FOREST AND STREAM. 
ptfec. id, 189S, 
Interlake Yachting: Association. 
Toledo, Nov. 26. 
The Interlake Yachting Association, composed of all 
the yacht clubs on Lake Erie and the Detroit River, 
held its fall meeting in Toledo on Saturday, Nov. 26. 
There were present W. C. Jupp, representing the De- 
troit Boat Club; George Anderson, representing the 
the Sandusky Y. C: E. W. Radder, representing the 
Cleveland and also the Put-in-Bay yacht clubs; George 
T. Bliss, representing the Erie Y. C; F. B. Hower, 
representing the Buffalo Y. C; John Rathbone, repre- 
senting the Detroit Y. C; Henry Tracy, representing 
the Toledo Y. C, and Otto Barthel, representing the 
West End Y. C, of Detroit. The following ex-presi- 
dents of the Association were also present: Hon, Geo. 
W. Gardner, J. E. Gunckel and J. O. Richardson, Jr. 
The first matter to be considered were the amendments 
to the Sailing Regulations. They were submitted by 
Capt. Radder, the Association's 'delegate 10 the Yacht 
Racing Union of North America. The object of the 
amendments was to make the Sailing Regulations of 
the Lake Erie Association the same as those of the North 
American Union, excepting the classification. All the 
amendments were adopted. The classification of the 
North American Union was not adhered to for the 
reason that the measurement of a boat coming from salt 
water to the Lakes, or vice versa, would be changed 
anyway, and it was thought best to have 5ft. class in- 
stead of 6ft. classes of the parent organization. 
Two additional amendments were offered by Capt. 
Radder and adopted. The first was that all yachts 
built or brought to the Lakes before Nov. 5, 1898, which 
measure over the class they have heretofore sailed in, 
shall continue to sail in those classes, provided the 
excess of measurement is due to the new rules; and 
shall be rated at the maximum limit of the class. The 
second amendment was that if the extreme draft of a 
keel boat exceeded the draft at the point of the girth 
measurement, whether it be aft or forward of that point, 
twice such excess shall be added to the girth. 
All time allowance was done away with, every yacht 
rating at the top limit of her class, excepting in the 
first class. In that class are all yachts over 45ft. racing 
length, and an injustice might be done a boat of 
say 46ft. racing length if she were forced to sail against 
one of 80 or 90ft. 
It was also decided to make a class- of 20ft., to com- 
prise all boats measuring 20ft. or under. The same 
rules to govern as in the larger classes. 
The trial races on Lake Michigan to pick the repre- 
sentative yacht of the United States for the Canada's 
cup races was then discussed. Inasmuch as nothing 
could be done pending the receipt of the conditions 
covering those races, the matter was laid over. 
Notwithstanding that the trial races will take place 
on Lake Michigan, making it a long sail for any boat 
from Lake Erie, it is thought that at least one boat,' if 
not two, will come from the latter place. Considerable 
satisfaction was expressed at the prospects of a lively 
season next summer. An adjournment was then taken, 
subject to the call of the president. 
The Capabilities of Small Yachts. 
Cobourg, Nov. 27. — Editor Forest and Stream: _ In 
your last two issues are some interesting republications 
from the Field on the capabilities of small yachts. The 
consensus of opinion seems to be that as far as mere 
weathering a gale is concerned size in itself has little 
or nothing to do with safety, but model has: and this 
is precisely my opinion. On the latter point the differ- 
ence of opinion between correspondents seems to be 
mainly as to the amount of good and harm inherent 
in a certain amount of overhang; and the last letter of 
Squaretail goes so far as to say that if length over all 
were the element taxed instead of length on waterline 
we should revert to plumb stems and flat sterns. Surely 
not, for if so all the efforts of designers for many years 
back to cut down skin surface to the last square inch 
are largely misdirected, I have crossed the Great Lakes 
for twenty years now, and have seen a good many 
different kinds of weather, and I have come to the con- 
clusion that overhang in moderation is rather to be 
desired in a cruiser than otherwise, tending to buoyancy 
and dryness, although not perhaps to easy motion, and 
in any case it is the shape of the overhang, rather than 
the amount of it, which causes bad performance. 
