SIB 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Not. 7, 1889. 



OilTajjk 



ARRANGEMENT OF CRUISING STEAM YACHT. 



A CRUISING STEAM LAUNCH. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



As considerable has been published lu the Fouest and STREAM 

 during ihe past year concerning small steam yachts and their 

 convenience as a means of pleasure and locomotion, I venture to 

 add my mite to those already contributed, trusting it may aid 

 some one who is contemplating a similar effort. I inclose a draw- 

 ing which is more or less self-explanatory as to how my launch is 

 fitted out. for cruising. After one summer's use I do not see how 

 it could be much improved at the same expense. I used her for 

 two months, sleeoing on her most of the time through rainy and 

 cold nights, without getting at all wet or catching cold. Never 

 slept better or felt better, and used her the same as though she 

 had an tmclosed cahin. 



The Wave Crest is 26ft. long, 5ft. heam, with permanent water- 

 tight deck cove ed with duck and painted in the usual way. 

 Around the sides are curtains of thick drilling, which keep out 

 the wind and raiu. The one immediately in front has a window 

 in it similar to those in carriage curtains. In the front end of the 

 cockpit is a looker- 2ft. Bin. long and of the full width of the boat. 

 This has a cover A. which opims up and forward as indicated hy 

 the arrow, with a mirror 10"X16" on the under side. This serves 

 to dress bv and is out of danger when the locker is closed. At B 

 is a hinged bulkhead which folds forward and down toward the 

 how, and form.3 the bottom tor a part, of the bed when used for 

 sleeping. It is held in place wheu upright by a small sliding holt 

 on each side at the top. The crack through the wainscoting is 

 oovered by a half round bead, its curved form giving it the ap- 

 pearance of an ornamentation. The dotted line indicates the 

 cleats along the inside, which support The bed bottom. At 0 are 

 three folding leaves, hinged on alternate sides, the lowest one 

 heing hinged to the front of the seat. These leaves fold our, for- 

 ward, completing, with the dropping bulkhead, a space Oft. 6in. 

 long for sleeping. When folded back cn the seat, as shown, there 

 are triangular spaces left at the end of each leaf, owing to the 

 decreasing lengt h of each, which are filled up hy blocks made to 

 fit, and each held in place hy a peg projecting from the block into 

 a hole in ihe seat. 



At D are two drawers which slide out in front af ter turning up 

 the door, and are large enough to contain the underclothing of 

 two individuals. B is a sliding cane-hack to the seat, extending 

 across the hoax in front, of the boiler. By lifting this out of its 

 slots, one can easily pass astern, stepping over the seat. F is a 

 roller shade, such as are used in dwellings, extending across the 

 boat. This, with the side curtains, completely iucloses the for- 

 -ward sleeping space. This space is nearly as large as a modern 

 bed, quite enough at all events for two persons. The drawers, D 

 make a safe place of deposit for valuables during the night. Even 

 the floor— if carpeted, as i n this case— cau be used for one's clothes 

 on retiring, as there are some Tin. between the bed bottom and 

 fltor of the boat. 



1 had hair oratresses made to fit Ihe spaces. These with a thick 

 comforter, two woolen blankets, two sheets, two pillows and a 

 night shirt will go in the locker. An extra comforter can be put 

 in by a little squeezing. You see it is a sort of sleeping car ar- 

 rangement, the oedding being out rf sight during the day. The 

 cushion which belongs on the seat I used under the mattress or 

 pillows as a bolster. 



The after-cabin or space is fixed as follows: Two wide boards 

 with iron cleat s on one edge, fill up the space between the locker 

 seats. These boards have legs on their inner sides, each let into 

 the board and pivoted to turn down and form supports when in 

 place. The iron cleats hook over pins in the edge of the lockers, 

 under the cover. Thus arranged there is one level smooth sur- 

 face for the bedding. The regular cushions form the mattress as 

 far as the seats are concerned. Other cushions are made to fit 

 the movable bottoms, these being in the form ot cushions (sec- 

 tional mattressee) can be stowed away together with the com- 

 forters, blankets, ect., through the opening (12in.x20in.) in the 

 after deck into the locker below. This is sleeping car arrange- 

 ment No. 2. By such devices one gets a really comfortable bed. 

