FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Nov. 10, 1887. 



is a fraud anyway, being run in the interest of the few who can 

 get time and have the means to attend the camp at the North. 



Why is it that the names from the North are in such a small 

 minority? Because the meets have been held where the Northern 

 members can go to the camp without taking three or four weeks 

 to do it. 



If the meet could be held next year near New York waters, it 

 would m my opinion bring into the Association a number of new 

 men, and it would also have the effect of making the list of mem- 



xt S 111 arrear s smaller from the Middle States. 



.Now let us be just, not generous, and have a square deal. There 

 never has been a meet held by the A. C. A. south of Albany. Let's 

 have one next year. Boatswain. 



Patehson, N. J., Nov. 4, 1887. 



EMtxyr Forest and Stream: 



"Essex" says in Forest and Stream that Lake George will be 

 entirely satisfactory as a location for next A. O. A. meet to the 

 Passaic River canoeists. "Essex" can speak for himself, but 

 nardly for the rest of us. Arlington C. C. unanimously in favor 

 of a salt-water meet. If held on salt water, she would be repre- 

 sented by several of her members, who are not now in the A. C. A. 



Arlington, N. J. Irving V. Dorland. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



The article from the pen of "Essex." stating that the feeling on 

 the Passaic is unanimously in favor of the next A.C.A. meet being 

 held at Lake George has.created much surprise along the Passaic, 

 as it is misleading and at variance with the desire of our river 

 canoeists. ' Essex" has presumed to speak for the Jersey canoe- 

 ists through your columns and has stated, without foundation, 

 that Lake George would b<5 most acceptable, to all as the site of 

 the next A.C.A. meet. We beg to state that such is not the case 

 and submit that the hundred or more canoeists on our river are 

 in favor of a salt-water meet. At the last regular meeting of the 

 Ianthe C. C. (twenty-five active members), held Nov. 3, the sub- 

 ject was thoroughly discussed and a vote showed the club to be 

 unanimously in favor of salt-water meet for '88. 



Wm. P. Dodge, Sec.-Treas. Ianthe C. O. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



A letter in your last issue, written by a Jersey canoeist who 

 signs himself 'Essex," favoring Lake George for the next A.C.A. 

 meet, does not seem to have met with general approval among 

 New Jersey conoeists, who by a large majority would very much 

 prefer a salt-water meet. Our club is unanimously in favor of it 

 and feel that we are expressing the sentiments of many others in 

 saying that we think it only fair that the canoeists in the vicinity 

 of New York should bave the benefits of the meet at least once 

 m seven years. A. Oaklet, Jr., Purser Rutherford C. C. 



Rutherford, N. J. 



PADDLING RACES. 



THE present tendency in canoe racing seems decidedly to be in 

 the direction of sailing, the sailing races at the meets exceed- 

 ing m interest the paddling contests, and attracting far more 

 notice both from canoeists and casual spectators. In club regattas 

 the same holds true, the reason in all cases partly being that a 

 canoe under sail is afar more pleasing sight than one under 

 paddle-, and also because the sailing race affords amusement for 

 several hours, while the more exciting paddling race is over in a 

 few minutes. Most men prefer sailing to paddling, and the hoats 

 they bring to the meets are fitted for the former rather than the 

 latter, while there are but few who care to undergo even the com- 

 paratively light practice which is necessary to make a fair show 

 in a paddling race. There seems little probability that the sailing 

 interest will not always be fully able to take care of itself, and for 

 this reason the chief care of regatta committees should be for the 

 paddling races. In order that the all-round character of the 

 canoe be preserved, and not sacrificed to the sailing qualities, it is 

 necessary that all inducements should be offered to men to com- 

 pete in the paddling races. It has been suggested, and we think 

 wisely, that the A. C. A. trophy should be given each vear not for 

 a sailing race only, but for a combined race, half sail and half 

 paddle. The tropiiy brings out the finest fleet and provides the 

 best racing of the meet, and there seems no reason why a portion 

 of the benefit should not go to the paddling. The gift of another 

 prize as a paddling trophy would not answer the same purpose, as 

 it would bring out men who make a specialty of paddling, and 

 boats built exclusively for it, though nominally inside of all rules. 

