FOREST AND STREAM, 



fDEC. 3i;i89l 



AuixoLB lX,—Cl'iih Flag, Signal and Totem, 

 The Club flag shall be a pointed burgee of au approved size, 

 its colors, device and proportions correspondiug to the Club signal 

 ilas. 



The distinguishing signal of the Club shall be a painted bur- 

 see twelve inches by eighteen inches, the dev^ice being a white 

 lonsitndinal stripe two aad one-hall! inches wide, on a red 

 sronnd. 



The Club totem shall be a red disk twelve inches in diameter. 

 Abticle X.—Penna7it». 



The Commodore's signal shall be a broad pennant with two 

 erossod paddles encircled by four five-pointed stars in white, on a 

 bine fii^M. 



Tlie Vice-Commodore's shall be a broad pennant with a similar 

 device on a red field. The Acting Commodore shall carry a broad 

 pennant, blue field, without device. 



Article Xt.—A?7ie77dme»fs. 

 An amendment to this Constitution maybe proposed and passed 

 at any meeting; bnt no amendment so passed shall be valid until 

 approved by a majority of two-thirds of all the members present 

 at asnh-vequent meeting; and notice of such amendment mu=it be 

 stated in the notice callmg the subsequent meeting. 



BY-LAWS. 

 CHiraEK I.— Order of Business. 

 1, Approval of minutes. 

 ■i. Unfinished business. 



3. Report of Secretary-Treasurer. 



4. Reports of Committees. 



5. New business. 



6. Adjournment. 



Chapter U.—Se.nior Offlcer. 

 In the event of the absence of the Commodore and Vice-Commo- 

 dore, the senior member of the Board of Trustees shall be consid- 

 ered the Setiior Officer and Acting Commodore. 



Chaptkb IIL— Quorum. 

 At any meeting of the Board of Trustees three members shall 

 constitute a (lucrum. 



Chapter IV.—IHm. 

 The yearly dues for active members shall be fifteen dollars, due 

 on the first day of January. Active memliers elected on and after 

 August first shall pi.y half dues for that year, and those elected 

 on and after November first shall pay no dues for thai year. 

 Chapter V.—SeovAary-T reasnrcr''!i Ue/port. 

 The Secretary-Treasurer shall present each year to the Annual 

 Meeting of the Club a report of his receipts and expenses up to 

 and including Decpmber first, with a statement of the assets and 

 liabilities ot the Club. 



Chapter VI.— CZm* Book. 

 'L'he Secretary-Treasurer shall prepare each year a Club book, 

 if, in the Juiigmeut of the Board ol Trustees, the fiaances of the 

 < Jlub wari Hnc. 



C HAPTEB VII. -Regatta Committer.. 

 The Rpgarta Committee shall consist of the Commodore and 

 two active mt-rabers. It shall arrange and have control of all 

 Club races. 



Chapter YllL—SaiJing Rules. 



All races of this Club shall be under the racing regulations of 

 the American Canoe Association. 



Chapter IX.— Associate Members. 



Associate members shall be entitled to receive notices of club 

 regattas and meetings for social purposes; to ily the Club signaJ; 

 to visit the Club House; use tlie Club canoes; and, at the discre- 

 tion of the House Committee, to store their canoes temporarily in 

 the Club House and use Club lookers during such privilege. 

 Chapter X.— House, Committee, 



The House Committee shall consist of the Vice-Commodore and 

 two active members. Subject to the first paragraph of Section 

 five, Article IV., of the Constitution, it shall have entire charge 

 of the Club House and float; shall make and publish house rule« 

 and regulations; and shall make any report or recommendations 

 to the Board of Trustees, in writing, signed by a majority of the 

 Committee. 



Chapter Xl.~Aumulments . 

 The^e By-Laws mr.y be amended at any meeting by a majority 

 of the B'jard nf Trustees, bat any amendment so adopted shall be 

 reported to the next meeting of the Club. 



