Deo. 5, 1896. 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
486 
asf t. 01*88— E— Not over 82tt, and over 27ft. 
871 1. OlasB— F— Not over 27 ft. 
2. Each yacbt ehall be entitled to sail in her own class and in no 
other. 
VI. — BKSTMCnONS ON DRAFT. 
The maxlmam draft of any yacht launched after Nov. 7, 1896, when 
In racing trim, shall not exceed that speclfled for her class in the fol- 
lowing table, exclusive of centerboard if it be not a board weighted 
for ballast. 
First OlasB— lOrt. draft. 
50ft. Class— 10ft. draft. 
48ft, Class— 9ft. draft, 
37ft. Class— 8ft. draft, 
Sgft. Class— 7ft. draft. 
27ft. Class— ert. draft. 
On all yachts launched after Nov. 7, 1896, there shall be placed upon 
the hull, immediately over the point of greatest draft, a metal plate 
or other distinctive mark. Such mark shall be placed above the I.w.l. 
and within 6ln. thereof, and the owner shall furnish to the measurer 
or regatta committee a declaration of the vessel's draft to such 
mark, signed by himself and the designer or the builder of the yacht. 
VII.— TIMB ALLOWANCE. 
Time allowance shall be calculated on r.l., according to the ap- 
pended table, but yachts the r.l. of which is within 1 per cent of the 
upper limit of their class shall not give or receive time allowance to 
or from each other, and no yacht launched after Nov. 7. 1896 (except 
in the first class), and no yacht, the measurement of which has been 
increased since that date for the purpose of placing her In a higher 
class than she previously sailed iii, shall be entitled to any time allow- 
ance. 
yi7I.— ALLOWANCE FOR HID. 
In races where yachts of different rigs sail together schooners 
shall be rated for time allowance at 85 per cent, of their racing 
leDgth, yawls at 94 per cent,, and all other yachts at their actual 
ra;&g length. 
IX.— OWNERSHIP. 
1. No person shall be the owner of more than one yacht entered for 
A race In the same class. 
2. Each yacht entered for a race must be the bona fide property of 
the person or persons In whose name she is entered, who must be a 
member or members of a recognized yacht club belonging to one of 
the associations of the TJnion. 
X.— KNTRIKS. 
1. All entries shall be in writing and shall be signed by the owner or 
his representative, giving name of yacht, racing length and racing 
number, and must be lodged with the regatta committee not later 
than noon of the day before the race, exclusive of Simdays, unless 
otherwise ordered by the committee. 
2. The regatta committee may refuse to accept any ^ntry made 
after the time of closing. 
S. The same yacht shall not be entitled to enter for a race under dif- 
ferent rigs. 
4. The regatta committee may, if they consider it expedient, reject 
any entry. 
XL— rasTBucnoNa ano postponkmwnt. 
1, Each yacht entered for a race shall at the time of entry, or as 
Boon after as possible, be supplied with written or printed instructions 
as to the conditions of the race, the course to be sailed, marks, etc. 
2. The repatta committee shall have power to change the courses or 
amend the instructions on or before the day of the race, provided 
notice of such change is given to each yacht in writing before the pre- 
paratory signal is given. 
8. The regatta committee shall also have power to postpone any 
race should such a course appear to them desirable. No race, how- 
ever, shall be postponed tnereJjr because of lack of vifind if any of the 
(mmpeting yachts shall have sailed round the course once within the 
allotted time: but should such race not be finished, the prizes shall be 
awarded in the order In which the last completed round shall have 
been flttished. 
XII.— SAILS. 
There shall be no restrictions as to sails or the manner of Betting or 
workiag them, but no yacht shall carry any sail for which she has not 
been measured. 
Xin.— FITTINGS AND BALLAST. 
1. Floors shall be kept down and bulkheads and doors left stand- 
ing. AU yachts shall keep their galley fittings and fixtures on board 
and in their proper places. All y_peht8 must carry one serviceable 
anchor and cable on board and a life buoy on deck. 
2. Trimming by dead weight shall not be aJIowed after the prepar- 
atory signal. Ballast shall not be taken in or discharged after noon 
of the day preceding the race. A race postponed or resailed shall, so 
far as regards this rule, be considered a new race. 
