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FOREST AND ?STEEAM* 



cutter they now too hastily condemn. The centre of gravity 

 of the cutter is in the best position for all purposes, right at 

 the load line. A great many popular misconceptions con- 

 cerning the cutter are still in vogue, notably the current im- 

 pression concerning her displacement being greatly in excess, 

 and her above-water body, or spare buoyancy, considerably 

 less than that of the sloop. To these and other errors, 

 arising from a lack of the application of mathematics to yacht 

 design, and the ready acceptation in consequence of preten- 

 tious and glib sounding, but generally meaningless, phrases 

 of the knights of the thumb-rule, we will again recur at 

 greater length when opportunity offers. 



EVIDENCE FOR THE SLOOP. 



New York, Nov. 25, 187S. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



That every one has a perfect right to build a cutter if he thinks 

 he wanta one I will not gainsay, but when any one says our sloop 

 1b nnseaworthy I feel like screeching with poor Greeley," 'Uli, you 

 villain, Uli !' To the proof." Our coast from Jlontauk to Hatteras 

 in the winter time, you will admit, is a tolerably bad one, and any 

 one running it down continually from October to March can rely 

 upon seeing Bome hard blows and rough water. Yet you will find 

 our oyster Bloops, such as Ellsworth's, the Eockaway boats, and 

 those from the South Bay, como and go at all seasons, and the 

 very nature of their business makes it imperative with them to go, 

 and go quickly. With an intimate acquaintance with the majority 

 of these boats I know of none drawing over 5ft. loaded, and as a 

 rale their draught is not over i. Their rig is the sloop pur et 

 simple, and they are all eentreboardera. This to my mind shows 

 that the sloop, properly built, rigged and handled, is without 

 a peer for speed, handiness, comfort and ability. If you wish to 

 prove it, just get one of the Eockaway skippers to give you a lift 

 when they are going home some day with the wind S. E. and an 

 ebb tide; and under these conditions you will find Coney 

 Island point about as rough a spot as you will care to go around 

 As an old hand told me some two years ago, when I asked, 

 him if we were going to get to the Inlet, " If I can get round the 

 p'int I can go to Bermuda." My word for it, you will have a better 

 opinion of the sloop. (A. good boat to try it in is GrMa.~) That 

 Vision is no sea boat I admit, but one swallow don't make a sum- 

 mer any more than it makes a fellow drunk. Grade, with proper 

 treatment, is a good sea boat, though to my mind too big for that 

 rig ; but we have dozens of sloops, from Midge's 30ft. to JSunsby's 

 or Orion's 50, that can go in any company in any weather. As you 

 have had some controversy about small Corinthians, let me call 

 your attention to Midge— she was built by a friend of mine and 

 yours— as embodying all the points sought for in a small boat. 

 I have known her to work down the beach under two reefs when 

 the sea was high enough to break from Duckbar to the point of 

 beach at Rockaway, and not a patch of clear water in Fire Island 

 Inlet. She is comfortable and roomy, as her owner and frlonds 

 will testify ; and as to speed, ask your friend Cary Smith how fast 

 she is on the wind blowing a breeze and the water lumpy. Yet 

 she is a sloop and a centreboarder— not built on the wave lino or 

 any other theory, but on the principle that you cannot get a good 

 little boat without you have plenty of boat. The lines that are 

 good for 30ft. are not worth shucks for 40, and it is the overlooking 

 of this important point that brings so many naval architects (?) 

 to grief. Jack Curlew. 



CHINA TO THE RESCUE. 



Boston, Mass., Nov. 25, 1878. 

 Editor Forest and Stream : 



Yon have kindly said that your columns are open to all who may 

 desire to advance ideas on the subject of deep-water yachting. 

 I see that some of your correspondents have been pounding you 

 with a heavy head sea, and I want to add my mite to the gale, by 

 which we hope to shipwreck your thoory. So let me have my say : 



I think that in the controversy now going on, most of your 

 readers and the public are interested in solving the following 

 problems : 



1. How small a boat is it safe and proper for me to cruise 

 outside with in summer weather without danger, and without 

 carrying a crew ? 



3. What shall be the rig of my boat, so that myself and 

 friend or brother can handle her ourselves iu all weathers ? 



3. What is the best model for safety, combining speed? 



1. A boat 30ft. in length over all is sufficiently large for outside 

 cruising, except in winter. 



2. The rig should be a modification of the English cutter rig. 



3. The model should be of the shallow, broad-beam style, with 

 centreboard. 



