Mat 29, 1897.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
438 
HYPATIA. SAIL Plait. 
Good saddle horses in the East and most plugs in the West 
are taught to guide by a pressure of the bridle rein on the 
neck instead of a pull on either rein. The best of the cow 
ponies are still more sympathetic to their rider's wish and 
are guided by an inclination of his body in the direction it is 
desired to go. 
It should be the same way with a bicycle. Steering 
should be accomplished by a slight swaying of the body 
rather than by any sudden jerk or thrust of the handle bar. 
The instinct of the bicycle for guiding is incredibly fine and 
the response immediate. Conversely, only riders with a 
cultivated sense of balance can approach perfection in steer- 
ing. 
It is said that in France young men of a certain set now 
carry light canes when awheel. Thus the story goes, they 
can bring their machines to a standstill by leaning a little to 
one side and supporting themselves with the canes while they 
chat with some acquaintance. 
The Connecticut man has a hapoy faculty for taking care 
of himself under the toughest contingencies of existence. 
Thomas Eeed, of Meriden, who has just returned home, was 
one of the five Americans captured on the filibuster Laurada 
by the Spaniards. He took life in Morro Castle coolly for 
two months, and on his transfer to a military camp exercised 
his ingenuity and effected an escape, making his way from 
Cuba to Key West in a small boat. 
His compatriot, Allison G-ilbert, of Derby, passed last win- 
ter in camp on the banks of a small river in the interior of 
Alaska. He writes home that he expects to arrive in Cali- 
fornia next winter and will then start for Connecticut on his 
bicycle. What a small button this world is anyway, and 
what a boon the bicycle may be to the modern knights 
errant ! 
In a recent decision in a case before the United States Cir- 
cuit Court for the northern district of ISew York, Justice 
Coxe sustained the Fairbanks & Berlo patent of May 9, 1893, 
on wood rims for bicycle wheels. The Court helQ that a 
marked improvement over existing types had been made in 
the wood rim, which required an exercise of inventive facul- 
ties, and consequently was justly eligible to the protection 
afforded by the Patent Bureau. 
The existing type of carriage wheels, though using wooden 
rims, are constructed upon "a different basic principle, de- 
pending upon compression spokes and an iron reinforcing 
tire, and though laminated fellies have been used the break 
joint and varying grain features of the patent are new, while 
the weight is carried by suspension spokes and pneumatic 
tires. 
His honor closes by aiiirming that "the patentees have 
done much to make the modern bicycle a perfect machine." 
Vencedoe, the Chicago fin-keel, has been sold by Mr. 
Berriman to H. M. Gillig, formerly Commodore of the 
Larchmont Y. C, and owner of Romona, Gloriana and other 
yachts. Mr. Gillig will bring her on by rail and race her on 
the Sound. She will be canvased for the 60fb. class, to 
race with Wasp. 
Mr. Suggan's Defender. 
The first of the fleet of 20-footers designed by G. H. 
Duggan to compete for the honor of defending the Seawan- 
haka Corinthian international cup was launched success- 
fully on May 19 at Dorval. The boat is the one designed by 
Mr. Duggan for his own and Mr. Shearwood's use. Outside 
of the staff of builders those present were Mr. and Mrs. 
Duggan and Mr. Shearwood. The boat had stood on the 
ways all day blackleaded and varnished, and her shining 
surface scintillated in the bright sun and was the admiration 
of the few favored to look at it. The hollow mast had been 
set in place and the shrouds and such light rigging as is 
requisite was erected. When Messrs. Duggan and Shear- 
wood arrived late in the afternoon the rudder was shipped, 
and then after some preparatory work the blocks were 
knocked away and the truck on which the yacht rested 
slid into the water and the boat floated gracefully in Lake 
St. Louis. The centerboard was next placed in its box, and 
after arranging the spreaders the boat was ready for its sails. 
The boat will be taken down the lake to Mr. Duggan's place, 
and the remaining arrangements will be completed there. 
She presents a neat appearance on the water, and looks as if 
she could travel at a pretty good clip in any sort of a breeze. 
