FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Jan. SS, 1896. 
port that they should be unable to obtain it even after it has practi- 
cally been made public by underhand means. Taking the matter 
from first to last, it must be said that it has been very badly man- 
aged so far as the great public of both America and England is con- 
cerned. It might now be in order for the club to appoint a committee 
and investigate the circumstances attending this premature publi- 
cation of the evidence. 
YACHT DESIGNING.— IV. 
BY W. P. STEPHENS. 
[Continued from page 59.1 
Speed, as it is properly understood in yachting, is not 
the actual rate of a vessel in knots, or miles per hour; hut 
it is the ratio of this actual speed to the sum total of the 
speed-giving elements, whatever they may be; and for 
lack of a better term we are compelled to use "size" to 
express this total. Indefinite and inadequate as it is, no 
better term has yet been devised to express this general 
idea. "Measurement," "rating," "mean length," "cor- 
rected length," "tonnage" and other similar terms have 
been used at various times for the same purpose, but they 
are even more limited in their application. The "size" 
of a yacht is not measured by anyone dimension, even 
length, nor the sum of a number of the dimensions; it is 
not the sail area nor the sail-carrying power, but it is a 
combination of dimensions of hull, sail area, amount and 
depth of ballast and of other less plainly apparent ele- 
ments. Thus far, after two centuries of yachting, noth- 
ing approaching an accurate and scientific formula in- 
cluding the main elements of speed in their true relations 
has been produced; and yachtsmen are perforce content 
with some rough and ready approximation which is more 
convenient than accurate. 
One of the most mischievous and erroneous of the many 
attempts to measure "size" in a simple manner is the 
length rule, based on length alone, taken in various differ- 
ent ways. The general acceptance in this country, as 
well as in other places at times, as an axiom, of the false 
and misleading statement that "length giveR speed," has 
worked no end of harm to yachting in the production and 
perpetuation of faulty models. As long as it is recognized 
that no possible combination of all the dimensions of a 
yacht has yet been discovered which will give a reason- 
able measure of her initial elements of speed, it is idle to 
expect that one single dimension will do so. Another fal- 
lacy which hindered and impeded the progrees of design 
for years was that so long used as the basis for the meas- 
urement rule of Great Britain, that any product of length, 
breadth and a third function, which bore no relation what- 
ever to any dimension of a yacht, but was purely im- 
aginary, constituted a true measure of the "size." 
The assumption that "length gives speed," for many 
years the practical basis of American yacht racing, is true 
in a limited sense only when associated with the very im- 
portant qualification, "other things being equal," and the 
same applies to the old tonnage and many other rules. 
In yachtB of exactly the same proportions, model and bal- 
lasting, a single dimension or a very imperfect formula of 
measurement may give very satisfactory results; but when 
applied to yachts of different types they fail entirely and 
encourage some one special type, the skimming dish or the 
narrow cutter, or something equally exaggerated and un- 
desirable, to the exclusion of all others. 
The best of the many rules yet tested in actual practice 
is the "length and sail area" rule, based on the rough as- 
sumption that, while length is used directly, the two other 
important dimensions, beam and draft, are reached in- 
directly through their resultant, the sail plan that they 
will carry. In this country, with a comparatively limited 
amount of building and keen class racing, the rule worked 
well in actual practice for over a dozen years, or as long 
as it was applied to yachts which, whatever their propor- 
tions, carried the ballast directly attached to the hull. 
The introduction of a long lever, of no appreciable dis- 
placement, the fin-keel, between the hull proper and the 
ballast, a lead bulb, has produced certain important ele- 
ments of speed of which the rule takes no cognizance, 
and it now fails to measure fairly the honest keel yacht, 
such as Minerva and Gloriana, alongside of the fin- keel 
racing craft. 
In Great Britain, with more building and racing in es- 
tablished classes and under different modifying conditions, 
the same rule in a slightly different form lasted but five 
years, from 1887 to 1892, before the introduction of the fin 
type destroyed its value. 
Those elements of "size "which are most plainly ap- 
parent are length, beam, draft, displacement, amount of 
ballast, depth of ballast, and sail area; and as the relative 
values of these may vary in different types, such as the 
shoal and wide centerboard yacht, the moderate cutter 
and the racing bulb fin, it is hardly to be hoped that any 
satisfactory formula expressing the sum total of their 
values will ever be discovered. In the meantime the best 
that can be done is to adopt such a formula as may be 
practical, convenient of application, and reasonably fair 
to existing yachts, and at the same time tend to produce 
a better and not a worse type. However carefully framed, 
and however well it may work for a time, the best of 
such formulas will sooner or later develop some weak 
points which will produce undesirable types. They must 
be watched continually and amended as occasion de- 
mands, before the evil has gone so far as to require a rad- 
ical remedy that will be opposed by "vested interests." 