If the forward overhang is carried out to such an 
extreme that it becomes flat-floored the vessel must 
do more or less pounding in a head sea, as well as a 
considerable amount of windage when the bow is hove 
up. If the after overhang is carried out wide and full 
it tends to prevent the nose from lifting; but as a matter 
of fact it is difficult to combine such overhangs with 
a wholesome seagoing middle body, and if. with such a 
midship section the overhangs are carried out merely 
far enough to develop good, easy diagonals and but- 
tocks, I think there is little reason to fear that they 
will interfere with the boat's performance in a seaway. 
I think a more important point in connection with 
modern overhangs is that in order to reduce above- 
water bulk and weight the sheer has been gradually 
cut down until it is now nearly a straight line, increas- 
ing vastly the chances of being "pooped" when running, 
especially with the wide, flat transoms of some of the 
modern boats. The after overhang of a seagoing 
cruiser should be well drawn in and tucked up. If this 
is done, and the decks well rounded, all the water a 
boat can pick up on her fantail will work off before it 
gets forward to the cockpit. As a matter of actual 
experience, the only occasions on which I have felt really 
anxious about a following sea were on the lower St. 
Lawrence in boats without overhang and with wide, 
flat sterns. Squaretail's references to the Atlantic liner 
and the torpedo boat are hardly happy or apropos. 
Even were the motive power the same in both cases 
there is a wide difference between the boat having 
ten or twelve beams to length, and traveling at an 
average speed of twenty-five miles, and the boat having 
four or five beams and making five or six miles, even 
if there were not also problems in Connection with the 
mechanical construction which bear on the question 
of model and affect it. 
No one, I fancy, will dispute the contention of an- 
other correspondent that a. good sea boat must have 
ample displacement, or, as Jack would say, "lots of 
guts below water." But none of them seem to have 
brought out other points more important than the 
question of overhangs; one of these is the short keel 
and midship rudder, which is almost universal in modern 
boats, even when intended for something more than 
racing. Any one who has steered one of these boats 
off the wind with any sea on knows how hard and un- 
easy they are on their helms. In common with some 
others I have endeavored to mitigate this evil by separ- 
ating the rudder altogether from the keel, and hanging 
it on a deadwood or scag of its own. This greatly eases 
tfie strains, but does not much lessen the uneasiness 
and necessity for incessant watchfulness. Zulu, whose 
lines I send you, was "easy" on her helm under any 
circumstances, but so quick that the helm could not 
be dropped for a moment, nor the steersman's eyes 
removed from his work. Another question bearing on 
safety and capability is that of rig. My own preference 
is and always has been for the yawl — in common with 
McMullen, Middleton, McGregor, and most of the 
single-handers; but whether yawl or schooner or 
ketch, I think nearly everyone who has done much sail- 
ing in the open water will agree that there must be 
more than one stick, if only for the purpose of getting 
enough sail on without long and heavy sticks aloft 
and carrying a heavy main boom. The old English cut- 
ter sailors so fully recognized the dangers and difficul- 
ties of running under such a rig that they carried a 
square sail for this purpose and kept the big boom lashed 
amidships, an example which might well be followed by 
some of the more modern and smaller boats. 
The good sea boat must not have too much beam, less 
because beam in itself is a detriment as because (es- 
pecially in combination with good displacement) it 
means a slow boat or a big and lofty rig to drive it. Wit^i 
a well proportioned and snugly and handily rigged 
boat there seems to be no reason why a trip to the West 
Indies should not be made without danger or even 
serious discomfort by two able-bodied men in a boat 
of 25ft. waterline, or why yachting properly so called 
should be exclusively the rich man's pastime. And 
it is pleasant after so many years of racing in egg shells — 
or canoes kept upright by plumbobs hung underneath 
them — to see some space in your columns given again 
to the cruising craft. The finest craft it has ever been 
my good luck to sail is the Mirage, a 10-tonner, rerigged 
and refitted by myself during the past summer— 39ft. 
o.a., 31ft. w.L, 10ft. in. beam, and 6ft. draft — with a 
lateral plane well spread fore and aft, and standing room 
all over a cabin 14ft. in length; very strongly built, 
ballasted with seven tons of iron and lead, and neatly, if 
not luxuriously, fitted below; new sails, ample ground 
tackle, etc., etc. Mirage cost less than $1,500, and will 
with care last fifteen or twenty years; but, after sailing 
her for a month under various conditions, I cannot say 
that I think more overhang or less waterline length 
would have hurt her. Henry K. Wicksteed. 