 With the exception of the springs it equals a good modern bed. 

 One cannot expect everything on a 26ft. yacht, although 1 am not 

 sure that I shall not have devised a set of springs to be used and 

 6towed away with the bedding, before I am satisfied. The mov- 

 able bottoms can he thrown on upper deck during the day. 



There are other conveniences, such as an icebox in one locker 

 seat, side-steering wheel (besides the tiller) and short ropes with 

 handles to hook into rings in the steering ropo at 0, so that a 

 pilot can steer from his seat on a camp stool in front during a 

 storm when the curtains must be down. 



In conclusion I may mention the device for taking up the slack 

 in the cord which runs around the boat. At a convenient point 

 (right hand locker astern) I introduced a long (luiu.) spiral spring, 

 about %in. in diameter, slipping the cord (window-sash) through 

 the spring lengthwise, lea ving it slack ahout IHtt. between the ends 

 and then fasti ning the ends firmly to the cord: thus when the 

 oord shrinks from moisture the slack inside five spring is about 

 taken up. When the cord is dry the spline will take up the slack. 

 In steering it is the tension of the spring which turns the rudder 

 until the slack is taken up. This keeps the cord fight at all times 

 and yet. avoids all overs! rain and breakage due to a wet cord. 



So much for the boat and some of its equipments. If acceptable 

 to yourself and readers 1 may sometime give an account of her 

 cruises. Wave Crest. 



A RACE OF ST. LAWRENCE RIVER SKIFF'S. 



HMIE towns of Prescott, and Brockville have for a long time 

 A cherished a healthy rivalry as to which place could turn out 

 the fastest sailboat; the outcome of whic i was the race at Pres- 

 cott on Oct. 38. A gentleman of Brockville made a wager with 

 some Prescott citizens that he could name a BrockvillR boat 

 that could bear any Prescott boat yet built. His offer was ac- 

 cepted, and Mr. Wallace, of Montreal, was asked to sail his Sauve 

 (Brockville) built sailing skiff Yukwa against the Evangeline, a 

 new Prescott boat by E. Dubeau. The course was to have been 

 at Maitland, and the time limit for the 10 miles 2h. 15m. Several 

 starts were made, but the wind dropping the race had always to 

 be called off, and it was decided to hold it at Prescott, where as 

 good a course and better accommodations could be obtained. 

 After three postponements the race was finally started in a very 

 stiff northeast blow on Monday at 2 P. M. The course was three 

 times around a triangle, about 11 miles in all. The Yukwa got 

 the best of the start by some 15s., but on the first leg, which was 

 a quartering run, the length of the Evangeline had to tell, and she 

 made up all but 63. of the lead. From this buoy the Yukwa 

 seemed to make a steady gain, only losing probably a few seconds 

 on the free ran. At the windward work she proved herself by 

 far the better boat, clawing to windward in great shape. 



Tue following is the time taken at end of each round: 



Yufcwa. Evangeline. 



First round 2 S3 11 2 34 19 



Second round 3 05 50 3 07 40 



Third round. 8 30 15 3 39 15 



The Yukwa winning the race by 3m., or 2m. 45s. elapsed time. 

 A. R. Porte and C. P. Lyons, of Ogdensburg, were j udges, and 

 Edward Jessop, of Prescott, referee. Both of these boats are 

 representatives of a class of sailing craft peculiar to the St. Law- 



Yukwa 



Length. Beam. 



20ft. 4in. 3ft. ll^in. 



Evangeline... . . «t. 6 in. 



The YuRwa holds the St. Lawrence Y. C. championship cup for 

 skiffs, besides first place at all regattas about Montreal, and it 

 was surprising to many the way she walked to windward of her 

 larger rival, and held her off the wind. She was sailed by her 

 owner, VV. J. Wallace, with Ford Jones of Brockville, winner of 

 A. C. A. trophy, as crew. Mr. H. G. Wiser sailed the Evangeline, 

 with E. Dubeau and A.Tripp, crew. The excitement over the 

 race was intense, and in spite of rain a large crowd was present, 

 who were well repaid bv seeing one of the prettiest and most 

 closely contested races yet sailed on these waters. 



