258 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Sept. 22, 1894. 
American canoes has been freely conceded by British canoeists since 
1886; and it is a matter of regret that in this, the first American sailing 
canoe to visit England, the national type has been so poorly repre- 
sented. 
Mr. Howard's Racing. 
It will h« in the memory of most canoeing men that the American 
canoeist Mr. Howard, having sailed several matches at Bourne End- 
on-Thames at the Royal C. C. meeting in June, found out that his 
canoe's "acknowledged superior speed 11 could not be obtained on "so 
poor a course as Bourne End reach." Leaving aside the possibility 
that superior speed may have lain dormant, we had the fact that no- 
where near the speed of any of the English canoes was reached by the 
Yankee at Bourne End. Mr. Howard then published an open chal- 
lenge to all canoemen to sail on open salt water, and he selected Sal- 
combe Harbor as the locality when his challenge was taken up by Mr. 
Brand, owner of the canoe-yawl Spruce. 
We have now received some very interesting notes from Mr. Howard 
from Salcombe, and, with his permission, we mention some of thetn, 
and especially a description of a capsize, which, had we not received it 
from fcb> actor therein, we should have been inclined to dub a Mun- 
chausonian adventure. 
sheet at critical moments Yankee never lets fly a sheet, even when 
on her beam ends, but sails with cleated sheets at all times. 
In conclusion, permit me to say that, as a racing machine, Yankee 
is a very mild sort of craft indeed when compared with the canoe that 
an English canoeist intends to build under the R. C- C. rules for next 
year. As at present outlined this craft will be 16ft. over all, 10ft. 
water line, and 3ft. beam. She will have a Yankee self-draining well 
and a 7ft. sliding seat, and will carry 180 sq. ft. of saiL 
Salcombe, S. Devon, Sept. 3. Wm. Willard Howahd. 
New York Canoe Club. 
At this moment, with the exception of Mr. Lane's description of the 
camp and meet of the British Oanoe Association, we have no official 
report of the results of the B. C. A. races; but no doubt with all the 
hundred and one things to be done in camp, and in packing up and 
transporting away, the officer responsible for tb« report finds his 
hands too full at the moment to fill in the log. But we understand 
that several races were sailed, the results being favorable to the 
British canoes. Mr. Howard, however, sailed his match against 
Spruce and won, but, without saying much as to speed, as indicated 
by the match, we feel sure Mr. Howard himself will admit that the 
conditions and circumstances were no test of either boat. A full 
report of this match was published last week in the Field, page 321, 
which says "the wind was light and fluky." Spruce, before the start- 
ing gun, could not. from where she put off, stem the tide, and was 
12m. 25s. late in crossing the starting line; Yankee put off from shore 
at a different place (probably in the slack) and made the line all right. 
The whole race was in puffs and calms, drifts and spurts on both 
sides, And the finish, if taken as to times of crossing the start line so 
as to show difference of time occupied in sailing the eours", is 57s. in 
favor of Spruce; but Spruce had to allow Yankee 6m. 41s. Y. R. A. 
time for difference of rating, so that Yankee beat Spruce by 5m. 44s. 
In the race for the Lough Erne challenge cup there appears to have 
been a better breeze, and, apart from the question of corrected time 
by handicap, Yankee finished fifth out of ten starters, beating five 
canoes. But the race was a handicap, and the can^e entry did not 
include the best flowers, such as Dragon, Battledore, Whizz and other 
crack racing boats. The canoe yawl Rogue won the cup, with Spruce 
second. 
Thus far. therefore, the "open water" race, bo much desired by the 
Yankee, has not been obtained, and possibly a further match will be 
sought. We suggested Southampton water some time back, and we 
have no doubt that in such water a really fair trial c«uld be had 
almost any day. But it should be against canoes, not against, canoe- 
yawls; the inequalities between the two classes are too extensive to 
make a race between them worth anvthing more than a pleasant sail. 