There are three other 20-footers on the ground in front of 
the yacht shed and one more in the shed, and all of these 
will be launched this week. Mr. Harrison B. Young's boat 
is on the way, and will go into the water to-day. Her mast 
and rigging have been placed on board, and her sails are 
lying in the grass on the club house lawn. The other two 
boats have been blackleaded and varnished, and are out dry- 
ing, awaiting their spars. Of these five boats it is expected 
that all will be ready before Saturday, and on that day there 
will be a trial spin of the quintette. 
Maida, the second of the Duggan designed 20-footers, was 
launched from the Royal St. Lawrence Y. C. grounds at 
Dorval yesterday afternoon. Maida is the property of Har- 
rison B. Young, and in general appearance Is kindred to Mr. 
Duggan's own boat; but in detail there are a number of dif- 
ferences. Mr. Duggan's boat lies well out of the water, and 
has a big overhang forward and ^ft. Mr. Young's boat is 
broad and shallow ;without the centerboard its draft is about 
4in., and with the centerboard in position the draft is hardly 
more than 6in. The boat lies flat on the water, and is stiff, 
and the indications are that she will be the fastest of the five 
in rough weather or with a good blow. After being launched 
yesterday, the centerboard was swung on board and placed 
in the box. The board is quite a heavy one, and weighs in 
the neighborhood of 4001bs.— Toro7iito G-lobe, May 20. 
Hypatia. 
CENTEKBOAED EACIKG SLOOP. 
"We have once more spoken of the rapid change that has 
taken place in the middle West in the abandoning of the old 
fleet of sandbag sloops and catboats, imported from Long 
Island Sound, for smaller and more modern racing craft. 
This movement has been quite general for two or three years 
and is extending each year, every small lake in Wisconsin 
and Minnesota having a growing fleet of 15 or 20 footers, the 
local designers, both amateur and professional, competing 
with Herreshoff , Linton Hope and other well-known Eastern 
or English designers. The design here illustrated was sent 
to us privately for inspection; at our request permission was 
given to puolish it. The designer is Mr. W. J. Starr, a 
yachtsman of Eau Claire, Wis., an amateur; the design was 
made and the yacht built for Gwynn Garnett, Jr., of Chicago, 
a member of the Green Lake Y. C, of Green Lake, Wis., 
where the yacht was raced lasfr season. 
The design is interesting from the fact that, though made 
in February, 1806, it shows a very full waterline and an ap- 
preciation on the part of the designer of those points of ad- 
vantage which were developed to an extreme degree later 
in the season in the racing of the 15ft. class on Long Island 
Sound. 
The dimensions are: 
Length, over all 2m. [ 9in. 
L.W.L 19ft.l6in. 
Overhang, bow 4ft. 
stern 4ft. 3in. 
Beam, extreme 9fb. Sin. 
L.W.L 8ft. 
Draft, hull llin. 
with board 6ft. Gin. 
Ballast None. 
Mast, from fore end l.w.l 3ft. Sin. 
deck to hounds 23ft. 9in. 
pole 2ft. 
Boom 27ft. 
Gaff 15ft. 
Bowsprit, beyond end, l.w.l 13ft. 6in. 
Mainsail, hoist 19ft. 
tack to peak 32ft. 6in. 
clew to throat 32ft. 
area, sq. f t 475sq. ft. 
Jib, area, sq. f t 150sq. ft. 
Total area, sq. ft 625sq. ft. 
The rules of the club place a tax upon all overhang in ex- 
cess of one-third the L.W.L. The yacht proved lighter in 
construction than anticipated, and as she carried her sail 
ably without ballast she was raced in this trim, her L.W.L. 
measuring but 18ft. The designed freeboard, already quite 
high for a modern racing boat, was thus increased by a 
couple of inches. Her crew last season lacked the experi- 
ence necessary to show her at her best, but she proved very 
fast. It is proposed for the present season to put on a new 
deck, reducing the freeboard 3in., and moving the mast a 
little forward, at the same time giving her a new mainsail 
with a foot less hoist and a higher peak. The centerboard 
is of 5-16in. steel. 
