FOREST AND STREAM. 



275 



inside of 50 feet keel." Such is the opinion of one who has 

 had long experience with craft of all descriptions. 



All hands broke ground from abreast the Club House dur- 

 ing the morning at short intervals, and made for Yallejo. 

 That place was left in the afternoon, the, squadron then com- 

 prising Frolic, Cousins, Magio, Clara, Zarefa, Oonmelo, FUur 

 de Lis and the Matkew Turner. When "the straits" were 

 reached the work commenced, for a regular nose-ender was 

 met. Among the schooners, Comuelo, "as usual," led her 

 class with Fteur de Lis a good second, Cousins and the Turner 

 in her wake. Cousins went in staj'S and lost ten minutes 

 lacing the bonnet to her jib. How much time would she not 

 have saved if rigged with headsails set flying. She might 

 have shifted to a larger jib before getting around on the other 

 tack. The Brothers were passed with Consuelo still leading 

 among the schooners, Cousins having dropped to third, the 

 rest the same. The sloops Mollie, Clara and Magio had their 

 own business to attend to all this time, Clara finally getting 

 the best of it; The catamaran Zarefa came to grief off Point 

 Pissol, running ashore. From the Brothers to the city, 

 sheets were eased and the schooners set flying jibs, with the 

 exception of the Fteur de Lis, the latter doing finely in spite 

 of a lack of muslio. Union St. wharf was finally passed as 

 under, the cruise being brought to a close thereby: 



Name. Dimension', Time or Run. 



H. 



(50X18 2 S3 



GIIJC1S i 53 55 



68X20 3 00 30 



41X16 3 40 30 



37X14 3 14 15 



86X14 3 23 15 



Co jiiielo C B 



FleurdeLls OB 



Cnualns K 



Emerald u B 



Oiara C B 



Magic CB 



The M, Turner and Mollie were not timed. The cruise is 

 not to be regarded as a sailing, match, but only as a friendly 

 spin. 



Changed Hands. — The fine steamer Adelaide, formerly of 

 the Baltimore Bay Line, has been sold through Mr. Sarn'l. 

 Holmes, steamship broker, 120 Front street, to Messrs. Mar- 

 tin & Kaskell, of this city. She will be used as an excursion 

 boat during the summer, and will make an excellent craft to 

 accompany the yacht matches in rough water. 



Btiix Another. — The lines and specifications for a new 

 five-ton cutter are now being got out for New York parties. 

 She will resemble the famous Freda, before noticed in these 

 columns, and will probably be built in Boston. About 30ft. 

 water-line, Oft. Sin. beam, and 5ft. 6in. hold. 



What Experience Teaches. — " I am getting to know 

 what is wanted for worli, and the sloop is not the rig for 

 anything but smooth water play. In anything of a breeze 

 and seaway you must have weight and power, a boat capa- 

 ble of turniug to windward without jumping herself to pieces; 

 a rig that can be easily handled, and a cabin in which you 

 can turn in without fear of drowning." So writes a gentle- 

 man whose experience covers years. There is plenty of 

 " practical " proof that the stand we have taken in these 

 columns is bound to bear excellent fruit in the near future. 



Thb Intbepid. — This schooner has returned from her 

 Southern cruise, aDd now lies at the foot of Twenty-third 

 street, E. R. 



Notiok to Canoeists, — A general meeting of canoeists 

 will be held at room 74 Morse Building (corner of Nassau 

 and Beekman streets, N. Y.,), on Thursday, May 8, at 4:30 

 p. m. It is proposed to take measures for combiniog the in- 

 terests of canoeists, and to make arrangements for a regatta, 

 in which all, irrespeclive of clubs, will be invited to partici- 

 pate. The New York Canoe Club will charge itself with 

 uecessary details. Addresses of canoeists are respectfully 

 solicited^ and suggestions as to the regatta and other matters 

 likely to come before the meeting will ba thankfully re- 

 ceived. Address Br. E. B. Brouson, Secretary N. Y, C. O., 

 208 West Thirty-fourth street, New York city ; or Charles 

 L. Norton, Commodore N. Y. C. C, box 4,553 New York 

 city. The above call should be responded to by all devoted 

 to the fascinating and romantic pastime of canoeing, bearing 

 in mind that V Union fait la force. 



