134 



FOREST AND STREAM, 



[Feb. 25, 1892= 



FIN KEELS IN CANOES. 



BOTH in England and to America at the present moment consider- 

 able attention is being given to "fin" keels. Of all the "contrap- 

 tions" ever put to a vessel the lead "fin keel" is one of the most suc- 

 cessful as a racing machine adjunct, and is the worst qua seamanship 

 and market. For racing, the isolated fin carries its weight to the 

 lowest pitch, acting at once as a most perfect generator of lateral re- 

 sistance and the most effective augmenter of the curve of stability. 

 Its very isolation piles .up good for racing, in that both fore and aft 

 of it there is nothing; "the boat, the deadwoods all cut away, has 

 reduced the wetted surface to the smallest possible area, and at the 

 same time introduced the most perfect turn-about sort of figure-skat- 

 ing qualities. But stand clear of all shoals, warps or whales, if a 

 craft so fitted is to be used for cruising. If you put her ashore for a 

 scrub, she not only needs legs to keep her upright, but crutches at 

 each end to keep her from turning head or stern over heels. If un- 

 successful or outbuilt in racing, what market is open to her? The 

 fin keel, however, had its day long ago, actually with canoes, and 

 before centorplates became general, from about 1871 to 1876. It is 

 more than likely this little bit of history will now be repeated in the 

 half-rater, one, and two-and-half class of "yachts." There is bound 

 to be a squall. Those who own fin boats will not be pleased to see 

 centerplates come in and clean sweep the course; but so it probably 

 will be. Last season, though the centerboard boats in the half-rating 

 class were of two extremely opposite types, they each took such 

 strings of prizes they are sure to be followed up; and, when a center- 

 plate boat is outbuilt at racing, she can well go into the market as 

 a useful cruiser. The fin keel used on the canoes of the 

 R. C. O. twenty years ago was called a "rocker" keel. The 

 general shape was almost exactly that of the present fin; 

 the rocker was of cast iron, from about 501bs. to 801bs. 

 weight (Nautilus had one of yellow metal 8.2lbs. weight). The keel 

 was slotted and capped inboard, the only easy way of getting a 

 groove in which to bolt the bead of the rocker. The fin or rocker 

 was cast tapering from its lower edge in thickness till, at the upper 

 edge, it was the thickness of the wood keel of the canoe, i. e., about 

 2V£ or Sin. ; the casting also formed a ridge piece or tongue, along the 

 top, which fitted into the keel slot, and was secured by screw-nutted 

 bolts through the keel horizontally. The putting on or taking off of 

 these rockers was a work of time", labor and "cussing ;" but it was 

 not long before the centerplate not only showed advantages in 

 cruising- work, but sailed at least level in matches, and the rocker 

 disappeared as suddenly as it had fashioned. The rocker keel was 

 not merely tested in smooth water up river, for in those days the R. 

 C. C. annually sailed matches on the lower reaches at Erith and 

 Greenbithe, and lumpy water was there then as it is now when the 

 breezes blow.— Field. 



[When racing under sail first became popular m America, in 18''9 80, 

 there were no centerboard canoes, and the "rocker" keels, of 3 to Sin 

 depth, were used, many being fitted to unship for paddling and cruis- 

 ing. In 1881 Mr. Whi'tlock planned to put anl8in. fin of a patent 

 alloy then being introduced by another canoeist, Mr. G. L. Morse, on 

 one of his canoes ; but the new rules of the A. O. A. prohibiting keels 

 over 3in. deep, prevented the carrying out of the idea. The same 

 rules now prohibit the fixed fin keel, but we look to see them evaded 

 sooner or later if the larger fin keel boats prove successful.] 



AMATEURS AND PROFESSIONALS. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



I write for information on a complicated case that has arisen in our 

 club. An ex-member of our club some years ago (since 1880) rowed 

 in a race for money; thus by the rule of the National Association of 

 Amateur Oarsmen and by the A. C. A. rules makes the aforesaid 

 member a professional, and any one racing with a professional 

 becomes a professional. Some of us, in ignorance of the fact that he 

 had so raced for money, sailed in several races against our profes- 

 sional brother; after that some of us attended A. C. A. meets and 

 sailed in rac6s against some of the most noted canoe sailors of to- 

 day. Are we and they, and all they have since raced with, pro- 

 fessionals? 



2. I understand that someof the canoe clubs have races for sweep- 

 stakes; among these I understand is the Royal O. C, of England. 

 Does a race for a sweepstake make a man a professional? It is cer- 

 tainly racing for money. 



