[APBir 3, 1884. 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



108 



GLEAM. 



AS a centerboard yacht considerably advanced beyond the ortho- 

 dox trap, the Gleam can be taken as an excellent representative 

 of recent date. She is of more than ordinary shapeliness, with 

 claims to style, in her whole make. up. Her lines will prove of special 

 interest to tbose who have to moor in shoal water, or cannot avail 

 themselves of the keel for particular reasons. The Gleam is a copy 

 of one of Philip Eltswortk's small boats, with some minor modifica- 

 tions introduced by Mr. N. D. Lawion, for whom she was built last 

 spring. Clumsier dimensions could scarcely exist, yet in spite of 

 their exceptional proportions the Gleam exhibits that unrivalled 

 clean cut fairness of body for which we have often put the Ellsworth 

 models on record. This extreme fairness, which scarce any man can 

 equal, coupled with enormous light weather rigs, is the real secret of 

 the success of the Ellsworth boats so far as speed is concerned, and 

 it is almost a hopeless task to expect to beat such beautifully chiselled 

 masterpieces with other craft many run^s lower on the ladder of per- 

 fection in fairness of form, and this is without any reference to type. 

 In view of the varied results of trial races during the past few years, 

 we are more than eser convinced that far too much stress is laid 

 upon mere type by itself when the question of speed is agitated, and 

 that the clue to success should be sought in the most perfect dis- 

 tribution of bulk and general symmetry of hull, let the cardinal 

 dimensions be what they may. We have ail seen square races won 

 by out and out cutters, by half-breeds with and without keel and 

 with a little of both, by orthodox traps of a past epoch, and by all 

 kinds of go-betweens. 



Extensive and close observation will, in the long run. justify our 

 views that all types within certain not well defined limits, can be 

 made to reach equally high rates of speed, though some will excel 

 under certain conditions, and others again under an opposite state of 

 affairs. But it will ever be a losing game to pit against perfection 

 of one type anything of another possessed of le6S sweetness of form. 

 So far as speed is the issue, it may be laid down as a truism that a 

 good cutter will beat an inferior sloop, and a good sloop will beat an 

 inferior cutter, and a good cutter and a good sloop will make an even 

 sail, extraneous influences left out of consideration. In point of type 

 all stand alike, and the victory will perch upon the most symmetrical 

 arrangement of bulk, with no reference to the dimensions. In more 

 detail, though, there seems to be evidence enough at hand that the 

 deep, narrow keel has the call in light and baffling wind, and in any 

 kind of weather accompanied by a sea, while the sloop's especial 

 opportunity will be found in smooth water, and good whole sail 

 breezes. All of course subject to more or less modification, as facts 

 are sprouted by events in the future. 



With this in mind it is an easy matter to find good cause why 

 Gleam, upon very uncouth dimensions, should nevertheless show 

 excellent speed in the weather she likes. Not one man in ten thou- 

 sand could produce her equal in form on the length, beam and 

 depth she possesses. For this reason alone, if for no other, the boat 

 which tackles Gleam tackles a Tartar, and the boat which beats her 

 has something about which she may lustily crow. We are far from 

 indorsing Gleam's proportions. The same bulk, ballast and rig could 

 have been disposed to much better advantage in a longer, deeper 

 body of easier fashioning, with a gain in performance and accom- 

 modations, but then the odious length rule steps in and threatens a 

 tax for any such choice. The designer finds himself shackled in face 

 of that foe to good proportions, which compels him to stunt his ideas 

 in length and squat out in beam for the size he must have in search 

 of power and general ability. Consequently the G'eam is the reverse 

 of au economic! 1 1 boat in any respect, and for her size and the money 

 expended does not represent the best attainable by any means, 

 though she may be the best or nearly the best on the length. It is 

 unfortunate that a rule which hampers independent development of 

 form and fosters false standards of excellence should prevail, but at 



present there seems little hope for a change, so that we may dismiss 

 further speculation as to what Gleam might have been but for the 

 prejudicial interference of length measurement. 



If the official record of the Gleam has not been especially brilliant 

 so far, it is owing to lack of opportunity more than to want of speed 

 in the boat. Her debut in the A. Y. C. match of June 19. found her 

 pitted against two rather unpretending cruisers, the Lois, of un- 

 certain antiquity, and the Amazon, not known to racing fame. After 

 an unsatisfactory day Gleam finished secon.l, beating the Lois, but 

 having to give in to Amazon, some 3ft. longer, by scant 3min. Her 

 second test was in the Seawaahaka Corinthian race June 23, which 

 turned out such a howling fluke as to be void of meaning, though 

 Gleam proved lucky enough to lift the prize in the class. The third 

 trial found her off with the Larchmont fleet in the annual open 

 match sailed July 4. It was blowing a stiff breeze with a jump out in 

 the Sound. Upon this occasion Gleam suffered a round defeat at the 

 hands of two cruisers, the keel Varuna and Amazon, coming in a poor 

 third, near 7m. astern of the second. Both her competitors were 

 longer by several feet, and size will often make amends for poor 

 model in blowy weather. 



The impressions received upon the occasion were that Gleam's 

 towering stick punished her severely, and that her beam caused her 

 to swing as if on gimbles, while the sea slopped her at every bounce. 

