280 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[March 31, 1894. 



The Action of the Y. R. A. Rules on Length 

 and Sail Area. 



To the Editor of the Yachtsman : 



Although you are a strong opponent to the present rule of rating, 

 many of your readers may possibly be interested in an analysis! have 

 recently made with a view to determine best lengths for the Y. R. A. 

 classes in British waters and climate, more especially as some of the 

 results were unexpected. 



My object was twofold— firstly, to indicate what may be termed the 

 best lengths in each of the existing classes of the Yacht Racing Asso- 

 ciation; and, secondly, to show the different action of the present 

 Y. R. A. rule (where Rating = LS<- 6,000), and of the old Y. R. A. 

 rule (where Tonnage = B (L + BP 1,730). 



As regards the first question, it will be found that the most conveni- 

 ent way to analyze the subject is to compare the length of hull on 

 .load-line with the square root of sail area, and perform it in such a 

 manner that the results at once appeal to the eye. 



A comparison of L.W.L. with R. on a diagram gives the same 

 results; but they are not so easily seen, the curves being much flatter, 

 ; and, consequently, the variations from the mean curve in those 

 classes which do not agree with it are less convincingly displayed. 

 Moreover, the mean curve itself could not have been found by a simple 

 ■comparison of L.W.L. to R , whereas the analysis pursued shows that 

 no curve could pass through the main point of existing tens and 

 twenties, the Britannia point and the origin. 



After trying various methods for indicating the relations of L to S 

 diagraphically, I found that the clearest and most easily compre- 

 hended was one in which the ordinates represent the percentage 

 iratios of yS to L, and the abscissas represent the rating of the yachts 

 ■and classes to be compared. 



The diagram is plotted from the following table, in which the first 

 column gives the names of yachts, the second their ratings by existing 

 Y. R. A. rule, the third their sail area, and the fourth the percentage 

 ratio of their to L, which is of course = 100 yS L: 



The table would be of inconvenient size if taken into the smaller 

 classes of 1 and lj^-rating, but the results can be stated briefly, thus: 

 The percentage ratios of 4/S to L in the class of 1-rating are: 



Callista 90 0. Corisande 74.7, Osillacom 84.4, Dona 84.3, Doushka 81.5, 

 Dot 83.9, Fadette 94.4, Fantasy 70.0. Fiend 93.5, Fleetwing 83.0, Hark 

 Holla 91.8, Icipici S3.9, Javelin 85.2, Kitten 80.6, Leading Article 86.3, 

 Maharanee 86.0. Mahatma 80.7, Marion 75.9, Mazoe 84.7, Minuet 86.6, 

 Morwena97.3. Querida 83.0. Rhosyn 78.2, Kogue 76.2, Roulette 85.8, 

 Sacharissa 80.8, Scud 81.6, Tartar 93.2, Tip-Cat 82.9, Titsan 83.1, Tramp 

 86.4, Unit 93.0, Unit (Mersey) 89.5. Vikendor 72 2, Viva 99.1, Whisper 

 83.8, Whoo-hoop 87.0, Wolfhound 92 3. Mean -(of 38), 84.90. 



The ratios for the g rating class are: 



It is interesting to note that Columbine's point lies close to the racing 

 curve, although she is a "cruisingyawl," intended only "for occasional 

 racing." 



In conclusion, let the student observe the different action of the old 

 Y. R. A. rule, sometimes called the 1730 rule. The result is roughly in- 

 dicated by the dotted line on diagram, and passes near to the points 

 occupied by Doris, Ulerin, Lenore, Tara and Marjorie. Their relative 

 sizes are compared by the existing rule of rating, because it gives as 

 true an index of their power as the tonnage rule under which they 

 were built, and because it obviates a second diagram and enables us to 

 compare them, not only inter se, but with the boats built for the ex- 

 isting rule. It has not been considered necessary to plot a large num- 

 ber of the old boats. The two curves show the precisely opposite ten- 

 dencies in the two rules— so far as the relation of sail to length is 

 concerned. This, of course, was already known. But the fact that the 

 curves intersect at all (as they do near the Tara point), and that con- 

 sequently the present rule produces more powerful boats per unit of 

 length in the large class than did the old rule, may possibly cause sur- 

 prise to some yachtsmen, as it certainly did to ThAlAssA. 



COMPARISON OF RATING, LENGTH AND SAIL AREA Of BRITISH RACING YACHTS. 



7. .Columbine. 



10.. Castanet 

 11.. Creole... 



12.. Lais 



13.. Queen Mi 

 14.. Thalia... 