XIV.— CHKWS. 
1. The total number of persons on board a yacht shall not exceed 
the allowance in the following schedule: 
1st Class— 1 person to every 5ft. of r.l. or fraction thereof, 
50ft. Class— 11 persons. 
42ft. Class— 9 persons. 
37ft. Class— 8 persons. 
32ft. Class — 7 persons. 
27ft. Class— 6 persons. 
2, No person shall board or leave a yacht after the starting signal 
has been given, except in case of accident or injury to & person on 
board. 
In all races each yacht must be steered by a Qarinthian, and must 
be manned by Corinthians, except that any ya'dnt may <iarry and use 
her regular professional crew. 
XV.— TIME OF MAKINa RACKS. 
There shall be no limit to the time in which a race is to be sailed, 
ezoejpt when it is otherwise specified in the instructions. 
XVI.— RE-S AILED BAOBB. 
No new entries shall be received for a race re-sailed, but a yacht 
duly entered shall be entitled to start, though she originally failed to 
start, or having started was witbdravra. No yacht disqualified in a 
race shall he entitled to start in case the race shall be re-sailed. 
XVII.— NUMBERS. 
Each yacht shall display a number, which will be assigned to her, 
on both sides of the mainsail, above the reef bands, at an equal dis- 
tance from the lufl; and leach. 
XVin.— LIGHTS AND FOO SIGNALS. 
The GfoVdrnsnent regulations regarding lights and fog signEds shall 
be observed. 
SIX -PROPULSION, 
1. No means of proptilsion other than sails shall be employed. 
2, Manual power only shall be used for working a yacht. 
XX.— STABTDie AND FINISHINa, 
1. All starts shall be flying, and shall be one-gun starts. 
2. Half an hour before the time of starting a gun shall be fired and 
a flag hoisted as a signal for the yachts to approach the starting line. 
Ten minutes before the start a preparatory gun shall be fired. At the 
expiration of ten minutes exactly the flag shall be hauled down and a 
third gun fired as a signal to start. Should the gun miss fire the 
lowering of the flag shall be the signal to start. 
8. In the event of different classes starting in succession, not more 
than ten minutes apart, the starting gun of each class shall be the 
preparatory gun for the next class to start. Each yacbt shall be 
timed from the starting signal of her class. 
4. If any yacht, or any part of her hull or spars, be on or across the 
line before the signal to start is given she must return and re-cross 
the line. A yacht so returning, or one working into position from the 
wrong side of the line after the signal to start has been given, must 
keep clear of all competing yachts. 
6. A yacht shall be considered to have finished a race when, on com- 
Sletlng the course, any part of her hull or spars shall be on or across 
le line. The rules as to marks, right of way, etc., are uniform with 
those of the Sound Y. B. XT. 
♦ ♦ * * * ,* * « 
Definitions. 
I.— COBINTHIANISM, 
Corinthianlsm in yachting is that attribute which represents par- 
ticipation for sport as distinct from gain, and which also involves the 
acquirement of nautical experience through the love of sport rather 
than through necessity or the hope of gain. It is consistent with the 
motive higher than mercenary found In the ranks of ofiQcers of the 
navy and naval architects, notwithstanding the remuneration they 
rewalve, while it is Inconsistent with the trade of the flaherman, even 
though one following such a trade has never been a paid sailor. In 
this respect the following general definition is given: 
No parson who follows the sea as a means of livelihood, or who has 
accepted remuneration for services rendered in handling or serving on 
a yacht, or who Is a professional in any other sport, shall be consid- 
ered a Corinthian yachtsman. 
U.— YACHTS. 
A yacht shall be defined as a vessel of not less than 16f fc. I.w.l,, and 
must carry not less than aooibs. of ballast permanently stowed under 
the platform or in lookers, or have a beam of not lees than onerthird 
pt tier IWil. length, Sbe mast \me standlog rigging, or A^ed mat, 
and must be kept permanently on the water during the season, and 
must not be engaged In trade. Yachts launched after Nov. 7, 1896, 
shall comply with the restrictions on draft and area of midship sec- 
tion required by the rules. 
