House wharf, la Bight of the general anchorage. Viva, "Vice- 

 Com. A. K. Paul, holds the champion cup in her class. Hav- 

 ing won it three, times in succession, the cup ha8 become her 

 property, aud the club has ordered a new one. In the second 

 class_ schooners Undine lias the lead, and the Twilight among 

 the sloops. The cup for third class slooo3 now belongs to 

 the Mitt, and a new one will be sailed for' this year. The of- 

 ficers of the club have appeared in a previous number. The 

 following are the fixtures for the year : Annual challenge 

 cup matches, May 23 ; spring cruise, May 30, probably east- 

 ward as far as Mt. Desert ; fall cruise in September. Length 

 of courses : first class 31 miles, second class 18, third 12. 

 The club was organized April 20, 1869, wilh only twenty-one 

 members and four schooners and six sloops. In 1872 the 

 present handsome club house was first occupied, and since 

 which time the club has been steadily growing in strength 

 and popularity, which we ascribe largely to the Corinthian 

 principles adopted and to the active sailing of most of its 

 members. The cruises in squadron are a feature of this club, 

 as with its northern neighbor of Halifax. Club burgee — a 

 white swallow-tail, blue border and red diagonal cross with 

 blue star, near the mast. 



The Resolute. — This schooner returned to Philadel- 

 phia, April 15, from an extended cruise to the West In- 

 dies, Madeira and Western Isles, sailing in round numbers 

 over fifteen thousand miles, having left Philadelphia in Aug., 

 1878. She brings with her the body of Dr. Horace Binney 

 Hare, who succumbed after a long illness while the schooner 

 he had chartered was in St. Thomas, March 21. The Mesa- 

 luWa contemplated run to the Windward Islands was there- 

 fore given up. The family of Dr. Hare returned by steamer 

 to New York. 



Taohts Licenses.— Next week we will give the latest in- 

 terpretation put upon the question of licenses for yachts un- 

 der 20 tons by the Treasury Department. 

 _ Charleston (3. 0.) Items.— There are some evidences of 

 life among the boating men, and the prospect for a large and 

 exciting regatta in Jfiy is goad. The Carolina Independent 

 Coat Uub have put a good crew in training. The Palmettos 

 will put two crews afloat this week, and the Electrics will fol- 

 low suit. It. is rumored that Augusta will send down two 

 good crews, and it is to be sincerely hoped that Savannah will 

 seed over a crew to regain her lost laurels. The yachtsmen 

 are busily engaged in refitting, etc. Mr. Glidden has his 

 yacht, the Wild Bird, in the hands of the painters, and it is 

 said that he will make a few slight changes in rigging, etc. 



The Cottei: Kio Gaining. —The former sloop Glance, 

 Mr. E. K. Ferris, N. Y. Y. C, has been rebuilt at Northport, 

 L. I., and has received a cutter rig. 



Salem (Mas3.) Yacht Clue. — Fixtures as follows: June 

 10, review of fleet ; July 4, first match ; August 12, second 

 match, aud September 2, third match. Courses and time of 

 starting will be announced in these columns. 



Boston Items.— Schooner Brendo,, Mr. Little, will be out 

 by the middle of May after a thorough overhauling. The 

 new schooner Adrienne, built at City Point, is said to be a 

 beauty. She will be put overboard very soon. Mr. Bryant 

 has had a little steam cutter built 15ft, long ; weighing less 

 than 100 lbs. , for his sloop Undine. This cutter is run by 

 kerosene. The Eastern Y. C. will have two extra matches 

 this summer besides the usual fixtures. The Harrington 

 schooner, building at Bath, Me., is a very powerful boat and 

 will sport 34 cwt. of iron on her keel. 