The Lateen Rig for Yachts and Iceboats. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
In your issue of Aug. 7, 1884, you printed an account 
of the new Prince rig for sail boats, with plans, etc., 
which consisted in stepping the mast derrick-like on 
the side of the boat instead of on the middle line. The 
next year you again produced the plans of the novel 
idea, and recommended it as a very desirable improve- 
ment on the ordinary mast and gaff sail rig for ice- . 
boats. Your recommendation quickly took with the 
clubs, and since that time it has been widely adopted 
for iceboats everywhere that the Forest and Stream is 
read. Its success for sail boats has also been demon- 
strated. It will be noticed that it accommodates itself , 
to all kinds of sails, square and fore-and-aft sails, lug- - 
sail, boom sail, and also admirably to the lateen sail. 
George Prince. 
Bostok, Nov. 29. 
Syracuse Y« C. 
Syracuse, Dec. 1.— There has recently been organized 
a yacht club in the city of Syracuse by the name of 
Syracuse Yacht Club. The officers of the organization 
are: Com;, P. I. Gross; Vice-Corn., A. Van Wagner; 
Sec'y, Chas. J. Carroll; Treas., L. G. Van Wagner; 
Meas., Chas F. Russell; Fleet Capt., Chas. Halbritter; 
Fleet Surgeon, Dr. S. S. Bibbens. 
The rooms of the club are 10 Snow BuiMing, Syracuse. 
N. Y. 
YACHTING NEWS NOTES. 
The race for the Canada cup, off Toronto on Lake 
Ontario, next summer, will be the most important 
yachting event on the Great Lakes since the cup was 
raced for before, and won from the Vencedor by the 
Canada. The Chicago yachtsmen, who have challenged 
for the cup, have extended an invitation to the repre- 
sentative yacht clubs of Detroit, Toledo, Cleveland, 
Buffalo and Rochester to enter boats in the trial races 
to be held early next season, to the end that the fastest 
boat on the Great Lakes may be selected to race against 
the Canadian cup defender. 
Interviews with several members of the Buffalo Y. C. 
on the possibility of Buffalo building and entering a 35- 
footer in the trial races at Chicago, bring to light the 
fact that such a proposition is out of the question. The 
general impression seems to be that there is not the 
real enthusiasm in yachting among the Buffalo yachts- 
men to warrant such action. While there is money 
enough in the Buffalo Y. C. to build as finely designed 
a yacht as could be built anywhere on the Great Lakes, 
yet there is an apparent lack of love for the sport, which 
Is necessary to put that money into circulation for such 
an object. 
This fact is deplorable. Buffalo is next to Chicago 
. in size among the cities of the Great Lakes, and the 
Windy City yachtsmen naturally suppose that the local 
lovers of the sport will take an interest in the coming 
race sufficient to enter a boat in the trial events. But 
they will be disappointed. A fast 35-footer would not 
cost much, and there are at least six members of the 
Buffalo Y. C. who could defray the expense of one, and 
never notice the drawing on their bank account. But 
the spirit which predominates in the club house at the 
foot of Porter avenue is evidenced by the excuse credited 
to a yacht club member when he was recently asked to 
go in with several other members and purchase a little 
16ft. catboat for next year's local races, the expense of 
which is little over $35. He said: "Why, I may be dead 
next year." That is the spirit that is holding Buffalo 
back in yachting. — Buffalo Courier. 
Tt is so natural and easy to write sea poems and so 
very difficult to write good ones that many persons 
try and almost as many fail sadly. Mr. Thomas Fleming 
Day, the well-known yachting writer, has tried a good 
many times in the volume recently issued under the title 
of "Songs of Sea and Sail," and has succeeded in writing- 
some very good poems and few poor ones. A life-long 
lover of sea and ships, Mr. Day knows both thoroughly, 
and this sailor spirit, with its accompanying technical 
knowledge, has served to place even the least meritorious 
of the poems on a distinctly higher level than most work 
of the kind. Many of the poems are remarkably good, 
the sentiment is genuine and they have the -right ring. 
"The Coasters," for instance, with its appropriately rough 
refrain, is a fitting tribute to a class of vessel whose 
merits attract little attention beside the more showy 
qualities of the yacht or warship. "The Ships" is a 
stirring poem, and "On the Bridge" and "Making Land" 
are both good. "The Belfry of the Sea," the "Sailor of 
the Sail," "The Landfall" and "The Homeward Bound- 
er's Song" are all worth more than a second reading; 
in fact, the book is a good one to have at hand through 
the winter evenings, when its unmistakable odor of 
brine and spray gives the needed flavor to the quiet 
comfort of the fireside ashore. The book is published 
by the Rudder Co., New York and London. 