Hollow spars have been quite the fashion in canoes for many years 
past, but the American hreed of this nature do«s not seem to stand 
the damp at this time so unhappily common ; the Yaakee's spars all 
came apart and had to he "whipped up;" probably they were only 
gummed together, whereas our spars are usually screwed up after 
being split and hollowed out. But so far the hollow spar is mare or 
lesB a poetical delusion; bamboos fill the bill, but they are ugly and 
utterly unshipshape, and very often split and snap without any warn- 
ing or perceptible spring. 
Capsizing we have often pointed out may be quite dangerous, not- 
withstanding watertight compartments and bucket-wells The perfect 
drill of righting a capsized canoe in a few seconds, which has so 
frequently been displayed by our leading canoe sailors and by Mr. 
Howard in Yankee, may go wrong and not come off, and then, as we 
have warned novices, all depends on its being smooth water and close 
to land. Mr. Howard says: 
"On Tuesday, during the Salcombe cup race (probably he means 
the Town Regatta race). Yankee took a bad case of gripes, and while 
trying to keep her off the shore I landed myself in the water. The 
boat was turned up by the great force of the wind, and the tops of the 
masts stuck in the mud a foot or morp. I had to dive down and pull 
them up bodily. I went on and rounded the first buoy almost be- 
numbed with cold. On the beat back the wind was so strong that my 
weight— 1601bs— was not enough, even on the end of my long seat, to 
hold up barely 65 sq. ft. of sail. Benumbed with wet and cold I was 
unable to do any acrobatic feats, and was thrown bodily to leeward 
like a stone out of a sling; then I lost my centerboard. No canoe was 
able to go the course. Spruce, with a rag of canvas, won the race, 
sailing to windward with center-plate and rudder out of water, her 
lee deck acting as a center-plate:" . .. 
If so perfect a canoe acrobat as Mr. Howard m his bottled-up 
American canoe is unable to prevent, the elements from planting the 
boat roots upward in submerged British soil. 1ft no novice risk such 
a probable loss of his property and possible loss of his life. He may 
not be able to accomplish the first-prize aquatic feat of diving to the 
bottom and prising the mast bodily out of the mud; he had better sit 
contentedly on the keel and wait the rising tide to either lift the hull off 
the masts or the masts out of the mud. 
Any way, the whole thing seriously shows the folly of racing 30iu. 
canoes, unballasted, on open water; a bulb-keel ballasted canoe would 
possibly be uncomfortable, but very unlikely to serve her owner such 
a trick. Were. the canoe races frequently on open waters, or com- 
paratively open waters, no doubt the type of racing canoe would rap- 
idly change from the narrow bucket- well and no ballast form to that 
of the utmost beam allowed and a moderate allowance bulbed-fin lift- 
able keel — The Field. 
The following letter for Mr. William Willard Howard appears.in the 
last issue of the Field: 
Sir— Kindly give me space for a few words on your canoeing notes 
of last Saturday. • . 
1. If the racing at Salcombe has lett any doubt as to the speed of 
my canoe Yankee, I have only to point out that my challenge to Brit- 
ish canoeists for match sailing is still open, and to say that I should 
be glad of a race with the "best flowers" of English canoeing on 
Southampton water, or any convenient place large enough to contain 
a triangular course. I should prefer to meet Dragon (R. C. O), as I 
consider her to be the best English racing canoe that I have seen. I 
expected to meet Dragon at Salcombe, but I understand that her 
owner found it impossible to attend the B. C. A. camp. 
2. It is true that Yankee finished fifth in the B. C. A. cup race, but, 
as you say you have had no report of the racing, I may add that she 
started 10m. 7s. late (owing to her skipper having sailed as mate in a 
yawl race the same afternoon), but had the race been decided on cor- 
rected sailing time, as with yacht racing in America, she would have 
won the race. On the official figures of the race, had Yankee started 
pven with Rogue (winner) she would have finished 2m. 47s. after 
Rogue, and so won on time allowance, Rogue giving Yankee 3m. on 
the B. C A. handicap. On Y. R. A. rules Rogue would have given 
Yankee 4J^m. In actual sailing time Rogue did the course in less time 
than Spruce I. or any other boat in the fleet except Rogue. Under R. 