HANLAN'S VICTORY. 



THE international sculling match between Hanlan, the 

 champion of America, and Hawdon, of England, was 

 finally rowed on the Tyne, England, May 5, resulting in an 

 easy victory for Hanlan. The course was straightaway from 

 the Mansion House, 156 yards above the High Level Bridge, 

 to Scotswood Suspension Bridge on the river Tyne near New- 

 castle. Total distance three miles and 570 yards. The course 

 has several easy bends in it, but on the whole offers fair op- 

 portunity for making good time. Betting had been two to 

 one in favor of Hanlan at the start. Dr. Luke Armstrong 

 acted as referee. Hanlan won the toss and selected the right 

 hand station. At lh, 46m- p, m. the two were sent away, 

 making a good start, Hawdon getting best hold of the water 

 and going off with 42 strokes to the minute, against Hainan's 

 long swing of 34. This soon sent him to the front, and from 

 that time he kept the lead to the finish, rowing well within 

 himself. Hawdon settled down to 3C and Hanlan to 32. The 

 Englishman did some wild steering and quickened up occa- 

 sionally, but to no effect, as flanlan was playing with his 

 man as he had done in many a former race on this side of the 

 Atlantic, The first mile was made in 0m. Is., with Hanlan 

 leading by two lengths and taking his ease, looking over his 

 shoulders at the crowd and keeping an eye ahead occasionally 

 to see the course clear. The water was a little lumpy at this 

 point, but the Canadian managed to hold to a long, clean 

 stroke of 30. King's Meadow Island was reached in 20m. 15s., 

 and the Toronto man dropped to 26, shortly afterward pro- 

 ceeding deliberately to hale out his boat. Near the finish a 

 mild spurt of 28 sent the gallant Canadian four lengths to the 

 front, winning his victory with the same ease and coolheadtd- 

 ness that has characterized him in all his races on American 

 waters. Time, 32m. 3a. Hanlan's weisht, 153 lbs.; Haw- 

 don's, 152 lbs. 



Little remains to be said about this race beyond that Han- 

 lan has shown himself a sculler of such power and finish, that 

 it is doubtful if any living man can hold his own with him 

 either at home or abroad. The race justifies all we have Baid 

 about the wonderful stock of " reserve " Hanlan possesses, 

 something that has never yet been drawn upon to its fullest 

 extent, and it is not likely to he, unless Elliott or Triekett are 

 a good deal better men than their record so far shows them to 

 be. Of course Hanlan's modesty and generous conduct made 

 him popular among the hardy Northumbrians, and he won 

 for himself the good will of all. 



IS THE SLOOP UNHANDY? 



Eoslvn, L. I., April 24, 1879. 

 Editob Fobebt and Stbeam: 



I noticed in your paper recently a letter signed "Lubber," under 

 the heading ' 'The Sloop's Unhandiness. " Now, with all due defer- 

 ence to the views of the theorists I must ropoat, that although 

 theories are good enough, so far as they go, the trouble is that 

 they are but theories after all. There are a few of us old boating 

 men who, with years of practical experience, have learnod from 

 our leBSon that the Bloop. if honestly modeled, built and rigged, 

 is not so unhandy, under any circumstances, as the cutter or 

 yawl : while at the same time our bloop will beat your pets ninety- 

 nine times in the hundred. 



