FOREST AND STREAM, 



APPROXIMATE SAIL PLAN OP " GLORIANA." 



advantage. Like all other features, they have certain good and cer- 

 tain bad points, the general tendency of owners and designers being 

 to follow the faction to its latest f-s'reme, regardless of all under- 

 lying principles, as well as of the result on the yacht 



For rough water the value of a certain amount of overhang, es- 

 pecially forward, may be conceded at once; it is true that the trials 

 made in late years between plumb-stemmed and clipper -stemmed 

 craft, as Titania ah-1 Katrine. Grayling and Sea Fox, Clara and Cin- 

 derella, Pappoose and Baboon, Mayflower and Sachem, have not re- 

 sulted m final and conclusive proof of the superiority of the clipper 

 stem in a seaway; but it must be remembered that in all of these 

 cases the clipper stems, so-called, were combined with the same form 

 of waterline as iu the corresponding plumb-stemmed craft, and in 

 reality were little more than earved wood and gold leaf so far a; 

 any material filling out of the lines of the bow were concerned. Iu 

 contrast with the old plumb stem they looked to the eye extremely 

 long, but beside such a bow as Gloriana's they are seen iu their true 

 shape: but little more than the carved hackmatack knee bolted to 

 rhe straight stempieca of soma of the old sliops to make a clipper 

 stem. In the sheer plan they show r up boldly enough, but the true 

 test is in the sections of the body plan, and such a comparison, for 

 instance between Mayflower and Sachem or Volunteer, will show 

 that the bows of the latter two are practically no fuller than those of 

 the former. 



The proper way to determine the value of the forward overhang is 

 by comparing the bow in our design, especially as shown in the body 

 plan, wi oh any of the old plumb-stemmed designs, or even with the 

 modern clipper stems. Such a comparison will show the radical dif- 

 ference between even the latest form of clipper stem and the pecu- 

 liar bow devised by Mr. Herresboff ; and a trial of the two yachts in 

 actual practice would, we feel confident, demonstrate fully the 

 superiority of the Gloriana bow in really rough water. Gloriana has 

 already shown that with her long bow, in conjunction with the very 

 peculiar fore-body of which it is the result, a yacht can go dryer and 

 easier than with any of the older forms of bow: and there is hardly 

 ground for a further discussion ou this point. 



Sea-going qualities, however, count for little iu most modern craft, 

 comparisons of designs are naturally made from the standpoint of 

 speed, above all else; and mere dryness and ease in a seaway are not 

 enough in the absence of other qualities. The advantages of the 

 long ends in point of speed are three, deck room, support to the 

 spars, and beauty. The first is of no small importance, as with the 

 exaggerated sail plans now in general use a large area of deck ro m 

 is needed to work the ship, and the actual gain in square feet of deck 

 is not only of value at all times, but especially so in racing with a 

 large crew. A.t the same time the extension of the backbone of the 

 ship well fore and af o b iyond the end* of the waterline aff oris a su p- 

 port that is absolutely necessary .toe the oiiia sheet aid boirspc it, 



such a support as is had in square-sterned yachts by a trussed out- 

 rigger of wood and iron. 



As regards appearance, something which few yachtsmen are will- 

 ing to sacrifice if they can avoid it, opinion is almost exclusively- on 

 the side of the overhanging ends, the short, stub stern beiDg clumsy 

 and inartistic to a marked degree, while even the pilot boat stem, 

 shipshape and symmetrical as it is, lacks the graceful finish of a well- 

 modeled overhang. If our view of Gloriana is correct, and the true 

 merits of the design lie in the character of the waterhnes and 

 diagonals rather than in the mere overhang, the effect of a tax on 

 overhang would be to produce a most awkward craft. Tbepteseut 

 form of the hull proper would be abruptly chopped off just beyond 

 the waterline. leaving much the same form in the water wnen heeled, 

 but with the grace and beauty of a wood scow. One chief function 

 of the overhang on each end 'is to end gracefully and harmoniously 

 the full lines of the hull proper. 



The question of construction is closely connected with that of the 

 support of the spars, previously mentioned, but iti anything larger 

 than an open sailboat the strongest as well as the simplest construc- 

 tion is that in which the fore and aft members, such as the keel, 

 planksheer, clamps, shelves and bilge-clamps are carried out to a 

 common vertex at each end, where they all unite in forming a strong 

 support for the gammon iron at the stem or the traveler at the stern. 