3. Does sailing a canoe, skiff or boat for money make a man a pro- 

 fessional;- One constantly reads accounts for yacht races for money. 



4. Is there any way of recovering an amateur standing after once 

 becoming a professional? Amateur (?). 



[1. Under a literal construction of rowing rules, all racing canoeists 

 would be professionals. 2. Accepting a money prize, or any valua- 

 ble consideration, would constitute a man a professional in canoeing. 

 The question has never been decided whether the acceptance of a 

 trophy purchased with a money prize oE small value would deprive a 

 man of his amateur standing. 3. Racing for money prizes does not 

 deprive a yachtsman of his amateur standing. 4. There is no recog- 

 nized way by which the standing of an amateur may be restored 

 after being forfeited. There is no satisfactory definition of an ama- 

 teur in canoeing. The subiect was discussed in the Forest and 

 Stream of Oct, 10, 1889.] 



RED DRAGON C. C. 



THE regular monthly meeting of the Red Dragon O. C. was held on 

 Feb. 11, at the residence of Mr. Fred Noyes, No. 1428 Columbia 

 avenue. After the regular routine of business, through the hospi- 

 tality of our host, a great quantity of the "weed" was burned. Con- 

 versation relative to the coming season's events was indulged in 

 until a late hour. 



We are anticipating a brighter season than the last, and hope to 

 arouse the enthusiasm of our members, which has become somewhat 

 dormant, owing to the severe and depressing trials the club has ex- 

 perienced, viz: two fires. To add to our ill luck this winter we have 

 met another discouraging event, this time in the shape of a robbery. 

 Our house was broken into and the lockers emptied of their valuable 

 contents. The prompt action taken in the affair by our commodore- 

 elect and the lieutenant of the police district, caused the arrest of 

 the suspected party. The culprit "squealed," and in consequence he 

 and his two accomplices are at present held on bail. Through the 

 pleadings of a relative of one of the offenders, and under a promise 

 that all the stolen goods will be replaced and the lockers and furni- 

 ture restored to their former condition, the prosecution will not be 

 presented. 



We hope to let you hear more from us soon, but in the nature of 

 cruising and sailing. 



The following gentlemen were elected to office for the ensuing 

 year: Com., Fred Noyes; Vice-Com., Wm. Gray; Capt., W. F. Nor- 

 grave; Purser, A. S. Fennimore; Quartermaster, R. G. Fleischman; 

 Correspondent, F. O. Gross. 



Philadelphia, Pa. 



faceting. 



Small Yachts. By C. P. Kunliardt. Price $10. Steam Yachts and 

 Launclies. By C. P. Kunliardt. Price $2. Yachts, Boats and 

 Canoes. By C. Stansfleld-Hicks. Price £3.59. Steam Machinery. By 

 Donaldson. Price $1.60. 



The best news that has been heard for some time in the 46ft. class 

 s that Messrs. G. C. and C. F. Adams have purchased the center- 

 board 46-footer Beatrix from Messrs. Prince and Bryant, and will race 

 her next season. This gives a reasonable certainty of three boats, 

 Gloriana, Wasp and Beatrix, in the class, with a possibility that some 

 of the others may fit put for racing. There is no question that Bea- 

 trix last year came very near the top of the class, and under her new 

 ownership she is likely to be well handled and regularly started. 

 Messrs. Adams have built and raced Pappoose, Baboon and Gossoon 

 of the 40ft. class. 



A hot controversy is now in progress in the English papers over 

 the measurement of small craft, as those sailed with live ballast and 

 little lead are able to gain considerably through the actual load 

 waterline in racing trim being much longer than the light waterline 

 at which the boat is measured with no one on board. The latest pro- 

 posal is that in all classes from 10-rating downward (inclusive) the 

 official measurement shall b9 taken with crews on board. As a part 

 of this plan it is suggested that a fixed weight of crew be assigned to 

 each class, this weight to be placed onboard in the form of pig metej 

 or of cans filled with water when the boat is measured. 



15 1o 



LB LEZARD— 



-SAIL PLAN. 



MODEL COMPETITION. 



AVERY instructive and interesting exhibition of models will be 

 held next month by the London (Eng.) Sailing Club at their 

 club house at Hammersmith, on the Thames, prizes of seven and 

 three guineas, with possibly others, being offered for the best model 

 of a centerboard sailing boat, such as used by the club, of not over 

 1.0 rating. Mr. Dixon Kemp will act as judge of the models, and the 

 question of finish will not be considered, the judgment being on the 

 merits of the design alons. The conditions are as follows: 



No application for entry will be received after Saturday. Feb. 20, 

 1892. 



