SB6 
A FEW DAYS "SINGLE-HANDED." 
Perhaps some of the "cranks" would like to read the log 
of a short cruise, taken "single-haBded," but which was 
none the less enjoyable, though hardly in line with the pre- 
conceived idea of a yachting trip. A cruise at once calls to 
mind, to most people, first, a jolly crowd, then fine fun and 
frolic ashore, and pray old times aboard in the evenings. 
Well, in this case, the jnlly crowd consisted of the writer; 
the weather was fine enough, and frolics ashore were limited 
to landing for grub, and gay old times aboard consisted of 
efforts to convert what was obtained ashore into toothsome 
and attractive viands for the captain's table, which was gen- 
erally spread in the forecastle. 
Our good ship was the little cutter Sea Witch. 22ft. on the 
waterline, 26ft. over all, 7ft. Sin. beam, 5ft. draft, 24in. least 
freeboard, pole mast, rather small sails, 3,7001bs. of iron on 
the outside, SOOlbs. of lead inside, plumb stern, painted- 
black, with a white house, and strong as wood and iron 
could be put together. 
Our vacation was the last week in May, tS9C; rather early 
for small craft, but it was then or not at all, so I went then. 
Friday noon, May 23, having got a few stores aboard, I 
slipped the moorings off Stearns's yard , Marblehead, hauled 
aft the jib sheet, up helm and squared away for Gloucester. 
A strong southwe'^ter gave me wind enough for jib and 
mainsail and she plowed along at a good pace. The sun was 
warm and bright, the air deliehtfully fresh, and after a 
winter and spring cooped up in a downtown office, it seemed 
like getting out of prison to breathe and pull and haul and 
work out of doors. 
In Salem Bay the wind came off in chunks, and if it blows 
anywhere in a westerly it is in Salem Bay: but nmning be- 
fore it we did not mind it much, and made quick work of 
the twelve miles to Gloucester, and rounded to and anchored 
off Ten Pound Island light, close in, and decided to spend 
the night there; and after a good dinner sat on deck smok- 
ing and admiring the sunset over the magnolia shore, when 
the man in charge of the lobster hatchery at the island 
pulled out and made me a little visit. 
I turned in early, ready for an early start, but was awak- 
ened about midnight by the wind screeching through the 
rigging, and could feel the yacht lying over under the 
force of the blast. I jumped on deck" and found it blowing 
very hard from the north, which put ns on a lee shore and 
close in, though we seemed to be holding on all right. I 
heard a schooner to windward paying out chain and did the 
same, and by that time the wind had gone down and it was 
calm. 
I was not disturbed again and awoke about 6 o'clock on 
Saturday morning, which was clear and cold; wind north- 
east, and plenty of it, but as it was dead ahead for me T did 
not hurry, but took a leisurely breakfast, and then deter- 
mined to go out and take a look at it at any rate; outside, 
however, the wind softened down to almost nothing, the 
sun came out warra, and I decided to keep on around the 
cape. But the wind fell lighter still and the tide set rae in- 
shore so far that I lost every bit of it, although two miles off 
shore I could see vessels moving along very well, but the air 
was killed before it reached me, 
ItAvas now about 2 o'clock and I had drifted to within 
about half a mile of the beach, directly off Cape Hedge; here 
we stayed within a radius of 100 yards for three hours. 
It was beautiful; the sun was burning hot, the sea smooth 
except the old swell from outside, the land lay along with 
scarcely a house in sight; the green woods and fields came 
down close to a white -strip of sand which curved along, 
making a beautiful little cove; and after a winter of pave- 
ments and clattering teams and clanging electrics, the 
change to this scene of beauty was most refreshing, and all 
as quiet; the surf from constant pounding ceases to be no- 
ticed, and the only sounds — and those sounds always most 
agreeable and fascinating to me— were the occasion afsqueak 
of the jaws of the gaff against the mast and the flip-flap of 
reef-points and topping lift against the mainsail, as the 
yacht rolled and pitched in the swell. 
After drinking my fill of the beauty of the scene which 
appealed to me, all the more strongly after long abstinence, 
I turned to and fioLshed some odd jobs on the rigging, fresh- 
ened seizings here and there, whiijped all the rope-ends I 
found lying around, rigged acoupleof-screensforside lights, 
etc., imtil at about stm-down a light, air fi-om the land 
fanned us along to Milk Island, where I came to anchor 
about 9 P. M. 