HOUSE RULES. 



I. A berth will be assigned to each canoe, in wMch it must be 

 kept when not in use. All sails, rigging, and other belongings, 

 must be neatly stowed in or near the canoe to which they belong. 

 Canoes Fhall be launched at once on removal from house, and 

 shall be returned to their respective berths as soon as practicable 

 after coming in. 



II. No canoe shall be used by any one except the owner without 

 express consent. 



III. Members are at all times expected to leave the house in as 

 good order as they find it. 



IV. Each member must f ui-nish his own hatWng suit. 



V. Every member shall be entitled to keep one canoe in the 

 house. Should extra space be required to- the crowding of the 

 hou'ie, a charge may be made tor each additional canoe, in the 

 discretion of the Board of Trustees. 



VI. Each member is entitled to a locker. 



VII. Mfm^ers of the Amefican Canoe Association shall be en- 

 titled to the privileges of the house for one week, and longer by 

 permits on of Board of Trustees. The courtesy of the Club will 

 be at all times extended to other canoeists within reasonable 

 bounds. 



THE GOVERNMENT OF THE A. C. A. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



After discussing the matter with the present commodore of the 

 Association, with the present Atlantic Division vice and rear 

 commodores and a large number of the ofiicers and members of 

 this and other divisions, I venture to ventilate a so' eme whereby 

 the affairs of the Association, especially those of a monetary 

 nature, can be better managed than at present. Under our necu- 

 liar form of government the executive and financial officers 

 servp for but one year; and wIiiIh great care is taken (and success- 

 fully) to gecnre ottlj tnose whose interest is for the organization, 

 yet it has occurred that in the large number who are permitted 

 to expend money (committees, etc.; we have found some who have 

 not duly appreciated the importance of economy: and we are to- 

 day met with a debt of over $30'J. Unfortunately this is not ex- 

 ceptiona', for last year we were behind something over §150, and 

 unless some step is taken we are likely to meet a still larger one 

 next year. 



The cause of this deficit if found will suggest a remedy. Is it 

 not traceable to the lack of interest after the term of office expires 

 and the feeling that ihe incoming olHoers will arrange all 

 matters? If so, then it is necessary for us to f-reate some perma- 

 ment body to take charge of the financial policy of the Associa- 

 tion, to be called, perhaps, a council or a board of trustees. It has 

 been sugses'ed ihat each division, in the same ypar that it elects 

 the commodore, should choose a member of the council to serve 

 tor four years; and, each division having one, they, with the com- 

 modore and secrcttiry-treasnrer, might form the council, six m 

 all. 



It would be the duty of the council to receivo all moneys from 

 the secretary-treasurer and safely care for it, appropriating so 

 much each year for the running of the Association and the meet. 

 Being a permanent body and small, its members could meet more 

 or less frequently, and it also could act as a body of final appeal 

 in such disputed cases as the Brazer-Palmer and Douglass-Arch- 

 bald protests and appeals this year. The council would in no way 

 interfere with the otficers or with the present executive commit- 

 tee, which serves its purpose as a legislative body, but from its 

 .%lze is useless as an executive or appellate body. 



This letter is written merely to set the members to thinking, 

 but some one should take it in hand now and place the matter 

 properly before the executive committee. A. C. A. No. 4V. 



NEW CANOES,— Com. Whitlock has on the stcoVs at Stevens's 

 shop, Lowell, a new racer from a modification of the Gardner 

 design of last summer. Messrs. Goodsell and Masten, of the 

 Vonkers O. C. have recently worked out a design for a 1QX80 cruis- 

 ing canoe based on the l-5x31i^ Guenn published in the Forest 

 A5fD Stream of Jan. 5. 1888; and each hss ordered a canoe from 

 Stevens. Mr. Cartel", of the Park Island Canoe Association, has 

 ordered a new river canoe from Everson, a very handsome craft 

 designed by the builder and smooth-built. Everson is also at 

 work on a 19x56 canoe-yawl for Mr. Lindner, of Bergen Point, a 

 dunlicate of the successful boat turned out last stunmer for Mr. 