C C rules Rogue would not be admitted to either yawl or canoe races, 
as she carries two sliding seats. I quite agree with you that yawls 
and canoes should be kept in separate classes, or, if they are raced 
together, a craft like Rogue, with two sliding seats, should give a 
canoe the full Y. R. A. time allowance. 
3 I cannot quite see how Yankee's mishaps in the Salcombe cup 
race Aug. 14. "show the folly of racing 30in. canoes, unballasted, on 
open waters." The capsize happened in a narrow waterway, South 
Pool Creek, and was due entirely to the fact that the nearness of the 
shore prevented luffing out of the circular squall that swept down on 
her Spruce III. was luffed ashore at the same time but she quickly 
got off uninjured. Had I been able to luff without danger of wreck- 
ing my boat, I should have escaped the squall and doubtless finished 
the race. I did continue the race, but too benumbed with cold to pre- 
vent another capsize, and the loss of Yankee's center-plate half an 
hour later. In that race much larger craft than Yankee were sunk or 
disabled, and only three boats finished out of fourteen entries. 
4 What sort of boat would you recommend to novices? Surely 
not yawls, for during the B. O A. races and cruises no fewer than 
four yawls capsized— Spruce I., Rogue, Vestal and Slaney. Surely 
not open-well canoes, for when they capsize, they are run ashore and 
taken in tow, as anyone may have seen in th» case of Dragon and 
Whizz at Bourne End, "Vanessa and Meryl at Teddington reach, and 
Banshee at Salcombe. As a matter of fact, Yankee is the only canoe 
that I have seen in England that is able to get up and continue a race 
after a capsize. Now if you cannot recommend a craft of that sort to 
a novice, what kind of marine curiosity are you going to advise 
recruits in canoeing to take up? My observation of bulb-plate canoes 
in America is that they capsize quite as readily as boats like Yankee. 
Of course it is possible to make a non-capsizable canoe by giving her 
a tremendously heavy bulb-fin, but she would not be a canoe worth 
the notice even of a novice. During the race on Aug. 14, Spruce IH., 
(weighted center-plate prater) was kept from capsizing only by the 
unusual skill of her skipper, Mr. Brand, and the letting fly of the main 
hefting. 
FIXTURES. 
SKPTEMBER- 
20. Plymouth, Club, Plymouth, 22. Knickerbocker, Ladies 1 Day, 
Mass. Long Island Sound. 
20. Plymouth, Club, Plym. Harbor 22. Cor Phila., Jeanes Prize, Del- 
22. Squantum, Cham , Squantum, aware River. 
Mass. ?2. Phila., Final Race, Classes 1, 2 
22. American, Seaver Cup, New- and 3, Delaware River. 
buryport. 23. San Francisco Cor., Sail Out- 
22. Atlantic City Cor., Trophy side. 
Race, Atlantic City. 29. Miramichi. Race, Chatham to 
22. San Francisco Cor., Sail to Newcastle. 
Sausalito. 29-30. San Francisco Cor., Cruise 
22. New York Bay, Club, N. Y. Bay to McNear's. 
OCTOBER. 
6. Cor. Phila., Sweeps, Del. River 20. Cor. Phila., Club, Del. River. 
13. San Francisco Cor., Final Sail. 
The committee recently appointed by the Yacht Racing Association 
to report on the desirability of a change of the rule, held a meeting 
on Sept. 10, and after consultation with Messrs. Watson. Fife, Payne 
and Dixon Kemp, adopted a resolution recommending that negotia- 
tions be entered into with the New York Y. C. looking to the adoption 
of an international rule; and that, in the event of these negotiations 
being a failure, modification of the present rule be made in 1895, 
to take effect at the end of next season; the modifications being 
such aB to produce a more compact form. A suggestion was made 
that beam should be included in the formula, and also that a premium 
be put upon depth of hull at a quarter of the beam, thus insuring a 
desirable depth of body and internal space. 
The proposed coBperation of the two countries can only work to 
mutual advantage if carried out, and there are no serious obstacles in 
the way if both parties really desire to make such a step. There is a 
certain difficulty in this country from the fact that there is no union 
of clubs and yachtsmen such as the British Y. R. A. and the Union des 
Yachts Frangais, and any action would depend on the harmonious 
cooperation of the leading American clubs. 
