494 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Jaw. 1», mi. 



(I hope to do my share toward overcoming this difficulty). There 

 ?'^SJ-?,t''^®,^<'^^^''A^ Philadelphia, on the Delaware River, alone, 

 1 Aw 15ft. boats of one type (for the tuck-up is the ducker with a 

 square stern)— as many, I believe, as there are canoes in the Asso- 

 ciation. Messrs. McGregor and Baden-Powell had tlie gift of 

 placmg their experiences before tlie public In an entertaing man- 

 ner, which attracted the attention of a class of young men ready 

 for any new sport which had a spice of danger in its composition. 

 This was the period in which tlie bicycle attained its popularity, 

 when the constantly increasing wealth of the country began to be 

 felt by the young generation, who were boys Avhen their fathers 

 made their money, during the flush war times. Many of these 

 men were men of leisure and of means, and to them the cruises 

 made were sometlung to be proud of. This feeling displayed itself 

 in the public prints, vdth the result of a constantly increasing 

 canoe Doom. Now, about everything tbat has been done in a 

 canoe had been done before in boats (to adopt your classification), 

 but as it was the usual thing, no one took the trouble to write the 

 cruises up for the benefit of others. In the spring of 1875, with 

 a friend, I made a cruise in a batteau from liock Island to Quincy, 

 on the Mississippi River, over 800 miles, and in the fall from St. 

 .Toe to Kansas City, on the Missouri River, 130 miles, camping out 

 on the banks. Yet that was such a common thing on the rivers 

 that no one paid the slightest attention to it. Had we only been 

 in a canoe we M'ould have had but half the comfort, but would 

 have published a book and retired on everlastins; fame. 



Now, Mr. Editor, your department is headed "Canoeing," and I 

 quite agree with you tliat we wide fellows are trespassers in it. 

 Why not then give us a show in a boating column, where we can 

 pitch into those toothpick fellows to our heart's content. If you 

 can once stir uo our gunners and cruisers, who knock around 

 among the bays and inlets, they can tell tales which for interest 

 wiU outrival anything we are in the habit of hearing. 



By the wav, why does our vrorthy secretary not use a canoe on 

 his cruise to Florida ? Surely a boat which tows a tender is hardly 

 a canoe. And his partner uses a Philadelphia boat, too. 



Now then "S.," that boat you sailed for two years with a keg in 

 it was yours, wasn't it? And you were captain, wasn't you? If 

 then you didn't like the keg why didn't j'ou heave it overboard, 

 and why did you always get a crew tliat had a liking for the keg ? 

 It seems to me you had bad luck with that keg. It is tlie first time 

 I ever heard of the complaint. Of the hundreds of boats of our 

 size that I have met week after week for years, the few times that 

 I have seen the keg have failed to impress themselves upon my 

 memory. But tlien perhaps I was not looking for it. 



Now come, tell the truth. Did you ever see a keg in a ducker on 

 its one-day cruise ? What a nasty customer it must be, and where 

 do you keep It ? and how do you prevent its ]-olling all around tlie 

 boat ? I fear your experience on the river has fallen among an 

 unfortunate part of the fraternity. That there are men who have 

 little respect for tliemselves among boatman is an undeniable fact 

 (for the same is true among any class of sportsmen) but they are 

 no more noticeable among us than among— well, say canoeists for 

 instance. It would be queer indeed if none were to be found 

 among 3,500 yachtsmen. And the frequent cases of drownings 

 that you say resulted were summed up in 1886 to a total of one life 

 lost, and that by a collision between a schooner yacht and a tuck- 

 up. It has never been whispered, however, that the keg was 

 aboard. No record was kept of the fights. It is hardly the fair 

 thing to cast a slur at a large body of men because of a chance 

 failure among them. But perhaps you have confounded the 

 yachtsmen with the shore parties who camp over night from Five- 

 Mile Point to Fancy Hill ; they frequently carry the keg. 



