FOREST AND STREAM. 
693 
ATLANTIC YACHT CLUB, 
ANNUAL PENNANT MATCH, SEPTEMBER 17. 
It is hard to say-what were the reasons for the poor turn 
out made liy the Atlantic Y, C, for their annual pennant- 
race. It was certainly blowing hard from the N. W., and 
at times the wind came howling down in a spiteful way 
that raised white eaps as fat as the eye could reach. But 
it was an off-shore wind and its whistling went for 
naught, as with a weather shore over the greater part, of 
the course, the sea amounted to nothing, and the wind 
was at best a close reef gale, requiring at times watch¬ 
fulness and care rather more than during one of the cus¬ 
tomary midsummer drifts. Barring a good soaking- from 
the nasty spray which our broad beamed spanking vessels 
raise in unmeasured quantity, there was no reason why 
the full entry should not have shown up at the start. It 
is not to be supposed that individually considered the 
members of the A. Y. C. are to be accused of lacking in 
corn-age, as wo have seen it statod in some of the dailies, 
hut we have an idea that yacht owners know full well 
the treacherous nature of the ships they sail, though it 
may be hard to have them acknowledge what is patent 
to disinterested observers, that our yachts are unfit to sail 
iu a close reef breeze, even though there be no sea to 
trouble them ; unfit not only in model, but in their light 
summer gear and fittings, and the all too common lack of 
preparation on board for any tiling like a trying blow. 
Had, for example, any of the sloops been caught in some 
of the puffs with no water to “luff out,” with a shoal, a 
buoy- or an adversary close aboard to windward, it would 
have fared hard with them, and their crews might have 
had to swim for life, while crockery, carpets and furniture 
would all have received a black eye to the tune of 
hundreds of dollars. With this in mind, the wary tars 
who love the briny and a gale, but whose craft will carry 
them safely only through the terrors of a June zephyr, 
did wisely in preferring a cruise below at. anchor to the 
damp fate that might have overtaken them had they 
attempted to carry sail in an exciting match. On the 
whole, considering the weaknesses of our usual types of 
yachts, we cannot carp at the absence of the big fleet wo 
had hoped to see in a fall wind with cabin trunks awash. 
The few that went over the course found no trouble, but 
having nothing to sail against, they eased up a trifle and 
took no more risks than absolutely necessary, A ten ton 
cutter, snugged down, would have made fine weather of 
it all day, excepting a wetting from the drift flying, but 
then a cutter is a different sort of ship from our sloop, 
and is not given to turning turtle without warning, or to 
running off her helm at every sea. 
Of the four schooners entered Peerless, and Agues only 
came to the. scratch. The latter took the lead, after hav¬ 
ing hauled down a reef in her mainsail in most sailor like 
style, and was off with double reefed foresail and jib in 
addition. Peerless followed, looking snug with both 
topmasts housed, single reefed mainsail, whole foresail 
and jib. This reminds ns that it was not many years 
ago when Mr. Robert Center was actually laughed at for 
housing topmast aboard the sloop .Bonita in a blow in 
Newport harbor. “What is the sense in doing that 
thing?” “What a lot of extra, gear and bother,” and 
similar exclamations were all too common. But to the 
credit of yachtsmen be it said, that the vessels with stand¬ 
ing topmasts are becoming fewer every year, and the 
fellow who cau’t get rid of an awkwark and useless stick 
aloft when it has no business there, is rapidly loosing 
standing among the better class of sailors, 
Among the first-class sloops, Dolphin was the sole rep¬ 
resentative for the honors of the day, and went by the 
judge’s steamer, Dassori, with two reefs turned into her 
mainsail and one in the jib. Ltizzie L, and Genia tried 
under double reefed mainsails, aud that hideous and most 
lubberly expedient of all, a “ bobbed jib.” We presumo 
the day will come when this clumsy substitute of the 
shiftless smackman for seamanship proper will disappear, 
as has his former autipathy to the housing topmast, and 
since yachtsmen too often take their cue from this class 
or fore-and-afters, improvements in the shape of handy 
headsail must await the pleasure of the heroes of the 
beech boats. 