It was a beautiful night — the moon was bright and clear 
and I hated to turn in, but finally left the yacht to keep her 
own anchor- watch and was soon oblivious of all surround- 
ings. 
At 5 next morning I awoke to find as glorious a day as 
one of ten sees. Afresh east wind, bright, sparkling sun, 
and the cool, damp air blowing in from the sea made living 
and breathing a pleasure. 
After a hasty breakfast, I got under way and stood in for 
Thatcher's Island, and setting a jibtopsail we walked along 
at a good clip. 
This easterly had but just begun to blow, as was evidpub 
from the smooth water, and it seemed a splendid chance to 
get across Ipswich Bay. 
Passing Thatcher's and Straitsmouth islands, and the buoys 
of the new breakwaters, I laid the course "N.^iE. and settled 
dc^n for an elegant sail, and an elegant sail I had. The 
wind held steady as a church, and strong enough to heel her 
down to VTithin a few inches«of the rail; and steering like a 
new bicycle she waded through it, and all too soon I made 
out White Island light at the shoals on the weather bow. 
The wind here fell lighter, and hauled to the southward so 
much that I got the spinaker on her to starboard, and we 
rolled along in a quartering sea, dipping first the end of the 
boom and then of the spinaker pole in the water, and then 
straightening up with a slat, and throwing spray all over 
the deck. 
The ebb tide from the Piscataquis delayed us a great deal, 
and as the wind kept falling it was 2 o'clock before we 
rounded to off Kittery Point alongside the Lorna, and Capt. 
Wassnn, artist, sailor and boat-builder, came aboard and 
said I was the first arrival of the season. 
A prettier place than Kittery Point it would be hard to 
find, and if it were not for the strong tide in the main chan- 
nel it would be an ideal place for yachting. 
In the afternoon I went uptown and telephoned to Marblf- 
head, only to find that the young man whom I had expectf d 
to join me here was sick abed, so I decided to go no further 
East, but to return at once. 
The country here is glorious. Give me May and June for 
country and seashore combined. Everything is fresh and 
growing; there is a deep, new color to vegetation that is gone 
later in the season; the days are long, and everything speaks 
of the coming season, not of the past; it is not as hot as July 
and August, and except for the bathing, the early months 
seem far more enjoyable. 
That afternoon I paid a long visit on board the Soma, a 
younger sister of the Bonnie Boon, and a noble craft she is, 
built by the owner, and finished off down below like a piano. 
Then comes a good, square dinner, and speaking of din- 
ners, I will take this opportunity to describe my culinary 
luxuries: Steak, done to a turn over the coals, fried pota- 
toes, coffee (ah! what coffee I could turnout!), corn Scanned), 
flap-jacks and maple syrup (that was my strong point), and 
all finished off with a corn-cob loaded with a charge of Lucky 
Strike. Who would ask for more kingly fare? I was a 
king for a week. I could do just as I pleased, go where I 
wanted (barring wind), eat, sleep, smoke, read, work and 
loaf when I pleased; was monarch of all I surveyed and felt 
like a young colt.j 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
My orders were always obeyed to the letter, there was no 
quarreling; our crew were always unanimous, and we got 
along splendidly together. 
Well, after dinner the Sunday papers, and then I turned 
in early ready for the morrow. 
Monday morning promised a gray day; the wind was very 
light from the south'ard and no sun. I determined to start, 
however, and as I was making sail Capt. Wasson came 
aboard. "Won't get far to-day," he said. 
"Well, I'm going to start," I replied, "and take a sail, 
anyway; I can run back if it looks bad. Won't you come 
part way?" 
"No, I thank you; you will be back here before night." 
"Well, so long," and I catted the anchor and hauled aft 
the headsheets. "I'll go out and look at it," and I fully ex- 
pected to come back myself, for with a strong flood tide a,nd 
a very light air it took at least two hours to work out by 
Whaiesback clear of the current; but as I kept gaining on a 
small fishing schooner that started a half hour before I did, 
and soon almost caught up with her, I concluded that it was 
no fault of the boat's. 
The wind held about S.S.E. moderate, and with a smooth 
sea, and after working to windward till about 2 o'clock, I 
laid my course S S.W. full and by, which would carry me 
into the mouth of Ipswich River. 