One of Many.— A correspondent writes,- I heard a man 

 say he didn't believe in English yachts, the other day, and on 

 bringing him down to the point, he didn't know what a yawl 

 was! Generally the case, we find. Forest and Strf.am 

 hopes to instruct him and lead him to a better way of think- 

 ing, in company with a great many others. 



may then set or not as you please. If you expect a dirty 

 time and are a blue water sailor you wil. htwe a storm trysail 

 aboard, which you will proceed to bend and hoist away when 

 leady. The yawl rig combines tiauJineai ami speed to a 

 greater extent than any other kind, something which hus been 

 fully appreciated by the fleet in San Francisco; and we are 

 happy to add that a number of gentlemen contemplate its in- 

 troduction in the East, where it Is certain to become very 

 popular. The host of small schooners in the East, ranging 

 from twenty five to forty five ft., would all do vastly better, 

 especially in workiog to windward in a chop, if rigged as 

 yawls instead of schooners, while they would lose nothing in 

 handiness. Of such value do we deem this rig in connection 

 with the furtherance of sea-cruising, 4 that we propose to recur 

 to the subject at some other time. In the meanwhile the 

 yawl rig will help " Lubber" over the difficulties encountered 

 in working a sloop short handed. In England this rig is the 

 prevalent one on fishermen and vessels in which economy in 

 handhug is sought after. So rapidly has the yawl risen in 

 favor abroad, that while in 1850 there were only forty five of 

 this class, their number increased to 328 in 1878, a much 

 greater advance than shown by any other rig. To-day the 

 yawl is as frequent as the schooner and represents twenty 

 five per cent, of the entire British Sailing fleet against only tea 

 per cent, in 1850, Such facts speak for themselves and do not 

 require any further endorsement. 



THE SLOOP'S UNHANDINESS. 



Editor Forest axd Stream: 



I am the owner of a littlo centreboard sloop yacht, 84ft. long, 

 and I can sail and handle her fairly well in ordinary weather, with 

 plenty of warning in a stiff blow before it is on me, or I can dodge 

 under some quiet lee and can, with the aid of my man, get my 

 craft under snug, safe canvas very creditably. Of course, any 

 lubber can do this, you aay ; but I have once or twice been caught 

 holding on a "leetle " too long when it has been breezing up, and 

 have been quite mortified by tho rather sorry figure I had to cut 

 in taliing in a double reef, especially as I had a friend along who 

 had been beguiled into believing me quite an old salt. Now, will 

 not you or some of your sloop sailers tell me in your paper how 

 I ought to have gone to work— secundum, artem, of course — to 

 take in a double reef in a sloop when it is blowing very hard, with 

 a rough Bea ; and while he is about it let him give the orders— 

 serixUem— that he would give from the tiller in such a case, so 

 that his man would think that tbe Bkipper knew what he was 

 about, I believe reefing down in half a gale is about the hardest 

 job a sloop sailor is called on to perform, and its difiiculty and 

 danger ia supposed to constitute the one great infirmity of this 

 fast and otherwise handy rig compared to the yawl or schooner. 

 If any of your correspondents can help to vindicate the reputa- 

 tion of their favorite rig for seaworthiness and safety, now is the 

 lime to step forward. I at least shall be glad to learn how they 

 would do it, and what is the most approved method of going 

 about it— in a rough sea and halt a gale of wind. The value of 

 any answers will consist in their accuracy of detail and minuteness 

 of description of the manoeuvres. Ltjmiee. 



Unless our correspondent is desirous of preserving the 

 speed of the sloop for light weather he would do well to 

 shift to the yawl rig;. This ha will find as handy as the 

 schooner, but much faster and more weatherly. In place of 

 hauling down one or two reefs, as in the sloop, your single 

 hand steps aft on the counter, sings out, "Mind your helm,' 

 and lowers away the "mizzen." He then runs forward, 

 lowers away foresail (on the forestay) and runs in the jib on 

 the bowsprit, till a fair balance is re-established. You are at 

 once under short sail, having reduced canvas from twenty-five 

 to thirty-five per cent by an operation manifestly easier, 

 quicker, safer aud snuggor than reefing a sloop's mainsail and 

 taking bonnet off the jib. Should it blow still harder, lower 

 away mainsail and set mizzen, establishing a balance by the 

 head sail, and while on your course rejoicing, take your time 

 about tying a double or close reef in the mainsail, which you 



HOW IT BLOWS IN "FRISCO. 