The matter really hinges on the New York Y. C, if that club takes 
up the subject in earnest and invites the assistance of the Seawanhaka, 
Larchmont, Eastern, Atlantic and a few other clubs, the work can be 
carried out by a conference committee; but if the New York Y. C. 
opposes the scheme, either actively, or only by neglecting to take it up 
and push it, there is little likelihood that the other clubs will do any- 
thing. The systematizing of international racing under one common 
rule, with definite class limits, means more racing, better racing, and 
generally more satisfactory results than under the existing system, 
with its inducements toward outbuilding and overpowering. The 
outcome of the committee's work is likely to be a formal overture 
from the Y. R. A. to the New York Y. C. to assist in a revision of the 
present rules. 
One of the mortifying things in life is to be compelled to explain in 
cold blood a remark that was intended to be facetious or sarcastic; 
and just now we are in that unpleasant predicament. Our contem- 
porary, the Yachtsman, has innocently taken in sober earnest our 
recent remarks about the two national airs, "God Save the Queen 1 ' 
and "America." For the enlightenment of the Yachtsman we must 
needs explain, that when the American patriot desires to chant the 
praises of liberty and freedom he borrows the identical tune in which 
the enslaved subjects of an effete monarchy are used to extol the vir- 
tues of their sovereign, whether Queen or Kaiser. We may take the 
Yachtsman further into our confidence, and say that our remarks 
were directed at a class of Americans who extol or condemn a thing 
not on its merits, but merely according to their belief, often erroneous, 
that it is of American or foreign origin. It is hardly a matter of 
national pride that in over a century the greatest nation on earth has 
not been able to produce a fitting national air. 
The Yachtsman's comments, however, fail to explain a most excep- 
tional breach of yachting usage— the failure of the fleet to salute the 
winning yacht. If ever the millenium comes in yachting, one of the 
signs will be the total suppression of the senseless whistling and can- 
nonading which marks the termination of a race; but as long as it is 
the custom to thus salute the winner, the failure to do so in the case 
of Vigilant is certainly a fair ground for criticism. 
All sorts of rumors are rife as to new challengers, one being to the 
effect that Mr. Will Fife, Jr., is at work on a design for a syndicate 
composed of Lord Dunraven, Lord Lonsdale, Capt. Harry McCalmont 
and Mr. A. B. Walker. It is fairly certain that Mr. Watson will design 
a challenger for Lord Dunraven and Lord Lonsdale, and the 
challengers are desirous of such terms as will allow them to select a 
representative yacht from the class, by a series of trial races, just as 
the defender is selected on this side. There is nothing at all unfair in 
this proposal, or in any way contradictory to the spirit of the bona 
ftda deed of gift, however it may conflict with the complicated ver- 
biage of the new deed; but it remains to be seen whether the New 
York Y. C. will go so far. If an agreement be made to build to one 
standard size for challenger and defender, no further necessity exists 
for demanding the exact dimensions ten months in advance so as to 
be able to outbuild the challenger; and it matters little to the 
defenders what the particular name or ownership of the challenging 
yacht may be. It is true that a selection by a series of trial races will 
probably produce a faster yacht than the building of but one boat; 
but if the challenger is to reap the full amount of benefit from such 
trial races, the only place to hold them is at New York. If sailed, as 
they naturally would be, off Cowes, they would probably show the 
fastest boat for the channel, but not of necessity, as has been often 
proven, for Sandy Hook. 
The great value of the trial races of recent years lies not in the fact 
that they tend to the selection of the fastest of the three or four boatB 
built to defend the Cup; but that through these races, just prior to 
the main competition, the boats are worked up to far better form. 
