' was laid down as ''YMS-402'' on 24 July 1942 by Henry B. Nevins, Inc., City Island, Bronx; launched on 17 April 1943; a ...

- 1943 *

USS Tamarack (SP-561) USS ''Tamarack'' (SP-561) was a United States Navy patrol vessel in commission from 1917 to 1919. ''Tamarack'' was built as a private motor yacht of the same name by Nevins Shipyard at City Island in the Bronx, New York, in 1915 to a design by ...

- 1915

References

{{Reflist American shipbuilders Yacht building companies Maritime history of the United States City Island, Bronx Companies based in the Bronx