A SHOAL-DRAFT CRUISER— Ed it or Forest and Stream: I 

 hand you herewith the ci mansions, etc., of a light-draft yacht I 

 have just, commenced building for a Philadelphia yachtsman. 

 She is to be r. ady for sea within six weeks, and on completion 

 will go to Florida, Model, Nonpareil sharpie with yawl rig, 

 length over all 41ft., length waterline 31ft., beam 12ft. 3io., depth 

 amidship 4ft., draft of water 20in„ height inside cabin 6ft ; all tim- 

 bers 3x3in.. of chestnut, spaced 12in., and strengthened at angles 

 of bilge with 80 hackmatack knees. She will be neatly fitted up 

 inside with handsome woods oiled and varnished, and will have 

 two staterooms, galley, toilet room, with w. c; also stationary 

 washroom with two large water tanks of galvanized boiler iron 

 under the main deck aft. These tanas will be connected by water 

 pipes t • all parts of the yacht as far forward as tne gallev. Her 

 cost, completely furnished and ready for sea, will be $2,000. Sue 

 is to be fitted out and rigged in the best manner, and w-U have 

 elubtopsail, balloon jib, a mizen staysail, etc., etc.— Thom.ys 

 Clapham. 



A NEW ENTERPRISE.— The firm of Charles L. Seabury& Co. 

 have lately started into the yacht bu'lding business at Nyack, 

 N. Y., Where they have erected work shops and propose to put, a 

 class of high speed steam yachts and launches on the market. 

 They have alreadv made a decided success of the few so far built 

 by them; one. a 55ftr yacht, 8ft. 6in. beam, being a model cruiser. 

 She is of light draft, with new style high class engine, triple ex- 

 pansion, with water tube boiler of their own design, and makes 

 15 miles per hour. A high speed, clean and safe steam launch, 

 inexpensive to run and with ligat-weight machinery, has long 

 been needed, and should find favor will all yachtsmen, wno want 

 a handy boat that can stand a sea, with room enough on board to 

 make a comfortable cruiser, without the dauger of Mowing up. 

 Mr. Seahury, of this company, was formerly Vice-President of 

 the Naphtha Launeh Company, and is an expert on all classes of 

 machinery, having had years of experience with yacht work. 



NAVAL RESERVE.— On Oct. 28 the preliminary organization 

 of the New York Naval Reserve Artillery was begun by the en- 

 rolment of four companies. The recruits, to the number of 58, met 

 at the Second Battery Armory, Seventh avenue and Ififty-tbird 

 str< 

 Mr 



and William King, to enroll their respective companies, J. W. 

 Blair acting for Mr. King, who was absent. Mr. Philip B. Low 

 was chosen temporary captain. 



A LONG CRUISE.— On Nov. 3 the 23ft. yacht Fearless started 

 from Chicago on a voyage to Nicaragua, the route being via the 

 Illinois and Michigan Canal, the Illinois and Mississippi Rivers 

 to the Gulf: thence" along the northern shore of the Gulf scoping 

 at Pensacola, Cape St. Bias and Tampa. From there the route 

 will be to Key West and Havana, then along the Cuban coast as 

 far as possible before making an open sea, run from Cape. San An- 

 tonia to Cape Catoche in Yucatan. From this latter point they 

 will sail along the coast to Bluetields, Nicaragua, which is within 

 70 miles of Greytown, perhaps ciuising up the San Juan River. 

 The proposed cruise is expected to occupy about 3 months, the 

 distance beiug some 4,500 miles. The two venturous mariners 

 who form the crew are Messrs, Ball and Brainard, of the Chicago 

 Corinthian Y. C. 



NEW YACHTS.— Mr. Burgess is at work on a design for a 45ft. 

 keel yacht similar to Alga for Mr. F. B. McQuesten, of Boston, 

 and also for a 30-footer similar to the Shark for Mr. Win. 