The wind rapidly freshened, and we were soon bowling 
along rail-to, hauled sharp on the wind and making good 
time. It was grand sailing; the ocean was a deep dark -blue, 
dotted with whitecaps that glistened pure white in the sun. 
The sun was warm and had burned off the gray haze of 
morning till the sky was as blue as the sea. 
The air was fr sh and moist; you could almost feel it as 
you breathed it in, and the white sails and shining, varnished 
spars leaning to leeward made a glorious picture against the 
blue of sky and sea. 
We were about four miles from Whaiesback and an equal 
distance from White Island, when I thought I saw fog away 
to the S.E. It looked hazy and thick, and not caring to get 
"catched" I came about, turned tail, and ran back toward 
Kittery — for about a minute, and then, "Pshaw! I won't be 
bluffed out of this slant, by a little fog. Here goes." So we 
jibed her over, flattened down again, and hammered away. 
Now was the time to gladden the heart of the most incura- 
ble "farmer." The wind kept breezing more and more, and 
by 3 o'clock it was blowing a good fifteen-mile clip. We 
staggered along, rail under, with the water washing over the 
fore deck (the fore hatch is battened down; no leak there), 
but as dry as a bone aft the mast, the bows rising and falling 
as regularly as a pendulum, the water hissing in masses of 
foam along the lee side and under the boom, and sometimes 
sluicing up on to the lee deck and running aft and otit of the 
scuppers. The tender was towing astern, half out of water, 
with the foam curling away on either side in bright, spark- 
ling toiTents, and only a touch of the tiller now and then was 
needed to keep her on her course. 
In the midst of all this I chanced to take a look below, and 
was dismayed to see the water several inches above the cabin 
floor. Things were washing round in the reddish-colored 
liquid, and my red velvet carpet was a sight. Turn to and 
pump her out, and after fifteen minutes the pump sucked, 
though I pumped twice more before getting in. Nothing 
but the topsides, which had dried up during the winter, 
especially the starboard side, and had not had a chance to 
swell. 
So we reached along, closing in with the coast gradually 
and heading up a point or so as the wind would occasionally 
favor Off the mouth of the Merrimack, and fully a mile 
from the beach, there was quite a rip, and one wave broke 
on deck and wet us down; but we passed out of them at once 
and aboiit 5 o'clock fetched in to the south side of Plum 
Island after a fine reach of about twenty miles. Now came 
a turn of six miles to windward. 
All this time the wind had been freshening, and now it 
blew hard and the sea had got up and was rolling in right up 
and down, steep and choppy. 
On the starboard tack we took the sea nearly end on, and 
she pitched, and jumped, and stood on end, and dove into it; 
but we got there, and after a dozen tacks across the bay we 
ran into smooth water under the lee of Halibut Point, and 
sailed down to Lanesville and close up to the entrance to the 
harbor; but, as I had never been in there, and didn't know 
just how the trick was done, I hauled down the staysail and 
stood off and on a few times and was about to anchor, as it 
was growing dark, when some one came down to the end of 
the breakwater and sung out: "Come right in, it's all right." 
So I hauled my sheets aft and shot in through the hole in 
the wall, and found myself in a curious place. 
The natural advantages of Lanesville for shelter are very 
small; but two immense walls of granite, say 50 or 60ft. 
thick and fully as high, all but meet from the opposite sides 
of the cove, leaving a space about 30 to 35ft, wide for vessels 
to come in and out. The sharp, square corners looked rather 
formidable, but I got through all right and tied up along- 
side a fishing schooner, for the bottom of this little gunk- 
hole is solid rock, and there is no room to swing at an anch- 
or; but I was glad enough to be there, for sOon after dark it 
commenced to screech right out, and by midnight was blow- 
ing a gale. 
No sooner had I tied up than I had a gang of big-booted 
fishermen all over the deck, who vie'^-ed with interest my 
little craft, which looked so small and neat, huddled in 
among the schooners, her new white sails adding to the 
contrast. 
"Where are you bound?" 
"Where you frum?" 
"''''on all alone?" 
"Ain't it rather early for yachting?" were some of the 
questions fired at me, and one grizzled old fellow said in an 
undertone to his neighbor: "Well, he takes his chances 
going to sea in that thing, alone, at this time of year," with 
which sentiment I fully agreed. 