In this connection we would point out that every 
yachtsman who is in any way interested in racing has a 
direct and personal interest in the question of measure- 
ment and classification; he should post himself as far as 
possible upon existing rules and those that have been 
tried and discarded in the past; he should discuss the 
question with other yachtsmen, and he should study care- 
fully all complaints against the existing rule and pro- 
posals for its improvement; being prepared to take delib- 
erate and intelligent action when such proposals are dis- 
cussed and voted upon. 
Unfortunately there are many even among good racing 
men who pursue an opposite course; as long as their own 
yachts do fairly well under the existing rule they care 
nothing how unfair it may be to other yachts or bow bad 
in its tendencies; they oppose all movements for a change 
and discourage all attempts to "talk shop" in discussing 
the question. Their interest in the matter only begins 
when, through one chance or another, their own yachts 
are adversely affected; and even then the consideration is 
purely a selfish one, and they work only for themselves 
and not for the general good of the sport. While there 
is small ground for the hope that a satisfactory formula 
of measurement, universally applicable to all types and 
for an indefinite time, will ever be discovered, there is 
still a wide field for practical and valuable improvement 
in racing rules, and it should be the pride of every earnest 
yachtsman to aid in the good work. 
So far as the immediate subject i3 concerned, the de- 
signing of yachts, it rests with the designer almost at the 
outset to take the rule as it stands and study it carefully 
with a view both to its intent and its possibilities, as the 
success of his yacht, as we have already pointed out, de- 
pends on its performance as measured by the rule as a 
standard. It is quite possible that the yacht may be ex- 
pensive to run, hard to steer, of inconvenient draft and 
generally useless, bub still she may be a success in that 
she wins the prizes under the given racing rule. Of 
course the case is somewhat different in a cruising yacht, 
but there are comparatively few even of the cruising 
classes that do not find the occasion to race at some time 
during their career, and in nearly every yacht the de- 
signer should consider the existing rule and its classes. 
It is hardly to be expected that the designer will throw 
away his chances through a purely sentimental regard for 
the general good of yachting; but in studying the rule 
with a view to building under it, he will do well to con- 
sider first what its intent may be, presumably the pro- 
duction of a yacht of all-round excellence, and, as far as 
the conditions will allow, to conform to it. There is com- 
paratively little credit to a designer in winning merely by 
t iking advantage of some extension or evasion of the let- 
ter of the rule that has thus far escaped notice; and 
though the competition of match sailing must always put 
a premium on making the most out of the rule, it will 
be more satisfactory for the designer and better for the 
sport if he rests content with the average dimensions and 
construction of the class, and relies on superior care and 
skill, than if he takes some one detail and carries it out to 
an extreme degree. The temporary triumph which re- 
sults from the latter course is dearly paid for by the 
infliction of a new extravagance or absurdity on future 
yachts. 
However he may interpret and observe the intent of the 
rule, the designer cannot afford to neglect its utmost pos- 
sibilities; and after assuring himself of them he must 
decide what good features are possible under the rule, 
what exteme ones and what evasions, and which he will 
accept and which reject. It is possible that he may fore- 
8 3e some development of the rule which, though undesir- 
able, is so plainly inevitable that there can be no good 
reason for neglecting it. On the other hand, he may dis- 
cover some weak point in the wording by which he may 
evade the plain spirit of the rule and gain an unfair 
advantage for the season, or until the rule can be 
amended. It is not always an easy task for the designer 
to decide just what he may and what he will do under a 
given rule; but his judgment should always be influenced 
by a spirit of fair play and a regard for the general good 
of the sport. 
We have already pointed out that the work of the naval 
designer is done under many more limitations than that 
of the architect on shore, and a thorough consideration of 
these limitations and of the general conditions is the first 
step in designing. The various limitations and conditions 
maybe divided under three heads: the measurement rule, 
local conditions and the special requirements of the 
owner. In the case of a purely cruising yacht the former 
may be disregarded entirely; but it is well, even in such a 
yacht, to build under the rule and to recognized class 
limits. It very frequently happens that an owner builds 
a yacht with no intention of racing, selecting such 
dimensions as chance suggests; when the yacht is com- 
pleted she turns out a smart craft, and the owner is seized 
with the desire to race her, but he finds that she is be- 
tween two classes and needlessly handicapped. As a rule 
it is quite as easy to build closely to the limits of some 
one of the many existing classes as to fall in between, and 
the owner may change his mind and wish to race him- 
self, or he may desire to sell the yacht, in which case her 
value will be decidedly higher if she comes within some 
regular class. 
