imo. 24, I89i. 



BRITISH CENTERBOARD SLOOP "VICTORIA," 1849. 



BRITISH CENTERBOARD YACHTS. 



NOW that the centerboard yacht has become an active factor 

 , . in '^iWsh yachting, a certain interest attaches to the early 

 history of the eenterboard. The accompanying drawing: was puh- 

 nshed m the ''Rural Almanac and Sportsman's Illustrated 

 Calendar'- for 18T3, with the following description: 



"Centerhoard yachts have never been looked upon with a favor- 

 ing eye in Ensrland. It is true we have hundreds of boats of which 

 the American Una was the type, but not one that could be dig- 

 nified with the name of \vaoht' have we. Tne Americins on the 

 other hand have adopted centerboards in their largest yachts, 

 and moreover employ that appliance in merchant ships of four 

 and five hundred tons burden. But the eenterboard has not been 

 adopted in America on account of any inherent virtue it pos- 

 sesses; its adoption has been entirely one of necessity. Nearly all 

 the channels and harbors along the eastern American coast, from 

 New Jersey to New Brunswick, are extremelv shallow, and would 

 not be accessible to the old-fashioned British deep yacht or 

 merchantman. Consequently the Americans have been driven 

 mtp building vessels of very light draft of water and great beam, 

 and as such vessels are, by reason of the narrowness of the im. 

 mersed longitudinal section, deficient in weatherly qnalities, a 

 moving keel is applied, which can be lowered when sailing to 

 windward in deep water, and housed when going through a 

 shallow channel or when sailing before the wind. 



"But it must not be supposed that the eenterboard or sliding 

 keel was an American invention; on the contrary, it is a very old 

 English idea, and we have at this moment before us the design of 

 a boat with a sliding keel, built by Lord Percy in 1774; another 

 design, from which a boat with sliding keel was built at Deptford 

 in 1789, is also before us: and we have also the design of the cele- 

 brated revenue cruiser Trials designed by Jjieut, Schank, R.N., 



and built m the Government dockyard at Plymouth, in 1789, It 

 will thiis be seen that Englishmen can claim the invention of the 

 sliding keel and eenterboard. and the Americans are to be cred- 

 ited with the discernment that first saw, utilized and acknowl- 

 edged its merits. 



It is generally supposed that a large eenterboard yacht is not so 

 seaworthy as a keel yacht; but this is entirely a mistake, the 

 Vesta, eenterboard schooner yacht, crossed the Atlantic in the 

 winter ot 1868 and encountered very heavy weather; her crew de- 

 clared that she behaved splendidly through it ail-that she was 

 buoyant, easy and dry. American yachts frequently get caught 

 m heavy weather when away from their cruising ground, but we 

 have not heard of one being lost. Of course a large beamy, shal- 

 low yacht that carries little or no ballast requires a little more 

 careful handling than the deep, heavy ballasted one, but there is 

 no pretence for saying they are unsafe. For our own part we 

 often wonder that as there are so many English 'yachtsmen' w^ho 

 keep yachts and never move out of the Solent, or out of Iheir 

 native river or harbor, that some of them do not patronize the 

 light and airy American centerboarder. Every little creek and 

 inlet is accessible to them; they are extremely handy and make 

 very high speed in such light winds as would scarcsly move a 200 

 tons schooner that carries about 70 or 80 tons of iron and lead as 

 ballast. 



"The Victoria, of which we give an engraving, was built at 

 Liverpool in 1849. from a design of Mr. Charles Melling, whose 

 Satetv Yacht we gave an illustratioo of in the Rural Almanac for 

 1870. The Victoria was 32ft. over all. liet. beam, '•iy^ft. draft aft and 

 1ft. 9in. forward, and was fitted with a sliding keel lOf I;, long. Her 

 tonnage by English measurement was 1-3 tons. Her rig is not that 

 of the Una tjTie— the latter have the mast stepped right in the 

 eyes and carry no headsail— but represents a rig common in 

 America, even in large yaclits. There are a great man v disad- 



vantages to one large headsail which the yacht sailor well under- 

 stands. The Victoria was fast and weatherly, but the model, 

 since the time when she skimmed over the Mersey, has been im~ 

 proved upon, and probably if Mr. Melling designed a eenter- 

 brjarder at this time, she would be a very different craft from the 

 Victoria. We simply give the sketch of her as a 'landmark' in 

 yacht designing; all such things should be preserved, as the study 

 of them forms part of the education of the naval architect, and 

 moreover, they preserve us from falling into exploded errors, and 

 will prevent a man usurping credit for a design that perhaps had 

 existence before he was born." 