 It was noteworthy that in the same race, the Crocodile, another Ells- 

 worth boat, suffered in like manner, and lost to Wave and Schemer, 

 while she had shown herself more than a match for Wave in smooth 

 water. During the remainder of the season Gleam got on a couple of 

 local fights with ancient specimens, and sadly squandered them for 

 their temerity, and likewise had one sail over, capturing the club 

 championship in her class. Late in fall she got underway in com- 

 pany with the tidy little yawl rigged cruiser Aneto, of the deep draft 

 keel persuasion and 21ft. loadline, in a two-reef snorter, and after a 

 struggle Gleam retired discomfited and hugely surprised at the 

 wholly unexpected issue. Gentlemen who witnessed this little sur- 

 prise lay it to the load of spars Gleam had to whin, and to the anti- 

 pathy of her beam for the sea there was running. To sum up, the 

 Gleam, owing to reasons already mentioned, should be considered 

 fast and close-winded in smooch water, but not a likely boat at all 

 when brought down to more exacting work, which is the real test of 

 merit. And this reputation holds good imtil the popular verdict can 

 be shown to be mistaken. 



As our plans will explain. Gleam is one of the few, very few, sloops 

 entitled to the claim of being handsome. In her depth, high side 

 and comparatively liberal displacement, and in the absence of flare 

 can be traced commendable properties in accordance with the pre- 

 cepts ruling these columns. In her stunt body and great rig is seen 

 the cloven foot of length measurement. This year Gleam is to try 

 l,5001bs. lead on the keel, which ought to make her display more 

 mind of her own in lumpy water, though what effect it will have 

 upon her footing of a summer's day is not so easy to foretell. If we 

 do not care to hazard a prophesy, there are also no clear facts known 

 why she should not benefit by the change at all times. Though the 

 idea of "lugging" ballast outside instead of lovingly carrying it 

 along in the hold is high treason according to persons who appear 

 to have served their apprenticeship aboard the Ark, and though Mr. 

 Lawton may forever fall from high grace with that school, there are 

 those willing enough to give him credit for experimenting with a 

 somewhat bold innovation, whatever the upshot may be. 



Length over all 25ft. lOin. 



Length on L.W.L 23ft. 



Beam on L.W.L 9ft. 



Beam extreme 9ft. 6in. 



Depth, top of deck to keel 4ft. 9in. 



Draft without board 3ft. 3in. 



Least freeboard to planksheer if t. 9in. 



Displacement ll,0001bs. 



Ballast inside 3,0001bs. 



Ballast on keel l,5001bs. 



Area lower sail 78»sq. ft. 



Mast deck to hounds 29ft. 



Boom over all 26ft. 



Gaff overall 16ft. 



Bowsprit outboard 15ft. 



Topmast over all 16ft. 



Hoist of mainsail 23ft. 



Jib on luff 31ft. 



Jib on foot 20ft. 



The keel is of white oak, 8x8in. amidships, frames 3)4x2 at heel, 3x2 

 at head, oak. Extra frame on bflge, 2x3, of hackmatack. Deck 

 framing! 3x3 and 2x3, oak. Bed pieces for centerboard trunk, 7x4iu. , 

 oak. Stem, post and rudder of oak, with locust stock. Plank, ]% 

 yellow pine, no butts above waterline. Deck stuff, 1J4 white pine, 

 square, no butts. Trimmings, hatches and rail in mahogany. Cabin 

 roof is of three layers thm boards, with canvas between. Sails of 

 lOoz. duck, double bighted, also storm jib. Club topsail of 8oz. duck, 

 single bigtited, and. spinnaker, balloon jib topsail of stout drilling. 

 The bowsprit is a bright spar, run out nearly horizontal. Decks and 

 interior of bright finish. The cockpit floor is 1ft. above waterline, and 

 the centerboard trunk is kept low in the cabin, the top being ''sealed" 

 and caulked. 



ANETO AND GLEAM. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Since the appearance of my letter fcs your last issue I have received 

 a note from Mr. Lawton, from which I learn for the first time that 

 he disagrees with me as to the result of the trial last fall, believing 

 that the towing of a boat by the Gleam more than counterbalanced 

 the disadvantage to the Aneto of lesser size and inferior rig for speed. 



His letter exhibits much feeling, and satisfies me that the subject 

 cannot be pursued with advantage to yachting interests. I accordingly 

 withdraw my last letter to you in its entirety, and so retire from all 

 The Owner of the Yawl Aneto. 



New York, March 31, 1884. 



|Tt is stranee that so much feeling should have been exhibited in 

 this case, and other contracts from which the owner of the Gleam has 

 withdrawn. The settled conviction of good judges is that the Gleam 

 cannot be driven at high speed on account of her chubby form, and 

 that the least chop completely breaks up her sailing. We make this 

 statement in the interests of a proper appreciation of the question of 

 design, as the personal prejudices of yacht owners are of no concern 

 whatever to us. We should think every yacht owner would be glad 

 to discover and admit the faults of his boat from an innate desire to 

 further the truth. In the long run, this is bound to come out, and no 

 super-sensitiveness or petty vanity of any individual can obscure or 

 delay a correct estimate in the case. As a number of proposed trials 

 with the Gleam have been lately rescinded, we desire to emphasize 

 the fact that boats like the Gleam, however successful in light airs 

 through the benefit of extravagant rigs, have generally collapsed in 

 a breeze and sea.] 



HULL Y. C— Officers for the year: Commodore, Charles A.Per- 

 kins; Vice Commoaore, W. H. Crane; Bear Commodore, D. Hall 

 Rice; Secretary. Peleg Aborn; Assistant Secretary, Frank C. Brewer 

 Treasurer, W. H. Litchfield; RegafctalCotnmifctee, M. J. Kiley, P. M 

 Bond, J. A. Osgood, W. K. Millar, B. N Curtis, F. M. Griffeh, E. A 

 Doe. The club voted to join the New Eugland Yacht Racing Associa- 

 tion, and elected as delegate Charles A. Perkins, and as alternate, D. 

 Hall Rice. Membership, 437. Fleet includes 64 cats, 63 sloops, 24 

 schooners, 2 cutters, 1 yawl. 10 steamers— total, 164 vessels. Of these 

 75 are keels and 89 oenterboards. 