I do not know, of course, that the duckers you beat were open 

 ones; but a little bird whispered that once a big black canoe was 

 running down from Gloucester mth three duckers in a calm, and 

 when they struck a little breeze and the lumpy water off Timber 

 Creek the canoe lowered away and was content to— paddle. It 

 didn't whisper anj^Mug, however, about the semi-professional 

 racer. He must have been very decidedly semi to allow a canoe to 

 beat him. 



By the way, that w^as a terrible tough yarn. You say your canoe 

 was a canvas one. Now, of all materials canvas is, from its nature, 

 the one from which the least speed is to be obtained. This from 

 itii rough surface and because it cannot be stretched so as to give 

 the easy, graceful lines of the wooden boat. Yet with this you 

 built a smooth, clinker-built boat (presumably you think it a boat 

 of fair record since yoxi take pride in the achievement). And, again, 

 your canoe is ll.txS:^, against the ducker's 15x48, a difference of 

 one-thii-d in displacement, and yet the small boat was fastest. 

 Are all our standards of time allowance to be thus upset? And 

 still, again, your rig was 85sq. ft. in two sails low down and you 

 beat a 96sq. ft. catrig, heretofore supposed to be the speediest of all 



known rigs, albeit that sometimes a little less top hamper comes 

 handy. And then the semi-prof essional racer, too! OhP'S.," it is 

 too much. Let us down a little easier. CaU it an open boat with 

 a sail too large for one man to handle with advantage, with the 

 halliards and board too far forward to be reached. And one man, 

 when the boat was rigged for two. Then call the boat an old tub 

 and the captain one of those fellows that like to paddle around 

 alone (an embryo canoeist) and views the races from the end'of 

 Allen's Slip, and I grant you could beat him. But, oht "S.," don't 

 rub it in too deep. Consider our feelings a little. 



The reason why I sav canoeing is not in favor on the Delaware, 

 you can see for yourself from tl-e list of new boats appended. If 

 you will contrast this with the new canoes it ^vill not be dlfllcult 

 to understand. 



We shall be pleased to see a canoe meet on the river, and if the 

 invitation is open to all it is possible that many yachtsmen will 

 be present. But the duckers have a meet every Sunday and are 

 easilv found. Why not send me your name and let us have a 

 test of your canoe's speed. 



The trouble, "S.," with the canoeists who once owned duckers is 

 that they owned the Camden style, to be found around Cooper's 

 Point— you know where— and a disreputable looking lot they are. 

 I msh you would inquire whether any of them ever owned a new 

 first-class boat before they bought canoes and let me know. 



The reason why a canoe is out of place at a ducker meet is that 

 it couldn't get to the camp in time for dinner unless it left before 

 daylight, and wouldn't get back to the slip again before night, 

 and the same cause would prevent any pleasure in it while in 

 camp. 



The duckers were out on the first of March last year and on 

 Nov. 27 quite a fleet was out. "Wlien does the canoe season begin 

 and end? 



Mr. Editor, business has been good in our little burg the past 

 year with the result that many new boats are coming out and the 

 old ones will be sent to Camden to break in canoeists with. Jesse 

 Deputy, who built most of the tuck-ups in the Pennsylvania Y. C, 

 has hied himself to the lower bay in pursuit of health and shekels, 

 so that it is not likely that we will see any of his handiwork in 

 the spring. Tommy Ledyard. who the Southwark boys swear bv. 

 has one ducker ordered for Gloucester and two for Mifflin street 

 slip. 



Wignall has just completed the five boats for Vanderbilt's new 

 yacht. Rumor whispers that the cost of these five will reach 

 $3,000 on the boat. They were planked with Spanish cedar with 

 mahogany and teak scattered around wherever they would look 

 pretty. He has also finished a 20ft. ro-wing and sailboat, keel, that 

 looks like a gig for a steam yacht, to replace a similar boat used 

 for the past fifteen years on the lakes; it is for Mr. Lewis, of Lewis 

 Bros. & Co., and a creditable job it is. For fine work none stand 

 higher than Wignall. He is also getting out the frame for a 17ft. 

 gilling skiff. 



