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YACHTING IN 1896. 



YACHTING IN 1896. Early in the year the at- 

 tention not only of yachtsmen but of the world at 

 large was centered upon the investigation of Lord 

 Dunraven's charges of fraud against the American 

 managers of the international races. These con- 

 tests, or attempted contests, with the outcome of 

 the investigation and the expulsion of Lord Dun- 

 raven from the New York Yacht Club, were de- 

 scribed in the last volume of the " Annual Cyclo- 

 paedia." 



During the winter a plan was matured by mem- 

 bers of the Larch mont Yacht Club to develop a 

 " one-design " class of boats, so as to encourage in- 

 dividual seamanship among amateurs. This brought 

 out the " thirty-foot class," but the promoters were 

 somewhat disappointed in the practical outcome. 

 A remarkable fleet of small yachts was created, the 

 Herreshoff Brothers constructing about a dozen 

 so nearly alike in rig and model that the owners 

 drew lots for choice ; but, instead of a fleet of sea- 

 worthy craft, behold there was an undeniable 

 squadron of racing machines. The Herreshoff boats 

 were supplemented by designs from William Gard- 

 ner and H. C. Wintringham ; but the Herreshoff 

 boats easily carried off most of the prizes. They 

 are an undoubted success so far as concerns speed, 

 having a water line of 29 to 30 feet and sail area of 

 950 to 1,000 square feet. No time allowance is 

 granted between the boats of this class. The crew 

 is limited to four, three of whom may be paid men; 

 " a lady, however, may also be carried." This last 

 provision has been generally accepted as a jest, be- 

 cause the boats are so notoriously wet in a sea way 

 that few ladies find pleasure in sailing on them ex- 

 cept in very smooth weather. 



The " Asahi," owned by Bayard Thayer, the 

 " Mai," by 0. G. Jennings, and the " Musme," by J. 

 M. McDonough, carried off most of the prizes in 

 this class. 



Apart from the construction of such racing ma- 

 chines as the large cutter or sloop-rigged racers, 

 there has been a pronounced movement in the di- 

 rection of smaller craft that are swift and handy 

 but do not sacrifice seaworthiness to speed. All 

 attempts, however, to formulate rules that shall 

 operate for the exclusion of what are called 

 " freaks " have thus far proved in vain. 



Much attention has been directed to the alleged 

 superiority of the English as builders of steam 

 yachts by the passage in Congress of a measure 

 proposed by Representative Payne, of New York, 

 taxing foreign-built yachts. The measure as finally 

 passed was in the form of an amendment to the 

 existing statute, and amounts simply to protection 

 for American builders through a tonnage tax, a 

 comparatively trifling matter to the owners of large- 

 yachts. As a matter of courtesy to the owners of 

 pleasure craft, the laws of all maritime nations ex- 

 empt such vessels from tonnage dues ordinarily 

 charged against merchantmen, for the good and 

 sufficient reason that they are not voyaging for 

 profit and are at the same time desirable visitors so 

 far as concerns local markets. The Payne law, there- 

 fore, discriminates against the American citizen in 

 his own home waters when he is owner or lessee of 

 a foreign-built craft. The law no doubt commended 

 itself to such legislators as have a leaning toward 

 protection partly because Americans had recently 

 placed about $1,000,000 worth of orders for large 

 steam yachts in British shipyards. At present it 

 appears to be generally admitted that British yards 



do actually produce better vessels at a less cost than 

 we can do on this side the ocean. It is to be noted, 

 however, that the steam fleet of American-built 

 boats is steadily growing, and many fine seagoing 

 craft are in service. Among the newest and largest 

 of these may be mentioned the " Eleanora," of 776 

 gross tons, designed by Charles Bigley Hanscom, and 

 built at the Bath Iron Works. She measures 231 

 feet over all, with 32 feet beam, and 13-^ feet draught. 

 She has just returned from a voyage round the 

 world, including the passage of Cape Horn. Her 

 owner, William A. Slater, of Norwich, Conn., ac- 

 companied her most of the way. 



One interesting feature in the regattas of the year 

 was the resumption of activity among seagoing 

 schooner yachts, a class of vessels that is distinct- 

 ively American and eminently deserving of favor. 

 The first of these was sailed on June 11, and was 

 interesting because it was the first meeting between 

 the " Emerald," owned by J. Rogers Maxwell, and 

 " Colonia," by Clarence A. Postley. The first-named 

 vessel has been for two or three seasons the acknowl- 

 edged champion of her class, and she might have 

 retained her place but for the " Colonia," which was 

 changed from a sloop to a schooner after playing 

 her part as an unsuccessful candidate for interna- 

 tional honors. The alterations were made under 

 the directions of A. Carey Smith, and, although 

 fitted with new sails and manned by officers and a 

 crew not wholly familiar with her sailing qualities, 

 she gave an excellent account of herself and won 

 several races. This renewal of interest in seagoing 

 sailing schooners is for the advantage of yachting 

 in its seamanlike and most attractive form. The 

 large single-stickers that are constructed for special 

 races are rarely good for anything as such after 

 they have served their turn, and are usually, as in 

 the case of the "Colonia," changed into schooners, 

 which can be handled by much smaller crews and 

 used for cruising in any part of the world at a far 

 less expense than if rigged as sloops or cutters. 



In international sailing contests American craft 

 made but a poor record during the year, the only 

 notable victory being in canoes, the smallest class 

 of all, which are not ordinarily counted as yachts. 

 This one victory was gained by William Willard 

 Howard, of the New York Canoe Club, with his 

 sailing canoe " Yankee," in English waters. He 

 won the challenge cup of the Royal British Canoe 

 Club the first time that it has ever been taken by a 

 foreigner. The affair, however, was shorn of its in- 

 ternational character by the fact that Mr. Howard 

 did not represent any club, but entered his boat 

 simply as an American visiting England, an honor- 

 ary member of the Royal Canoe Club. 



As a direct result of the race between the half- 

 raters " Ethel wyn " and "Spruce IV" (England) of 

 1895, a race was arranged by the Sewanhaka-Corin- 

 thian Club, of New York, for a fifteen-foot class to 

 be sailed in July, 1896, between boats representing 

 the Canadian clubs and some of those in our own 

 vicinity. The Canadians have of late been devot- 

 ing much study to the improvement of this class of 

 boats, and G. H. Duggan has designed and built a 

 large number of them. It is understood, indeed, 

 that the " Glencairn " was selected for this contest 

 after protracted trials with 15 of her own class, 

 half of them designed by Mr. Duggan himself. 

 Her rival, the " FA Heirie," was selected from a 

 fleet of 27. Three trial races were sailed dur- 

 ing the last week of June, and an additional race 