Every sailor knows tho danger of an immense tnainboom " tak- 

 ing charge of the quarter deck ;" and nothing perhaps is so fright- 

 ful as to see this great stick of timber thrown skyward as the boat 

 rolls to windward, when running almost dead before the wind ; or 

 if not cutting this antic, to see it plowing into tho sea when she 

 rolls to leeward. My first care would be to reduce the length of 

 the mainboom, so as to make it perfectly manageable in all weath- 

 ers, and small enough to be jibed in comparatively bad weather 

 without endangering the boat. 



To rig my centreboard, 30ft. boat, with 12ft. breadth of beam, I 

 would plaoe the mast iu tho same position as in the English cutter 

 — .45 of her length from forward at which point it can be splen- 

 didly Btayed, being bo far alt as to be nearly in a lino with the 

 greatest beam of the boat. I would have nothing to do with bow- 

 sprits that rig in, or topmasts that house or work on a Gunter's 

 elide ; but having reduced my mainsail by placing the mast so far 

 aft, and having it bo broadly stayed, I would boo that the sail was 

 made with two good reefs, and holes for a balance reef to lay to 

 under in a summer gale if necessary. 



I would have the bowsprit of good, solid timber, well fastened 

 to the boat, with martingale and stays. Three feet out on the 

 bowsprit I would fasten the forestay from the mainmast head ; to 

 the end of the bowsprit I would lead another stay from the main- 

 oast head, and on these two stays I would set two jibs— or jib 

 and foreuaU, if you please— the outer jib to have pennants to work 

 over the inner stay in going about. Outside of all thlB again, 



tho very extreme end of tbe bowsprit, should be fastened the top- 

 mast stay, upon wbich, in light weather, a jibtopsail or balloon-jib 

 might be set. The topmast should also be arranged so as to set 

 a gafftopsail in light weather. 



Now what have we got i A boat that can be easily handled, free 

 from all gill guys, with safe and compact BailB. If you want to 

 get under way, after hoisting the mains-ail, runup the outer jib 

 and cast to starboard, or put as you may wish. When well under 

 way and clear, up with tho inner jib or foresail, and away you go. 

 Eomember that the foresail sheets should work upon a traveler, 

 as should the main sheet ; and all in the world that you will have 

 to attend to when close hauled and beating to windward will bo 

 tho outer jib sheets— the other sails will take care of themselves. 

 Should it come on to blow, in with the inner jib, and you will feel 

 your boat relieved at once. If it still blows, lay the boat to, down 

 jib and furl it, and clap a reef in the mainsail ; then hoist up the 

 foresail, and stand on your course. In very bad weather you have 

 only to olap a second reef into the mainsail, and you are all snug; 

 but if you should be caught in a regular snorter, your balanced 

 reefed mainsail ought to enable you to lay to like a duck, the rest 

 of your canvas being furled. 



Now as to tho centreboard : In unknown waters it acts as a lead, 

 and gives notice of shallow water more perfectly than would be 

 done by standing in the chains and " throwing the lead." The 

 moment your board touches it is drawn up, and your boat that 

 a moment before drew eight feet of water now only draws four, 

 and you change your course, or go about and escape danger. 

 There are several harbors in the neighborhood of this city nota- 

 bly situated— as Cat River— where, should it come on to blow 

 from the eastward, a centreboard boat could find shelter at an 

 hour's tide, while your deep-keel boat would be compelled to keep 

 outside, and on a lee shore, too. 



We laugh at the Chinese sometimes, although they have given 

 us the mariner's compass, water-tight compartments and the lee 

 board, which is only our centreboad on tho outside of the boat, 

 and pulled up or let down on each tack on each side, and I cannot 

 see why it could not be mechanically fastened so strong as to re- 

 place our centreboard, which now takes up all the room iu our 

 cabin. Its principle of action is exactly the same. Besides this, 

 the Chinese know enough to bring all parts of the after loach of 

 a sail to the wind, as well as the lower part, which we command 

 by means of a boom. By small bamboos running across tho sail 

 at intervals, parallel to the boom, they ate enabled to attach small 

 ehoets or vangs to each of these, and thus have a series of shoots 

 up and down tho after leach, drawing the upper part inboard as 

 well as the foot. Besides this also, when they want to reef, they 

 lower the sail into a series of standing brails, and the thing is 

 dono. Lowering away is all that is needed, and by means of the 

 halliards one can reef the sail one inch or six feet, as may be de- 

 sired. Rest assured we have muchjet to learn, and it is my am- 

 bition to own a 30ft. boat rigged Chinese fashion, with a sail all 

 in one piece that will instantly brail, and the useful centreboard 

 on the outside, and what you, Mr. Editor, will probably think ex- 

 tremely outrageous, the bows and etorn " square-toed," aa " Pod 

 gers" calls the soows which he says ' go outside all along the 

 coast, and invariably outsail and outwoather the round-bottomed 

 craf t." Such a boat shall I surely build " when my clipper ship 

 comes in." Fusil. 