When the little cat boat Wind went across the line 
Under whole sail, and a batch of bags to windward, there 
was a gentle whistle passed around among the spectators 
aboard the judge’s boat, and dire consequences were pre¬ 
dicted, which were not long in being tullfilled, for out¬ 
side the narrows Wind, capsized, following the example 
set by Truant while still inside Gowanus Basin. Of the 
race little is to be said beyond that those who went 
around experienced a most exhilarating sail. The start 
was flying; the courses, for classes A, B, C, from Bay Ridge 
around the Spit and lightship aud home, class D rounding 
a stake-boat in Gedney’s Channel, and classes E, E and G, 
returning direct from the Spit buoy-, dub allowances, 
based on mean length, working sails, and cruising time, 
whatever that may mean. Peerless gradually overhauled 
Agnes, and the latter, always most spiritedly sailed, was 
obliged to come about below the Hospital Ship and make 
for home, having sprung her foremast, an accident to 
which our craft with standing head booms and unsea¬ 
worthy head rig seem especially liable to. So Peerless 
went her way rejoicing, rounded the outer mark, and 
with the exception of a few boards to clear the Power on 
the return, had lifted sheets nearly all the way, making 
the course of forty miles in five hours exactly, and add¬ 
ing another pennant to the hold full of prizes she already 
possesses. As one of her crew remarked to us : “No use 
talking, lend in the keel will count." Dolphin took one 
bad knock clown, aud barely came out ot it, Lizzie L. 
shook Genia, who then gave up. All the yachts which 
made the course took champion penants ; their times were 
as under : 
Peerlos, J. Roger Neatwell.70 ft. 8J in.,. 5 wi 00 
SLOOPS—CLASS 0. 
Dolphin,.T.W. Cooper..49ft. li in.. a S3 42 
sloops—class r>. 
Lizzie, L. J, Ct. Johnson.43 ft. 0i in.4 32 50 
Orion went out with a spitfiro at bowsprit end, about 
the worst place for it, but probably necessary on account 
of having her mast way in the eyes. The only small 
sloop about was the Elephant, who, under snug canvas, 
made fair weather of it even in the worst, showing that 
so far as the wind was concerned, all hands might have 
turned out for the race. The Elephant cruised about all 
clay, with Mr. C. M, Cordell, Secretary Buffalo Y. C-, on 
hoard as a guest, aud who takes home with Mm the most 
favorable impressions concerning her. 
EASTERN YACHT CLUB. 
The Eastern Yacht Club tried for the third time to sail 
their handicap race, and for the second time to sail their 
autumn race in first class, at Swampscott, Sept. 15th. 
Wind light and variable at start, fading away to a calm 
at Half-way Rock, followed by moderate easterly wind ; 
course around Half-way and Hardings, 29 miles. 
Starters in the autumn race : Halcyon, Latona, Foam, 
Fearless , Phantom and Madcap ; in handicap, same, ex¬ 
cept Phantom. Intrepid and Addie Y. did not start; Foam 
and Fearless gave up. 
The yachts returned home as follows, the time being up 
at 5.13: Halcyon, 5.35.10; Phantom , 5.47; Latona, 
5.51.9, ancl Madcap, 5.51.00. No race again. If it had 
been a race. Halcyon, Latona and Madcap would have 
taken prizes in autumn race, and Latona, first, and Mad¬ 
cap, second, in handicap. 
Another attempt was made on the 10th ; course reverse 
of that sailed previous day. Aiitumu race ; only open 
to Foam, Halcyon, Phantom, Madcap and Latona; han¬ 
dicap open to Latona, Madcap, Halcyon and Foam, 
The club certainly seems to have got the worst luck 
ever heard of, for at 11 a.ai. the wind was blowing hard 
S. E., accompanied by rain and quite a heavy wa run¬ 
ning in ; so that it certainly looked like a race this day. 
Halcyon had hauled up for the Beason, and Madcap did 
not appear. 