The allowance table is based upon a coefldcient of 50 per cent. 
The above rules are based upon those of the Lake Y. R. 
A., as used for some years, and those of the Sound Y. R. U, 
•with the pending amendments. In many important details 
the Lake Y. R, A, has been years in advance of even the 
largest of the coast clubs, so that small change was neces- 
sary. 
The points of difference betvreen the Sound Union and the 
Lake Union are few, but four in all, of which two are un- 
important. The allowance table is based upon 60 per cent, 
in the Sound rules and but 50 per cent, in the Lake; and the 
latter has adopted a minimum limit to the area of the mid- 
ship section, 35 per cent, of the circumscribing parallelo- 
gram. So far as the Lakes are concerned, with but four ex- 
isting yachts below this limit, it is perfectly practical and 
for the present at least must prove beneficial in barring fur- 
ther additions of the fin-keel type. 
The two important points of difference are the measure- 
ment of sail area and the class limits. The Lake Y. R. A. 
was the first outside body to adopt the Seawanhaka rule, as 
long ago as 1884; and it has retained the rule to the present 
day, except in the detail of the method of measuring the sail. 
About four ypars ago, for reasons which are not very clear, 
the Seawanhaka method of spar measurement was abandoned 
in favor of the British Y, R, A. method of sail and spar 
measurement combined, from either the yacht herself or the 
sail plan. In actual practice as applied to a small fleet of 
yachts this method has worked very satisfactorily; but save 
in the case of special rigs on the smaller boats it does not 
appear that it is in any way superior to the older and more 
deflnite method. The measurement of the 43footer Can- 
ada, for instance, by the two methods, compares -as follows: 
The "actual" ai-ea, as found by the Y. R A. method, is 
2,009sq. ft,; the "approximate" area, as found by the Sea- 
wanhaka method, is but l,995sq. ft., a difference of 14sq. 
ft., or almost three-fourths of one per cent. The measure- 
ments from the yacht herself, as they .should be tafeen, or 
even from the sail plan, are more quicidy and easily taken 
by the Seawanhaka method, regardless of weather; and they 
are capable of easy and certain verification, which is not the 
case where five out of eight distances are taken from the sails 
and not from the spars. 
Of course in the above comparison both measurements are 
taken with jib headed topsail only. As an incident and not 
a necessity of the use of the Y. R. A. method, the largest 
clubtopsail carried is included in the measured sail; the dif- 
ference in the case of Canada being that she is allowed 198?q. 
ft. less sail by the Y, R. A. rule than she could carry under 
the Seawanhaka rule. This of itself is a matter of detail and 
not of principle. 
Looking at the growing importance of uniformity in 
racing rules, we do not see anything in the Y. R. 
A. method which justified its use in preference to the other 
method now in general use in this country; and we can only 
regard it as unfortunate that the new Union has started on 
this basis. In practical operation on the lakes, with but a 
limited number of yachts to be measured and few new yachts 
each year, the Y. R A, method will doubtless work very well;, 
but we cannot see how it is any better than the other. In 
one respect it is decidedly inferior. In international races, 
the first requirement is that all meastxrements shall be taken 
to points absolutely fixed, and capable of exact location and 
verification should a remeasurement be necessary. This is 
more easily possible when all measurements are from fixed 
points on the spars, which do not change with the weather, 
than when most of the measurements are made on the sails. 
Admitting that the two methods are of equal merit, it must 
follow as a matter of course that it is desirable to use one 
exclusively, and that the one already in the widest use. 
The other point of difference is a more difficult one. On 
the lakes west of Ontario there are no uniform classes, and 
few yachts that will fit into any new classes. On Ontario^ 
however, quite a fleet has been built up to certain established 
limits, which conflict directly with those now used abodt 
New York. The respective classes are as follows: 
Sound Y. R. U. Lake Y. R. A. 
51ft. 50ft. 
43ft: 42ft, 
36ft. 37ft. 
30ft. 32ft. 
25ft. 27ft. 