An adjourned meeting of the Lake Sailing Skiff As- 
sociation was held in Toronto on Nov. 23, at which it 
was decided to leave optional the use of an outboard or 
underbody rudder in the 18ft. and 16ft. classes. 
The following sizes were decided on: iSft. class, 
planking J / 3 in., frames I i-i6in. square; 16ft. class, plank- 
ing }im., frames iin. square; 15ft. class, planking %'m., 
frames }im. Skiffs are to be measured with dead weight 
on board. The walker cup will be sailed for on Domin- 
ion Day. The Association now includes the Royal 
Canadian Y. C. Queen City Y. C, Royal Hamilton Y. 
C, Victoria Y. C, Royal Toronto Sailing Skiff Club, 
Parkdale Sailing Club. 
The winter of 1898-99 has broken all records, both in 
date and severity, practically opening on Thanksgiving 
Day, Nov. 26, with a snowstorm along the Atlantic 
Coast, some 3m. of siiow falling in New York city. 
During the afternoon of Nov. 28 a violent northeast 
gale struck the coast, snow beginning to fall in New 
York at noon and continuing until early the next morn- 
ing, by which time some ioin. had fallen. The gaie 
was bad enough about New York, but the center was 
off Boston, where the large passenger steamer Portland, 
from Boston for Portland, Me., was lost with all on 
board, including many passengers, the wreck being 
driven ashore near Highland Light on Cape Cod. It 
is not yet known how many other vessels, mainly 
coasting schooners, were lost, but Boston Harbor was 
full of wrecks, including an Atlantic steamer blown 
ashore. Great damage has been done to yachting prop- 
erty in different places, notably in Port Jefferson Harbor, 
always considered a secure winter anchorage. The 
coasting schooner Mary E. Cuff dragged her anchor 
in the harbor and drove down on the steam yacht Hal- 
cyon Com. Howard C. Smith, Stamford Y. C, sink- 
ing her, afterward going ashore herself. The schooner 
Alsacienne, better known under her original name of 
Norseman, was moored permanently in the harbor, with 
a strake of plank off on each side to air her frames; she 
filled and sank. The schooner Comanche, the cutter 
Wayward, and the cutter Wasp were driven ashore. The 
steam yacht Rival was sunk and the Parthenia lost her 
bowsprit and sustained other damage. Smaller yachts 
in the harbor were also sunk or damaged badly. The 
yachts laid up at Sag Harbor,. Greenport and many 
other Sound ports were more or less damaged. The 
schooner Magic, recently purchased by J. S. Clarke, of 
Pittsburg, from A. W. Mott, left Greenport for New 
"York on Saturday morning in fair weather, but was 
overtaken bv the gale after passing Plum Gut and finally 
lost her bearings in the snowstorm, her compass being 
unreliable. She finally anchored near shore and rode out 
the gale on a lee shore until Monday morning, when it 
was found that she was near the Thimble Islands. About 
5 A M. on Sunday, in the height of the gale, she was 
nearly run down by a large ocean steamer. The house 
of the Douglaston Y. C, in Little Neck Bay was en- 
tirely destroyed. Much damage was done to the smaller 
yards about Quincy and Dorchester Bay, shops being 
flooded and many yachts thrown down from their block- 
ing on the beach. 
On Dec 3 the work of demolishing the buildings at 
Nos 37 39 and 41 West Forty-fourth street, New York, 
was begun; the legal transfer of the property to the New 
York Y. C. having been completed. The contract for 
the construction of the new club house has been let to 
the Sturgis & Hill Co., and the work will be earned 
on as rapidly as possible. 
Coronet, schr., has received a new outfit of canvas 
from Wilson & Griffin, and on Dec. 5 she sailed on a 
long cruise to Bermuda, Cuba and British Guiana. Her 
new owner, F. S. Pearson, has his wife and children with 
him. Captain Crosby is still in command, 
On Dec. 1 the navigation class of the Seawanhaka C. 
Y. C. was opened for the winter, Dr. F. E. Sondern, a 
member of the club, being in charge. 
The new challenge for the Quincy cup, designed by 
C. D. Mower, is already nearly completed. She is de- 
signed to the limit of the class, 21ft. l.w.l., but is of ex- 
treme construction, the planking being but Hin. and the 
deck J4in. The bottom is covered with canvas over the 
cedar planking, . . J 