By agreement a flying start was made as follows; 
Phantom, 11.25.40; Foam, 11.27.3; Latona, 11,28.60. It 
was a long leg and a short one to the Graves, and then 
down to the 'Hardings. In the sea-way Foam held on 
much better than Phantom, and rounded the Graves 
first, Phantom second and Latona a good third. Here 
the wind played its usual trick and died out suddenly and 
completely, and a dense fog immediately shut out the 
boats. After an hour or more a light N. E, breeze sprang 
up, making the long stretch from Hardings to Half-way 
—which ought to have been free—a dead heat. Foam 
rounded Hardings first, then Phantom and Latona ; hut 
they were out of sight of the judges for a long time, till 
they appeared off rig Rocks, Phantom a little ahead of 
Foam, which was closely followed by Latona. Here they 
also appeared again in the fog. The judges waited at the 
finishing point till the time was up, and then left. Phan¬ 
tom came in about one hour after the time allotted. The 
others put into Beverly, knowing it was no use finishing. 
The feature of these unlucky races has been the fine sail¬ 
ing of Latona, which has greatly improved of late, and 
lias beaten Fearless every time in real sailing. Halcyon, 
too, has upheld her old reputation. Reef Point. 
That Steam Catamaran. —Messrs. Ward & Stanton, 
of Newburgh, have informed ns that they had nothing to 
do with the construction of the engines for the cata¬ 
maran recently tried at Poughkeepsie ; that they never 
would countenance any such questionable undertaking. 
It was not necessary that this firm should deny any re¬ 
sponsibility in the matter, for their reputation’as able en¬ 
gineers is world-wide, and it was not to he supposed they 
would be caught by any such a catch-penny affair as a 
steam catamaran. In our recent criticism upon the same 
we were particular to state that “we will not for a mo¬ 
ment suppose that Messrs, Ward & Stanton, of New¬ 
burgh, who are said to be furnishing the engines for this 
new prodigy, take any stock in the affair, other than the 
precautions necessary to secure payment for their share 
of the work. It is ’ hardly likely that the talent of a 
draughting office can be found to be abetting such a ques¬ 
tionable piece of engineering.” With these words we 
placed ourselves squarely upon record as absolving 
Messrs. Ward & Stanton from any responsibility in the 
matter, and as doubting even whether such able engineers 
would ’ countenance the scheme at all by building the 
engines, as we did not have faith in the reports to that 
effect, aud were particular to use the words, “said to be 
building.” We learn with pleasure, therefore, that this firm 
did notbuild the engines in question, and that Mr. Stan¬ 
ton refused to have anything to do with the affair from the 
outset, thereby confirming the high estimate we always 
had for this firm’s engineering ability. It is rather 
strange that anyone should have construed our very 
plain language as a reflection upon them, when exactly 
the contrary meaning was to he conveyed. 
A New Motor —A private trial of Prof. Wm. P. Trow¬ 
bridge’s new engine and boiler took place near New 
Haven, September 21st, Since machinery of the ordinary 
type has been brought to such a pitch of refinement and 
lightness in the Thorneycroffs and other boats with 
engines modelled after them, it would seem that there is 
hut little room for still further advance in the way of 
liigh piston speed and lightness of structure. Iu conse¬ 
quence, we believe that attention paid to the boiler will 
be apt to meet with more encouraging Tesults, and so far 
as w"e know, the experiments made by Prof, Trowbridge, 
formerly of West Point, and now of Columbia College, 
seem to have verified this assertion. He has reduced the 
weight of boiler by adopting something of the coil pat¬ 
tern, though an improved form upon the Ilerreshoff 
coils, wMch are open to serious objections on account of 
their liability to burn out and leak. With so much 
saved in the way of displacement, explosions impossible, 
and a very liigh pressure attainable, with an ample supply 
of steam, new possibib'ties in the way of steam propul¬ 
sion are certain to result, as it was mainly the limit to 
boiler capacity which has so far set a limit to the speed 
attainaiuablo.' Recent exhaustive experiments unscrew 
propellers made by Tborneycroft in England Lend to 
show that at excessive speeds the resistance no longer 
increases with the cube of speed, but materially abates, 
leaving room to hope for yet Mgher speed than that, of 
24,3 miles obtained from the fastest torpedo launch built 
so far, and we await with interest further developments 
of Prof, Trowbridge’s experiments. 