 Amory, of Quinc.v; Lawley will build both. Mr. John Jameson, 

 owner of lrex, will build a cutter of about 117 rating from a design 

 by Mr. Richardson, the designer of Silver Star, Samceua and 

 lrex. She will be a composite boat, built by Fay & Co., builders 

 of lrex and Valkyrie. As she is to be a comparatively wide boat 

 her length will probably be that of Genesta or lrex. 81 to 83ft., so 

 she need hardly be looked upon as a possible challenger for the 

 America Cup. 



FIXED BALLAST ON THE ST. LAWRENCE.— The St. Law- 

 rence Y. C. of Montreal, has at its last, meeting adopted the fol- 

 lowing resolution hy a vote of 33 to 8: "No shitting of ballast or 

 planting out shall be permitted during any race, and all vessels 

 must carry the ballast they start with throughout the race; the 

 crew limit to be one man to every three f^et wateiiine or fraction 

 thereof." This rule was proposed last spring, but was laid over 

 until the fall, and the results of the racing during the season 

 have been such a6 to insure its adoption. It is a much needed 

 step in advance, and is likely to do much to extend the racing 

 next season. 



JEFFRIES MARINE GLUE.— This standard article has been 

 awarded a silver medal and honorable mention at the Paris Ex- 

 position. It has gained greatly in favor in this country within 

 the last two years, and is rapidly supplanting all other materials 

 for paying the seams of yachts' decks, as well as for other uses in 

 building. It is used in nearly all the new yachts of the year. 



HOUriE BOATS.— Our old friend and contributor "Podgers," 

 once master Of the house boat Tulle Belle, commonly known as 

 the ''Mud Hen," has a very interesting article on these useful 

 craft in the New York Herald of Nov, 3. 



LADY EVELYN, schr., feir Roderick Cameron, sailed from 

 New York on Oct. 30 for Cowes, whence she will go to the, Mediter- 

 ranean for the winter, returning to New York next spring. 



MORE FIFE CUTTERS.— Mr. Will Fife has already an order 

 for a 42ft. design for Canadian waters and a 40ft, and 25ft. for the 

 United States. 



SEAWANHAKA CORINTHIAN Y. C— The November meet- 

 ing will be held on Nov. 9 at the club house. 



"West India Hurricanes and the Great March Blizzard." By 

 Everett Hawlen, U. S Hydrographic Offlee. Large quarto, with 23 

 lithographic plates. Price $1. Contains full history of the great 

 storm of March, 18S8. with practical information how to handle a 

 vessel in a cyclone; use of oil at sea, etc. 



FOREST and Stkeam, Box 2,832, N. Y. city, has descriptive illus- 

 trated circulars of W. B. Lefnugwell's book, "Wild Fowl Shoot- 

 ing," which will be mailed free on request. The book is pro- 

 rence River. They are undoubtedly the* fastest design of boats I nonnced by "Nanit," "Gloan," "Dick SwiveUer," "Sybillene" and 

 for their size that are sailed on any waters. Their dimensions are I other competent authorities to he the best treatise on the subjeot 

 as follows: 1 extant. 



ON THE SHENANDOAH. 



LEAVES FROM THE LOG OF THE FRANKIE. 



THE gray mist was rising from the smooth, still surface of the 

 river, and floating away in fleecy folds above the treetops, 

 and up the wooded slopes of the adjacent mountains, enveloping 

 their lofty summits and shrouding them from view, as I aroused 

 the camp at half past four on Saturday morning, by the tintin- 

 nabulations of a gong, extemporized from a tinplate and a 

 stick; and by half past eight breakfast was over, the tents 

 struck, everything was packed, the canoes slid down the bank 

 into the river and we were once more afloat, and tne lovely, long, 

 narrow willow-shaped sand bank upon wuich we had so pleas- 

 an;ly sojourned for the past three days, was loft to its original 

 solitude, disturbed only by the birds flitting from bough to 

 bough in the leaiy covens above. 



It was a beautiful sunny morning, and as we moved slowly off 

 over the still, deep waters around tne bend, past the confluence 

 of toe North and South rivers, and into tne Shenandoah— the 

 '•Beautiful Daughter of the Stars" of the Indians— the rippling 

 waters, kissed by the fresh mornin? breeze and sparkling in the 

 sunlight, the bright grteu slopes of the mountains, the blue dome 

 above us flecked with fleecy clouds, the gtacetully moving flotilla 

 with the paddles flashing in the sunlight and the water falling 

 in diamond drops from their uplifted blades, all combined to 

 make a charming picture, wnich filled us with enthusiasm and 

 anticipation of a line day's sport. 



