March 20, 1884.] 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



167 



raking post, the lowest, position to weights, with a high center of 

 buoyancy, to compensate for moderate displacement, thereby insur- 

 ing enough sail with the choice of driving: the boat upon an easy side. 

 A proper balance between immersed and emersed wedges preserving 

 the same trim as when at a plumb and the ease on her helm which 

 follows. Healthy draft in proportion to displacement. For a boat 

 of her deptit the "Petrel is distinguished by the wonderful ease of her 

 fore and aft sections and her diagonals," as inspection of the plans 

 will elucidate. She has just enough flare to her bow frames to lift 

 dry and clear, just enough tumble home to topsides for a long easy 

 body to drive when heeled under pressure of wind, and her quarters 

 are drawn in just enough for perfect delivery and at the same time 

 ease in her motions. She lifts to pvervthlng because free from 

 haunches aft to prevent the depression of her stem. In regard to 

 rig she is a cutter in point of principle, though in some of the 

 mechanical features corresponding to the sloop. Her sail plan will 

 be produced next week. 



In actual sailing the Petrel is perfection. She is the easiest boat 

 imaginable, and though her lee gangway is awash by the time she 

 is fairly down to her bearings and at her'best in a smart breeze, she 

 is remarkably drv to windward. She throws no spray in the hardest 

 drives, and rides to her etiain like a rocking chair without tug or 

 snub of the slightest appreciation. She is able in a chop, and with 

 two cringles down pxits in licks to windward, screwing out higher 

 than she points in astonishing style She is at all times and iu all 

 weather very fast, jammed high or romping with sheets lifted. From 

 actual experience through several seasons we know her draft never 

 gives anyone the slightest perturbation, which can easily enough be 

 understood when we remember that five feet is scarce neck-high, 

 and no call exists for sailiug in shoaler water when there are thou- 

 sands of square miles where more than five feet can be carried to 

 every one-acre puddle with less. There is no difficulty in beaching 

 for a scrub, as a leg is got out abreast the chain plates at high water, 

 aDd the throat and peak carried broad off to steady as the water 

 falls away. Her rig presents no complications in practice whatever. 

 The foresail has a light boom to the foot, the boom working on the 

 sheet as a traveler, so that foresheet need not be touched in beating 

 up. One might, sail in her all day an«l never be aware of her cutter 

 rig. No one who has cruised in her ever as much as mentions or 

 notices her double head sail, which is answer enough to the bugbear 

 about "complications." 



On the other hand, the rig is found extremely convenient, as it does 

 away with all reefing and bobbing of jib and al«o gives greater choice 

 of arrangement of sail. The area is quite moderate for the boat's 

 length, far less than in a beamy hard-bilged sloop, and spars corres- 

 pondingly snug and light with beneficial effect in a head sea. The 

 Petrel heels quickly to her bearings as can be imagined, and until it 

 blows strong is over on her side considerably more than a sloop, but 

 never enough to interfere with perfect control and the management 

 of her gear, or "comfort.'' in spite of the impressions her heeliy.c 

 may produce upon the inexperienced seeing her under way. And 

 when heeled she goes along about her business in holiday fashion 

 without towing her helm over the weather quarter, and without any 

 gymnastics to keep her on her course. And her speed in a breeze is 

 enough to contradict that ludicrous vagary that the wind "just blows 

 over her sails" without doing any good' And her speed and keen 

 pointing at all times is likewise enough in opposition to the equally 

 absurd notion that one big bag of a jib drives better than two well 

 trimmed flat surfaces, the inner sail operating to better purpose on a 

 forestay at much less obtuse angle than the lifting, and therefore less 

 effective lead of a single jibstay to bowsprit end. 



Practically, the Petrel opened the title chapter of the new era in 

 New York waters, and that the first attempt to depart radically in 

 all essentials from the cast iron dogmas of snarled tradition in Amer- 

 ican yacht building should have been accompanied by such unequiv- 

 ocal success is the reward of her originator for his independence of 

 thought and clear analysis of the principles of design. As the pio- 

 neer of the new era, as the first "American cutter," as the exnonent 

 of intelligent process, as a flyer of first rank, the Petrel will always 

 live a bright and shining example in the history of the transitory 

 period through which American yachting is now passing. 



Length over all 32ft. 



Length L. W.L 28ft. 



Beam extreme on L. W.L 8ft. 



Depth, planksheer to garboard on M.S 4ft. 7in, 



Least freeboard 16J^in. 



Greatest draft 4ft. lO^iu. 



Displacement r t y, tons. 



Ballast inside 4.0u0lbs. 



Ballast on keel 2.526lbs. 



Area lower sail. 800sq. ft. 



