Nov. 17, 1894.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
4 8 '& 
ENGLISH DESIGN FOR MODEL YACHT 1893. 
BODY PLAN OF ENGLISH DESIGN One-Hat f Size. 
No. 1. 
flower or Puritan ; the only logical choice is between the voluntary 
selection of such a length as 70 or 80ft., and the building to the limit, 
90ft. 
The request for a change of location from New York to Marblehead 
we can only look upon as most unreasonable and unwise. Apart from 
the almost absolute certainty that the request would be refused, it is 
one that, if granted, would be of no special benefit to the challenger, 
though causing much, unnecessary trouble and expense to the 
defender. The chances of Valkyrie or a new boat off Marblehead 
would not be one whit better than off Sandy Hook; there is no more 
certainty of strong winds or even moderate breezes such as would 
make a race within the time limit. The gain in distance to the start- 
ing line, while an advantage over the Sandy Hook course, would be 
more than offset by a fleet of small sailboats that would be more 
dangerous by far than any big steamers. It is safe to say that on 
such an occasion Massachusetts Bay could turn out a fleet of 300 craft 
under 30ft., catboats and fishing craft, that would crowd the course 
in a way to make all sailing of 90ft. yachts a most dangerous proceed- 
ing. Something of this kind, uuknown about New York on account 
of the distance, was seen in 1886 when Mayflower sailed her first race, 
and a year later when she raced with Galatea. As long as Americans 
want to witness the races and are willing to pay liberally for the privi- 
lege, so long will steamers be found to carry them, whether at New 
York, Newport or Marblehead, and a change to the latter place would 
show no improvement in this respect. The danger of an interference 
with a race, if not of collision, is as serious; but it is no worse outside 
the Hook than it would be elsewhere: in fact, as we have noted, the 
distance from a secure harbor keeps the small boats away, and the 
steamboat inspection laws to a certain extent keep off the smaller 
steam craft with only inside licenses. The great trouble lies with the 
largest and fastest steamboats, owned by large corporations, the 
heads of which in several instances are members of the New York Y. 
C. The first cause of the crowding and blanketing lies in the desire of 
these companies to secure a few more passengers at so many dollars 
per head, the spectators soon finding out and rewarding with their 
patronage the boats which crowd closest to the yachts regardless of 
fair play. The disciplining by their employers of one or two captains 
of the more flagrant offenders would exercise a wholesome restraint 
on the whole fleet of passenger boats. 
It is probable that Lord Dunraven has been misled by the clamor 
of interested parties into the belief that yachtsmen generally would 
favor the sailing of the races elsewhere than in New York. In 
making this request, however, he has weakened the whole force of his 
letter. 
The proposal for the selection of the challenger from a fleet, by 
means of trial races, the privilege now allowed only to the defender, is 
only in accord with modern and advanced racing methods, in putting 
all parties on the same footing. While the time will probably come 
when the challenger for the America's Cup will be selected in this way 
it is quite clear that no such proposal would be agreed to now, and it 
might better have been omitted altogether. 
While not a direct challenge for the America Cup, Lord Dunraven's 
letter may be taken as a positive assurance of his intention to chal- 
lenge provided no disagreement may arise over the conditions. Under 
a literal construction of the new deed of gift, the letter, not being a 
challenge in due form, the club is under no obligations to recognize or 
reply to it. At the same time it is such an overture for a mutual 
agreement as must constitute the foundation of every fair match 
between any two parties, the first step to a challenge under the true 
deed of gift. While it has already been characterized as a demand 
upon the New York Y. C. for more "generous concessions;" it is only 
fair and just to admit that a man who stands ready to put a small 
fortune into a yacht to sail five races should atleasthave the privilege 
of intimating his wishes as to the terms. As long as there is main- 
tained even a pretense of a "iii.ual agreement" there can be no 
justification for the cry of "gea:.rrus concessions" which has been 
raised whenever a challenger has ventured to ask for a departure 
from terms which, as is now clearly recognized, were from the begin- 
ning unlawful and unfair. 
Taking up the letter in detail, the first striking point is ;the entire 
omission of the vital question between challenger and bolder, the 
terms upon which the cup, if won, shall be held. The allusion to the 
•terms and conditions governing the Vigilant-Valkyrie matches'^ 
fails to cover the point, for the reason that nobody knows what these 
terms were in the matter of holding the Cup. If it is assumed on all 
hands that Lord Dunraven is merely coming over for the sport of 
racing, with no hope of winning the Cup, then it makes no difference 
as to the conditions on which it might be held if won, So far from 
this being the .case, it ia plainly evident that Lord Dunraven has 
strong hopes of success in the new venture, and in that case he is no 
less concerned in the holding than in the winning of the Cup. The 
matter is one which should be finally settled, either by the formal re- 
cognition by Lord Dunra ven and the club which backs his challenge of 
the new deed as a 'earal document ; or by the formal abrogation by the 
New York Y. C. of some of the more objectionable of its provisions. 
