174 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[March 25, 1886. 



CRUISE OF THE COOT. 



Xvii. 



rpHE Coot was the only one to fetch to windward across the mouth 

 JL of the. Patapsco. But this feat was attended with a risk of being 

 swamped, and scores of hair-breadrh escapes from being rolled over 

 in the tripping sea. Prudence would have counselled goiDg round 

 with the sm&ck to the northward for the land west of Pool's Island, 

 but having underestimated the capacity of the Patapsco, tbat river 

 was well opened before I rued tbe venture. Having started in, how- 

 ever, tbe Coot proposed fighting it out to the last moment. Matters 

 would not have been so bad had the boat not failed in windward 

 qualities in rough water, and substantiated to the extreme all that 

 has been said against shoal, beamy craft in critical situations. The 

 wind was blowing N.W T . by N., yet the best the Coot would lay was 

 W. S. W., or seven points from the wind. The chart will show that, 

 from black buoy No. 1, below Pool's Island, where the reefing was 

 done, such a course would have lead well under shore in smooth 

 water up to North Point, the opening of the Patapsco, and given me 

 the choice cf anchor ing under a weather shore. But to such an ex- 

 tent did tbe Uoot chop off in the sea that she made good nothing 

 higher than S. W. y z s., or nine and a half points from the wind. 

 This was not very efficient and would easily have been surpassed by a 

 keel boat of the cutter kind, to say nothing of the total immunity 

 from capsizing. Finding the Coot fulling to leeward so fast, I made 

 a short bitch or two up to the land, but tnese availed so little that, she 

 was finally put at it across the mou t h of the river for a smooth on the 

 weather shore to the southward. This took the boat far outside of 

 Front Ranee Light, of Craigb ill Channel, and even below the Seven 

 Foot Knoll Light, exposing her to the full brunt of sea and wind, and 

 worst of all, carrying her plump across the 5 and 6ft. lumps on the 

 Front Shoal. 



Everything went tolerably well till (he shoal was reached, though 

 the boat had to be carefully w»tched, as she was knocked down time 

 and again till the water rushed in over the cockpit coaming. She 

 had to be luffed and sheet let go by the run to save her from falling 

 over. Headway, which was scant at best, would be lost altogether 

 and stern board threatened. Until fresh way was gathered the peril 

 was imminent Control by the helm was at all times none too certain, 

 owing to the pitching and the way the boat was lifted bodily to lee- 

 ward by the sea. As the Front Shoal was approached the waves grew 

 very short, steep and hollow, and they alone seemed quite capable 

 of rolling the Coot wrongside uppermost, but for the most vigilant 

 and assiduous watching. What with luffing to these menacing seas, 

 it can be imagined the probabilities of fetching across the river did 

 not to >k encouraging. 



The northwester also brought with it a frigid temperature. It was 

 not long before I grew numb with the cold. Sea after sea dashing 

 barrels full aboard and buckets of salt water into my face, down my 

 big rubber boots down my neck and up my sleeves, assisted to make 

 the situation trying to the last degree. Tbe cockpit was speeddy 

 afloat and the bilge water sloshed about above the cabin floor in an 

 ominous way. Toe Coot was settling and becoming dull. My fingers 

 had frozen and steering had to be done with one arm, the sheet often 

 slipping from my gra>p. as strength b°gan to give way. Loose ice 

 was driven out of the river and a raft of huge logs which had got 

 adrift above compelled so much extra exertion to keep the boat from 

 pounding holes into her badly wounded sides that I contemplated 

 giving up and letting her drift to an improvised sea anchor till I could 

 pump her clear, warm up below and study the chart, being wholly 

 unacquainted with the pilotage of the sands in the river and not 

 knowing for what I was pointing. 