 J ohnson. 



THE CRUISING SNEAKBOX MOCCASIN. 



Editor ForiM and Sir mm: 



As an increase of inicrcat In small inland cruisers is noticeable 

 in your columns I inclosf^ an illustration of a member of the 

 "sneakbox" or '•spoonbill" family. I built this little cruiser dur- 

 ing odd hours in the winter of 1839 and she has cruised and raced 

 for two seasons in the waters of the New York inland chain of 

 lakes. Moccasin was adapted from the lines of the Barnegat 

 cruiser Seneca, which you have heretofore published. But while 

 the bottom of Seneca was closely retained minor changes Avere 

 made, notably an increased freeboard and higher bow was given, 

 an added foot in length and a drop rudder. The approximate 

 dimensions are: 



Length over all 15ft. 



Extreme beam ,54in. 



Depth of gunwale amidships ].5in. 



Sheer bow , Oin. 



Sheer stem at center of crown 51 n. 



Combing 2in. 



Cockpit nj^ft.xsnin. 



(Jrown of deck, fore part of well ~ 5iTi. 



Draft loaded, about 7ln. 



The increased freeboard and additional length made the boat 

 extremely seaworthy and aft'orded increased room for the accom- 

 modation of a companion and camp equipment. 



I hesitated some time whether to adopt the balance rudder, such 

 as was fitted on the Forest and Stream cruiser, or the drop 

 rudder, and finally gave the latter preference, as it seemed more 

 serviceable in running before a crowning sea and more convenient 

 in beaching. The item of beaching becomes an essential element 

 in the consideration of small cruisers, and there is no model of 

 boat equal to the "sneak-box" form in the same length and beam 

 that one person can haul up so easily onshore. A full-modeled 

 keel boat of the dimensions of Moccasin would try the sonl of a 

 giant to get it up high on shore and safe from a pounding surf. 

 The keel craft would jam her nose into the gi'avel, depress her 

 ptern, perhaps break the rudder, and utterly refuse to he coaxed. 

 But how different is the conduct of Moccasin. Her curved bow 

 glides up on. the shore quite a third the length of the boat, a 

 slight lift pl8X3es the midship on dry ground, and as the stern 

 settles the drop rudder is hauled up above harm. The 

 skipper then, instead of pulling away until black in the face, 

 simply bears his weight on tbe bow, pu.shea to one side, and the 

 boat swings around on an apparent pivot at the center of the 

 cambered keel plank. By a succession of these lateral movements 

 one person will project a loaded boat weighing from 400 to eOOlbs. 

 high up on the beach. 



As to the sailing merits of the "spoonbills," I have found them 

 good enough to race them successfully against the orthodox keel 

 boats. There is, however, one objectionable feature. The 

 •■spoonbill" rows hard against a head sea and wind. While easy 

 and fast under oars in smooth water, it makes the arms ache in 

 pulling against wind and waves. But then a person is supposed 

 to sail whenever the wind blows, so that fault may be overlooked 

 in the face of superior redeeming qualities. 



Moccasin was rigged with one balance lug sail of about 130 'q. ft. 

 area, fitted with a single batten and reefing gear; and altnough 

 the sail seems large for a cruising boat of her dimensions, yet she 

 carried it with ease in any wind except agale, her skipper usually 

 sitting on a deck seat placed across the after part of the cockpit 

 and extending the full width of the boat. The cockpit affordw 

 over 6ft. of room between the centerboard case and the after 

 locker, while slielves and closets are arranged under the deck 

 along the sides. The oars work on an arrangement devised to 

 meet sundry wants. Two pieces of scantling extend from the 

 combing to near the gun wale in the form of a triangle, at the apex 

 ot which is the oarlock, and the space inclosed, therefore, becomes 

 a handy receptacle for various artif^les when fishing or attending 

 to the duties of the cuisine when afloat. 



