438 
[Noy. 37, 1897. 
when the averages are figured out next fall. In view of the 
strong feeling in Boston against sail area as a factor in the 
rule, the experimeats of next season are likely to be both in- 
teresting and instructive. 
The Seawanhaka Corintbiaik Knockabout Class. 
The accompanving drawings, show the general arrange- 
ment of the new Seawanhaka knockabouts, whose lines were 
published in our previous issue. The design is practically a 
modification of the keel knockabout Verona, designed and 
built Iflst winter by Mr. Steam's, whose lines were published 
in the Forest and Stkeam of Jan. 23-30. 1897. Verona was 
designed for cruising, and carries a large weight of fittings, 
but she has proved fast and able. 
In common with other neighboring f.lubs, the Seawanhaka 
C. y. C. has experienced much difficulty within the last 
few years in securing starters in its races, owing to the very 
small number of racing yachts now in commission. Liberal 
prizes and earnest work on the part of its race committee 
nave failed to secure more than a few starters in the schooner 
and the larger single stick classes; and it is mainly due to 
the new international cup for small yachts that there has 
been any sustained racing during the past three seasons. 
The IS footers in 1895 and 1896, and the 20-footers last sum- 
mer, have been of the greatest benefit to the club in keeping 
alive the interest in racing after it was dead in the larger 
classes. At the same time it is quite plain that these un- 
limited classes have reached a degree of perfection where 
they cease to be of further use. The expense of a racing 30- 
footer, the skill and labor necessarv to the production of a 
successful boat, and the lack of durability and seaeral use- 
lessness of the type, all combine to limit the number of boats 
and the interest in the races. 
When the Oyster Bay station was established in 1891, the 
club built four catboats of 20ft. 1 w.l., from a desiern by A. 
Gary Smith, the boats being alikein every respect. They were 
moored off the float, ready at all times for use by members; 
and they have been kept busy, season after season, both for 
casual sailing about Oyster Bay, West Harbor and Cold 
Spring Harbor, and for racing. Though little has been 
heard of them outside the club, they have afforded a great 
deal of sport to the members, series races being sailed 
throughout the season, and prizes given for the records. 
The four have proved to be equal in speed, except for occa- 
sional differences in condition of sails or bottom. 
The idea of a one-design class on a larger scale, that would 
be free from the objections of expense and faulty type that 
stand against the 20 footers, and that at the same would 
possess the characteristic features that had made the catboat 
racing so popular, originated with Mr. D. Le Roy Dresser, a 
member of the race committee, and a resident on Center 
Sect>oj> A 
Island. While on the New York Y. C. cruise last summer, 
Mr. Dresser visited some of the Boston yards,, and also that 
of Mr. Stearns, at Marblehead, and inspected the different 
Boston knockabouts. 
After the international races at Montreal were over, the 
idea was put into definite shape by a request for designs 
made to several designers and builders. The designs sub- 
mitted by Mr. Stearns was generally approved by those pre- 
sent at the first meeting at the club house, on Sept. 4, and 
the gentlemen agreed to build from it. Further negotiations 
with Mr. Stearns and some modification of the design re- 
sulted in the yacht here illustrated, and the signing of con- 
tracts fof twenty-five yachts, all that Mr. Stearns was 
prepared to build. 
The dimensions of the design are: 
Length, over all 32ft. llin. 
1 w.l 21ft. 
Overhang, bow 5ft. 6in. 
stern 6ft. 5in. 
Beam, extreme 7ft. Sin. 
l.w.l 7ft. Sin. 
Draft, extreme 4tt. 
with board 7ft. 
Least freeboard, to planksheer 1ft. 9in. 
Displacement, lbs., 6,778; tons 3.02 
Ballast, lbs., 3,600: tons 1.60 
Sail area, sq. ft 550 
The draft of Verona, a keel boat, is 4ft. lO^in.; but the Sea- 
wanhaka committee decided that a centerboard boat was 
the more desirable, so the draft was reduced to 4ft., and a 
Tobin bronze board, housing entirely within the keel, was 
added. The question of lead or iron for the keel was very 
fully discussed, and was finally decided in favor of the lat- 
ter. The committee was desirous of keeping the cost as low 
as consistent with thoroughly good work, and the difference 
in favor of iron over lead was about $75, while with the softer 
metal there would be more or less difficulty in using a cen- 
SEAWANHAKA ONE-DESIGN KNOCKABOUT. 
Designed and built by VV. B. Stearns, 1897. 