Long Island Yacht Club.— The fall races of the club 
were sailed in New York harbor Sept. 23d. One class for 
jiband mainsails, and one for cats. Course from a stake- 
boat off Frank Bates’ pier to Robbing Reef buoy, thence 
to Fort Lafayette and homo. Sail twice over. The Deane 
got away first, but had to resign the lead to the Saunders, 
with Excelsior a good third. The tides were worked 
skilfully on the run to Die fort, and she still further in¬ 
creased her lead. With the second round the wind fresh¬ 
ened from the N. W., and a close race was made up to 
the finish. Saunders, Excelsior and Deane were the 
entries iu the first class, Buttercup and Rosy H. in the 
second. Buttercup gave up, Summary as under :— 
J. Saunders. 
Rxcelsim\... 
George U. Denim 
Buttercup . 
Rosy H 
Actual corrected 
Time. Time, 
Lmath. it- m. s. it. m. s. 
21 ft. 10 in. 4 111 00 4 15 424 
21 ft. 10 in. 4 16 30 4 lfl 30 
21 ft, 10 in. 4 IT 15 4 IT 6(14 
Htfc. ,. .. . 
18 ft 1 34 00 1 34 00 
Saunders wins in first class ; and Rosy H., which only 
went around the course once, wins in second class, 
Yonkers Yacht Club.— The first annual regatta of 
this new yacht club, of Yonkers on the Hudson, was 
sailed September 20th. Courso, from Yonkers to Irving¬ 
ton ana return—18 miles ; for tlurd class, only to Hast¬ 
ings and return. Starters, sloops Scud, A. J. Prime, and 
Nellie. C. A. Gould; cats, Minnie. H. L. Garrison ; Ex¬ 
celsior, C’has. Pearsall; Grade, A. Gould ; all of the first 
class, and Pinafore, J. Nesbitt ; Garrison, Thos. Fearing, 
of the second class. The third class consisted of skiffs, 
the Wiuema winning. Scud and Nellie C were ruled 
out, aud the prize aud pennant went to Minnie in the 
first class. The prize in scond class went to the Garrison. 
Dorchester Yacht Club.— The fifty-third race of this 
club was sailed Sept. 20th in Dorchester Bay. Wind 
moderate from E. Open to all yacht clubs. First class, 
over tMrty feet; second class, twenty-five to thirty- 
feet ; third class, twenty to twenty-five feet; fourth 
class, under twenty feet. Courses, seventeen miles for 
first class, nine anil one-half miles for second and third; 
seven miles for fourth. Flying start, with 5m. grace. 
Saxon led off at gun-fire, followed by Siren, Lillie, En¬ 
terprise and Viking in the first class, the other classes 
making close starts all in a bunch. The times made are 
appended. The race was an excellent one, but devoid of 
much spirit for want of wind during the earlier part:— 
FIRST CLASS. 
Actual Corrected 
Lenulh. 
i intr,. 
Name, 
Owner 
Ft. 
In, 
11. M. 
s. 
Hr 
M 
Viking. 
. .S. P. Freeman. 
,36 
02 
3 
05 
05 
2 
26 
45 
Siren. 
. .311 
08 
3 
02 
09 
2 
27 
32 
Lillie. 
..D.B.&L. 
..36 
08 
3 
15 
11 
25 
Enterprise.. 
..F. E. Peabody... . 
..45 
04 
3 
18 
13 
2 
43 
43 
Saxon. 
.. George Clark. 
..39 
02 
3 
40 
20 
3 
05 
13 
SECOND class centre boards. 
Fra. 
.. W. T. Lambert- 
. .26 
03 
1 
50 
30 
1 
21 
17 
Mamie. 
.F. Harlow. 
27 
06 
1 
54 
34 
1 
26 
33 
Wait. 
.. .King- & Clark. 
.29 
074 
1 
55 
45 
1 
29 
35 
SECOND CLASS KEELS 
Annie. 
..George Martin..... 
. .28 
OS 
1 
57 
47 
1 
30 
48 
.. \V. McCormick. 
..28 
10 
1 
58 
55 
1 
32 
M5 
Empress.... 
.Blauey & Bailey... 
. .20 
06 
2 
03 
37 
1 
34 
38 
'.THIRD CLASS CENTR 
E boards. 
Muriel . 
.. 0. G. Wald. 
22 
Oil 
1 
60 
17 
1 
16 
56 
.,R. Grant, Jr .. . 
20 
074 
03 
85 
1 
00 
Lhli . 
..W.P. Barker.. 