San Franoisco, Cal., April 6, 1879. 

 Editor Forest and Stream: 



Your correspondent, " Bob Stay," in your issue of March 27, 

 implies a doubt as to the correctness of my statement about the 

 strength of our breezes. Where I refer to Fawn, a 37ft. yawl 

 in the race last August, he very much doubts this assertion : "She 

 stood up to her canvas beautifully, and went to windward against 

 a 35-mile breeze in first-class style, carrying all sail." Your com- 

 ments on his communication show that you evidently share hia 

 doubts, and you tell him I was probably guided by the observa- 

 tions of the Signal Bureau, made at an altitude, and considerable 

 allowance should be made for the force nearer water level, especi- 

 ally when broken or sheltered by surrounding bluffs. You also 

 say that although wo " carry small canvas here, it seems improb- 

 able we can carry all sail even in a net 20-mile breeze." 



Please permit me to say in answer that my statements in this 

 connection were not made thoughtlessly, or with careless exagger- 

 ation. I meant exactly what I said, and propose, moreover, to 

 prove it. The only thing on which I may have unintentionally 

 mialed you was in using the phrase "whole sail," by whioh 

 I meant ordinary working canvas, for we do not pretend to carry 

 topsails and flying jibs to windward in our breezes, and few hi 

 any light sails at all, except a single topsail. I meant she had no 

 reefs in ; in fact, there was not a reef point tied on the fleet. Wi 

 have no use for light sails, except for winter, our season of light 

 winds. I mentioned the summer afternoon breezes and gave their 

 velocity here simply to show why we so much like the yawl to the 

 exclusion of the sloop rig. 



A large proportion of our sailing is done in the channel, whioh 

 we cross on our way to the club house. When under the high 

 lands of Angel island or the Marin County shore, although very 

 " puffy," we haye smooth water ; but the moment we strike the 

 channel where our windward racing is done, we run into a breeze 

 blowing from 20 to 30 miles any afternoon in the summer. We 

 have therefore to build, rig and spar our boats to meet what we 

 are always sure of. It is on account of these strong winds that 

 no New York boats yet brougljt here have been as successful 

 home-made ones. They have all had to have spars and canvas 

 reduced, aud fine lines help them none. Our first point to gain in 

 buildiug a boat is stability. Our experience here is that the yacht 

 carrying her sail best ia the one that wins, and our etiffeat boats 

 are the fastest. The strong winds render it necessary for us to 

 have able boats with handy rigs. 1 may add alao that we have to 

 learn to be good sailors. 



I have to trespass on your space again to loosen the knot ' ' Bob- 

 stay " finds in my yarn about yawla here. The morning winda are 

 usually light, and frequently there is not a breath after midnight 

 until nine or ten o'clock next morning. From midnight to 6 a. 

 m. the breeze will run down to two, four, six, or eight miles an 

 hour, Beldom rising over twelve miles. In winter we have little 

 wind, except during the gales. July and August are our windiest 

 months, and our annual regatta is set for the first Saturday in the 

 latter month, at 2 r. m. From September to April the winds are 

 light, and we lay our boats up tor that reason more than any other 



The following letter to me from the Signal Service obaerver at 

 this station will convince my friend ''Bobstay" and other skeptics 

 that I wroto in good faith, and that my aasertion relating to the 

 strength of the wind here is correct : 



* * * * Dear Sir — You ask me for a brief statement con- 

 cerning the force of the summer winds prevailing at San Francisco 

 and also wish the record lor August, 1S78, on the 3d of which the 

 regatta you refer to — of the San Francisco Yacht Club— took place. 