COMMODORE WINNIS requests us to give notice that he and 

 Sec'y-Treas. Wackerhagen will be at the Murray Hill Hotel on 

 Dec. 37, and will be glad to meet all canoeists, especially those who 

 have suggestions to make or questions to ask concerning the As- 

 sociation or the meet. 



SMALL SAILING CRAFT. 



Editm- Fm-eM and Stream: 



I have thought to write you for a long time about my little boat 

 built from lines taken from "Canoe and Boat Building," and, as 

 the small boat men seem to have the floor, take this opportunity. 



I built from lines of the Priscilla, with 1ft. added to length, 

 making 16ft. over all; and the boat spread somewhat after 1 he ribs 

 were in, making her 4ft. 6in. beam. 1 have a fine little boat, and 

 a fast one, and in light winds a wonder. I have added a jib for 

 racing, my company being the 2.5-footer8. 



My racing mainsail has close on to 200it.. and the .lib o5ft. I take 

 a little sand when aloce, but she does nicely with one, two or half 

 a dozen aboard, as 1 have tested her in a piping breeze. There is 

 to be quiteaflset of this class of boat here next season, three 

 being already built on the Priscilla's lines as modified by me. 

 Thpy a,re built quite light, so as to be easily housed, and of light 

 draft, so as to get into the bays, over the weeds, or out on the 

 beach almost anywhere. 1 have taken great pleasure in reading 

 about the Mad Cap, So So, and other small boats, and want to 

 shake with them, and to thank the author of "Canoe and Boat 

 Building" for the pleasure I have taken with Priscilla. 



^E. W. DeTjANO. 



A. C. A. MEMBBRSHIP.-Atlantic Division: Richmond Ellis' 

 B. R. Roome, Arlington, N. .1.; Dr. W. G. Budington, New York- 

 Maurica D. Wilt, Philadelphia, Pa. 



\nBW^H to ^arresfiandmts. 



H. C. W., Okahumpka, Pla.— The manufacturers will send you 

 full directions on application. 



Sttbscribeh, Pittsburgh, Pa —The gun should pattern about 1.% 

 to 160 pellets, and ought to penetrate abouc lo to 17 sheets Denni- 

 son's penetration pads. 



X.— Do you publish a book called "Florida Fishing" or "Florida 

 Fishes." What is the price? Ans. No; but our special "Florida 

 Number," of Jan. 9, 1890, is a volume in itself. 



A. P. D., California.— Use 3^drs. powder, IJ-^jz, shot, and ex- 

 periment with slightly varying loads until you have determined 

 best pattern and penetration, SOyds. circle at 40 yds. 



E. B., Wellsville, N. Y.— Will you kindly inform me through 

 your correspondence column 1. Does the hare or the rabbit bring 

 forth its young on top of the ground? 3. Which have their eyes 

 open when born? Ans. 1. We have hares (not rabbits) in this 

 country. Hares do not burrow; they lie in bushes or depressions 

 in the ground, or in hole^ in thi:! rocks, hollow trees, etc. 2, Thi^ 

 young of the hare have their eyes op3n at birth, and are covered 

 with hai^ whUe the youug of the ratiblt are blind and naked. 



SAVE YOUE^ TROPHIES. 



WRITE FOR OUR ILLUSTRATED CATALOGUE 



"HEADS AND HORNS." 



It gives directions for preparing and preserv- 

 ing Skins, Antlers, etc. Also prices for Heads 

 and Rugs, Birds and Fish, and all kinds of work 

 in Taxidermy. 



Ward's Natural Solance Estabrishsnent, 



ROCHESTER, K. Y. 



REPAIRS. 



Before putting away your Rods and Reels for the season, 

 send them to us to be cleaned, straightened and put in first- 

 class order generally. All kinds of repairs done at moderate 

 prices. 



If you wish to renew any of your stock of tackle, send 10 

 cents for our 136 folio page illustrated catalogue. 



ABBEY & IMBRIE, 



Manufacturers of All Grades of Fishing 

 18 Vesey Street, New York. 



We are general agents for the now celebrated Whitmore Hammer= 

 less Gun. and are pleased to note flattering reports regarding it from all 

 sections of the country. 



Would like to have you try one whenever you feel so inclined. 



Of course we have other guns; in fact, we have nearly every 

 reputable gun made, in almost every gauge, style or weight, and it 

 would be funny if we couldn't fit you, or anyone. 



ill to ii6 Michigan Avenue. Chicago 