 The opening of the trophy race to paddling as well as sailing 

 would keep in the all-around boats and the same sailing men as 

 now race, but it would direct attention more closely to paddling 

 qualities, and would make the racing test coincide more nearly 

 with what is generally admitted to be the best test of a canoe, 

 nearly equal sailing and paddling qualities. Practically the 

 change would be in the direction of the all-around boat which is 

 commonly considered to be the aim in canoeing. The tendency of 

 the change would be toward lighter and better modeled canoes, 

 but there is no reason to apprehend that essential qualities, 

 power, room and safety, would be sacrificed to a greater extent 

 than at present in some of the purely sailing boats, as Peeowsic. 



One question that has never received much attention is the man- 

 agement of the paddling races, as on this point the rules are very 

 incomplete. The desirability of starting and finishing at Uie same 

 spot, for the benefit of the spectators as well as for convenience 

 in starting and timing, has maile turning instead of straight-awav 

 races the rule, but as now arranged it is almost certain that a 

 foul, with all its unpleasant consequences, will result. The ac- 

 companying diagram represents the usual course of A. C. A. and 

 club races, a half mile and return, the starting and finishing line 

 being at X Y, and the turning flag at O, to be left on port 

 hand. The canoes, from six to twelve in number, are ranged 

 along the line X Y, generally without any drawing for position. 

 Each canoe requires ample room in which to swing a 9J^ft. or 10ft. 

 paddle, at least 12ft., and its "water," in racing parlance, will rep- 

 resent a lane that wide over the course. With nine canoes, as 

 shown, the line will be about 100ft. long, and the flag should be op- 

 posite its center. The course of the canoe on the left, marked A, 

 is plain enough; it is direct from A to O. Going to the other end 

 of the line the ninth canoe B is only as far as A from O, but its 

 course is not direct to O, or it would cross the courses of seven 



SAILING AND CRUISING BOAT. Summer Sailing Rig. Scale foe 18ft. Boat, 



made turns as they can. This is an extreme case, but it serves to 

 show the great advantage that goes with the position A, and 

 something of this kind is apt to happen in every race. Even if A 

 is paddling a perfectly fair race and striving to win only on his 

 merits, he is apt to find himself in a position where he must give 

 up what he honestly believes to be his or must take something 

 which as obviously belongs to B. 



One weak point in the rules is the fact that all the boats must 

 use one piece of water in common at the turn, and that if a boat 

 kept as strictly in its own water on the turn as on the straight 

 part of the course, the outer boat would be handicapped by some 

 hundred feet or more. The courses naturally converge at'O, and 

 no judge can say that the water about the mark belongs to any 

 one boat, unless to A. It has been proposed that all backstrokes 

 be forbidden, which would prevent a boat taking the position A« 

 and then turning at leisure. All would be obliged to make a 

 wide sweep in turning, either with the aid of the rudder or by 

 using the paddle only for forward strokes on the outer side, and 

 this would make the race much fairer, as A would bo obliged to 

 keep moving all the time. In small races where one mark must 

 answer, this rale would lessen much the chances of a foul, and it 

 would equalize matters and take away some of the advantages of 

 A's position at the start, if the flag were placed directly in front 

 of B^s end of the line. In all races the start and finish should be 

 exactly at right angles to the first and last legs of the course 

 respectively, as a close finish can never be fairly decided on an 

 oblique line. In all important races, or where more than three or 

 four are entered, there should be a separate flag with his color for 



out of the question, and the majority seem more desirous of 

 cultivating a closer acquaintance with the base burner than of 

 working against the elements with the ash. With the cold 

 weather in view it is a case of "hang up the paddle and bring 

 down the snowshoes," that when winter strikes us we will com- 

 mence our tramps across country to an inn, where, with roast 

 turkey and plum pudding galore (not forgetting the toothsome 

 pie) we pass many pleasant evenings in what Mark Twain would 

 call swapping lies.— Mac (Toronto, Nov. 4). 



other canoes, but it must steer in the direction of B, or 100ft. 

 further than A. Supposing A and B to be evenly matched, and 

 each a little better than the rest of the field, then when A reached 

 O he would be abreast of B, but really a long distance ahead of him. 