In another of your issues " Martin Gale" ventilated his views 

 by BOine remarks, and I will take this opportunity of reminding 

 him, and others generally, that I have a little boat, a sloop draw- 

 ing twenty-two inches, with thirty-five feet length of water line, 

 that is ready at any time, when there iB wind enough, to ehow 

 practically which ia the better boa!; — sloop, cutter or yawl ; and 

 that the question of handinesa may be definitely settled, wa will 

 limit our crews to two men for each craft and lay our course 

 around Long Island. We believe in our theory ; if you have faith 

 in yours, " trot out" your cutter. T, O. 



Our correspondent, for whose opinions and experiences we 

 have high respect, can hardly call any one to account for 

 "theorizing" -on the cutter or yawl vs, the sloop, for the suf. 

 ficicnt reason that we have no yawl9 as yet in the East and 

 but few cutters from which to cite actual experience. A day 

 will come when there may be no necessity for resorting to 

 theory alone, as at present. 



We deprecate, the tendency to force an issue between 

 "theory" and "practice." Theory implies a course of 

 reasoning, and no "practical" man would willingly allow 

 that in securing his ends, he does not reason, or in other 

 words "theorize." So called theory seeks simply to apply to 

 the practical man's reasoning the crucial test of figures, and 

 should be the handmaid of experiment. There exists no basis 

 for an issue between the two. Each is excellent in its way"; 

 both together far better than either alone. 



CANOES AND THEIR RIGS. 



(ConHm/ed from page 2o6.) 



The sharpie rig is very pretty, and it oertainly is a fide rig for 

 fancy sailing. The spreet keeps the sail as flat as a panoako. 

 Then there is no yard or gaff to bother you, and you can jibe the 

 mainsail till you're black in the face and not come to grief ; and, 

 when the halliard is lot go, the mere weight of the mast rings 

 brings the sail down in a trice. But I don't think it by any means 

 the best rig for cruising, for to carry a mainsail large enough for 

 general use alone the mast must bj very high, and a lofty mast 

 doeB not add to one's comfort in rough water, or, indeed, under 

 any other circumstances. Of course, if you chose, you could do 

 with a smaller mainsail, and perhaps make the jib and dandy 

 somewhat larg6r, but then these two extra sails must needs be set 

 more often, which means considerable additional trouble. 



The manner of reefiug, too, by lowering the head of the sail and 

 hooking it to a mast-hoop, is bad, for it leaves the leach slack, 

 when the end of the epreot naturally drops, sometimes far enough 

 to dip into the water. It has also another fault as a cruising rig, 

 due to the use of mast-hoops, and that is that the sail can't well, 

 be attached to or taken from the mast when afloat. I don't mean 

 to say that this is a matter of very great moment, but I have always 

 found it pleasanter to etow sail entirely when paddling far ; and 

 in foul winds it is really an advantage to be able to do so. 



Next in order comes the standing lug. This is very well adapt- 

 ed for cruising for these seaBons : With a mast not over high 

 you can have a large mainsail ; the sail reefs on the boom, and it 

 can be set, taken in and stowed with the greatest ease. Some 

 people object to the yard, but a Bix-foot piece of bamboo is not 

 Buoh a ponderoua spar after ah. 



The Chinese lug is another capital sail. You will find a drawing 

 of it in " Cauoe Traveling." It is not as simple aa the standing 

 lug, but is better in eome other respectB. A great deal of canoe- 

 ing is done in China and Japan by the EngliBh and American 

 clerks in the tea houses, and this is> favorite rig with them. About 

 a quarter of both yard and boom project forward of the mast, and 

 there are battens running horizontally from luff to leach of the 

 sail, and held to the mast by parrals. These battens keep 

 the sail flat, and are a great aid in reefing, for you need only 

 lower the sail inta> the brail as far aB you wish, hook any one of 

 the battens to the boom, and there yon are. The necessity for 

 having a brail and batten parrals is a drawback, to be sure, but 

 this is a matter of minor importance. 



There is Btdl another sail, called the revolving lug. It iB like 

 the ChineBe lug, except that it lacks battens, and, in reefing, the 

 points muBt be tied down in the usual way ; but then, of course, 

 the brad and batten parrals are not needed. On the whole I 

 think I prefer it to ebher of the other two lug sails. 