 15. . Varuna. 









1 oovs 



R 



L 



s 









L 



178 



86.20 



12330 



128.8 



151 



87.73 



10327 



115.8 



141 



81.95 



10305 



123.9 



114 



83.72 



8157 



107.8 



157 



86.93 



10816 



119.6 



162 



97.65 



9923 



102.0 



148 



86 82 



10207 



116.3 





87.47 



mean 



114.23 



60 



67.60 



5270 



107.4 



58 



65.50 



5312 



122.4 



44 



61.11 



4281 



107.0 



40 



59.02 



4055 



107.9 



40 



59.61 



3994 



106.0 



40 



60.35 



3973 



104.4 



40 



59.20 



4053 



107.6 



40 



59.14 



4055 



107.7 



40 



59.17 



4046 



107.5 



40 



60.45 



8967 



104.2 





59.56 



mean 



106.47 



20 Rd*tn«j 



Assegai 84.0, Coquette 83.1, Eileen 84.7, Humming Top- 90.6, Idono 

 74 0, Jabiru 87.0, Kbistie 73.1, Ladybird 76.6, Lady Grizel 75.5, Mosquito 

 78 8' Nautilus 71.3, Pique 74.2, Ragamuffin 86.7, Sagamore 72.3. Spruce 

 87,2, Vega 95.8, Wee Winn 78.0. Mean (of 17), 80.76. 



Collecting the means, they are: a 



In the large class, 114.23; 40-rating, 106 47, 20-rating, 110.35, 10-ratingr, 

 112.89; 5- rating, 93.52; 2% rating, 89.14; 1-rating, 84.90; ^-rating, 80.76. 



Now, it is evident that the variations in these means must follow 

 some law of change, and, as such change must be gradual, the means 

 themselves should follow a curve when the boats race in the same 

 climate under similar conditions. It will be found on trial that the 

 small classes and the large class, as represented by Britannia, fit the 

 curve shown on the figure (the mean value for the large class is 

 probably too low, owing to the ridiculous sail plan put upon Satanita); 

 but the 40- raters are slightly below the curve, the 20-raters are above 

 it and the 10-raters (except Doreen and Mabel) are dreadful sinners. 

 A dark spot shows the mean value in each class to the limits of 

 diagram. Any attempt to raise the curve toward the tens and 

 twenties fails to produce a probable result. Moreover, it would be 

 worse for the forties. I am, therefore, convinced that the curve 

 shown on the diagram is nearly correct for the average climate of an 

 English summer and for our present means of building racing yachts. 

 The successful use of lie-hter materials in the construction of hulls, 

 or of lighter cotton or silk in the sails, or lighter spars and rigging, 

 would lower the curve, not raise it— in which case the position of the 

 forties would be improved, but the positions of the 20 and 10-raters 

 would become still worse. 



Now, the best percentage, of yS to L, as shown by the curve in each 

 Y R A. class, being 78 for !4-R., 82 for 1-R.. 88 for2K-R., 93.5 for 5-R., 

 100 for 10 R, 104.5 for 20-R., 108.4 for 40-R.,, 110.7 for 60-R., 116.5 for 

 150-R. ; let us convert these percentages into best lengths. 

 Call the percentage of yS t0 " L > P- 

 ThenL=100 yS-=-P 



But L=6,000 R-^S (by rule of rating). 

 Estimating L from these two equations we get: 

 .yS 3 =6,000 R P+100. 



=60X^X78 for the ^-raters 

 =60x1x82 for the 1-ratars. 

 =60X2.5X88 for the 2^-raters. 

 =60x5X93.5 for the 5-raters. 

 =60X10X100 for the 10-raters. 

 =60x20X104.5 for the 20-raters. 

 =60X40X108.4 for the 40-raters. 

 =60x60x110,7 for the 60-raters. 

 =60x150X116.5 for the 150-raters. 

 Solving, we get the best values of S and L in each class to be: 



5 

 10 

 20 

 40 

 60 

 150 



14 rating 

 1 " 



176.2 

 289.3 

 558.2 

 923.2 

 1532.8 

 2505.3 

 4075.3 

 5415.5 

 10321 .0 



17.02 

 20.74 

 26.86 

 32.50 

 39.14 

 47.89 

 58.89 

 66.47 

 87.20 



Examples in Support. 



Wee Winn 0.5 



Scud 1.0 



Babe 2.5 



Natica 5 



Doreen 10 



Deirdre 20 



Queen Mab 40 



Columbine 60 



Britannia 151 



177 



289 

 556 

 934 

 1572 

 2590 

 4053 

 5270 

 J 032? 