FISH IN SEASON~°1FoR DECEMBER. 



Black Bass, Mieropterun salmoide* ; Pike o 



M. palliduH. Tel to? 



Sea Bass, Satenops ocellalus. White 



Pickerel, Esax lueius. 

 Peroli, 1'erca ftavescenn. 

 Percli, Xorone americana. 



Ftsn in Market — Retail Prices. — Bass, 20 cents ; smelts, 20 

 bluefish, 15 ; salmon, 35; mackerel, 20 ; shad, CO; white perch, 15 ; 

 green turtle, 18; terrapin, via per dozen; frostfish, 8 cents ; hali- 

 but, 18; haddock, 6; codfish, (j; blackiisb, 15 ; flounders, 10 ; eela, 

 18; lobsters, 10; sheepshead, 25 ; scallops, $1 per gallon; whitefish 

 15; pickerel, 12;-^; salmon trout, 18; black bass, 15; red-snapper' 

 18; hard crabs, $3.50 per 100 ; soft crabs, $1.50 per doz. 



HOW TROUT TAKE A FLY. 



Will those who maintain that trout sometimes, or at all 

 times, flop the fly into their mouths with their tails, tell us 

 whether they likewise flop the minnow, frog, worm, spoon or 

 whatever other bait is trailed upon the surface. If not, why 

 not 1 Why not the latter as well as the fly ? Moreover, 

 when a trout leaps clear of the water and happens to get 

 hooked, is he ever hooked in the mouth? Is he not always 

 hooked in the tail, or in other parts of the body, by the 

 " wrist-knack." When trout do jump clear of the water, 

 as they often do at evening, are they not then the most difficult 

 to catch ? The most certain to miss the fly ? Then, if it be a 

 fact, as asserted, that trout do frequently flop the fly (flop the 

 fly, is good) Into their mouths with their tarts, what becomes 

 of the real fact that so large a portion of their number aTe 

 taken beneath the surface, and so few above it ? Our diagram 

 of last week was to show the impossibility of accomplishing 

 the feat at all. The line of direct rise and the contact are 

 supposed to be shown, immediately .after which the trout 

 turns tail and makes for the bottom, throwing his tail up- 

 wards as he descends. 



the water, turns a somersault (we were on the point of writ- 

 ing handspring), and falling to the water, hits the fly with 

 hia tail. If he hits it at all, hfi not only diminishes his 

 chances of getting it into his mouth, but endangers the light 

 tackle of the angler. We should not like to fish with the 

 finest tackle if trout invariably took tho fly in that way, and 

 if the Beaverkill trout have that habit, we shall feel like de- 

 clining our good friend's invitation to fish tho stream. We 

 will be content to see him fish. 



Now, we have seen many other kinds of fish (mackerel for 

 instance,) in the air by the hundred, at a time, in every pos- 

 sible curve and segment, and have "jigged" them with a 

 squid in the tail, and in every other part of the body except- 

 ing the mouth. Only those which took the bait fairly were 

 hooked in the mouth. But salt mackerel are not fresh trout : 

 and lest we get farther away from the subject, we pause here 

 for the present. 



PHiLADKLvniA, Dec. 10, 1878. 

 Editor Forest aud Strkajii : 



Apropos of the method in which trout take the fly, a good 

 deal of discussion necessarily goes on in such a sheet jib yours 

 between parties who have a measure of right on their "side, 

 and who, having seen part of the truth, think they have seen 

 it all. I have captured trout with the fly for more years than 

 I care to confess, and, as it is the one sport which ": 