 Supposing B to be the better paddler to an extent that at the end 

 of half a mile he will lead A by just a clear length, then when A 

 is at Aj, B will be in the position B^ Practically the boats close up 

 near the buoy, one or two drop some distance astern, and B will 

 edge over to an intermediate position. B*, perhaps, but 50ft. 

 from A, instead of 100 as at the start. B at once begins to 

 turn, describing a circle somewhat smaller in diameter than the 

 outer one shown, and paddling only forward strokes on the outer 

 side. As soon as he begins to do this, which must be before he is 

 quite abreast of the buoy, his speed at once diminishes consider- 

 ably, in consequence of the change of direction, the lessened force 

 On the paddle, and the drag of the rudder. A, however, will keep 

 his course without any retarding influence, about in the direction 

 of Z, and when lie reaches the position A- he is in the best possi- 

 ble place to stop B, who has now completed about half of his turn. 

 A's proper course is to begin to turn as soon as he is up with the 

 mark, describing the inner circle shown, in which case he will be 

 reasonably apt not to impede B, but there is a strong temptation 

 for A to work as hard as possible to reach the position A 4 , some- 

 where on the line between O and Z, before B can cross this line in 

 making his turn, and the circumstances all aid A in this effort. 

 After reaching A ? by a spurt he can afford to take matters easily. 

 Not only B but all the others are astern of him, and he can claim 

 about 20 to 25ft. of the line O Z as his water, as he is constantly 

 moving ahead, and any boat fouling him then is almost certain to 

 be disqualified. If he choses he can lie at A 2 and turn slowly 

 by backing on the port side, describing the small dotted circle, 

 the other boats meanwhile either being bunched astern of him, 

 or having to make a long detour around Z and still risk the 

 chance of being headed by A. When A has finally turned in the 

 manner mentioned and his bow is toward home, he goes ahead 

 with a spurt, leaving B and the ruck to complete their partly 



each man to turn; at the meets at least, this is always possible. 

 The courses are in shoal and quiet water, where flags can readily 

 beset out and left during the meet. With this done the great 

 inducement to fouling is done away with, B will have no need to 

 press toward A and crowd the intermediate boats, and A will be 

 uuable to interfere, even if he should desire to. Nothing is more 

 unpleasant than a foul; it robs the victor of half his pleasure, it 

 puts a great responsibility on the committee, and much ill-feeling 

 is apt to follow, so that anything which tends to prevent fouling 

 and at the same time to add to the interest in the races must be 

 welcomed by both contestants and spectators. 



TORONTO C. C. NOTES.— Editor Forest and Stream: Since 

 holding our annual regatta we have had five races as follows. The 

 first was a passenger race for a gold pin, which, much to the sur- 

 prise of every one, was won in a good stiff wind by the "skinflint," 

 otherwise known as the Mac. with the Una second. The second 

 was the last of the series of five for the sailing trophy, which was 

 won by the same craft, the wind being very light; the only-other 

 competitor, the Dawn, did not finish. The third was the combined 

 paddling and sailing, with the same result, Mr. A. H. Mason un- 

 fortunately breaking his paddle when leading in the first round. 

 The fourth was the decked paddling, in which Mr. W. A. Leys's 

 Dawn took first place, leading the Mac by a length. The fifth 

 event was the open paddling, in which Mr. Colin Eraser came out 

 on top, with Mr. Douglas a good second. The regatta committee 

 In the spring offered five medals to be competed for, the number 

 of races for each to be limited to five, and the competitor showing 

 the largest number of wins during the reason to receive the 

 medal. Below are the lucky winners: Sailing (decked), Mac, W. 