The eas'ern shore of Cnesapeake Bay had in the meanwhile loomed 

 up so prominently, and having no harbors into which the Coot could 

 be maneuvered as a last resort, that idea was abandoned. With 

 the bucket water was bailed out at odd times from the cockpit, 

 though it continued to gain down below, the weight in the lee bilge 

 giving the boat a list to add to other troubles. Once across the shoals 

 and clear of the drift ice, the sea assumed an easier face: but the 

 wind blew down with hurricane strength. The little patch of a close- 

 reefed sail, only 12ft. on the head and four hoops high on the mast, 

 was more than the yacht could stagger under any longer. Some 

 further reduction had to be made at all hazards. Watching for a 

 lull, sheet was let go after luffing as much as the boat would answer 

 to, and I scrambled forward to the mast, letting go the throat till the 

 jaws of the gaff settled down on the boom, the slack canvas bellying 

 out to leeward and almost whipping out of the bolt rope. She 

 plunged stem under, the seas pouring up to the cabin house and 

 rushing along the gangways out over the counter. Just as I cast a 



ing the sea. a relief which came none too soon in the condition the I 

 boat and I then found ourselves. Slower than a snail the Coot closed > 

 in with the shore, and to my great joy ranged in under a low sand 

 spit projecting into the river and breaking the force of the gale. 



Summoning what com.jand of motion I had left, the chart was 

 brought out from the cabin. It was held between the clenched fists, I 

 use of the fingers having long ago departed. Even in the arms there I 

 remained scarce power over the muscles. A black buoy was passed 

 close aboard and this I took to be No. 7, on the edge of the 12ft. sand 

 spit shown on the chart below Kolkin Point, the soul hern cape of tbe 

 Patapsco River. Then I realized thoroughly how far the Coot bad 

 brought up to leeward of her true course, for she had originally been 

 headed up for Stony Creek, five miles higher. That is to say, "in the 

 distance of ten miles from buoy off Pool's Island to anchorage, the 

 Coot had made five' miles of leeway! For seven hours I had stood up 

 to the stick, except as noted above, exposed to the freezing north 

 west gale and drenched to the skin. W T e sailed in among the pungies 

 and buckeyes, badly waterlogged, boat and myself, 1 ut the tribula- 

 tions of the day were coming to an end and I did feel some satisfuc 

 tion at knowing that the 20ft. Coot had stumped a 40ft. smack and 

 27r't, sloop and made her southings for the day which the others did 

 not. Heads poked out of the cabins of the other vessels with curious 

 glances at the cat. a strange rig in those parts, for she h id been 

 watched for hours in her desperate strife. The crews aboard working 

 vessels kaow by experience what a small craft is like in heavy 

 weather, and they understood what the Coot had gone through, 

 borne waved their hats, others received me with broad grins of ap- 

 proval, one skipper hailed, "Glad to get in, aint you, Cap?" I tried 

 to answer, but beyond a chattering of teeth I could riot bring forth a 

 sound and my neck was too stiff from constant, peering ahead, so I 

 could not even reward him with a nod. 



Sailing inside of all, both anchors were let go to 25 fathoms line, 

 the sail was buncned in some fash- 

 ion, for a moment I watched the 

 boat to see if the anchors had 

 nipped and then dove below and 

 started a full head on stove, to 

 shift for dry togs while coffee and 

 supper were cooking. The sun had 

 just set and the light shone out 

 from the beacon to .vers. With the 

 bearings of these and my sound- 

 ings, I knew for certain that the 

 yacht had made a lee in 2 fathoms 

 under Bodkin Point, bottom sticky. 

 For two days more the gale hung 

 on with great fury, from exactly 

 the same quarter. Not a vessel 

 cleared out from the company. 

 Toward dusk of the third day the 

 wind veered to the northward, and 

 fell rapidly away. The clouds 

 broke, a glorious calm night of 

 quiet succeeded and the mercury 

 rose to agreeable figures. 



The thir i night passed under Bod- 

 kin Point was one of quiet, though 

 not without its anxiety, for the Coot 

 lay unprotected from north round 

 to south, and in the event of a fresh 

 gale from the eastward following in 

 the wake of the northwester just 

 blown out, the boat would have had 

 to clear out and make tor Bodkin 

 Creek around the point, or try for 

 Magothy River, four miles down 

 the coast. It was my custom 



LICENSES FOR SMALL LAUNCHES. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



In two recent Dumbers of the Scientific American I have noticed 

 answers to inquiries relative to the licenses required for steam 

 launches. That journal is evidently of the opinion that launches 

 under five tons measurement require no licenses, either for boat or 

 crew. Iam the owner of a 20tt. launch propelled by a Sbipman oil 

 engine, and I have been informed by both the Shipuian Engine Man- 

 ufacturing Company and the Customs officer at Soaus Point, that the 

 ordioary yacht license is required. Also mat there must be a licenced 

 pilot and engineer aboard. Now, as the Customs officers are not 

 always posted in yachting matters, and as small single-hand launches 

 are rapidly commg into fav..r along the great lakes, it would be a 

 matter of considerable interest to many vachtsmen and pleasure 

 seekers to know exactly what the regulations require. 1 am no' per- 

 mitted to run my launch on Great Sodus Bay until the boiler has been 

 tested by the supervising inspector and a license issued by the local 

 board. Of cour.-e I never u»e her for other than pleasure purposes, 

 and then only when lack of breeza keeps my sailing yacht at her 

 moorings. 