 The following table giveB the record for the summer mouths of 

 1878; 



Total 

 Noon r. M. MldDight 6 a. m. Maximum Miles 



to P. M. to Midnight, to 8 a. ji. to Noon. Velocity. Traveled 

 April. ...5387 1519 955 ItH 2i 6113 



May IS116 lt« 1130 1481 80 7571 



June H415 2206 13*3 1737 34 Sill 



JttlJ. .3107 S30S 1379 17'Jl S2 S1S3 



Aug 35jfi 22i2 132S 1635 32 B7S0 



Sspt 2SU3 1912 WS6 1157 80 7US3 



Perhaps the record of the 3d of August, 1878, for whioh you ask, 

 will illustrate the gradual daily increase and decrease of the wind 

 as well as any. At 4:30 A. M. the wind was only blowing 6 milea 

 per hour ; at 1:35 P. m. it was 20 milea ; at 2 v. M , 28 miles ; at 

 8:30 P. ST., 22 miles per honr. It then gradually decreased until 

 at 4:30 on the morning of the 4th it was 8 milea, riuing by 1:30 v. 

 M. to 29 milea again. The record of maximum velocity ia taken 

 from 12 m. of one day to 12 m. of the nest, and may occur at any 

 time in the included twenty-four hours, but ia generally — and I 

 may say is always— between 2 and 6 p. M. Aa my self-registering 

 record shows a maximum velocity of 32 milea an hour for the 

 twenty-four houra ending at 12 at. on that day, thia maximum 

 probably occurred Bomewhere between two and five on the aiter- 



_ . e, therefore, no exaggeration in the statement you Bay you 

 mads of a 35-mile breeze that atternoon. The anemometer at this 

 station ia at an elevation of about 90ft, but the elation is undjr 

 the lee of California afreet hill, which ia juat to tbe westward. 

 I should judge, therefore, that on the channel, whero there is an 

 unobstructed sweep through the Golden Gate, the wind would be 

 from five to six milea stronger than registered at tho Signal Sta- 

 tion. My record for tho month of August, 1878, shows the inaxl- 

 n to havo been 32 miles per hour on three days, 29 miles on 

 day, 28 miles on eight days, 27 milea on two days, 2G milea on 

 two days, 21 miles on two days, 23 miles on three days, 22 milea 

 on two days, 20 miles on four days. On the remaining few days 

 the maximum waa never leas than 16 miles. Those are not con- 

 sidered storm winds, aB they are regular here, and not accompan- 

 ied by rain or snow, though they frequently bring in a heavy fog 

 from the ocean. This statement baa been verified, and found to 

 be correct. The figures given are taken from the official records 

 of thia office. C. E. Brinsmade, 



Sgt. Signal Corps, U. S. A., in charge of U. 8. Signal Offioe at 

 San Francisco, Cal. 



Our yachte could not stand audi breezes with whole Bails If 

 sparred like yours. If any of you see any of our models and spar 

 plans in New York, please remember our conditions of sailing 

 here, "Bobatay" and others will therefore relieve me of the 

 odium of having exaggerated ao Bimple a matter, and give me 

 oredit for knowing what I was talking about, as well as allow 

 that the Fawn carried whole lower sail in a 35-mile wind aB stated 

 by me. SAtjaEtrro. 



In order that the question of ability of Pacific Coast yachts 

 may be appreciated snd Eastern designers understand the 

 conditions of yacht sailing on San Francisco Bay, we have 

 gathered the following information : 



From April to October inclusive the prevailing wind is 

 from the NW., changing to west in valleys opening upon the 

 coast, but in no case so strongly as through the Golden Gate- 

 During the summer the wind sets in strong about 10 a. m., 

 increasing until near sunset, when it begins to die away. 

 During its height it almost regular ly brings in a dense fog, 

 which, working its way over the psninsula, meets that al- 

 ready advanced through the Golden Gate and envelops San 

 Francisco and the bay by sunset. As a rule, the breeze doe3 

 not dispel the fog. If a fog exists the wind is sure to bring 

 it in, but the heated earth dissipates it for a time. 