 G. McKendrick. Sailing (open), Una, Colin Fraser. Combined, 

 Mac, W. G. McKendrick. Paddling (decked), Dawn, W. A. Leys- 

 Paddling (open), Una, Colin Eraser. The season here is practically 

 ended, the weather being so cold, raw and windy that sailing is 



RIGS- FOR SAILING AND CRUISING. 



THE accompanying sail plans show several rigs suitable for the 

 boat illustrated last week, the scales given being adaptable 

 to either size of boat. The Delta was risged with a single large 

 lug of about 150ft., which she carried easilv without ballast in 

 ordinary weather. The lug was cut with very little round to the 

 head and the yard was straight. There were no battens in the 

 sail, but two rows of reef points. The sheet was fast to an eye- 

 bolt on the quarteT and led through a block on the boom, and then 

 under a thumbcleat on the side of coaming, or through a snatch 

 block on the floor of the boat. Under this rig the boat handles 

 very satisfactorily for singlehand sailing, but some ballast would 

 be needed if no passengers were carried. The dotted lines show 

 the size of a cat rig, the inast being stepped further forward. The 

 lug is the better of the two, but is more difficult to rig, and many 

 will prefer the cat simply because they are used to it and unfamil- 

 iar with the other. The main and mizen rig in the second draw- 

 ing is smaller, and better adapted for cruising and sailing alone. 

 The many details of the rigging are not shown, as they were very 

 fully given in the description of the rig of the Forest and Stream 

 cruiser, July 1, 1886. The sails here shown are of the form usually 

 carried on canoes and small boats, but a flatter and more effective 

 sail can be had by making the yard longer, carrying it down to 

 the batten, rounding the head much more than is shown, and 

 throwing a little more of the yard forward of the mast, as in the 

 Cruiser's sail. Such sails require to be carefully rigged and more 

 Or less trial is always needed to find the best position for halliard 

 and tack on the spars, but when once complete they are good 

 enough to fully repay the trouble. The dimensions of the single 

 lug are as follows: 



18ft. boat. 13ft. boat. 

 Mast, from stem 3ft. 2ft. 3in. 



Above deck 15ft. 10ft. lOin. 



Diameter at deck 3J4in. 2-^in. 



Boom 14ft. 9in. 10£t. 6in. 



Diameter 2in. l%m. 



Yard 10ft. 6in. 7ft. 7in. 



Diameter IMin. l^jin. 



Foot of sail 14ft. 10ft. lin. 



Luff 9ft. 6in. 6ft. lOj^in. 



Head 9ft. 9in. 7ft. 



Leech •. 19ft. 13ft. 8in. 



Tack to peak 18ft. 6in. 13ft. 4in. 



Clew to throat 16ft, 6in. lift. llin. 



Area 155sq. ft. 80sq. ft. 



The dimensions of the main and mizen rigs are: 



18 FT. BOAT. 13FT. BOAT. 



Main. 

 Ft. In. 



Main, from stem 2 00 



Above deck 12 06 



Diameter at deck 03 



Boomkin, outboard 



Boom 12 02 



Diameter 01U 



Yard 9 06 



Diameter 01J4 



Foot 11 06 



Luff 6 06 



Head 9 00 



Leech 14 06 



Mizen. 

 Ft. In. 



00 

 00 



09 



Tack to peak 15 



Clew to throat 12 



17 

 7 

 

 1 



6 06 



5 03 

 01 



6 00 



3 06 



4 09 



7 07 



Main. 

 Ft. In. 



00 

 00 

 02M 



8 10 



o oim 



7 00 



Mizen. 

 Ft. In. 

 12 03 

 5 00 



01^ 



1 03 

 4 09 

 01 



10 



om o oo% 



6 06 



10 10 

 9 



Area...... 90sq.ft. 26sq.ft 49sq.ft. 14sq.ft. 



The drawings show the size of sails when stretched on the spars 

 after a little use. They must be cut a little smaller than this 

 in making, and after a season they will have stretched to the full 

 size of the spars shown. 