The model, packed in a box containing drawings and measure- 

 ments referred to below, and also the entrance card inclosed in a 

 sealsd envelope, marked on the outside "Entrance Card," must be 

 delivered at the club house on or before March 11, 1892. 



No exhibitor will, under any circumstances whatever, he awarded 

 a prize in respect of any models or drawings on which his name or 

 identity (except in the sealed envelope) is in any way disclosed. 



Requirements.— Half model of centerboard sailing boat of 1 0 rat- 

 ing Y. R. A. to the scale lin. equals 1ft. 



There may be deposited with each model the following drawings: 



(a) Sheer plan. 



(6) Body plan. 



(c) Half breadth plau and the following particulars: 

 («) Displacement. 



(6) Weight of proposed ballast inside and on keel, 

 (c) Fore and aft position of center of buoyancy to be noted ou 

 sheer plan. 



The drawings and particulars ore required by the judge to euable 

 him to form a correct estimate of the models; supplying them is, 

 however, optional on the part of the competitors, but they must un - 

 derstand that the merits of a design may fail to be observed if a 

 model only is placed before the judge. 



The club will give a first prize of 7gs. for the best boat according 

 to the judge's award, a second prize of 3gs., also certificates of 

 merit. A third and further prizes will be given if, in the judge's 

 opinion, the exhibits, owing to the number or other circumstances, 

 warrant recognition. 



The committee of the club will take every possible care of the 

 drawings and models under exhibition, but they undertake no legal 

 liability whatever for any loss or damage. 



The decision of the committee, except in the award of prizes, on 

 all matters of dispute arising out of the competition and exhibition 

 will be binding and final on all competitors. 



The honorable secretary of the club is Mr. G. Terrell, London Sail- 

 ing Club, Lower Mall, Hammersmith. S.W. 



THE SEAWANHAKA RULE. 



THE "length and sail area" rule, commonly known as the Seawan- 

 haka rule, and which has just been adopted by the Hull, Beverly, 

 Massachusetts and Corinthian clubs for all classes, is as follows: 



The waterline length shall be taken from point of immersion for- 

 ward to point of immersion aft. In cases where any portion of the 

 rudder or rudder post projects above the water, such portion shall 

 not be included in the waterline length. 



The crew need not be aboard, but if aboard must be stationed 

 amidships. 



The sail area is to be ascertained by taking a perpendicular along 

 the after side of the mainmast, from the underside of gaff topsail 

 blocker sheave on topmast, to the upper side of boom, when resting 

 on the saddle, or on the lowest part of gooseneck, the distance of 

 which point from the main deck or house deck is tube recorded by 

 the measurer, together with the other points used in measurement. 

 In all yachts, the forward point of measurement of the base line 

 shall be midway between the intersection of the bowsprit and jibtop- 

 sail stay, and the center of the tack cringle of the jib or flying jio, 

 when set. In all cases where the exreme length of the spinaker 

 boom exceeds the distance from the forward side of the forward 

 mast to the forward point of measurement, such excess shall be 

 added to the base line. The after point of measurement shall be the 

 end of the main boom in schooners, cutters and sloops, and of the 

 mizeu boom in yawls. The maintopmast shall be measured from the 

 hounds of the lower mast to the lower side of the topsail halliard 

 block or sheave, and 80 per cent, of this length shall be taken from 

 the extreme length of the main gaff, measured from the inside of the 

 jaws to the after end, the remainder of the gaff being added to the 

 base line, as measured above. The area from these figures is ob- 

 tained by multiplying the corrected base by the perpendicular and 

 dividing by two. To the square root of the area, as ascertained, add 

 the waterline length and divide the product by two. The result is the 

 measurement for time allowance. 



In measuring boats without topmasts the perpendicular is to be 



measured to the highest point of attachment of the uppermost hal- 

 liard block on the mast, and in such boats the point of attachment of 

 the throat halliard block shall be the poiut of measurement, corre- 

 sponding to the hounds. In measuring boats without head sails the- 

 after side of the forward mast is to be taken as the forward point of 

 the base liue. 



No change of scars shall be made on the day of a race, except in 

 ease of accident, in which case notice of change shall be given to the 

 regatta committee before the preparatory signal, and the new 

 fspars shall be of the same length as those for which they are sub- 

 stituted. 



The measurer, at the time of making his measurement, shall make 

 a distinctive mark at each end of the waterline. 



NEWS NOTES. 



Mr. C, H. Stacy, of Haverhill. Mas-!., requests us to state that he is 

 not the secretary of the Haverhill Y. C. nor a member of the clnb. 