Nearly every skipper of a small boat entertains special notions 

 as to what constitutes the proper qualities of a cruiser. A popu- 

 lar theory is that the sineleh"nder should be rigged with a multi- 

 plicity of small sails. But I do not; believe this practice essential, 

 either to comfort, speed or even safety. A mizzen is frequently 

 in the way during a blow or continued bad weather, and it also 

 obstructs much of the cruiser's view in sailing. While the yawl 

 and oat-yawl rigs are useful in narrow keel craft, I am inclined 

 to consider the balance lug the best disposition of canvas for 

 cruising in the "spoonbill" family of boats; and even in cruising 

 it is not desirable to confine yourself to a mere rag, for every 

 cruiser wants to get at times all the speed ho can out of his craft, 

 hence a liberal sail area is desirable. 



There is also much dispute as to the proper ending of the lines 

 at the boat's stern. Somehow I can notindorse the long overhang 

 except on the score of appearance, and that is purely a matter of 

 taste which is influenced by fashion. Undoubtedly the sharp 

 canoe-shaped stern can not well be excelled for making good 

 weather, and either this form or a narrow transom is much easier 

 in running before a following sea, while certainly with an equal 

 over all length the hoat with a long overhang is the less powerful 

 craft. Then again the overhang requires the rudder to be hung 

 beneath and out of reach of the skipper, which is often perplexing 

 when the rudder gets foul ot weeds, lines or drift rubbish as it often 

 will in exploring out of the way places and consequently needing 

 cleaning. 1 know that I may be expounding rank heresay, but 

 unless a better reason for adopting the lean counter on small 

 craft is given than simply because yachts of large tonnage con- 

 veniently utilize it and therefore small craft should follow suit, 1 

 shall not abandon nor condemn either the sharp or clubbed form 

 of stern with narrow transom. To the amateur builder the diffi- 

 culty in getting a good design with a pleasing "eye sweetness" for 

 an overhang, and the difference in constructing the different 

 models will become apparent. The craft I have outlined has 

 stond the test of use and survived criticism on the waters where 

 she has sailed, but still I am open to conviction when the proof is 

 forthcoming that a more serviceable and handy craft exists for 

 the single or "dual hauder" cruising sportsman and outer on land- 

 locked waters. CAYUCiA. 



ROCHESTER C. C- At the annual meeting of the Rochester 

 C. C. the following ofiicers were elected: Captain W. Stuart 

 Smith, re-elected; Mate, H. D. Me \^ean; Purser, Geo. H. Harris, 

 re-elected; Measurer. Geo. W. Ruge-iep; Executive Committee, 

 Chas. A. Brutt', Ohas. H. Moody and H.M.Stewart; Regatta Com- 

 mittee, Fred L. Smith, W. C. Seward and Wm. H. Martin. The 

 club intends adding a third story to its house on Irondequoit Bay 

 this winter. 



NEW YORK C. C— The New York C. C. has selected .Tune 18 

 as the date for its annual regatta. 



"West Tvdia Hurricanes and the Qreat March Bf^aza/rA.''' Bii 

 Everett Hayden, U. S. Hydrographic Office, liarge quarto, with S3 

 MthograpMc plat-es. Price $1. Contains full history of the great 

 storm of March, 1888, loith practical informolim him to handle a 

 veml n a cycJme; vse of oU at sea, e(o. 



Small Yachta. By C. P. Kunhardt. Price. $10. Steam Tachts and 

 Launches. By C, P. Kunnardt, Price $3. Fachts, Boats and 

 Canoes. By G. Stamfield-Hicks, Price, ^ts.no. Steam Maehlnery, By 

 Dotialdgon. Price iLBO. 