.20 
04 
2 
03 
40 
1 
27 
39 
Queen Mali. 
.D. Wilkins. 
05 
2 
03 
37 
1 
30 
IS 
Shamrock.. 
. .Driscoll.... 
..21 
01 
2 
00 
12 
1 
31 
u 
THIRD CLASS K 
EELS. 
Yeronica... 
..R. Chamberlin. 
,..21 
11 
1 
59 
49 
1 
25 
05 
Volant©. 
. .George S. Rice. 
..22 
09 
04 
69 
1 
;:■> 
01 
Dictator.... 
.. U. W. Bibber. 
.,,24 
10 
03 
56 
1 
83 
18 
Violet fa. ... 
..J. G. Banning-. 
...22 
OS 
2 
33 
50 
1 
40 
46 
Lj-dia Athims.H. Davenport. ... 
,..23 
01 f 
2 
16 
51 
1 
44 
30 
FOURTH 
t CM 
Rocket,_ 
..B.F. Buss. 
..16 
07 
1 
30 
45 
i 
05 
53 
Nattie . 
..W. H. Nicholson... 
...10 
in 
1 
m 
41 
i 
06 
03 
Helen. a. 
..W.P. Hunt. 
-.18 
Q9 
1 
40 
i 
M 
41 
Rita.-- . 
,.W. B. Richardson.. 
..19 
08 
1 
39 
03 
i 
11 
49 
Wildfire .... 
,H. A, Kdtb . 
.-.18 
02 
1 
40 
50 
i 
2 
55 
Dream. 
.,C. Bernard, .. 
19 
03 
1 
39 
■19 
i 
12 
03 
On ■, 1 " ■ 
. ,.T. Stewart, Jr. 
...19 
10 
3 
44 
36 
i 
17 
02 
Spray 
.w. o, l’aft . 
..17 
10 
1 
5S 
27 
i 
29 
09 
There were two prizes in each class and three in the 
fourt h, all cash, ranging from $15 to $5. Siren protested 
Viking on the ground that she had not crossed within 
her 5m. limit, and consequently should be ruled out. The 
protest was sustained, and we see no reason why it 
should not have been. Rules are made to be observed, 
and if an owner takes it in his own hands to break them 
he must risk the consequences, and not complain. As 
we understand the stare, five.minutes was the limit for 
the yachts to cross in, and a very reasonable rule it is, 
which debars others crossing later from being considered 
in the race. The customary rule allowing yachts to cross 
when they please, and counting their time, nevertheless, 
from the expiration of a certain period, is not nearly so 
productive of a smart and live start as the Dorchester 
rule, which throws out all not crossing within the speci¬ 
fied time. It is well to have a grievance before complain¬ 
ing. But all these troubles about rules, protests and com¬ 
plaints should be done away with by the formation of a 
Yacht Racing Association, whose word would be au¬ 
thority, and whose code of rules would be uniformly ob¬ 
served at all ports and at all matches. Bannerette was 
Smuggled iu on a wrong measurement, and was promptly 
ruled out. 
Quincy Yacht Club. — The race for Vice-Corn. 
Nicholson’s pennant for third class yachts of the club 
was sailed Sept. 23d off Hough’s Neck. Course, six 
miles. The result was asunder :— 
Actual. Corrected 
Time. Tin io. 
radii, fam H - M - s - H - s - 
ittie .W. H. Nicholson 
ip...Geo. c. Adams. 
nu-r .... I', i hulibuek. 
unlelion.J. O. Adams... 
i-hlf xr Vnnlon A »•* fllummln 
1 25 U 0 58 40 
i m i o so m 
i as ao 
1 27 00 1 01 33 
1 28 20 1 01 08 
South Boston Yacht Club. —The annual clam balm 
and union regatta took place September 18th, off the club 
house. The bake was a success, as a matter of course, 
and for the racing the club was favored with a young 
gale from the S. S. W, Courses were the regular club 
courses, as previously published. Fearless carried away 
her traveller aft: Banneret fouled a buoy and lost bow¬ 
sprit ; Unknown carried away gaff; Eugenia lost top¬ 
mast ; Annie got in a mess with her canvas, and Ena. 
split her jib, while Lena went away with Startles bow- 