17.04 



20.83 

 26.76 

 32.25 

 38.05 

 46 19 

 59.20 

 67.60 

 87.73 



17.. Deirdr6 20 



18.. Dragon 20 



19.. Ghost 20 



20..Idalia 20 



21..Maladetta 20 



22.. Molly". 20 



23..Siola 20 



24..Velzie 20 



25,.Vigorna 20 



26.. Lassie 11 



27.. Phantom 11 



28.. Doris 10 



29..Eurynorne 6.1 



30. .Quinta 5.2 



31..Decima 10 



32..Dis 10 



33.. Dora 10 



34.. Doreen 10 



35.. Mabel 10 



36.. Woodcock 10 



37..Yseult 9.9 



38.. Yvonne 10 



39.. Archer 5 



40..Cyane 5 



41..Dacia 5 



42. .Fleur-de-Lys 5 



43. .Geraldine 5 



44.. Natica 5 



45..Quinque 5 



46. .Red Lancer 5 



47..Savourna... 5 



48. .Valentine 5 



49.. Wild Rose 5 



50.. Windfall 5 



51..Bahe 2.5 



52..Cock-a-Whoop 2.5 



53.. Dolphin 2.5 



54.. Elf 2.5 



55 . . Faugh-a-Balla gh 2.5 



56..Fiera 2.5 



57..Gareth 2.5 



58..Hoopoo 2.5 



59. .Humming Bird 2.5 



60.. Kismet 2.5 



61.. Manx Cat 2.5 



62..Meneen 2.5 



63.. Papoose 2.5 



64. .Wenonah 2.5 



46.19 

 46.28 

 46.65 

 45.75 

 45.99 

 45.72 

 46,27 

 45.74 

 46.71 

 46.14 



34.70 

 34.50 

 33.58 



30.39 

 28.85 



35.67 

 36.42 

 34.95 

 38.05 

 37.54 

 36.80 

 35.50 

 33.95 

 36.11 



30.43 

 34.00 

 34.40 

 32.79 

 30.80 

 31.83 

 32.85 

 31.44 

 33.40 

 30.45 

 33.13 

 32.89 

 32.37 



26.76 

 25.00 

 25.68 

 27.30 

 27.48 

 27.36 

 28.02 

 27.83 

 25.90 

 27.34 

 28.25 

 24.82 

 27.65 

 24.95 

 26.74 



2590 

 2593 

 2471 

 2622 

 2608 

 2624 

 2585 

 2569 

 2569 

 mean 



1755 

 1766 

 1781 



1192 

 1071 



1679 

 1644 

 1716 

 1572 

 1593 

 1622 

 1666 

 1761 

 mean 



982 



909 

 970 

 934 



556 

 600 

 581 

 548 

 542 

 536 

 533 

 539 

 567 

 541 

 526 

 •596 

 543 

 599 

 mean 



110.1 

 110.0 

 106.6 

 112.0 

 111.1 

 112.0 

 109.9 

 112.0 

 108.5 

 110.35 



120.7 

 121.7 

 124.7 



113.4 

 113.5 



' 114.8 

 111.3 

 118.5 

 104.3 

 106.2 

 109.4 

 115.0 

 123.6 

 112.89 



10.3 ;o 



86.7 

 86.1 

 92.0 

 101.1 

 94.7 



86.1 

 101.9 

 90.0 

 91.6 



93.52 



88.1 

 98.0 

 93.9 

 85.7 

 84.7 

 84.6 

 82.4 

 83.4 

 91.9 

 85.0 

 81.2 

 98.3 

 92.6 

 98.1 

 89.14 



On March 12, in the U. S. District Court at Boston, Judge Nelson 

 gave his decision in the suit of Mr. Vanderbilt against the Metropolitan 

 Steamship Co., for the loss of the steam yacht Alva; the decision being 

 in Mr. Vanderbilt's favor. The amount claimed is 3305,000, but the 

 amount to be paid will be settled by an assessor, and will probably be 

 limited to the appraised value of the colliding vessel, the H. F, Diniock, 

 at the time of the disaster. 



The Mediterranean Races. 



The absence of a suitable number of competitors made the racing 

 at Cannes rather perfunctory, as Britannia, of 87ft. l.w.L, was of 

 course much more than a match for the old Valkyrie, of 70ft„ and the 

 40 rater Oretta, nee Deerhound, of 59ft. The Srst race of the Society 

 Nautique de Cannes took place on March 10, Britannia winning by 

 40m. from Valkyrie, while in the 20-ton class Luciole, a French-built 

 yacht, won from three competitors, and Va Partout, nee Glycera, 

 Sailed over in the smaller class.. 



