YACHTING. 



791 



which she added in a series of races here, es- 

 tablishing her fame as a very fast boat. The 

 "Madge" measures 46 feet 1 inch on deck and 

 38 feet 9 inches on the water-line ; her beam is 

 7 feet 9 inches, and she draws 8 feet of water, 

 with 8 tons of lead in her keel. Since her ad- 

 vent, several fine cutters have been built in this 

 country, and the American type, both in rig and 

 model, has undergone sundry modifications. 



The yachting event of the season was the 

 contest for the " America cup," namely, the 

 trophy won by the famous schooner-yacht al- 

 ready described, now held, subject to challenge 

 from any foreign owner, by the New York 

 Yacht Club. Early in the year, Sir Richard 

 Sutton, of the Royal Yacht Squadron, of Eng- 

 land, sent a challenge, naming his cutter-yacht 

 "Genesta" as the competing craft. This ves- 

 sel was one of the fastest of the English squad- 

 ron. Her dimensions are given elsewhere. 

 As has already been said, there were no sloops 

 in American waters large enough to compete 

 with such a craft on reasonably equal terms. 

 Competitive designs were invited, and two 

 large sloops the "Puritan" and the "Pris- 

 cilla " were ready to launch shortly after the 

 season opened. Both vessels participated in 

 the cruise of the New York Yacht Club, and 

 their performances throughout, and subse- 

 quently during the trial races, were watched 

 with the keenest interest. The "Genesta," 

 too, took part in the cruise, but always kept a 

 boat towing astern, and pointedly declined be- 

 ing drawn into anything that looked like a race. 

 The two American sloops were so nearly equal 

 in speed that there was small choice between 

 them ; but the " Puritan " was, after a series 

 of fair trials, adjudged the better boat. 



The official measurements of the English and 

 American yachts were as follow : 



The first race was appointed for Sept. 8, the 

 course to be 20 miles to windward, or to lee- 

 ward, according to weather, from one or other 

 of the light-ships outside of New York Bay. 

 There followed, however, a long series of de- 

 lays. On Sept. 8 there was not enough wind 

 to go over the course. Sept. 9 there was a fine 

 breeze, but the " Puritan " fouled the " Ge- 

 nesta," breaking off her bowsprit. The " Puri- 

 tan" was adjudged to have forfeited the race, 

 hut the owner of the " Genesta " courteously 

 declined to take advantage of the accident. On 

 Sept. 11, damages having been repaired, a start 

 was made, but the wind failed. In both the 

 attempted races (on the 8th and llth) the wind 

 had sufficed to carry the yachts nearly half-way 

 over the course, and the American apparently 



had the lead on both days. Sept. 14 brought 

 a fresh breeze. The prescribed course was the 

 regular racing-course of the New York Yacht 

 Club starting from a point just inside of New 

 York harbor, to and around Sandy Hook light- 

 ship, about forty-five miles in all. The breeze 

 held till near the finish, and the race was quite 

 close until the wind fell away nearly to a calm, 

 and the "Puritan" was able, by raising her 

 center- board, to gain some advantage over her 

 deep-draught antagonist. The " Puritan " won 

 by 16 minutes and 19 seconds, corrected time. 

 The next, and, as it proved, the final race, was 

 sailed on Sept. 16, over a course 20 miles to 

 leeward, from Scotland light-ship and return. 

 The wind was fresh throughout the race, rising 

 at times to what is termed a stiff lower-sail 

 breeze. The " Genesta" beat the "Puritan" 

 by 2 minutes and 6 seconds in the run before 

 the wind ; but the American made up for it in 

 the windward work on the home-stretch, cross- 

 ing the line 1 minute and 38 seconds (correct- 

 ed time) in advance of the Englishman. 



The result of these races has been sensibly 

 to check the tendency toward the extreme cut- 

 ter type on the part of American builders. At 

 the same time the admirable qualities of mod- 

 erately deep boats are recognized, and objec- 

 tionably shallow craft are likewise in disfavor. 

 The center-board, however, is deservedly more 

 popular than ever with American yachtsmen. 



A praiseworthy tendency of recent English 

 and American yachting is the rapidly increas- 

 ing demand for small, seaworthy craft, com- 

 monly known as single-handed cruisers, vessels 

 that can be effectively sailed by one man, but 

 provide good sleeping and cooking accommoda- 

 tions for two or three persons, and are able 

 boats in any weather likely to be encountered. 

 Such vessels are sure to educate their owners 

 into good seamen, and cultivate a self-reliance 

 and readiness of resource in a degree not read- 

 ily attainable in larger craft. As a type of 

 these we present sail plan (Fig. 4) and longitudi- 

 nal section (Fig. 5) of the " "Windward," a yawl 

 built by "W. P. Stephens. She was launched in 

 June, 1884, and has stood the test of actual 

 cruising under all conditions. She is 22 feet 

 over all, 18 feet at the water-line, 6 feet beam, 

 4 feet draught, and has 5 feet head-room in her 

 cabin. This height is obtained by a " sky-light 

 cabin-trunk," having a companion-slide at the 

 after end. Under the cockpit-floor is a locker, 

 and below this a 30-gallon water-tank, which 

 is filled through a pipe running up to the cock- 

 pit-floor. There are two clothes-lockers on 

 either side the companion-way, and two seat- 

 lockers in the cabin, each 7 feet long and 1 

 foot 8 inches wide. These are fitted with ex- 

 tension boards that widen them 4 inches when 

 required for berths. Forward, near the mast, 

 is a stove ; and at the foot of the mast an ice- 

 box, while still farther forward, " in the eyes 

 of her," are shelves for stowage of tools, paint, 

 tar, and the hundred knickknacks that go to 

 equip a floating home, be it ever so humble. 