In the Bmaller details of rig let me give a few hints : For a 

 dandy use a leg-of-mutton Ban ; lace it to the mast and let it have 

 a boom. Big a brail for it in this way : Make fast a light line near 

 the mast-head ; lead it down through a screw eye on the boom, 

 then up again through a sheave in the mast and down to the deck. 

 With this you can top up the boom against the mast, and brail up 

 the sail in an instant. Don't lead the dandy Bheet through a 

 block or ring on the Btern-post, or it will keep continually fouling 

 the rudder yoke, but through a screw-eye or hook in the deck, a 

 foot or so from the stern. 



The jib is an invention of the Evil One, anyway. Perhaps the 

 least inconvenient fittings for it are a loop at the head, a boom 

 with an eye at the tack end, and two sheets. It can then be at- 

 tached to a hook on the stern-post by hand, and the loop placed 

 over the maat-head with the boat-hook ; but if the maat is high 

 this plan will not do, and you must use a halliard. If you carry 

 a sharpie mainsail make the "snorter '' or becket for the spreet 

 fast to a maat-hoop, so that the spreet may come down to the 

 deck with the sail. 



A good toggle for the lug-asil booms is formed by two loops of 



oord on the maBt and boom. One of these is passed through the 

 other, and held in place by a piece of wood. For the dandy-boom 

 use a braBs collar on the mast and a pin in the end of the boom, 

 held together by a bolt in suoh a way that the boom oan be raised 

 as if on a hinge. 



In cutting lug sails give them a short luff and a pretty high 

 peak, for if the head ia out too sqnare the yard will sag off to lee- 

 ward considerably; and don't forgot to rope the luff very strongly 

 or it will stretch. To the booms of these sails attach hooks, one 

 at the tack end and one or two at the after end, so that in reef- 

 ing you can hook the reef-cringles down quickly, and then tie the 

 points at your leisure. 



The main yard must be hooked to a mast-traveler. This is gen- 

 erally a i-ing, with a hook below and an eye above, for the hal- 

 liard ; but as a simple ring frequently jame on the mast, it would 

 be better to make it of two Bemioirclea, linked together at the 

 ends. 



Unbleached cotton sheeting is as good material for Bails as I 

 know. It is light, but plenty strong enough, and comes bo wide 

 that the mainsail can be made in one piece. 



The plaited cord used by window-ahade fitters mafcea good rig- 

 ing, because it never " kinkB'' nor gets hard when wet | but if you 

 prefer heavier stuff than this, get No. 8 hawser-laid cord, whioh 

 will not "kink " either, though a wetting will stiffen it. 



Spruce I think the best wood for masts and boom — and also, by 

 the way, for the paddle. It is strong and tolerably light, and looks 

 well, but the yard must be just as light aa possible, as well as 

 strong, and for that a bamboo stick answers rather better. The 

 mainmast and paddle Bhould be jointed wlthstroDg bra3B ferrules. 

 Don't use blocks for the halliards and brails ; let^sheavea into the 

 masts. Some object to this plan because it weakens the spar ; but 

 no strain of moment over cornea on the head of a canoe mast, ex- 

 cept in the slidint; gunter rig. and Bheaves look far neater, and 

 are more conveniout than blocks. 