On March 11 the races were for feluccas, sand boats and small craft, 

 and oh March 12 Valkyrie, Oretta, Cristoforo Columbo and Va Partout 

 started for the Mediterranean cup. Valkyrie took the ground while 

 leading, and Oretta won. 



The races for the Goelet-Bennett. cups were sailed on March 13, 

 Britannia easily beating Valkyrie and Oretta, while Cristoforo Columbo 

 won the 30-ton cup. On March 14 Britannia won the city of Cannes 

 prize, and Cygne the Monte Carlo prize. The race for the Carnot cup 

 was started on March 16, but a storm drove the yachts home. It was 

 sailed on March 20, Britannia winning. On March 17 the grand review 

 took place. The Prince of Wales sailed on Britannia in all the races.* 

 Among the steam yachts were Mr. Bennett's Namounaand Mr. Goelet's 

 White Ladye, and Queen Mab, chartered by J. T. Lord, all under the 

 American flag. Mr. James Gordon Bennett has offered a prize of 

 $1,000, in addition to the cost of the coal on her home voyage, to the 

 winner of a steam yacht race, for vessels over 100 tons builders' 

 measurement, with a prize of $ 4Q0 for yachts under 100 tons, and one 

 of $25 for steam launches carried on yachts. The races will take 

 place off Nice on April 2. 



A New Schooner Yacht. 



During the past week nearly all of the daily papers have published 

 the notice of the launch of a new schooner yacht, built at Bayles's 

 yard, Port Jefferson, for Mr. George G. Cbisholm, of New York. This 

 elegant craft, said to have cost $25,000, is none other than the old 

 schooner Lancer, for the second time masquerading under a new 

 name, having discarded her late name, Enigma, for the new one. Way- 

 farer. Lancer was modelled and built in 1881 by Alonzo E. Smith, of 

 Islip, for Col. Josiah Porter, a wooden centerboard schooner 81ft. 8in. 

 over all, 77ft. 6in. l.w 1., 21ft. beam, 9ft. 6in. depth and 7ft. 6in. draft. 

 In 1892 she was purchased by her present owner, and in the course of 

 fitting out, in lifting one of the masts for some repairs, it broke in two 

 while slung, and on examination the spars and rigging were found to 

 be so far gone that it was necessary to replace everything above the 

 deck. Under her new rig the yacht was known as Enigma, and as 

 such she was in commission last season. When she laid up in the fall, 

 some repairs to the hull were found necessary, and she was taken to 

 Bayles' yard, where an examination disclosed the fact that the hull 

 was in much the same state as the spars had been. The yacht was 

 placed on the ways, the spars still standing, and the planking and 

 frames cut away, leaving the keel, sternpost and deck, and on this 

 foundation the so-called new yacht Wayfarer was built. We recently 

 had the pleasure of viewing the result, and of the model the less said 

 the better. 



The Sewaren Land and Water Club is considering the establishrnen t 

 of a floating club house off its station at Sewaren, N. J., on Staten 

 Island Sound, and a canvass of the club members indicates a strong 

 feeling in favor of such a step. With a commodious, and handsome 

 club house, and a safe and quiet anchorage which will admit yachts 

 of up to 8ft. draught at all times, the club will be able to offer advan- 

 tages to local yachtsmen that few other organizations possess. The 

 station is only fdrty-five minutes from the foot of Liberty street, and 

 the trains are frequent and comfortable. The club has now about 

 twenty boats on its list, from a forty- footer down, and the membership 

 is made up of Neir York business men. 



F The annual meeting of the Yapewi Aquatic Club, of Bordentown, on 

 the Delaware, was held in the club house on March 7, and the follow- 

 ing officers were elected: Pres., S. W. Beldon: Vice-Pres., D. R. 

 Brown; Purser, Chas. E. Burr; Captain, Fred. G. Wiese; Mate, J. M. 

 Hartley; Directors, Geo. F. Tyler, W. Robbins and R. Bennett. The 

 club is in a flourishing condition, being practically out of debt and 

 owning a $2,000 club house on the river front. 



FIXTURES. 



SEPTEMBER. 



3. Holyoke, Ann., Holyoke, Mass. 



The A. C. A. and its Critics. 