Assuming that a yacht is to be built under some one 
rule and for a certain fixed class, the first point is to study 
the rule both as to the various factors included in it, such 
as waterline, beam, sail area, girth, etc., and the relative 
value of each in the formula. In the case of the present 
"Seawanhaka rule," in which the factors are both length 
and sail area, the best proportions for each must be de- 
cided, and this is dependent in turn on whether the classi- 
fication is by waterline length alone, or by the racing 
length as found by the rule. The details of measurement 
of waterline and sails, the limitations of crew and ballast, 
must all be carefully considered in determining the gen- 
eral dimensions and type of the proposed yacht; certain 
existing yachts in the same class, whose dimensions, etc. , 
are known, being used as the basis of the investigation. 
An inspection of these, the unsuccessful as well as the suc- 
cessful, will suggest a certain type and various dimensions 
as giving the best promise of success. 
Closely associated with the rule and class limits are the 
local conditions, the nature of the waters, open or shel- 
tered, with low shores or surrounded by hills and moun- 
tains, the direction and force of the prevailing winds, the 
extreme depth of water allowable on the anchorage 
grounds and the usual racing courses; these and many 
other considerations have an important influence on the 
design. To reconcile the limitations imposed by these 
natural conditions with the requirements of the owner is 
no easy task, but one involvmg much thought and delib- 
eration before the designer is ready to set pencil to paper. 
The demands of the owner are many and conflicting. 
In the first place is safety, including certain qualities of 
seaworthiness and non-capsizability — at least under all 
ordinary conditions and with reasonably skillful hand- 
ling. This is only to be obtained at a certain sacrifice of 
speed, and also of that convenience of use which oomes 
from very light draft. 
Speed, on the other hand, if carried to any extreme, 
involves extra cost, both of construction and running, a 
loss of certain cruising qualities, limited accommodation 
owing to the large ere w space, sail lockers, etc. , a shorter 
life to the yacht, and a lower sail value after the first two 
or three seasons. 
In all but the extreme racing craft the questions of 
comfort and convenience appeal strongly to the owner, 
but these involve a loss of speed through smaller sail plan, 
greater weight of fittings, smaller crew space, and higher 
freeboard and cabin trunk, as well as a greater draft than 
is always desirable. Headroom and floor space, a mini- 
mum of 6ft. for the former and 30in. for the latter, are 
essential to comfort in most yachts, but they involve con- 
siderable draft and high freeboard. The latter is good in 
many ways; it gives room below, an increased range in 
stability, and dry decks; but it involves an amount of wind- 
age and a raising of the weights which are seriously 
detrimental to speed, especially where the sail area is a 
material factor in the rule. 
The draft is a dimension which it is always desirable to 
reduce to the lowest possible limit consistent with other 
essential features; even though an extreme draft may be 
justifiable through the room that it gives, the added 
safety and weatherly qualities, and the fact that the yacht 
is used mainly in deep waters, as in offshore cruising, 
there will be many times when it will be more convenient, 
if not safer, to draw 10ft. than 12, or in a smaller yacht 
8ft. than 8. The advantages of a comparatively deep 
yacht are too great to be ignored; but the designer should 
use every effort to secure a fair average of these advan- 
tages without taking an amount of draft that is excessive 
under the conditions of the case. In the first rough plan- 
ning of a design it is well to remember in laying out the 
various dimensions that the heighc of a man, or about 
6ft , is the common measure of both height and length; a 
headroom of 6 ft. under the beams is necessary in order to 
stand erect; and the fore and aft accommodations are 
regulated by the length required for sleeping, or about 6ft. 
3 in. for each compartment. 
A very careful survey of the whole situation is neces- 
sary in order to decide on such dimensions and general 
features as will produce a yacht that will fit a certain class 
under the given measurement rule, and will embody a 
fair average of those requirements demanded by the in- 
dividual tastes of the owner. 
In most cases the yacht may be considered in two parts: 
the vessel viewed purely as a floating structure, and the 
house, including the various living compartments; each 
opposed to the other. It must be borne in mind that at 
the outset the vessel is usually limited to a certain length 
of waterline and a certain extreme draft, and that these 
of necessity impose certain limits on the size of the house. 
It is very often the case that the owner after fixing the 
waterline and draft proceeds to carry out the hull in long 
ends, builds up a high freeboard and caps the structure 
with a lofty cabin trunk, giving fine room below; but when 
he has finished his house is out of all proportion to the 
vessel which is to carry it and the result is a failure. The 
limit of length is one that appeals to a man at once as 
one of the main factors of cost; the limit of draft is also 
readily appreciated from a knowledge of the waters 
where the yacht will be used; the natural limits to the 
expansion of the out-of- water body are quite as real and 
as rigid, but not as plainly evident at first sight. 