On the face of these figures there appears a serious difli- 
culty in bringing the two systems to any common basis ; as a 
matter of fact, the use of a uniform interval of 5ft between 
the classes, as in the L Y. R. A , is wrong in principle; and 
though the harm is not so apparent with five classes between 
22 and 42ft , it would be impossible to arrange a complete scale 
of classes from 100ft. downward on this system. This of itself 
is of small consequence on the lakes, as it will be a long time 
before anything larger than the 50ft class is required. 
The difficulty is further increased by two other circum- 
stances of the case: Should a yacht of the 43ft. class go 
from New York to the lake, she would in the first place in- 
crease her measured 1 w 1. by the change from salt to fresh 
water, and at the same time her sail measurement would be 
increased some 200sq. ft, through the measurement of the 
excess of clubtopsail over jib-header. This would result in 
removing her still further from the 42ft. class, in which she 
should sail In the smaller classes, the lake limits being the 
larger instead of the smaller, the salt-water yacht would re- 
main in a similar class, but of course she would not if the 
limits were the same, 36ft in both cases, 
With a uniform system of sail measurement the only dif- 
ficulty would be with the difference in immersion due to the 
change from salt to fresh water. The lake and coast fleets 
are so far independent of each other through distance and 
other conditions that there is not that absolute need for uni- 
formity which exists on the Sound, or even between the Sound 
and Massachusetts Bay, but at the same time it is to be re- 
gretted that in forming a new union the work cannot be 
done throughout on the same basis as already used by so 
many clubs, especially as there are no serious questions of 
principle involved, but only of details. 
The new Union has come at a mogt opportune time, when 
an increased interest in yachting is apparent on all the lakes, 
and when it may do much to bring about better methods of 
racing and to build up strong and vigorous racing classes. 
As now started, it promises to meet the necessities of the 
immediate future, and by the end of the season of J897 it 
shoul4 be possible for all the lake interests to meet in con- 
ventioG and to perfect still further the rules under whicjj 
the prigloal organissatioo was accomplished. " 
lake:huron and the aux sable 
RIVER. 
For several months previous to Aug. 22, 1894, extensive 
preparations were in progress for a projected ten days' out- 
ing in canvas canoes, the route selected being the lower por- 
tion of the Aux Sable River and the south shores of Lake 
Huron. The canoeists who were to take part in this expedi- 
tion were enthusiastic cruisers and more or less experienced 
canoemen, as was highly necessary, as well as to be pos- 
sessed of unlimited patience, as owing to the shallowness of 
the river many dangerous objects that would be liable to 
puncture the canoes were exposed at the surface. 
Notwithstanding this and the many discouraging reports 
we obtained of the difficulties to be met with, we resolved to 
see this uncanny spot at all hazards. And accordingly, at 
3 o'clock in the morning of the above date we loaded our 
canoes and outfit into a farmers wagon, equipped with a 
huge grain rack and liberally provided with hay, into which 
we imbedded the canoes and onto which we distributed our- 
selves in various comfortable if inelegant positions. 
The four canoes taken on this trip were Yukon, Gallinip- 
per. Water Witch and Ojeek, and they were skippered by 
the Treasurer, Captain, Pilot and Bluebeech, respectively. 
Jim, the irrepressible, also accompanied the expedition in 
the capacity of able seaman on board Water Witch, in com- 
pany with the Pilot. 
Leaving WyoTiing, Ont, we drove a distance of about 
thirty miles to a point on the river where it is joined by a 
small tributary stream, locally known as Rock Glen, reach- 
ing it at about 9 A. M. As we had doubts of finding a suf- 
flcient depth of water to float the canoes down from this 
place, we were not disappointed when the Treasurer, after a 
hasty glance into the mighty gorge, announced that "the old 
Aux Sable was as dry as a cracker." The great drought 
that prevailed at the time had reduced the river to a mere 
rivulet, threading its way among broken fragments of lime- 
stone rocks that had fallen from the cliffs above. 
Descending to the bed of the stream, we explored its 
course for about a mile, meeting with nothing but discour- 
agement, but as we had not come on this trip to be bowed 
down by grief, we took the matter coolly, enjoying an hour's 
ramble in the glen, where we collected some strange fossils. 