Nixon is getting out twenty-five skiffs for his own use at Nes- 

 haming. Some people would have been satisfied with making a 

 fortune last year but Nixon is going for another one. 



Ben Fanner has a 15ft. ducker finished for Wm. Tees, and a 16ft. 

 in frame for Wilmington, he also has a tuck-up in frame for 

 Bossier, who has a reputation founded on new boats. This tuck- 

 up, however, is something out of the ordinary. The Pennsylvania 

 Y. C. limits the sail to 26yds. Bossier thinks they can carry more 

 so he has cut the beam down to 49in. and increased the depth lin. 

 If the boat does what he expects it will result in increasing the 

 limit to the Southwark measure. Fanner has orders also for three 

 duckers for the Sea Isle Club and two for other parties. 



Geo. R. Fanner has orders on hand for four tuck-ups and three 

 duckers, mainly for Alleghany slip men. 



Charles Rudolph is reported to have three orders for duckers on 

 hand, but has not yet commenced work. 



Blatz has just laid the keel for a 16ft. boat, said to be for Mr. 

 Hamilton Disston, he will be busy the best part of the winter. 



Brewer is bnilding a ducker for his own use. 



Johnny Rightly and. his brother-in-]a-\^- have two new tuckups 

 nearly completed that will be something worth seeing. They built 

 one last year that was said to be the finest of its kind ever turned 

 out on the river, it was purchased by the fire department and pre- 

 sented to the Chief of the Pittsburg Fire Department. 



Nick Sheppard is working mainly on stock, he has about 100 

 boats of all kinds on hand. 



Albertson has the hull of a steam launch on hand, built to order, 

 but the boiler and engine, which has to be furnished by the owners, 

 has been coming all summer and is not yet here. She is a clean 

 modeled job, and ought to be showing her heels on the river now. 

 He has also two fishing boats on hand. 



M'^iser, at Bridesburg, has finished the canoe I wrote about before, 



' ^ rffi - 



and has orders for three duckers. This was a month ago. I hav* 

 not seen him since, but sunpose he has more orders now. 



In Camden, Collins is busy on large work, and Louder is waiting 

 to put fantails on half a dozen square sterns that want to b» In the 

 fashion. Chas. L. Wobk. 



Philadelphia, Jan. 8. 



THE W. C. A. EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE MEETING. 



THE Executive Committee of the W. C. A. met in annual session 

 at the Stillman House. Cleveland. O., Jan. 10. A quorum was 

 present— Rear-Com. T. P. Gaddis, Davton; J. O. Shiras, Secretary, 

 Cincinnati; Wm, Ford, Sauduskv; Geo. A. Warder, Springfield, 

 and Messrs. G. Harry Gardner. C. F. Pennewell, O. H. Root, W. E. 

 Lewis and B. M. Gardner, of Cleveland. 



Letters and telegrams were read from the four missing officers, 

 Com. Ellard, Cincinnati; Vice-Com, Kitchen, Chicago; C. J. Boua- 

 fleld, Bay City, Mich.; andC. R. Mellville. Sandusky. 



The work having been fully discussed beforehand, the old rules 

 and classification of the W. C. A. were dropped and the revised 

 A. C. A. rules, classification and measui-emeuts adopted, and will 

 he published in the new Bulletin (Year Book). 



The third annual Bulletin and Prospectus were sketched, and 

 will be published with a map of the Lake Erie Islands, at an early 

 date. Each member will have a copy mailed to his address, and 

 canoeists may obtain same from the secretary, J. O. Shiras, 73 

 West Third street, Cincinnati, O. 