We were aiming to reach Milnes — 24 miles below Port Republic 

 and our last camp— by evening, and in view of the fact lhat the 

 river is but little else than a continuous rapid for the first 50 miles 

 of its course, the distance could have been easily accomplished; 

 but the numerous dams < aus d us so much trouble and aelav that 

 we went into camp at 7:30 at Coff man's farm, 5 miles above Milnes, 

 after a hard, fatiguing, bat most magnificent day's cruise to the 

 experienced canoeist, but a most disheartening, discouraging se- 

 ries of trials a&d disasters to the inexperienced ones of the party, 

 the crew of the beavy open skiff Mac in particular, faring so 

 badly that they declared that evening that notning could induce 

 them to continue in the river another mile. 



The rapids are deep, magnificent stretches of swift water, some 

 of them over a mile long, plentifully strewn with rocks, which 

 were not always easy to avoid; and, though a little rough, were 

 hardly lumpy er ough to wash our decks, while the scenery was 

 most lovely. All around us lay the superb Valley of Virginia, 

 with its undulating, fertile, highly cultivated fields; dotted with 

 imposing mansions and thrifty farm houses; the scars of the war, 

 which once made it desolate, all happily obliterated by more than 

 twenty years of peace and prosperity. On the right, close at hand, 

 towered the imposing heights of tne Blue Ridge: its spurs and 

 foothills wasm d by t he waters of the river, while on the left the 

 lofty peaks of Massanutton reared their summits to the clouds; 

 the loug range stretching away down the valley almost as regu- 

 lar and clean cut as a wall against the western horizon, until lost 

 in the hazy mists of the distance. 



VVe had a tedious poriage around the end of the Shavers' mill 

 dam, below which was the finest rapid we bad yet encountered. 

 The hea.i of the rapids was cut up by several small islands, nar- 

 rowing the channel materially, and in shooting one of them the 

 FrauKie received a tremendous thump from a sunken rock, doing 

 no apparent damage, however. This rapid was a couple of miles 

 long and afforded us magnificent sport in shooting it; a heavy 

 fish dam about half way down it, wuich we were obliged to take 

 on the fly, adding to the excitement of the ruu. 1 hurriedly 

 selected the only available chute, which was a crooked one, com- 

 pelling us to turn sharply to the rigut while on the very brink of 

 the fail, which was fuliy 3ft. and almost perpendicular, and with 

 a hasty ''Look out for yourselves:" at 1 he part > behind, I drove 

 the Frankie safely over without touching anywhere. 



The heavy Mac was unable to make the t urn quickly enough 

 and struck heavily on the rocks on ona side of the chute. Mr. 

 Murray was thrown out into the dam, while Dunbar jumped out 

 into the deep water on the down-stream side and was compelled 

 to swim for it. The May then drifted over, shipping so much 

 water that she was compelled to lie to and bail out. The other 

 boats and canoes got over without mishap, although all struck 

 more or ltss heavily. 



As we proceeded further down the river Ihe rapids grew stron- 

 ger and rougher, and the fish dams were very numerous, and 

 soon oecame objects of terror to the inexperienced in our party. 

 The light, narrow, sharp-ended, rouud-botiomed canoes generally 

 managed to slip over them without much trouble, hut the broad, 

 flat-bottomed Stranahau skiff had to pick her way over more cau- 

 tiously, wnile the heavy wooden Mac hung up on most of them, 

 and her crew were frequently in the water to assist in getting her 



°\ve stopped for lunch at noon at the mouth of a clear, cold 

 stream, marked on my chart by the unpoctic name of Two-Mile 

 Run, which came brawling and sparkling down from the moun- 

 tain fastnesses, it3 crystal waters being very strongly suggestive 

 of trout. The spot was an inviting camping place, but it was too 

 early to camp, so after a stop of an hour for lunch, rest and a 

 smoke, during which time the Doctor essay, d fly-fishing for bass 

 in the clear water off the mouth of the creek (but as he affixed a 

 heavy sinker to his line above his flies, his success was not 

 marked), we were off again. . _ . 