At the head of the glen there is a small fall, on the brink of 
which an old stone mill stands, that as we looked up to its 
dizzy height gave us a creepy sensation, as it looked as 
though ab"ut to topple over into the gorge below. 
The scenery of the Glen and river gorge is very pretty 
and romantic, and is a favorite resort for picnicking parties 
and campers. It is also frequently visited by geologists, 
who there find an excellent field for geological investigation. 
On ascending the bank again we had the pleasure of meet- 
ing a gentVman who was well acquainted with the river, 
and who gave us much valuable information, but while 
cheerfully doing so expressed some doubts as to the practi- 
cability of navitrating the Sable in canvas canoes. The Cap 
combated this idea in his characteristically vigorous man- 
ner, declaring that we should go through if we had to do so 
overland, and adding that the canoes would "float on a 
heavy dew" anyway. This was a clincher, and after quiet 
was restored our friend admitted the force of the captain's 
argument, and having given us all the information within 
his power wished us a safe and pleasant passage as he took 
liis departure. 
After a lunch we again hitched up the horses, and driving 
down river about six miles to Sylvan Bridge were rejoiced 
to find an abundance of water, and accordingly our hopes 
rose to a high altitude. The outfit was driven down to a 
convenient place at the water's edge, where it was dumped, 
and the business of preparing dinner gone into in a hurried' 
but earnest manner, that would not brook delay for a 
moment. 
After we had satisfied the wolf within us, we packed the 
canoes, and with a "meet us ten days hence at Blain's Grove, 
Lake Huron," to Solomon, our teamster, we shoved away 
from the shore, and soon began to experience the delightful 
change from a jolting vehicle, dusty roads and a scorching 
sun, to the easy motion of a light canoe, gliding noiselessly 
along beneath the shades of majestic forest trees. 
The river at this place is only a few yards wide, the banks 
low and lined with a variety of timbers, among which were 
some monster scraggy butternut and walnut trees laden with 
nut s. For several miles the channel was free from obstruc- 
tions, but along the margin of the stream a vast accumula- 
tion of drift stuff had found a lodgment, which afforded an 
excellent resting place and retreat for the innumerable 
turtles, muskrats and other creeping things that infested it, 
but which amused and interested us as we leisurely paddled 
along. 
Finally, coming to where a tree had fallen across the 
stream, we found it necessary to use a small axe to clear the 
way. This instrument the Captain was provided with, and 
being an adept in the fine art of using it he soon cleared a 
passage through. While engaged in this our attention was 
attracted by the rumbling sound of a Grand Trunk R. R. 
train crossing the river bridge, apparently only a short dis- 
tance away; so distinct was the sound that we involuntarily 
looked up, expecting to see it go thundering past. We 
learned the extent of the delusion after we haa paddled 
something over a mile. After passing the railroad bridge 
the river became more difficult of navigation, savage snags 
and uprooted trees were more numerous, necessitating the 
gren test care to avoid them. This continued for about a 
half mile, when, on turning an abrupt bend in the river, the 
sight that met our gaze filled us with amazement. 
The river so far as could be seen was a compact mass of 
logs, stumps, whole trees, and every conceivable kind of 
rubbish, that for diversity of surface croppings and hydraulic 
density eclipsed anything of the kind we had ever seen. It 
was while worming our way into this mass in order to 
shorten the carr}^ as much as possible that the first disaster 
befell us. and the first intimation we had of anything having 
gone wrong was in seeing the Captain making frantic efforts 
to get out of his canoe and on to a convenient log. So in- 
tent were we in observing this that we failed to catch the 
exact meaning of his words, but we did note the power and 
volume of his voice, and the liberal use he made of it. He 
had snagged his boat, and in the excitement of the moment, 
and while Bluebeech was making frantic efforts to render him 
assistance, his canoe also met with a like fate, and another 
tempest of bitter invectives was ' on" immediately, in which 
he gave expression to his convictions of the shabbiness of 
the whole affair in unstinted measure. 
Taking the canoes ashore, we unpacked and repaired 
them, and deciding to remain at this place for the night, the 
tents were pitched. As there was still remaining a couple 
pf hours of daylight in wjjicb a good deal gt ^vp-wm^t^t, 