The Forest and Stream settled a controversy between vachtsmen 

 and the Revenue Depmment in relation to commissions' for sailing 

 yachts, and here seems to be another question equally important and 

 equally complicated. If you can help us out of this dilemma vou 

 will have conferred a great favor upon sportsmen generally and es 

 pecially upon Calvin P. H. Vxuy. 



[Under the present laws all steam vessels, of any size whatever, 

 and used for trade or pleasure, must be regularly Inspected in hulls 

 and boilers at lease once a year, and a certificate of such inspection 

 must be given. She must also carry a licensed engineer and ueensfd 

 pilot, each having passtd an examination as to his competency and 



look aft, 1 saw to my consternation that the last one had floated the 

 handsome mahogany tiller out of it* slot tn the rudder-head, and with 

 a few uncertain jumpsit was tumbling over the quarter I made a 

 plunge aft and grabbed for it. into the icy waters up to my armpits, 

 but without avail, for the tiller was never seen again. The yacht 

 had now got stern board on her and was falling off fast into th" trough 

 of the s=a. giving several fearful lur -hes. which heralded her prob- 

 able doom unle s she could De broug >t up again. Luckilv an old 

 till-r had come with the hoa r . It was stowed hi the run. Heretofo e 

 not a thought had bc-n be-towed upou its existence. Now its where- 

 abouts dashed upon me in an instant A quick dive was ">ade into 

 the cabin between t o seas and the invaluable article was fished out 

 in the nick of time, everything else, s owed in tbe run b> ing tossed 

 helter sk-lter on the cabin floor. Th^ tiher, a tough stick of oak. 

 fitted the sot snugly and answered the purpose admirably. The Coot 

 wa« soon under control. Tben a strap was hastily passed around the. 

 shick of the main-ail !• ech and tne boom, and the -'o*lance reef 

 thereby perfected, nothing but the peak showing, and that litle pach 

 sitting well and domg i,s duty even better than the regular close 

 reef 



Troubles were not over. The yacht had backed over the skiff, cant- 

 ing her till she filled and sank gunwale to The oars, a flue pair of 

 6ft spruces, floated away, and elumsy ash substitutes rose before my 

 vision. The Coot was again luffed, the skiff pu.led up and lifted on 

 the quarter. This too haj to be done between seas. Hastily she was 

 turned up on her side on the Coot's weather rail and plumped over 

 hoard again, after which the skiff rode the seas like a bird. Matters 

 were niw as snug as could be, barring the ever increasing water in 

 the bilge, the eolJ, and mv exhausted condition. The wind shrieked 

 and whistled and even under nothing but the peak, laid the Coot m to 

 her house, so she required constant, begging, but in the deepening 

 water the se=is were more regular. It seemed like an age before the 

 Seven-Foot Knoll light was brought on the Coot's weather beam, one 

 mil" distant. "What the light meant and the maze of buoys through 

 which we drove I knew not at tbe time. Black and red spars alter- 

 nated in apparently inexplicti /.e confusion, the chart being out of 

 reach in the cabiu, and I being too cold and used up to care about 

 anything except fetching into the shore ahead, where 1 spied out the 

 spurs of many schooners and pungies seemingly anchored in comfort 

 tio'der some sheltering point For these I made, gradually smoothes- 



throughout the cruise to close 

 reef the sail before turning in, 

 and learn from the charts pre- 

 cisely what to do. This night 

 the full moon shown out clear, 

 which would have facilitated an 

 escape. Nothing transpired, 

 however, to disturb peaceful 

 slumbers, though it seemed to 

 be the regular programme at 

 this season for one eale to follow 

 close upon the heels of another, 

 with scarce any respite. In 

 fact, I never experienced such 

 a succession of storms from all 

 quarters as during this cruise. 