Save in exceptional cases, and these only in racing, the 
way to success in yacht designing is not through the use 
of certain good features to an extreme extent, but 
through a thorough harmony of all details of the design, 
producing a well balanced whole. This applies to dimen- 
sions, to the general arrangement and to the actual lines; 
it is not enough that a part should b8 perfect in itself, but 
it must harmonize with all others, and this idea should be 
before the designer from the start. Later on we shall 
come to specific facts and figures relating to the selection 
of dimensions, type, etc., but in this work aid is always 
at hand, not only in those yachts within reach of the de- 
signer, but through the many designs of yachts that are 
now published in yachting books and periodicals. In de- 
fault of a long personal experience, such designs afford 
the material for that comparison which is the baBis of 
practical designing. 
The Report of the Regatta Committee. 
The annual report of the regatta committee of the New York Y, 0. 
was made public last week, containing much interesting information 
concerning the celebrated foul of the second international race. The 
report gives the usual summary of the events of the year, with win- 
ners and prizes, all of which has already been published as the races 
occurred. The most important part, that relating to the foul, we 
reproduce in full, as follows: 
The Match for the America's Cup. 
NEW YORK, SEPT. 7, 10 AND 12. 
Defender.— Wm. K. Vanderbllt, ex-Com. E. D. Morgan and C. 
Oliver Iselin (in command) -of the New York Y. C.— for the club. 
Valkyrie III.— The Rt. Hon. the Earl of Dunraven, K. P., and others 
—for the Royal Yacht Squadron. 
Outline of Conditions.— It was agreed between Valkyrie and the 
Cup committee that the match should consist of best three out of five 
races, over two courses to be sailed in alternation ; one, 15 miles to 
windward or leeward and return, and the other, once around a triangle 
10 miles to a leg. The start was to be made from Sandy Hook Light- 
ship, but when the direction o£ the wind would not permit laying the 
first course from the Lightship, the start was to be made further out. 
The preparatory period was ten minutes, and two minutes were 
allowed to croBS the line. The regatta committee could postpone a 
race on account of fog; they could also postpone the start until 1 
P. M., with the assent of both contestants, and from 1 to 3 the mat- 
ter was left to their discretion; but no race was to be started later 
than 3 o'clock, the time limit for each race being Bix hours. Subject 
to these limitations, it was obligatory on the committee to make the 
preparatory signals at 10:50 and the start at 11. Reasonable time was 
to be allowed for the repair of accidents prior to the preparatory 
signal, and in case of accidents occurriug during the race sufficient 
time was to be given for their repair before the next race was started. 
But from the time of making the preparatory signal the racing rules 
applied and the race was on, with all of its responsibilities and obliga- 
tions. 
Courses, etc.— The starting points were well out at sea; and as 
the courses were laid seaward, they were "ocean courses, outside of 
headlands," as called for by the deed. Ths turning points were floats 
carrying a 14x10ft. red flag with horizontal white stripe, on a 16ft. 
pale. Eacii lloat was markad by a two-masted tug showing an 8ft. 
red ball swung from the triatic stay, from 45 to 50£t. above the water. 
To dlstinguUn them from other tugs these marking tugs (which were 
among the largest and most powerful ocean tugs on the United States 
coast) were instructed to fly no flags unless a float were wrecked, In 
which case the tug marking it would take its place and display the 
club burgee in addition to the ball. 
The courses were laid by Lieut. C. McR. Winslow, U. S. N. (N. Y. 
Y, C), in charge of the ocean tug Edgar Luckenbach. In order to 
reduce the chance of error in laying out the courses, Mr. Winslow, 
assisted by Lieut. V. L. Cottman, U. S. N., took the tug to the Lower 
Bay on Sept. 6 and adjusted her compasses by swinging her on chan- 
nel ranges using a pelorus. He also compared the New York Y. C.'s 
patent log. which he accepted as a standard, with the tug's log , and 
found that they differed by "5-100 of a knot in aO-knot run." The 
N. Y. Y. C.'slog and the deviation tables obtained from swinging the 
tug were used in laying the courses. Oa Sept. 10 (tringular course)' 
Mr. Winslow set the first float and remained to mark it until relieved! 
by Lieut. Henry Morrell, U. S. N. (N. Y. Y. O), who had assisted in. 
patrolling the stare and the earlier portion of the race with the E. L. 
Luckenbach. When relieved, Mr. Winslow delayed at the first turn in 
order to give both yachts a lead down the second leg, and .then pro- 
ceeded to run the second course, allowing for 20 of easterly deviation, 
as called for by his tables. Both yachts had already xeceived;the com- 
pass course for this second leg by signal; the weather was clear, with 
no sea, and the wind broad upon the quarter; and excepting Mr. 
Winelow'stug there was nothing on the course (which was only ten 
miles in length) ahead of the leading yacht, which was Valkyrie, ex- 
cept a small tug well off to the northward and westward. Mr. Wins- 
low recorded the time of setting the second float and of Valkyrie's 
turning; and as his report shows the float was anchored and the ball 
displayed when Valkyrie was over two miles distant. Mr. Winslow 
