Herreshoff 12 1/2 Buyer's Guide
The Herreshoff 12½ is a one-design keelboat designed by Nathanael Greene Herreshoff in 1914 and built in wood first by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company, then by Quincy Adams Yacht Yard, then by Cape Cod Shipbuilding before the class moved to fiberglass. A buyer on the used market is therefore choosing among wooden hulls of differing builder provenance and, less commonly, later molded boats — all carrying the same 12½ name but not identical construction history.
Layouts on the Used Market
Wooden 12½s divide by builder. The Herreshoff Manufacturing Company built 364 hulls through 1943 in white cedar carvel planking. Quincy Adams Yacht Yard built 51 licensed hulls from 1943 onward, planked in mahogany with a reverse sheer forward, and Cape Cod Shipbuilding built about 35 wooden hulls between 1948 and 1950 before switching to fiberglass. The Doughdish is a separate fiberglass replica tooled from three original wooden hulls and is not a Cape Cod 12½, though it races against wooden boats in association regattas.
Equipment and Common Upgrades
On the used market, a self-tacking jib and a spinnaker appear as occasional owner upgrades rather than standard or common factory fits anchor. A buyer should treat either as a later addition and check that the deck hardware and rigging support it without overloading the small keelboat hull.
What to Inspect
When viewing a wooden 12½, confirm the plank species and sheer line. Quincy Adams hulls were planked with mahogany rather than the white cedar used by HMC and show something of a reverse sheer forward anchor; a claimed "original Herreshoff" boat with those traits is a licensed variant. On any wooden hull, inspect the planking and fastenings appropriate to its claimed builder, since the class spans three wooden yards with different planking stock. For a Doughdish, verify it is the replica built from original hull lines and not a Cape Cod 12½, because only the Doughdish is accepted alongside wooden boats in association regattas anchor.
Availability and Buyer's Takeaway
These boats are typically found in the United States and Canada. Before committing, a shopper should:
- Confirm builder identity from plank wood and sheer line
- Verify Doughdish versus Cape Cod fiberglass status for racing eligibility
- Inspect planking and fastenings on wooden hulls
- Treat self-tacking jib or spinnaker as owner upgrades, not factory standard
Price & volume trends
Monthly asking-price and listing-volume trends for the Herreshoff 12 1/2. The line shows the median ask each month; the bars show how many listings appeared.
Monthly breakdown · 10 rows
| Month | Listings | Median ask | Δ vs. last mo. |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jul 25 | 3 | $29,900 | — |
| Aug 25 | 1 | $22,000 | -26.4% |
| Sep 25 | 2 | $23,450 | +6.6% |
| Oct 25 | 1 | $35,000 | +49.3% |
| Jan 26 | 5 | $19,500 | -44.3% |
| Feb 26 | 1 | $48,900 | +150.8% |
| Apr 26 | 2 | $23,250 | -52.5% |
| May 26 | 4 | $35,000 | +50.5% |
| Jun 26 | 1 | $49,900 | +42.6% |
| Jul 26 | 1 | $16,900 | -66.1% |
Where they're listed
Herreshoff 12 1/2 listings appear across 2 countries. United States has the most listings with 17 (94.4%), followed by Canada.
Country view
18 listings · 2 countries| Country | Median ask | Listings · 12 mo | Active · 90 d | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| United States | $23,500 | 17 | 5 | 94.4% |
| Canada | $27,500 | 1 | 0 | 5.6% |