Editor Forest and Stream: 



Oh, he's all right. Who's all right? Why, Holden is. Except that 

 he is misguided and misinformed, and thus is all wrong. Now, I have 

 always thought Mr. Holden a pretty decent sort of a fellow and with 

 considerable enterprise; had he gone to a few of the meets in order to 

 get the right view of the case under discussion, he would either be 

 talking on a different strain if, as "Pulex" says, he talks in order to 

 see his name in print, or he would not be talking at all; for he would 

 be of the opinion as all right-minded canoeists are, that the A. C. A. 

 meets are just the best place in the world to go to, when yott have 

 been around with the bicycle cranks, the rowing men, and others of 

 that ilk, and are tired of that sort of thing, and when you are in a 

 state of mind to relish a sojourn among the most manly^ jovial and 

 true-hearted men that draw the breath of life; when you want to find 

 sportsmen of whom you are proud to call yourself one of them and 

 consider that you belong to the finest body of "amateurs" in the ut- 

 most purity of the word, that is in existence. 



Now for "Pulex." He is a funny fellow and ought to apply for a 

 position with Barnum & Co. But I repeat, who is he? He claims to 

 be on a par or even ahead of our noble "Ilex;" but I am pretty well 

 posted on canoeing matters, but fail to recall ever having even heard 

 of him. If this discussion keeps on, we will have even men who are 

 not members of the A. C. A. taking a hand in it, for I have heard of 

 funnier things than that happening, and just speaking of funny, I 

 would not be very much surprised to learn that "Pulex" could not 

 show a certificate of membership, or any credential that he is even a 

 canoeist. It strikes me, from the accurate knowledge he has of Mr. 

 Holden's movements, that he is probably a disgruntled Jerseyman 

 who has an axe to grind and probably does not live far from the 

 famed Rutherford. Perhaps Mr. Holden has beaten him in a race 

 some time, or even perhaps won the smiles of a girl that "Pulex" was 

 suing for. From the way he talks I should judge that he was "down" 

 on the whole Passaic River. Probably he is not well thought of out 

 there, and if the Jerseymen find out who he is they will probably 

 think less of him than heretofore. 



s I should judge that some time one of the Hoboken men had gotten 

 him in tow and taken him along with them on one of their delightful 

 little cruises, treating him as all canoeists treat one another, and he 

 thought he had reached the Mecca of canoeing. No, no, Pulex, it was 

 only the beginning. Just cruise up to Croton Point this summer and 

 you will see how tar you were from the height of your happiness. 



Then, too, we will have a chance to see what sort of a cruiser and 

 combined funny man you are. 



You are as badly informed as Mr. Holden is. If you do not believe 

 me, ask Com. Dorland, and while you are at it, ask him about "collect- 

 ing news and editing a bulletin." I have not heard yet of hislooking 

 for a situation, and if he don't gi^e you a bigger fright than the man 

 that wanted to make him "speak German as soon as he opened his 

 mouth" last week, I miss my guess. 



Mr. Burns is the right sort of a man after all. 



Much obliged old man, you are right, if Ianthe sat on the balcony all 

 the time, it is not likely that she would be doing some of the things 

 she does. It would be wasting ink to deny Pulex's statement that we 

 do not do any canoeing out there. Let him come around almost any 

 day, or any time of day, during the season, and he will find some one 

 about. 



Let him join us around the camp-fire, on the cruise, on our "picnics" 

 with the girls, or even in a race (if he can go fast enough to keep up), 

 and see if he don't think we are as nice as we think we are. 



There is one point that I indorse thoroughly in Pulex's letters; his 

 admiration of Hoboken. They are a fine set of fellows, hospitable, en- 

 tertaining, good cruisers and have only one failing, they do not race 

 enough. 



As to Mr. Holden, at times I have thought there was hope for him, 

 and then again he will say something which will disprove it. I admire 

 his feeling that every canoeist should be a member of the A. C. A., 

 but not for a mercenary object. He says a man gets absolutely 

 nothing for his dollar unless he goes to the meet and that no one has 

 told him to the contrary. 



He says he can get all the important news of the meet from the 

 newspapers and magazines. The ideas as to fittings etc., he can pick 

 up well enough to suit him from his contact with others in cruising or 

 visiting at neighboring club houses. What a narrow-minded, mean 

 policy that would be. Suppose every one followed the same lines, 

 would we have any A. C. A., any clubs, anv canoeists or any canoeing 

 at all? 



I am afraid that the fellow who would be satisfied to work on such 

 principles, would be the kind^that would borrow his neighbor's paper 

 instead of buying his own, or would cut a hole in the circus tent to 

 t>ee the show, instead of paying his admission. Ianths 



