Amaryllis is an example of innovation ahead of its time. Interparus will tell you about the interesting fate of the first racing catamaran.
History of the creation of Amaryllis
By the time of creation Amaryllis, Nathaniel Herreshoff already had extensive engineering experience, but he had not yet designed sailing yachts. In 1876, Nathaniel created his first sailing boat, but what a sailboat!

In the photo: replica Amaryllis II
It was not just a yacht, but a full-fledged catamaran. Amaryllis was originally developed to investigate the performance and potential benefits of multihull boats.
This multihull was not a catamaran in the modern sense. Two small hulls with a lintel and a mast - that’s all Amaryllis. However, Nathaniel still had no idea how exactly his creation would show itself.
Gray horse
All in the same 1876 Amaryllis took part in the New York Centennial Regatta. This is a prestigious race that was held in honor of the 100th anniversary of the United States. Both rich and poor people from the New York City waterfront took part in this race. Everyone wanted to test their boats and yachts for speed and strength.

Before the race, Nathaniel conducted sea trials. Word of the strange twin-hulled boat quickly spread along the East Coast, but few boaters had any idea what the catamaran was capable of. When Herreshoff and his team arrived in New York, many of the regatta participants were smiling and joking. Naturally, the object of jokes was Amaryllis.
The regatta organizers did not understand exactly how to register the catamaran. It was almost 8 meters long, but it had two bodies. This did not directly contradict the rules, but the organizers did not intend for multihulls to take part on the same basis as monohulls.
Unsuccessful start of the legendary race
In 1876 there were no clearly defined rules for regattas. It was customary to consider the start not the sound of the starting weapon (sports pistol), but the moment the participants actually crossed the start line.
On that dayAmaryllis one of the last to cross the starting line. The wind was light, and the team lost a lot of time on the first turn - about five minutes - due to low speed. However, a miracle soon happened.

Pictured: Duplex – twin brother of Amaryllis
When the wind returned to normal and Amaryllis With his sails full of wind, he beat a dozen rivals in one pass. The participants and judges were shocked - no one expected such a result from the boat of the still unknown Nathaniel Herreshoff.
In 3 hours 19 minutes and 32 seconds Amaryllis reached the finish line ahead of the race leader Sophie S for seven minutes, and the boat Pluck and Luck - almost 20 meters. And this despite the fact that about 10 minutes of critical time were lost at the start.
Amaryllis – object of controversy and condemnation
The team was the first to challenge the unconditional victory of the Herreshoff catamaran Sophie S. Before he could go ashore, the boat captain announced that Amaryllis has nothing to do with yachts and in general “it’s neither a yacht nor a boat.” The organizers shrugged their shoulders at the captain’s claims: “Your protest came too late. If everything was as you say, then the protest should have been submitted before the start of the regatta. Moreover, if catamaran really did not meet the characteristics, the judge would not allow the team to participate in the regatta.”

In the photo: replica Amaryllis II
However, the Regatta Committee had a different opinion. Too many famous yachtsmen expressed their dissatisfaction with the results Amaryllis. It was decided to deprive the catamaran of its well-deserved first place, but to issue a diploma and certificate for “the highest speed ever achieved by a vessel of its length (25 feet or 7.62 meters).”
However, Nathaniel was of little interest in such a verdict. Herreshoff received something much more valuable than a diploma and awards. He gained experience and a vision of what kind of boats he wanted to create. Ironically, Nathaniel became famous primarily for his monohull classic yachts.
Amaryllis Legacy
The fate of the legendary catamaran is lost in the winding annals of yachting history. It is reliably known that a year after the race, Herreshoff designed the receiver Amaryllis – a catamaran called Tarantella. This boat was already 10 meters long and even had some semblance of shelter for the yachtsman. Like the previous model, the Tarantella had outstanding driving characteristics.

Alas, Nathaniel did not design catamarans after this. Many years later, in 1933, a replica was released Amaryllis - Amaryllis II. It was made by Herreshoff under the direct supervision of the creator of the original catamaran. Today Amaryllis II it is the only remaining catamaran built under Herreshoff's supervision. The replica has become slightly longer and taller, but all the distinctive features of the original remain intact.
Herreshoff's brainchild probably became the founder of such a type of catamaran as the Hobie Cat. Naturally, Amaryllis and “catamarans for everyone” are separated by almost half a century, but in the design of the latter the continuity of Herreshoff’s approaches is clearly visible.
Reliable information about the fate of the original catamaran there are few left. But much more important is the contribution made by Herreshoff and Amaryllis into the history of yachting. Who knows, it’s probably thanks to him that catamarans are so popular today.
New video on the Interparus channel🎥
Interparus is pleased to present a new video - unpacking our new yachts. Sasha Goron shares her impressions and shopping recommendations.
Don't forget to rate the material. You can find other interesting articles using the links below or in the “News” section!
18.04.2024
News and articles

The requirements for your own yacht are high: it must be comfortable, navigate the sea well and be functional. In order to customize their yacht according to individual desires, many yacht owners become true “jack of all trades”. They shared with us their secrets and tips on how to make the yacht more comfortable.
Read more…
Interparus in touch! The latest news from the world of yachting has arrived! We hasten to share and talk about what happened over the past few days.
Read more…
The industry is waiting for METSTRADE 2022, the yacht of the Russian oligarch will still be allowed into South Africa, and the consequences of Hurricane Ian are still not eliminated - we will tell about this in our traditional news digest from Interparus.
Read more…