The building and fitting out of the defending yachts is always done in 
a hurry, they go on the August cruise as a trial trip, and the cruise 
racing serves to work them up to tolerable form; but it is in the final 
trial races in September that they are properly tuned up for the inter- 
national races for the Cup. In the case of the challenging yacht, 
though ready earlier in the season and sailing more races, all the work 
of tuning up is thrown away by the Atlantic passage in July, and 
should be done anew after refitting at New York. To do it properly 
is manifestly impossible, as there is uothing for the challenger to race 
with, and only by real racing can the best trim be ascertained. If the 
privilege of trial races and the subsequent selection of a challenger is 
accorded, the challenging club should send at least two yachts to New 
York to sail against each other until one is manifestly superior, thus 
avoidingjthe mistake of last season, of sailing Valkyrie with no posi- 
tive knowledge as to her new trim and ballasting. 
The suggestion has been made from the other side, and seconded by 
some American papers, that the next Cup races be sailed elsewhere 
than New York, and it is reported that Lord Dunraven will ask that 
Newport be chosen. The principal reason for this, on the part of Lord 
Dunraven, is to avoid the attendant crowd of steamers and tugs which 
caused so much annoyance last year, and which, sooner or later, will 
go further and actually interfere with a race. If Lord Dunraven were 
fully posted as to the steamboat and tugboat business, he would know 
that there is not an available place on the Atlantic coast where this 
nuisance can be avoided, and that Newport would be quite as bad as 
New York. The races come most providentially for the steamboat 
men just after the end of the busy season before the steamers are laid 
up and when almost all they can take in is profit. If there are a few 
dollars to be made at Newport, every idle tug and steamer, large and 
small, not of New York alone, but of Boston and the Sound ports, will 
be on hand, the dozen hours' steaming being no obstacle at all. 
While many yachtsmen from the vicinity of New York would be de- 
prived of a chance of seeing the races at little loss of time, their places 
would be taken by others from New England, and especially from 
Boston, and the attendant fleet would be quite as large as ever. Much 
the same applies to Marblehead; some of the smaller tugs would be 
absent, but their places would be taken by others, not to speak of 
small sailing craft by the hundred; a nuisance which is not experi- 
enced outside of Sandy Hook. We have seen a fleet of catboats and 
small sloops off Marblehead and Half Way Rock, in 1887, so dense that 
it was dangerous to sail a large racing yacht. In going so far to sea, 
off the Hook, this evil of many small sailboats is at least avoided, but 
off Newport or Marblehead it will be a new and serious complication. 
Unfortunately, there is no gainsaying the truth of all that is urged 
against the course outside of Sandy Hook, it is most inconvenient of 
access, and the long tow of twenty miles each way, with the loss of 
time, is a serious drawback which would be avoided at Newport or 
Marblehead. On the other hand, however, even if the New York Y t 
C. were at all inclined to give up its home waters, the winds at the 
other two places are quite as uncertain and fickle as off the Hook, and 
the chances of postponement quite as great. The vicioity of Point 
Judith, Brenton's Reef and Block Island is the very home of fluky 
winds, as witness the many drifting races for the Goelet cups and 
other prizes, and the record of Marblehead in any season shows 
innumerable postponements through calm or fog. Even though no 
worse than Sandy Hook in this most important particular, it cannot 
be urged that either place is better provided with wind in September 
and October. 
Another serious objection is found to the selection of Newport, the 
absence of hotel accommodation, the hotels being few and poor, 
though quite up to the standard in the matter of charges, Though 
the races are not run for the benefit of the spectators, they attract a 
very large number of yachtsmen from all parts of the country, and it 
would be a disappointment to many were they held in a place like 
Newport with poor railway facilities and few hotels. 
There can be no doubt about the importance of getting an inter- 
national rule for the rating of yachts in competitive sailing, and the 
present appears to be a ripe time for achieving the object. As we 
have many times pointed out, it would be an easy matter to alter the 
present rule, or to devise another which will secure more under-water 
body; but in doing so we shall be departing from the practice of our 
great yachtiDg rivals, the Americans. That is really what we have at 
present to reckon with. There will be the usual rush of new rules 
and old rules refurbished; but just at present it would be a sheer 
waste of time examining any of them until it is decided whether or not 
we are to have an international rating rule. 