 This may be exceptional in a 

 winter of exceptional severity 

 like the past one, or it may be 

 the nature of the Chesapeake 

 latitudes, situated in the belt of 

 transition from cold to tem- 

 perate winter climates. At an 

 early hour the surrounding fleet 

 of working vessels lifted their 

 anchors and proceeded to their 

 dredging grounds below, from 

 which they had been forced 

 through stress of weather. 

 Amongthem, it should be noted, 

 was a genuine example of the 

 yawl rig on the San Francisco 

 plan, that is, with a jib-headed 

 mizzen. The tendency toward 

 the principles of the yawl risf is 

 very marked in the Chesapeake. 

 Numerous styles can be strictly classed as "ketches," in which the 

 mizzen is stepped forward of the rudder post instead of abaft as in 

 the out-and-out yawl. The buckeyes in general are expressions of 

 the ketch and yawl, differing from the yatchman's acceptation of 

 those terms only in details, but scarcely in principle. Concerning the 

 handiness of these rigs too much cannot be said in tbeir favor. The 

 foresail of the schooner becomes th° main sail, to which the main- 

 sad proper is subsidiary, being well aft and much the smaller of the 

 two. A buckeye will handle lip top under any combination She 

 will stay under the large foresail alone, or under foresail and jib, or 

 under mainsail and j'b. ihougn the foresail is always the driving 

 canvas of the ooat. Thus the rig of the bua>eve offers the choice of 

 car, -loop or schooner, and i- effective i' all ca e s. The sails being 

 jib-headed, have, n<> gaff-- and but one halliard each. For simplici y 

 and adaptability the arrangement surpasses anything I know of 

 where a very 1 rge area of sail in proportion lolength is not required. 

 The buckeyes, being like huge canoes, n-ed only a modest di- play, 

 not more than from one half to two-thirds that of beamy or deep 

 vessels, otherwise gaffs would be indispensible to secure the neces- 

 sary area without too lofty spars and narrow triangular cut. One 

 special fea ure in the buckeye i-ig is the great rake given tothemasts, 

 even in excess of that ot the old time schooner America. This rake 

 is a great advantage, because breadth of sail is preserved by the con 

 sequent large angle between luff and leech ut the head. The angle 

 which the luff makes with a perpendicular is of'en the same, and in 

 some cases evea greater than that of the leech In running free, 

 however, the booms refuse to square off in light winds, and guys 

 from forward are brought into aid Under such perfect control is 

 tne long canoe-like buckeye, ihat Mr. Weed, of New York, often works 

 his 60x14ft. boat in and out of creeks without assistance of any kind. 

 In places the channels were not widT rban twice the boat's length, 

 with a lee running tide anl ihe wind fickle at that The sloop finds 

 little backing in the open waters of the Chesapeake, the long boom 

 being a source of danger running before the sea, and always a clumsy 

 shipmate. Several which I met had double head sail aad quarter 

 lifts, showing that cutter influences had spread to these parts. 

 Among the yachting fleet the yawl is likely to become popular, owing 

 greatly to its practical and very successful introduction by Mr. Mor- 

 ris, an ardent follower of the sport, haihra* from the St. Michael's 

 River, and known to your readers as "Sneakbox." C. P. K. 



received a license for one year. We published lately the text of a. 

 bill now before Congress, amending the law in favor of launches and 

 small yachts, but which .has not yet passed. No special license is 

 required for small yachts other than the proper inspection papers for 

 hu'l and boiler and license for engineer and pilot. J 



YACHTING NOTES.— Romeyn, sloop, Mr. Chas. W. Wetmore. has 

 had her name changed to Iseult, and is now enrolled in the S. C. \ . C. 



Polynia, steam yacht, Mr. W. H. Starbuck. has had her name 

 changed to Tillie, the old Tilhe, lately sold to C. H Osgood, being 

 now the Talisman. The lengthened Tillie is now 17?ft. ovr r all. J5<ft. 