 Ineidentally. too, there is no small advantage, with modern sail plans 

 iu the carrying out of the forestay considerably further than in a 

 plumb-stemed craft, thus allowing of such a foresail as is now con- 

 sidered essential. 



The advantages of the long ends may be then summed up as fol- 

 lows: dryness and ease in rough water, larger working platform, 

 lengthened support for bowsprit, and main sheet, stronger construc- 

 tion, better form of foresail, improved appearance, and facility for 

 the natural ending of all fore and aft line?. So far as any increased 

 power, or of effective length of waterline, we have shown that the 

 overhang has but a slight effect, w r hich may be as marked in a yacht 

 of the old sloop type as iu Gloriana. In the plain rectangular scow 

 there may be an appreciable gain of effective length through heeling, 

 and it may be possible so to design a vessel of abnormal form as to 

 gain materially in the altered position clue to the wind pressure; but 

 our remarks apply to all normal tvp.s of yacht, from Gloriana down 

 to Grade, Fanny and their fellows. 



Looking now at the other side, two serious disadvantages are at 

 once apparent, weight, and windage. Not only is the added weight of 

 the overhangs a disadvantage in racing, but it is carried in the worst 

 possible position, high up a"d at the extreme ends of the vessel, less- 

 ening her stability and aggravating her vertical movement. At the 

 same time a very considerable area of useless surface is exposed to 

 the wind at the worst possible angle, the weather side of bow and 

 stem being nearly vertical, driving tae vessel bodily to leeward and 



at the same time knocking her head off. The total result of fhes«. 

 two drawbacks is by no means beneath consideration, and they off- 

 set a great deal of the advantage gained in other respects; but 

 with a very large sail plan the designer can still afford this loss for 

 the sake of a gain in other directions. 



Although the ordinary clipper stem has always been common 

 among American yachts, the plumb-stemmed yachtsof Ellsworth 

 and a few others being the exception to general practice, the ques- 

 tion of plumb vs. clipper stems may be said to date from the advent 

 of the 10-tonner Buttercup in 1880, the first British cutter with other 

 than a plumb stem. After following the discussion carefully since 

 this time, we have reached the conclusion that a moderate length of 

 overhang at each end is desirable on all yachts aud essential in those 

 carrying large sail plans, while on the latter only is an extreme 

 length possible As regards the peculiar forms of fore and after 

 overhang recently introduced by Mr. Herreshoff, they can be used 

 to advantage in almost all yachts. 



Much has been said during the past year about the great gain on 

 the part of the newer yachts in this respect, and the necessity of a 

 rule restricting overhangs, and some have even gone so far as to sug 

 gest a definite tax, as in the ©Id mean-length rules. That a yacht of 

 last year with her long ends has a decided advantage over one five or 

 ten years old may be very possible, but even if true, this amounts to 

 nothing. There is, save in a few of the smaller classes, no disposi- 

 tion on the part of the old yacht to enter against the new, and even 

 if there were, the disparity in construction, in canvassing and in 

 points of design, would offer a far greater obstacle than the mere 

 inequality in over all length. So far as the new fleet is concerned, 

 auy advantage enjoyed by one is so equally shared by all the others 

 that ro legislation is necessary to secure the same fair chances 

 for all 



The only grounds on which a tax on overhang could be based are 

 that the boat with overhang is in some way inferior aud less de- 

 sirable than the best boat with square ends that can be built to the 

 same class limit; and thus far no evidence' has beeu adduced to sup- 

 port this. On any given waterline length, the yacht with overhang- 

 ing ends has greater deck room, greater internal accommodation, is 

 easier, dryer and handsomer and can carry her spars better and 

 more safely than the yacht with little orno overhaug; and until some 

 suostantial reasons are advanced for the latter or against the former, 

 there can be no excuse for any legislation which will make our 

 Yacht* similar in gqeer plan to those built in America between 1880 

 and 1885. If at any time it snould be considered advisable to place 

 a tax on the overhang, it can be done far more satisfactorily than 

 by the clumsy expedients onoe in vogue, of including a half or 

 a third of the overhang in the measurement of the length, or of 

 measuring at some distance aho?e the true line of floatation. $ 

 heavier tax oil sail will at once ca'5 off all es.rem.'s of o/drhaag, 