Yachtsmen who do not see what they want under this heading 

 will please lookunder the hatches of ihe Da>?oe, peeo into the 

 Kennel, squint down the barrel of (;he Rifle, open the Fish Car and 

 Cfttmc Jifl(/, inquire of the Sport»ma)i Tourist, aad if their yearn- 

 ings are still unsatisfied, push their explorations into the Editorial 

 and jLd,ve)ti»ing JOepartments. 



A GOOD YEAR FOR CRANKS. -The coming year promises to 

 bring out a good crop of cranks and fool navigators who can find 

 no better use for their skill and daring than to risk their lives in 

 useless ventures. The two who raced in dories across the Atlantic 

 Kst summer are preparing for a new venture, this time in canvas 

 boats; while the one who made the useless and foolish trip from 

 New York to Boston in a Tf t. punt, proposes to start on Jan. 1 from 

 New Yoik for Florida in a 6ft. tub. 



LAKE ERIE,— The new organization on Lake Erie now seems 

 an assured fact, and with good rules andnew yachts the Erie fleet 

 should soon prove a friendly but formidable rival to that of 

 Ontario. ^ 



CENTERBOJ^RDS.— The two ccnterboards described In our 

 canoeing columns this week are no less interesting to yachtsmen 

 than canoeists, in fact one of the boards is shown as applied to a 

 yacht. 



THORA. 



MONTREAL, Dec. 2>i.— Editor Forest and Stream.: Will you al- 

 low me to correct the impression conves ed in your last issue 

 regarding the type of Thori, mentioned in connection with the 

 record of Valda. 



In the article referred to she is dcsienated a "St. Lawrence 

 skill" and "the fastest ol the local skiffs." She has also been so 

 reported to you on more than one occasion by your Montreal cor- 

 respondent in the accounts of the St. Lawrence Y. (J. races. The 

 Thora— a "Thousand Island cruiser" as called by her builder, 

 Wm. Edwards, of Gananoque— is a strongly built boat with lota 

 of body and stability. Her dimensions are: 



Length over all 22ft. • Hi n. 



Waterline 19£t. lOin. 



Least freeboard 





Draft (about) . . 





, _ _ Sin. 



Sail area ;-?765q. ft. 



She has a rather heavy 3ft. counter that alone would make her 

 differ from the St. Lawrence skiff type. Her owner, Capt. C. 

 Newton, ordered her for his own family use (without pret^en- 

 tions to speed) and very kindly ofl-'ared her to me to sail, thus 

 enahling rne again to enter our club races from which skiffs last 

 season were debarred. Her peculiar rig— a bai swing yawl — led 

 the sailing committee to matie a special measuremenr, taking for 

 the sad area the actual area, the square root of which, as in other 

 rigs, plus water line divided by two equals corrected length. 

 Thora's being 19f t. 5in. The Valda therefore allows her but 5m. 

 283. for tea miles (the length of course on Aug. 20 special race), 

 not 16m. 43s. as in the account you publish. The Thora won from 

 Valda by Im. SOs. corrected time. 



I may mention that on June 37. all classes, in a single-reef 

 breeze, which you also refer to, Thora beat Valda on elapsed time 

 one minute and some seconds. 



It is not my intention, however, to draw attention to Thora's 

 record, however creditable, beyond referring to the above two 

 races. 



She cannot be called "the fastest of the local skiffs," as she has 

 never raced with that class here, being of such a tonally different 

 type; though in some friendly brushes the skiffs have of course 

 proved the faster, 



I may add, she is a jolly, comfortable craft, in which as good 

 weather was made last season as by any other yacht on our lakes. 

 Her heavy oak timbers are good enough for craft of larger cnli- 

 ber. She cairies no ballast, her iron plate centerboard weighs 

 but TOlbs., and her crew of four averaged about 147lbs. each. 



W. J. WaIjLACE. 



LAKE ERIE YACHTING. 