All night it blew hard, and I could feel the undertow as 
the yacht surged and chafed against the fenders; for I had 
hauled in close alongside one of the schooners, w hie'" are 
moored with big chains bow and stern, and when the sea is 
high they work back and forth, and bring up on the cables 
with a jerk that shakes everything up. 
Lanesville looks very snug, but 1 was told of the gale of 
'88, 1 think, when the seas came clear over the breakwater, 
freezing as they fell, and sunk all the schooners in the place, 
while the undertow was something terrific. 
I could well believe it, for even in this southeast gale of 
twenty-four hours' duration there was a strong current and 
ground swell setting in through the narrow opening. 
Wednesday morning the gale was at its height; even in 
this sheltered spot the wind came down from the hills in 
fierce gusts, and the rain kept me below about all day. I 
had a snug, cozy time. 
Lonesome? 
Not a bit. 
First, breakfast, and then clean up below; a morning pipe 
or rather succession of pipes, papers and books which I had 
bought the night before, and as it was cold and damp I kept 
the fire all day, and the glowing bed of coals added much to 
the charm and comfort of it all. A short nap and then 
dinner to get and clear away, and by that time it was 5 
o'clock. 
The rain had ceased to fall and I went up and took a look 
at the town and made a call on board the old schooner I Am 
Here, which lay on one side of me, while the Venus and a 
stone sloop lay on the other. 
The gale had broken and clear sky appeared, giving 
promise of a fair day on the morrow, which found me on 
deck at 6 ready and eager to get away. 
[May 1, 1897. 
The sky was blue, the sun radiantly warm and bright, and 
without waiting for breakfast I was towed out by one of the 
fishermen in his dory, and setting the head sails put the 
tiller in the comb amidships, and laying a coursefor Halibut 
Point, dead to leeward, proceeded to get breakfast. 
It was a morning to stir the blood of the most indifferent. 
The wind was light out of the west; the air was fresh and 
new as it is only ^fter a rain; the ocean was heaving and 
rolling in the tremendous swell left over from the night be- 
fore; on the rocks the sea was breaking furiously, and the 
surface of the water was flecked with patches of foam that 
had drifted off from the surf and spread out in sheets and 
sizzled and hissed as we pushed through them. 
Without the mainsail she steered her.self" during the hour 
it took me to prepare, make way with and clean up after 
breakfast, and by that time I was well down past the point, 
and with the increasing westerly, under all plain sail, she 
slid over the seas in beautiful shape. 
It was a fair wind as far as Thatcher's, and then falling 
light, and the course bringing it ahead, I had to beat up 
through the islands till about abreast of Eastern Point, and 
a couple of miles off shore I got a severe puff from the 
N.W. that induced me to douse the mainsail, and none too 
soon, for under headsails alone she had the lee rail awash, 
going like a race horse; but in five minutes it was over, and 
the remainder of the trip to Marblehead was in light airs 
all ahead or no wind at all, slatting and rolling in the hot 
sun. 
By hugging the Magnolia .shore we caught a little air from 
the land and about 3 o'clock fanned into Marblehead, picked 
up our moorings and voted our solitary cruise a grand suc- 
cess, p. L. Eno. 
The New 51 -Footer. 
The new cutter Syce, designed by Gardner & Cox and 
buUt by Wood & Son at City Island for F. M. Hoyt, of Stam- 
ford, is now out of the shop and ready for launching at any 
time. This yacht is specially interesting as the first of any 
size built under the racing length classification, the class of 
which .she is the first, of 51ft. racing length, being the nearest 
to the old 40ft.. l.w.l. class, the largest boat in which, the 
Gardner cutter Liris built in 1889, measured just 50ft. racing 
length. Unfortunately the changes of recent years have 
made it impossible to compare closely the results, as 
shown in the yachts built imder them, of the two sys- 
tems so hotly disputed some eight or nine years since, 
of classifying by waterline length alone, leaving the 
designer free to crowd on sail as he pleased after trial; 
or of classifying as well as measuring by the rule in 
which length and sail were equal factors, thus leaving it to 
the skill of the designer to determine the correct proportions 
of each for a given classi and type. The old 40-footers, one 
and all, from the big Liris of 3,600sq. ft. sail area to the little 
Minerva of but 2,700, were merely cutters ef considerable 
beam, moderate S section and improved lines, with very 
moderate overhangs forward. Between them and the new 
ol-footers has come the fin-keel in its most extreme form — 
from Dilemma to Niagara— involving a radical change of 
form that destroys the value of what would otherwise be a 
most instructive comparison. The 51-f ooter of to day differs 
from the old 40-footer not only in being designed under a 
rule that encourages a longer and easier form with a smaller 
sail plan, but she is in form essentially a fin-keel, and in 
construction very much lighter and more elaborate, as well 
as much more costly. 