 others delights me, I have tried to be observant of their habits 

 and ways, and the result has been to impress me with this 

 opinion: First, that trout do not ordinarily, by any device or 

 movement, try to get the fly under the surface before they 

 seize it; their power of rapid leaping upward in the watt'r 

 will enable them nearly always to cover with [heir mouths a 

 fly on the surface, whether living or artificial. Second, I fed 

 confident that there are exceptions to this rule, whether these 

 occur because the trout deems from the colors and appearance 

 of the particular fly proffered to him that he requim 

 treatment from the usual, or whether tbe state of 'the Mow of the 

 water ou the surface seems to make him doubt if an assault with 

 open mouth will be a success, or whether it is mere wanton- 

 ness from exuberance of " feeling his oats," I don't undertake 

 to decide. But 1 do say that I have iu my time ba&keted sun- 

 dry trout which have slapped my fly under water before Ihey 

 seized it. I presume this movement is accomplished with a 

 blow of the tail, for I do not see how otherwise it could lie ac- 

 complished. On such occasions he gives about as much time 

 for observation as it requires to wink one's eye. You can see 

 the leap and move of his body, and your fly is under the sur- 

 face before the hook has struck. One instance will live in my 

 recollection. I was fishing on a clear mountain stream in 

 northern Pennsylvania, below a dam, at a point near the tall 

 where the water was full of rapid swirl and air bubbles. A 

 beautiful trout rose ; for three successive leaps he failed to 

 seize the fly on account of the unsteady motion on the surface 

 of the water. 1 halted, went to the bank, lit my dudeen and 

 smoked calmly for a quarter of an hour, at the end of which 

 time I presented to hi m for the fourth time the winged de- 

 ceiver. He broke from the water with a rush that showed me 

 his noble proportions, carried the fly down with bim, but not 

 iu his mouth, I feel sure, and the joyful tug came later when 

 the fly was down some inches under the surface. He 

 was a 10-incher, and one of the most beautifully marked trout 

 I ever saw. My sum of the whole matter is that trout ordi- 

 narily take the flyou or near the surface with the onward 

 rush of their leap ; bli! that on some occasions, for reasons 

 best known to themselves, they will thrash the fly under 

 water before seizing it. No part of your valuable paper is 

 more acceptable to ine than the descriptions by intell 

 servers of the habits of beasts, birds or fishes. Joe. 



New York, Dec. 10, 1878, 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Dear Sir— Your diagram on page 384 (last week's paper), 

 is wrong; at least, that is not the way trout conic out and 

 strike the fly when they strike it with their tails and catch it 

 in their mouths. If they struck from beueath with their tails 

 you would be right, and undoubtedly they would knock the 

 fly away. But they don't. The trout comes out at the 

 water, turns his tail up in the air, his head apparently resting 

 on the water, curves the tail over, like the upper right hand 

 part of a capital G-, and slapping the fly with his tail he. knocks 

 the fly down to the sui-face of the water. Having struck the 

 fly as described, he seems to reverse the action of hia muscles, 

 and with his head curved around from beneath (as I explicitly 

 said iu my former letter), in tbe opposite direction to the tail, 

 and very like a capital O (here the head would be 1 1 

 right-hand corner of the letter), he shoots forward and takes 

 the fly in his mouth. In this operation he is often ca 

 the tail. Trout frequently strike natural flies to the 

 the same way. I have seen them do so. I cannot prove it. 

 I do not possess an electric quickness of vision; but I have 

 studied trout carefully, in their own haunts, with thi 

 of tackle, and have taken many a basketful, always on a fly, 

 for the last twenty-two consecutive trout seasons, and tbe 

 trout does possess a gift of dexterity most amazing, as you 

 correctly remark. I cannot tell how it might be " with a 

 fish-line all in a heap or coil on the surface of the water," as 

 you suggest, because 1 don't throw my fly in that way. 

 There are gentlemen enough who will read this who can 

 prove that statement, I guess. And I think you are mis- 

 taken about its "not Doming natural to the trout" to slap the 

 fly into liia mouth with his tail, because the trout that 1 have 

 seen doit were wild trout, in their natural slate, not domesti- 

 cated on liver, etc. ; and they were of various ages, but gener- 

 ally from seven to thirteen inches in length. A nd f can only 

 wish that you would accept my oft-repeated invitation to go 

 up with me to the Beaverhill and Willewemoc so you might, 

 like Izaak of old, show me "fishing as good anglers fish." 

 I'll showyou fine trout, and maybe a few will turn somersaults 

 for you. Yours truly, Geo. W. Van Siclex. 



Editor Fobest and Stream: 



Hear Sir— If you can spare the space 1 should like to have 

 the chance to put in your excellent pi i, i how 



trout take a fly. As you are aware, 1 have made the painting 

 of brook trout my study for several years, and have spent 

 weeks and months watching their motions and habits ; in ad- 

 dition to that, have fished tor them more or less every season 

 for twenty years past. I have lain on the banks of a trout 

 stream by the hour watching their play, for they are very 

 playful when not disturbed, and 1 have seen them hundreds 

 of times taking natural flies, sometimes very d( I 

 at others very quick, and I have yet to see them strike a fly 

 The fish will succeed no better if he shoots clear out of I with their tails, otherwise than in play, and very rarely then. 