The mainsail halliard and, if you uae one, the jib halliard too t 

 had better lead aft through single or double fair-leaders with 

 wheels. 1 once fitted a sido-block, low down on the mast, for thi 

 purpose, but it didn't work well. Every time I hoisted sail the 

 mast turned in its tube, and then, of course, the halliards jammed 

 in the block. If you ask any old canoeist what jiba are goad for 

 it's ten to one hem say, " Well, they are useiul for tacking, and 

 they counterbalance dandies, and thBy look pretty." But, except 

 aB a racing sail, I find a jib ia a humbug. What with the labor of 

 setting and taking it in, and tending the sheets, in addition to 

 handling the other sails and paddle, I grew at last bo disgusted 

 that I discarded it entirely. Have two tubes for tho mainmast — 

 one in the usual place, the other aa far forward as you oan conve- 

 niently roach from the well. When Bailing under mainsail only, 

 carry the mast in the after tube, but step it in the forward tube 

 if the dandy is to be set. Then, if properly proportioned, the 

 aaila will balance, and with the Chinese or revolving lug aaile, tho 

 pait forward of the mast will give you all the head sail you need > 



In running you would find the extra ms.st tub;) of great service, 

 aa for that work the further forward the mast can be stepped (he 

 better. Yon might then be unable to reach (he tack-cringlea of 

 the Chinese and revolving lugs by merely reaching forward, but 

 to reef, you could untoggle tho boom of the revolving lug, and get 

 at the tack in that way ; while, if you let go the Bheet of the 

 Chinese log, the sail would fly around till the luff came inboard, 

 abaft the maBt, within reach. There may be aa yet undiscovered 

 faults in this plan, but it will certainly rid you of the jib. 



W. M. O. 



THE LEE RAIL. 



Feboe, Distbict of Gasfe, Canada, April 1, 1879. 

 Editob Fobest and Stbeam : 



Ab an old sailor I naturally lake a pleasure in reading the articles 

 on yachts and yachting that appear in your valuable and well- 

 conducted journal, the weekly arrival of which I always had with 

 lasure. It reminds me of my younger days, of adventnroa by 

 land and water, and oftimes makes mo feel aB though I could 

 again take the helm, or with my well-tried cocker spaniel beat the 

 ar for woodcock, or the marsh for snipe. Both have their fas- 

 cinations, and as I write I think of that beautiful and exciting 

 song: 



" The sea— the sea— the open sea ! 

 The blue, the fresh, the ever free!" 



The " Lee Bail Under Water " is the purport of the present, and 

 my remarks may possibly be useful to Borne young yachtsmen. 



I commenced my career in life as a Bailor, and at twenty years 

 of age I found myseif second mate of a brig of 185 tonB, in the 

 Mediterranean and Baltic trades— taking oranges and lemons to 

 St. Petersburg for the special gratification of those woithiea, the 

 Russian Boors or Bears— no offence, I hope, thou mighty Czar of 

 all the Bussiaa ! 



Well, sir, I was always a close observer of all that came under 

 my notice, and exceedingly anxious to become a thorough seaman. 

 When heaving the log on various occasions, it struck me that tho 

 vessel made lees headway when close hauled under a heavy press 

 of canvas than when we shortened sail I accordingly discussed 

 the matter with our worthy captain— who was a in-m-or-war's man, 

 and fought at New Orleans— and we agreed that my arguments 

 Bhould be tested when a good opportunity offered. Thia soon pre- 

 sented itself. At the commencement of a atiff breeze, with top- 

 gftUantaaila set and lee rail buried, we hove the log twice— 5% 

 knotB. "Let go the topgallant halliards ! Uletv up and hand 

 them!" With a smart crew of fourteen hands, a few minutes 

 sufficed, and the brig was plowing it on an even keel. "Heave 

 the log ! " Six and a half knots. This waa repeated with the same 

 result. The breeze still freshening, the vessel again heelod over. 

 The log then gave us five knots. A reef taken in the topsails , and 

 the log gave six knots. Tho experiment was repeated on several 

 occasions, with the same residt. A vessel ia not intended to sail 

 er side, but on a even keel as much as possible, and when her 

 lea rail is under water, her chain plates, rigging, etc., must impede 

 her progreBB. 



The following is another curious experiment to which I was a 

 party : In days of yore, two small steam boatB performed the postal 

 service between Weymouth, in the English Channel, and the 

 Ohaanel Islands. They were Government vessels, and com- 

 manded by two brothers, Frederick ond Bobert White— as thorough. 