THIS is as it .should be. A meeting of our Lake Brie yachts- 

 men was held at the Porest City House, Cleveland, O.. for the 

 purpose of taking preliminary steps toward the organiziition of a 

 lake yachting association similar to the Inter-Lako Association, 

 wuich came to an untimely death about a year ago. Nearly every 

 city along Lake Erie was represented. Commodore t>eorge W, 

 Gardner, of Cleveland, explained the oojecc ot the meeting in a 

 brief speech. The outcome of the deliDerations, which lasted 

 until 7 o'clock in the evening, was the adoption oi ii series of reso- 

 lutions recommending that an association, under the name of the 

 Lake Erie Yacht Racing Association, be organized, and tliat the 

 constitiution be based on that of the Lake Ontario Yacht Racing 

 Ass'n. It was also resolved that it was the opinion of the meeting 

 that the circuit system of racing be adopted. A permanent or- 

 ganization will be formed. Those present expressed great inteiv 

 est in the matter in hand; and the new association starts out 

 with bright prospects. 



The Globe Iron Works, of Cleveland. O., launched a magn^fl'- 

 cent stfam yacht Dec. 2a. which is to be the property of JVu", M. 

 M. Hanna, of that city. She will be completed in the spring, 

 and will be among the number of floating palaces to be found at 

 Chicago during the fair. She is named Comanche. 



The well-known sloop Alert, of Cleveland, O.. wijich was housed 

 in a building owned by N. Tovat, on Whiskey Tslanrl, was burned 

 with tbe building ou the night of Dec. 21. The total loss will be 

 about $1,000. She was owned by Peter Martin. Another favorite 

 boat, (jleam, owned by Saxe & Overbeck, was somewhat dam- 

 aged, c. e. 0, 

 Erie, Pa., Dec._?2^^ 



THE LORILLARD YACHT FLEET.— The pleasure squadron 

 of evolution owned by the veteran yachtsman and sportsman, 

 Pierre Lorillard, has now assembled in Florida waters for the 

 winter; one at least of the fleet having experienced considerable 

 danger and difficulty in reaching her destination. The. large two- 

 story houseboat Caiman, recently completed at Wilmington, 

 Del., is ra.ther an unwieldy craft for sea work, and when, after 

 leaving Wilmington on Nov. 23, she met a gale ou Nov. ,';7she 

 made very bad weather. After taking a tow for Norfolk, she was 

 boarded by a sea which carried away a part of the house. Alter 

 repairing at Norfolk, she continued through the inside passage to 

 Morehead City and Savannah, where her owner was waiting with 

 his steam yacht Reva. The latter had been out in the .same gale, 

 breaking both crossheads, and was awaiting repairs. After caP- 

 ing at E'ernandina, the Caiman reached Jacksonville on Dec 35, 

 and will soon start for Indian River, where she will be joined by 

 the Reva, the steel steam launch Lillian, and a fourth craft, a. 

 steam flatboat specially fitted up for the horses and dogs. 



LAWLEY'S YARD.— The keel and frames for the rj-ardnfir- 

 schooner are nearly ready, and the framing will begin early next 

 month. The three small steam yachts are well advanced, and a , 

 21ft. sailing yacht will be started shortly from designs by W. E.. 

 Waterhouse. 



CORINTHIAN SWEEPSTAKES 18fl2.-The Corinthian Y. O:,. 

 of New York, has announced its fourth annual sweepstakes for 

 yachts of 50 to dOft. c.l. to be sailed off Newport, probably, oa 

 Aug. 15, 18112. 



^nswjei[s to ^vrmsffandrnk. 



No Notice Taken of Anonymous Correspondents. 



I. F. C, Windsor, N. S.— The rifle is suitable for moose and bear. 



M. L F., Jamestown. ^The Florida quail and wild turkey open 

 season is from Nov. 1 to March 1; tue South Carolina runs to 

 April 1; Georgia has diff'orent county laws. 



G. G., Brooklyn, N. Y.— We think with you that the bird is a 

 dovekieor little auk (^1//^ nrtt^ This is about the southern limit 

 of its winter range. It is uncommon here, but not very rare, 