Hoist of mainsail 20ft. 



Ratio cf sail to square L. W.L 102 per cent. 



Attention is called to the small sail area required to drive the Pet- 

 rel. It is about the same as that of the sloop Gleam of only 23ft. 

 loadline. and the hoist of Petrel's mainsail is much less, being 18ft. 

 against Gleam's 23ft. The great economy in driving power and man- 

 agement ot the cutter is very apparent. The Petrel on 28ft. drives 7}4 

 tons displacement with practically the same sail the Gleam requires 

 for only 5 tons on 23ft. There is little difference m the cost of the two 

 boats, but the cutter is much the larger, abler, and would leave the 

 Gleam out of sight in a match, all of which is obtained by departing 

 from the tradition of great beam and centerboard. and building upon 

 an intelligent and well considered scheme. The difference in ballast 

 between the two is about two tons, or say $50 for inside iron, a purely 

 nominal sum, considering the far greater return received from the 

 Petrel's design than from that of the Gleam. 



CUI BONO? 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Believing as I do that under equal conditions the cutter Aneto did 

 not nor can outsail the Gleam, I will match the Gleam against the 

 Aneto for three races for $100 cup each race; Atlantic Y. C. course 

 and rules. John G. Prague, A. Y. C. 



47 Bible House. 



[The proposition is hardly likely to lead to a race, as no grounds 

 for a race exist. Aneto is a little cruiser, 21x7ft., with a lower sail 

 area of 40s sq. ft. Gleam is a racing sloop. 23x9, with an area of 7^8 

 sq. ft. Hoist of Aneto's mainsail is 14ft. ; that of Gleam is 23ft. The 

 difference in size and character of the two boats is much too great 

 to permit their racing to any logical purpose. The Aneto is also 

 yawl-rigged, which of itself is enough to prevent a match upon even 

 terms, as the Atlantic Y. C. rules impose. Nor do we suppose that 

 any sensible person, least of all the owner of the Aneto, claims her 

 capable of beating Gleam in ordinary weather. About the only 

 chance for the Aueto is in a drift pure and simple, which would be 

 without satisfaction to either party, or else in a nose-ender with a 

 jump when Gleam is at her worst, owing to excessive beam and over- 

 sparring, conditions under which Aneto came out best in a brush be- 

 tween the two last fall out of Larchmont harbor. Such conditions 

 could not be insured iu Mr. Prague's offer, and without them no oue 

 pretends the snug little cruiser Aneto a match for a boat one-third 

 [arger, with nearly twice the sail area]. 



li 



BELLEVILLE NOTES. 



THE projected Lake Yacht Racing Association will soon, in all 

 probability, be an accomplished fact, as nearly all the clubs con- 

 cerned have signified their approval, and appointed delegates to a 

 convention which will he held two weeks hence in Toronto for the 

 purpose of organization. The knotty points will be the limits for 

 second class, shifting of ballast in second class, and rule of measure- 

 ment. I have no doubt that the length and sail area rule of meas- 

 urement will carry, and that standing ballast will be decreed, but the 

 classification will be troublesome, as several yachts were built to the 

 extreme verge of the old limit, which ought to be conformed to as 

 closely as possible in justice to all concerned. 



Mr. R. J. Bell's Norah is on the Marine Railway at Deseronto, where 

 she will get a thorough overhauling before entering on another sea- 

 sou's work. 



Treasurer Pike's cutter Sylvia is to get a heavier keel, which she is 

 in great need of. 



A new steam yacht may be added to the fleet this year. 



No new era It in hand here, and no repairs or fitting out yet. 



. Port Tack. 



THE LAKE Y. R, A.— The following letter has been addressed to 

 the Toronto Mail: "Sir— The majority of the yacht clubs of the 

 lakes having expressed themselves favorably to a lake yacht racing 

 association, and some of them having suggested the time of the 

 Kennel Club show in this city for a meeting of delegates, and it also 

 having been found that three delegates have been appointed by most 

 of the clubs, it has therefore been deemed advisable to call a meet- 

 ing of three delegates from each club at the Queen's Hotel, Toronto, 

 -on Saturday, March 29, at 3 P. M. These delegates to draw up a con- 

 stitution, elect officers and committee for the present year, decide 

 on a measurement rule, and, in fact, get the association fairly under 

 way. It is desirable that delegates attending the meeting should 

 make themselves thoroughly acquainted with the constitution of 

 similar association as far as possible, also with the different measure- 

 ment rules.— Wm. Dickson, Hon. Sec. Toronto Y. C." 



NEW ENGLAND Y. K. A.— Clubs are entitled to admission which 

 have twenty-five yachts of more than 16ft. length, not 10ft.. as mis- 

 printed. 