We Blid the boats over the end of the river bank mill dam 

 (managing to pour a couple of inches of water into the Frankie 

 during the operation) and also over the end of the next dam a 

 mile or two below; and while, stepping into the boat again Lacy 

 was a little too familiar with the Clyde, and capsized her so sud- 

 denly and completely that he was unable to realize what had 

 happened until he came spluttering and blowing to the surface • 

 and saw the round black bottom of his canoe shining in the sun, 

 like, the back of a huge turtle. He quickly righted her again, as 

 the water was only waist deep, and it, was found that— owing to 

 having followed my instructions in regard to keeping hatches 

 ■ dosi-dfand fastened, and articles lashed fast that were stowed in 

 the open part of the cockpit— he did not lose a single article, nor 

 did he get his canoe more than half full of water. 



We had a tedious and difficult portage over the end of the dam 

 at Cornrad's store, iu accomplishing which we were all compelled 

 to 'ake to the water; loilowed by a rough passage down a long, 

 rocky rapid, where more or less trouble was experienced by the* 

 diffeient boats, according to the skill and address of their respec- 

 tive skippers, and the trials and tribulations of the day finally 

 culmiuaied at a dismal, deserted old dam a few miles below, 

 which wo reached about 0 o'clock. 



The river was cut up by islands and the dam extended irregu- 

 larly irom one to the other. The dam looked vicious and the 

 water flowed ominously black and swift ahove it. The mill had 

 neeu burned, and tne gaunt, blackened timbers still standing 

 looked spectral in the dense dark green of the surrounding forest 

 and added to the desolate and forbidding look of the place. The 

 shoot— suchas it was— was inthe upper end of the dam, oostructed 

 bv to^s and drift, over and among which the water rushed and 

 surged with great power and violence and then went shooting 

 swiftly down among the islands, under overhanging banks, lined 

 with a vicious tangle of roots, branches and tree trunks. It was a 

 forbidding place altogether, and the shoot was utterly hazardous 

 to negotiate, and the lay of the land rendered a portage im-' 

 practicable, so Gibbs and Beall got out into the water iu the shoot , 

 and eased the boats gently over as they were dropped dowu to. 

 them one by one. By hard work and skillful management,! 

 escaped the" snares of the roots and branches, and was shot out' 

 from among the islands into a furious rapid, thickly strewn with 

 great boulders and vexed with cross currents, where the great 

 waves tossed the Frankie around like a cockle shell, and rolled] 

 over her decks iu sheets from stem to stern. I dodged the rocks; 

 and the waves rolled harmlessly from my decks and tightly closed' 

 batches, and 1 next found myself shooting along a magnificent j 

 down-hill stretch of rapid, which extended straight away for a 

 mileormoie. _ . . ] 



After proceeding some distance and finding that none of the 

 party were following me, I hung up m midstream, in the lee of a 

 big rock, the nose of the Frankie resting in a convenient crevice, 

 where I easily held her by an occasional stroke of the paddle, tc 

 wait their arrival: the Doctor, who had made bis way out ahead' 

 of me, being by this time just discernible a mile or more do wr 

 the river, his paddle blades flashing in the last rays of The sun at 

 he sunk to rest behind the neighboring peaks of Massanutton. , 

 I waited so long that I oegin to grow uneasy, when finaUv one 

 of the canoes shot out around the bend at the head of the rapid, 0 

 quarter of a mile above, and presently I recognized Lacy, aud at 

 he approached I ooserved that he was chasing my coal oil car 

 aud Gtiorge'~ minnow bucket, pare uf the cargo of the Mac, which 

 were bobbing along serenely on the troubled waters a little aheac 



° f, -Hi?Coinmodore! piok up the bucket," he shouted, as he swepi 



^What's -wrong?" I shouted in reply, as I left my moorings ami 

 darted out across the swift flood to meet him. J 

 "The Mac is sunk up in that nasty hole below the dam, and Mi 

 Murray and the boys had to swim for their lives." 