With regard to the under-water body, it does not very much signify 
whether the body is under water or above it as long as the body exists 
somewhere, and means exist for keeping the vessel on her feet. Still, 
however good, fast and seaworthy a yacht, say of 46ft. waterline, 
may be, she is not a very desirable craft to turn into a cruiser when 
her racing days are over if she has only about 4ft. 6in. of head room; 
and it is argued that the expenses of yacht racing would be decreased 
if a higher price could be obtained for the cast-off racers. Of course, 
this argument will not appeal to the men of large means, and it must 
be remembered that it is really these favorites of fortune who keep 
yachting going in its most prominent form.— The Field. 
American Model Y. C. 
The American Model Y. C. sailed a regatta on Sept. 1 on Prospect 
Park Lake, the course being % to windward and back, with a 
fresh east wind; two out of three heats in each class. The times were: 
SCHOONER CLASS— FIRST CLASS. 
Start. Finish. Elapsed. Corrected. 
Irving B 11 29 00 Withdrew. 
May.. 11 27 15 11 42 35 0 15 20 0 17 20 
Dora S » 11 27 45 11 49 00 0 21 15 0 24 19 
SECOND HEAT. 
May 11 52 45 12 09 17 0 15 32 0 17 22 
Dora S 11 53 42 12 15 00 0 21 18 0 24 02 
SLOOPS, FIRST CLASS— FIRST HEAT. 
Magic 12 23 15 12 43 15 0 20 00 0 21 20 
Daisy 12 23 40 12 47 25 0 23 45 0 23 42 
Second heat conceded. 
SLOOPS, THIRD CLASS— FIRST HEAT. 
Dolphin 1 46 50 2 04 12 0 17 22 0 19 02 
Mariorie 1 46 20 2 05 40 0 19 20 0 21 12 
Anna 1 46 45 2 04 06 0 17 21 0 19 21 
Ida May . , 1 46 55 Finished outside the flag. 
SECOND BEAT. 
Dolphin 2 09 28 2 - 8 40 0 19 12 0 21 42 
Marjorie 2 09 21 2 25 14 0 15 53 o 18 25 
Anna 2 09 34 2 27 05 0 17 41 0 19 51 
Ida May 2 09 35 Finished outside the flag. 
THIRD HEAT. 
Dolphin 2 47 14 Did not finish. 
Marjorie 2 47 00 3 04 03 0 17 03 0 18 55 
Anna 2 47 09 3 06 42 0 19 33 0 21 03 
Ida May 2 47 25 3 08 05 0 20 40 0 21 57 
Schooner class— May wins with Dora S. second. First class— De- 
clared off, Magic refusing prize on a walkover. Third class— Marjorie 
first, Dolphin second. 
Horseshoe Harbor Club Regatta. 
liARCBMONT— LONG ISLAND SOUND. 
Saturday, Sept, 8. 
The Horseshoe Harbor Club, of Larchmont, was to have sailed its 
annual regatta on Sept. 3, but a postponement was made to 8ept. 8. 
The day was rainy with a squally S.W. wind, and one catboat, the 
Anglesea, capsized, her crew of seven being rescued by Bon Ton of 
the same class. The times were: 
CLASS A— SLOOPS. 
Length. Elapsed. Corrected. 
Madrine, F. M. Freeman 29.97 2 21 31 2 16 04 
Louise, J. W. Hall 31.20 2 23 31 2 23 31 
CLASS F— OPEN CATS 20FT. AMD UNDER, 
Terrapin, H. C. Curry 18.50 2 03 17 2 02 00 
lone, C. M. Bird 18.50 1 54 42 1 53 25 
Anglesea, L. H. Spence 19.92 Capsized. 
Bon Ton, E. W. Post 18 . 00 Withdrew. 
CLASS J— OPEN CATS 18FT. AND UNDER. 
Moses, L. D. Huntington 18.00 2 15 11 2 15 11 
Gobelin, Bart Jacob 17.00 2 16 25 2 15 30 
Given, F. W. Smedley 17.00 2 14 27 2 13 33 
m he winners were: Class A. Madrine; class F, lone (also Wins the 
$153 Bevan oup); class J, Given. 