Article first of the By-Laws was changed to read: "Each appli- 

 cation for membership shall be accompanied with the sum of one 

 dollar as entrance fee. to be refunded m case of the non-election 

 of the applicant. Each subscjueut annual payment shall be one 

 dollar, and shall be payable at the date of the annual meet. If not 

 paid within two months thereafter, etc." 



The regatta programme of races will be published at an early 

 date. One novelty will be an "upset" sailing race: "At a signal 

 upset with both sails raised, right canoe and sa,il across line. No 

 special appliances being allowed within or to cover cockpit." 



The ex-Commodore selected Ballast Island, Lake Erie, as the 

 site for the third meet, dates July 18-.31, 1887, inclusive. 



The American Canoeist was unanimously made the oflicial organ 

 of the Western Canoo Association, and it was voted that the min- 

 utes of this meeting be Ecnt to both the Fohest and Stkeam and 

 the Cauoe.ist. for publication. 



It was moved and carried that recognizing; the value of a librar- 

 rian to canoeists in geneial, Mr. C. Bowyer Vaux, 5 Union Square, 

 New \ork City, be elected as such, and that a'l records of cruises, 

 maps, waterways, etc., be forwarded and filed at his office. 



Messrs. Shiras, Ellard and Stedman were appointed as a com- 

 mittee to select and obtain estimates upon the W. C. A. badge. 



A long and animated discussion was held in regard to the ways 

 and means of becoming a branch or division of the A. C. A. It 

 was unanimously decided that could the union be effected it 

 would he of mutual benefit. 



The day wound up with a delicious dinner given by the Cleve- 

 land C. C. in honor of the visitors, over which they lingered 

 several hours discusssing topics ot state, or recallling Ballast 

 Island reminiscences Gaddis con^nilsed the hearers with "What 

 1 don't know about sailing," and Shiras in his happy wav ex- 

 plained "The new Pecowsic I'm getting." Pennewell lucidly (?) 

 told "why he did not win the Gai-dner Cup," and many were the 

 races won "round the table." Jabberwock. 



FLORIDA.— azitor Forest ana Stream: There took place ofE 

 the yacht house, Jacksonville, on Thursday. Dec. 10, the second 

 sailing race in the series fbr the cup of the Florida C. C, over a 

 three-mile course. On the first stretch it was an excitinR contest 

 between Louise and Madeleine for first place; the latter, however, 

 held the lead to the turning buoy, passing it about one length 

 ahead. Louise came about lirst on the homeward stretch against 

 the tide and soon gaiued such advantage that the interest cen- 

 tered more particujaiiy in the contest lor second place. The re- 

 sult was, First, Louise, C. S. Adams; second, Ida C., R. M. Call; 

 third, Madeleine, B. H. Barnett. The Louise, well-known down 

 East as the Ibis, is a recent valuable addition to our fleet. The 

 club has made two delightful visits to its beloved god-father, Dr. 

 C. A. Neide, now encamped with, his companion, Mr. Andrews, a 

 few miles down the St. Johns and up the Arlington, in a large 

 grove. We consider ourselves most fortunate indeed, in having 

 persuaded those gentlemen to modify their extensive cruise as to 

 be with us on our trip do^vm the waters of the Halifax, Hillsbor- 

 ough and Indian rivers, commencing Jan, L The next race in the 

 cup series takes place over the same course on New Y'ears Day.— 

 Secbetaky F. C. O. 



SAIL PLAN OF SCHOONER-SMACK ;'^G:Bi4JMEUS. " (Curve of.Effort Computed by D. J. Lawlok, Bostox, Mass.) 



Center of EflEort of Mainsail. 



Center of Effort of Mainsail and Foresail. 



Center of Effort of all the above and ForestaysatL 



4. Center'of Effort of all the above and Jib. 



5. Center of Effort of ail the above and Flying Jio. 



6. Center of Effort of all the above and Ballon Jih. 



7. Center of Effort of all the above and Foregafftopsail, 



8. Center of Effort of all above and Maintopmaststaysail. 



9. Center of Effort of all the above and Maingafftopsall. 