A meeting of delegates from Detroit, Toledo. Sandusky, Cleveland 

 and Buffalo to complete the organization of the new association will 

 be held in the latter city on March 7. 



Sybilla, steam yacht, was at Norfolk from 'Philadelphia on Feb. 17. 

 Wild Duck, steam yacht, Mr. J. M. Forbss, arrived at Nassau on Fell, 

 10 and sailed for St. Thomas on Feb. 14. 



Another of the older British schooners, Guinevere, a contemporary 

 of Cambria and Livonia, and once a noted racer, has been converted 

 into an auxiliary by the addition of compound engines. 



The Jeffries Y. C . has elected the following officers: C. L. Daven- 

 port, Com.; W. B. Pigeon, Vice Com, ; C.L.Joy, Fleet Captatn; A. 

 A. Martin, Meas. ; W. S. Lauthiin, Treas,; C. A. Braynard, Sec'y. 



Sagamore, steam yacht, Mr. W. A. Slater, after leaving Bermuda 

 at noon on Jan. 21, arrived at Funchal, Madeira, ou Feb. 3, after a 

 run of twelve days, nineteen hours. She will sail shortly for the 

 Mediterranean. 



At the annual meeting of the Cherry Diamond Y. C. on Feb. 15 the 

 following officers were elected: Jas. C. Summers. Com,; Ferdinand 

 P. Eearle, Vice-Com.; C. A. Loring, Rear-Corn. ; Chas. A. McCulloh, 

 Sec'y and Treas. 



A movement is on foot to further improve and systematize the 

 racing in the small classes about Boston by removing the obsolete 

 classification of keels and centerboards, and racing all boats of the 

 same measurement together, regardless of type or rig. 



At the annual meeting of the Larchmont Y. C. on Feb. 17 the fol- 

 lowing officers were elected: Com., Caldwell H. Colt; Vice-Com., 

 Joseph H. Sterling; Rear-Corn , Edward J, Greacen; Sec'y, Chas. C. 

 Little; Treas , Wm. Murray: Trustees for three year.*, G. C.W,Lowre, 

 and Oswald Sanderson; Trustee for two years, C. Munro; Trustee for 

 one year, David I. Jackson. 



On Feb. 19 the Coronet Y. C, of Brooklyn, was incorporated by the 

 following yachtsmen : Tnomas F. Rooney, Edger Dentor, Thomas J. 

 Ruper. Joseph Thompson. Joseph H. Webb, William F. McDonnell, 

 Charles Donnell, J. C. Davis, Alexander R. Gage, James E. Davis, 

 Walter R. Peers, William O* Byrne, Harry H. Webb, William J, Mor- 

 ris, Francis W. Stevens. William E. Heyer, Jr., Charles E. Mereready, 

 Ole Kahun, Wallace S._ Mereready, Frederick Stock, Joseph C. Ls- 

 doux, James F. i urley, John Smith, John McGreal, Daniel E. Eagan 

 and Daniel McNulty. 



Sing Sing Y. C, officers 1892: Com., Ralph Brandreth ; Vice-Corn., 

 Francis Larkin. Jr.; Rear Com., Charles S. Raymond; Sec, Robert 

 T. Dennis; Treas.. Joseph Thompson; Meas., William E. Haff. Re- 

 gatta Committee, Col. B. Stuy vesant Gibson, chairman; Dr. E. B. 

 Sherwood and Charles S. Gowan. House Committe, Joseph Thomp- 

 son, chairman; Robert T.Dennis, Benjamin L. Beat tys, James Be- 

 dell and William L.Hull. Committee on Admission Col. Franklyn 

 Brandreth, chairman; W. I. Townsend, Francis Larkin, Jr , Eowin 

 L. Todd and Joseph Thompson. Auditing Committee, S. Olin Wash- 

 burn, Chairman; Gilbert M. Todd find T. Henry Calam. 



The French yachting committee, having fulfilled its object of en- 

 couragement of French yachting, has dissolved itself, and handed 

 over its challenge cup to the newly-formed society the Union des 

 Yachts Francois. This cup is op n to 2(1 tonners. and it would do the 

 yachting of both countries an immense amount of good if an English 

 •20 tonner (measured by the French rule) paid the French coast a visit 

 next year and won the cup. There are at least eight famous inter- 

 national challenge cups in existence, and not one appears capable of 

 producing a match. One would think that they were all hedged in by 

 legal documents like the America cup, but that is not by any means 

 the ease.— FiWcf. 