The new class has so much to recommend it to racing men, 
of whom there mu.st still be some left, that it is surprising 
as well as disappointing to find that but two yachts are 
building for it, the present boat and another in the same 
yard, designed by Will Fife, Jr., and owned by J. B. Mills. 
While the boats are comparatively costly, running up prob- 
ably to §12,000, they give far more for the money in the way 
of sport than the 90ft. schooners on the one hand and the 
one-design classes such as the 30-footers on the other. 
Syce is to all practical purposes an enlarged edition of the 
handsome cutter Norota, which Mr, Hoyt has raced so suc- 
cessfully for the past two season.?— the same long, shallow 
hull with easily turned bilge and fair and round fore and aft 
lines, the deep and short fin, and the rudder hung on a acag 
and projecting well below it. Her dimensions are: 
Over all 69ft, 
L.W.L 4,5ft. 
Beam 12ft, 6in. 
Draft lOft. 3in. 
Sail area 3,250 sq. ft. 
The hull proper is beautifully modelled, like Norota and 
Quisetta, the form being fair and easy in all parts, and the 
yacht will present a very handsome appearance when afloat. 
The lead keel is a formidable lump of about fourteen tons 
weight, short, deep and thick, being 22in. through at the 
widest part. The bottom has been left perfectly flat and 
with square corners between it and the sides, which are also 
straight, but not quite vertical, falling in a little. The 
wood keel is also very short, and some very nice ship car- 
pentry is required in building up the peculiar curves of the 
stem and stern from the keel to the deck. As in Norota, a 
double system of framing is followed, the frames in the ends 
are of wood, with wooden shelf, but amidships from 
just forward of the mast to the sternpost, they are 
of steel angles, very light in scantling, supplemented by 
a steel girder plate in place of the wooden shelf, and by 
gussets, knees, tie-straps, etc., with light, angle steel deck 
beams. The frame is strengthened everywhere by diagonal ' 
straps and similar members, under the planking and across 
the deck beams. Both designers and builders are well en- 
titled to be proud of the construction, as in design and work- 
manship it is far in advance of anything yet seen in yachts 
of this size. The sternpiece is a very fine job, everything 
from taffirail down being carved from a solid piece of 
mahogany. The planking above the garboards is double, 
the inner skin of white cedar, 3^in. ; the outer of yellow pine, 
%in., fastened to the steel frames with composition screw 
bolts. The low bulwark is of mahogany, with no rail or 
cap. The wale is worked thicker than the main planking, 
the diminish on the lower edge forming a cove for the gilt 
stripe. 
The interior cuts up well for a fin-keel, with at least triple 
the accommodation of Niagara, for instance. The depth of 
hold is just sufficient to give a full 6ft. of headroom over the 
floor of the main saloon, in the middle of the yacht, for a 
length of some 10ft. ; this floor being worked closedown ta 
the skin. Only a short distance below it the fin shows a 
thickness of but llin., so it will be seen that there is no space 
for tanks, etc. , below. 
Forward is the pantry and a very large and well-ventilated 
forecastle, occupying considerably more than the forward 
overhang. The floor is a few inches higher than in the 
saloon, but there is headroom about the after end, the galley 
and pantry; but of course the floor rises rapidly as it goes for- 
ward. However, there will be space, air and light in plenty 
for the crew. 
Abaft the saloon is a steerage with a large berth on the 
port side of the ladder and a very large toilet room on the 
starboard side. Still further aft is the ladies' cabin, across 
the ship, a very good room. This part of the vessel would 
be useless, owing to the quick rise of the bottom, were it not 
for the expedient of a small cabin trunk, which gives the 
necessary head room. This trunk is 4ft, long and wide, 
square, with a flat top, built of mahogany with windows in 
each of the four sides commanding a view of the deck. It 
promises to make a most cozy and comfortable room of the 
after cabin. As a matter of necessity it is, however, placed 