From November to March the wind is frequently from the 

 SE., blowing heavily, working round to the southwest, with 

 a large and broken swell from the SW. Weather thick, rainy 

 and squally, the wind not infrequently ending at NW"., with 

 an ugly cross-sea. 



During heavy southeasters tile sea breaks upon the San 

 Francisco Bar clean across the entrance, presenting a fearful 

 sight. During some winters a hard Norther will spriDg up 

 and blow steadily and strongly from one to five days, with a 

 clear blue sky and cold, bracing weather. Winds rarely blow 

 from points between north, round by east to southeast. The 

 further north we advance the heavier blow the gales in win- 

 ter. The northwest winds are not predicted by the barome- 

 ter, but from the southeast almost invariably, the mercury 

 falling one inch from its usual height of about thirty inches. 

 When it begiDS to rise the wind may be looked upon as soon 

 to shift around to the west and to decrease. Afternoon wind 

 at San Francisco is about twenty-five miles por hour. 



To this we append a statement furnished through the kind- 

 nesi of Lieut. H. H. C. Dunwoody, U. S. A., of the Signal 

 Office, Washington, D. O. The following observations are 

 compiled from tlie records on file at the office of the Chief 

 Signal Officer at Washington, D. 0. : 







> 



> 



►? 



£ 





g 



s 



1 





I| 



"I 



Months, mis. 



gs 



li. 



■8 



•a 



§« 





' 5 



s 



_ 



at 







m 



13 



jj 



2 



P2. 







s 



V 



ii 



May 



7571 



214.3 



10.0 



sw. 



80 



June 



8711 

 9183 



290.4 



2f'li.2 



12.1 

 12.3 



sw. 

 sw. 





Jaly 



82 





37rO 



;r,33 



■iV?..-l 

 2*4.-1 



11.8 

 9.S 



sw. 

 sw. 





September 



80 



October 



5172 



ltib.S 



69 



w. 



29 





4210 

 5529 



140.3 

 178 S 



68 

 7.4 



w. 



N. 













These observations were taken with the anemometer, Mer- 

 chants Exchange, San Francisco, Cal., at an elevation of 128 

 ft. above sea level. 



jlftf and jjfiVflf 



FISH IN SEASON IN APRIL. 



Speckled Trout— Salmo /onUnalis, Land-locked Salmon— Salmo glovtri 

 Wlilte Perch. 



TROUT FLIES FOR APRIL. 



The following are imitations of natural insects which Brat appear on 

 head springs, and later in the season are found on ponda and rivers : 



1 lack Gnat oh Midge.— Body and lee', black ; wings, sab-hyallne. 



Dark claret Gnat.— Body, dark claret; feet, black; wings, aub- 

 hyallne. 



Bright Clabet Gnat.— Body, bright c'aret, mixed with yellowish 

 gray ; feer, ginger ; wings of one sex, hyaline, of the other, ocherous. 



(live Gnat.— Eotfy, dark olive; feet, ginger ; wings, hjaltne. 



Geay Gnat.— Body, dark fox fur, mixed with dark claret; feet, 

 gray ; wings, hyaline. 



Dark Fox.— Body and feet, dark fox fur, mixed with lemon-colored 

 mohair -, wings, aub-byallne ; mil, three ilbres of dark gray hackle. 



Bluk Blow.— Same aa dark fox, imtol blue shade. 



Pooa Man's Fly.— Body and feet, liare'a ear aud yellow mixed ; 

 wings, slightly mottled gray. 



Bkioht Pox.— Body and feet, brightest part of fox fur, mixed with 

 yellow ; wings, brightest hyaline ; tall, pale yellow. 



Fish in Market— Retail Pricks. — Bssb, 15 cents; smelts, H14, 

 salmop, 35; mackerel, 10 to 15; shad, 12^; white pe.ct, 12; 

 Spanish mackerel, 75; green turtle, 15 -, frostfish, 6 ; haibut, 15 j 