If this is not dor e and the challenger should win, there must inevit" 
ably be a dispute over the delivery and holding of the trophy. 
Model Yacht Building.-II. 
(Continued from Page U18.) 
The design for a built-up model should have the cross section lines 
not over 3in. apart, and if the planking is to be very thin, say £gm., 
5%in. is better, as these lines represent the distance apart of the 
frames. The design should also show the rabbet line, marking where 
the planking joins the stem, stern and keel. 
The first thing to do is to make your body plan, showing the sec- 
tions for both the fore body and after body. This done cut a pattern 
for each section, out of heavy paper or cardboard, and then cut off as 
much from the outer edge as would be equal to the thickness of the 
plank. 
Instead of the body plan given last week, showing but one-half of 
each section, it wi'l be necessary to draw one full plan for the fore 
body and one for the after body; each showing the two corresponding 
sides of each section. Draw a line straight up and down on the paper 
you have prepared for a body plan, and a line across at the waterline, 
now lay your pattern down and mark one side, turn the pattern over 
and mark the other, being careful to keep the center and waterlines 
at their proper places. After you have all the sections marked off in 
this manner draw a line parallel with and above the waterline about 
X6in. below the upper end of the lowest section in the after body plan, 
and at the same point on the forward body plan, this we will call the 
guide line, as by this line all the guides are set up. This line should 
also show on the profile plan for marking the keel. We are now 
ready to commence work. 
This description is for a yacht built entirely of white cedar, although 
some model yacht builders use other woods for keel and frames, yet 
cedar is generally used for the planking. 
Select a clear, straight-grained board of white cedar 12ft. long, lj^in. 
thick, and about 10 to 12in. wide, this is sufficient, if properly cut, to 
make the entire boat. Have this planed on both sides and then cut in 
two at the middle, making two pieces, each 6ft. long. The better of 
these, the one that is freer from knots and straight in the grain, 
should be sawed into strips s , a in. in thickness, and sawed with the 
grain; these strips, which will be lj^in. wide, or nearly so. must be 
sawed once more through the center. This is your planking, 3,„in. 
thick, and a little over J^in. wide. Lay it aside to dry while you are 
setting up the frame. 
Now mark and saw out the keel on the other piece of the plank, 
which should properly be in three pieces, joined as per diagram, by 
screws and glue. The obiect in making the backbone in three pieces 
is to have all parts of the keel straight with the grain of the wood. 
After it is all together plane down to the thickness required by the 
design, the after end or dead wood to be tapered down until it is the 
proper thickness at the sternpost, otherwise the rabbet line will not 
be correct, nor will the frames of the counter set in their right 
position. 
Now lay the keel on the design and mark at each end where the 
guide line comes; get out a square piece of pine the same size square 
as the thickness of the keel, bevel the ends so that it will fit nicely in 
the keel, with the upper side exactly on the guide lines at each end, 
and fasten with screws. (See No. 1.) 
Now lay the keel on the design and mark each cross section line on 
the keel and also on the guide piece. Then mark the rabbet line on 
the keel and cut out to the depth required for the thickness of the 
plank. Care nfust be taken in cutting this line to keep a square cor- 
ner at the bottom and at the proper angle for the plank to lay in, as it 
comes in different places along the keel and overhang. 
Now mortise for the frames. Those in the forward body must be 
cut from the line forward the width of the frames, and those in the 
after bodv cut aft of the line. 
Now take the pieces that were left from sawing out the keel and 
have them resawed to one-half the thickness and planed down to 
three-eighths or seven-sixteenths Take the pattern from your body 
plans and mark with a fiDe-pointed pencil all the frames on these 
pieces, being careful to keep them with the grain of the wood as much 
as possible, and have them sawed out with a fine band saw. Number 
each frame as you mark it out, and also mark the guide line and each 
diagonal line on every frame. 