 waterline. and 202 tons register. Her freeboard is now 15in. greater, 

 owing to the added displacement amidships. . . .Viking, steam yacht, 

 8. J. Tilden, will go into commission by May 20. She is wintering at 

 New London... Wanda, steam yacht, Wm. Woodward, has had her 

 mainmast shortened 6ft. ...Halcyon, schooner. Col. J. G. Pame, is 

 now for sale . . Phantom, schooner, E V. R. Thayer, has been sold 

 to G. Griscom Haven, of New York. She will be towed to New York 

 at once, and will sail under the N. Y. Y. C. flag... .Coronilla. schooner, 

 E. A. Thorp, has been sold to Tarrant Putnam, and will be enrolled 



in the Larchmont Y. C She sailed from Boston on Friday last for 



New York....Radha, steam yacht, J M. Seymour, was run down by 

 a schooner, while at anchor off Hospital Point, Norfolk. No serious 

 damage was done. The loss will fall on the schooner, the C. Phil- 

 lips, of Bridget on, N.J ...Vivid, sloop, formerly Curlew, has been 

 sold by W. W. Tompkins to T. N. Motley, who will give her new 

 sails and race her this season .... Queen Mab, catboat. will be raced 

 this year by E. L. Burwell, who has bought the interest of his 

 fellow owner, Dr. Litchfield. ...Lurline. steam yacht, J M. Water- 

 bury, has been greatly altered at City Island bv David Carll. Her 

 sides have been raised, giving a flush deck, and a long counter adde^. 

 ... Vishnu, schooner, lately sold by Bodgkins & Shepfierd to Dr. C. 

 B. Kenney, of Brooklyn, has been reenristened Clara Her new owner 

 will cruise on the Maine coast this summer Elet tra, sc?am yacn', 

 has lately been fitted wirh a new steam steering gear. . . Stella, sloop, 

 J L Mareellu-, has been rebuilt at Port Jefferson, and will have a 

 nev and larger tig. . . .Dreadnaugbt, scnooner, has had her pb-nktrg 

 stripped at Port Jefferson, and will probably be rebuilt. .. .Grade , 

 sloop, J. P. Earle, will have her sMes raised this sprint. . . L han. 

 sloop. .1. Fraunce, has taken out her trunk and a. ded an iron keel of 

 1 300pounds She has also received anew wheel.. ..Cli", schooner, 

 has had her masts shortened 4fc Hope f-eshe. The schooner build- 

 ing at Rath. Me , for Com. Wu Mirot. Bar Harbor V. C , will b-c lied 

 H< pe Leslie. She is a Keel boat. 70fr. over all, 6.2ft. waterline, 16ft. 

 6in. beam, and 9ft. draft... .Norseman, sell: oner, i< now fining 

 out for a cruise ahioad . Feldama, E M. Brown's new 

 steam yacht, is well advanced, and will be reaay for the 

 water soon Rita. A. T Bliss, has ui^carded her center- 

 board for an 18ln. keel, including 2JQ0 pounds of trof), and will 

 change her name to Bohomi'.n Tbfl luvs of pui i-an and G-n. si* 

 have iare y been taken from the models in the N. Y. Y. C. collection 

 bv the officers of the Naral Bureau Haverhill, Mass. - A new ,~X- 

 hoat, 21ft long, is building bv J GoodHI. and oKo a sloop bv G. W. 

 Moulrou for E. J. Harris, of Bradford. The fatter is 30f'. on deck and 

 25ft loadline Dreaunaught. sloop, has h d a long counter added. 



Williams, of City Point, has he keel cat buil ing for Mr. Seanl on 

 planked up. She Is 2aft on deck, 2. ft. 9in waterline. 8 t 6in beam, 

 4ft 2m draft, with 3.300 pounds of iron on keel and 6.0 pounds inside. 

 The cabin house is 10ft long and 14in. high at sides, wi> h eft. head- 

 room under it The luff of mainsail is 22ft .boom 26f i., gaff 18 t. The 

 boat is intended for cruising ...Eddy, of East Boston, f> building a 



shop at Tompkii.c. 

 over all and waterline, lift, beam and 3ft. depth... work has tom- 

 menced en the new steamer for W. K. Vanderbilt, at Wilmrngton.... 

 Banneret, sloop, i- offered for sale, a<* her ow ner has no time for sail- 

 ing She bas a long string of victories in the hast . Laurena, steam 

 yacht has been sold by A. L. Downing, of Concord, to J. H. McGrady, 

 who will refit ber complete y, Mr McGrady has lately sold the Fire- 

 fly, steamer, 



ULIDIA 4" Tais 10-tonoer has been sold to Mr. Edward Paddleford, 

 wbo will bring her across this season. 8he Is now having a new tr.ast 