Bevel the frames, taking the bevels for each frame from the diagonal 
lines and deck lines on the half breadth plan. After the frames are 
beveled tack a strip on each pair of frames, of the length to hold 
them the right distance apart, the under side of the strip even with 
the guide line. Mark the exact center of this strip and place this 
mark over a center line drawn on the guide piece of the keel, then fit 
the ends of the frames in the mortises until the strip just touches the 
guide piece. Tack the strip to guide piece, and set the ends of frames 
in keel with glue, fastening with screws or wire nails. 
After the frames are all in cut out the stern piece for the end of the 
overhang; this is to be made of some moderately hard wood such as 
cherry or light mahogany. It should have a rabbet line cut on the 
underside for the ends of the plank, and should be deep enough to 
form a part of the rail around the deck. Fit to the end of overhang 
by mortising and set in glue with screws to fasten. 
Now take two of the plank strips and fasten them temporarily 
around the upper ends of the frames, with small screws fasten an end 
of each plank to the stern piece, then spring them together at the 
center and tie them by passing a stout string around them. Beginning 
at the stern, screw them to the frames, one screw to each frame is 
sufficient to hold them in place, one screw on each side alternately, 
until you reach the center, then remove the string and spring the 
plank together at the bow and tie, being very careful to spring them 
evenly; then finish screwing them on, cutting the forward ends so 
that they will lay in the rabbet line, when the last screw on each side 
fastens them to stem of the keel. 
You are now ready to commence planking. The first plank, called 
the garboard, requires considerable care to make a good fit. Take a 
short piece just long enough to lay into the rabbet line, so that the 
ends will work into the line at either end, the upper edge to be 
perfectly straight; cut away the lower edge until it fits nicely into the 
rabbet at the lowest point and both ends are an equal distance down 
from the temporary sheer plank. Fasten with J^in. No. 1 brass screws; 
where the plank is wide enough use two screws to each frame, one at 
the top and one at the bottom, and on this plank put one screw 
between each of the frames, screwing the plank to the keel. Use a 
small brad awl to make a hole through the plank, and just enter the 
point into the frame, then turn the screws in until they countersink 
themselves a little below the surface, so you will not hit them when 
planing off. When the garboard on one side is set^turn the boat over 
and put one on the other side in the same manner. 
Next fit a plank on each side by simply trimming the ends to fit the 
rabbet line, and if necessary, on account of curve of the frames, bevel 
the lower edge to a fit to the garboard, this should be done wherever 
necessary all the wav up the side so that the plank will touch each 
other both inside and outside. Place only one plank on each side at a 
time, carrying both sides up together, fasten each plank with two 
screws to each frame, and two in each end to the keel or stem. 
Plank about one-third the way up on each side, using the straight 
plank. Then stop and measure the distance that remains to be 
planked on each frame. Take the longest distance you find and see 
how many planks it wiil take to finish. Then divide the, distance on 
each of the others into the same number of equal parts. This will 
give you the width of the planks at different points. Cut one of the 
planks drtwn to use as a pattern, and mark and cut the others by it as 
you go along. Pl.mk about half of the remaining distance up. and 
then measure over again to see if you are going to come out right at 
the top. The object of his is to keep the planks as nearly as possible 
of a uniform widrh at the ends. When you have planked as far as you 
can go, take off the temporary sheer plank and finish up to top of the 
frames. A good way to hold the planks in place while fastening them 
is to have about a dozen small screw clamps. Hold the plank with 
these to every second frame. Put the screws in the intermediate 
frames, then remove the clamps and put in the balance of the screws. 
Now cut away the surplus wood at the stem, and with a small block 
plane, set very fine, go all over the boat, taking off any sharp corners 
where the planks are joined, and sandpaper down smooth. 
Now take some heavy muslin'and cut into strips wide enough to just 
cover the inside of the planks between the frames, and fasten these 
pieces in with glue or thick shellac, rubbing them down smooth with 
the hand. After they are thoroughly dry, the whole inside of the 
boat should have three coats of white lead mixed with oil and turpen- 
tine and a little lampblack, just enough to give it a slate color. Allow 
each coat to get perfectly dry before applying the next one. 
The next thing to do is to place the deck beams in position; there 
are several ways of putting the deck on a model yacht, but I will only 
describe one— the simplest of all. First screw one of the planks to 
the inside of the frames so that the upper edge is i^in. below the upper 
edge of the sheer plank. This forms a shelf or support for the deck 
beams, and at the same time stiffens the whole boat, use the pieces of 
plank which you have left from the planking, cut the upper edge to 
the curve you want for the rise of the deck; cut them of the length 
to reach across inside of the sheer plank and rest them on the inside 
plank and put one screw in each end to the side of the frames. As 
