374 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Nov. 4, i8gg, 
What can be done to shake off, not reform, our 
rowdies; get rid of our amateur degenerates, and so 
bring the i. L. Y. A. up to a level it should reach and 
hold.'' 
To do this the writer endeavored to bring the actions 
of our rowdy element at all of our meets before their 
respective townspeople, who in turn would be justly in- 
dignant al their respective clubs for allowing such an 
element to represent them abroad. The different clubs 
would see what their duty was in order to preserve their 
standing with their -townspeople. The result would be 
that our clubs would spot their undesirables, and what is 
more to the point, the undesirables would know it, and 
realize the fact they coidd not dodge it. They would 
then hold a very disagreeable position in the estimation 
of their clubs and the public. Such is the answer to the 
first question, and the reason for the first report and its 
broadcast publicity. 
The second question is what can be done to make our 
meets more popular with our yachtsmen and yacht own- 
ers? 
The third: What can be done to put the I. L. Y. A. 
before the people in its high and proper place, as en- 
couraging the finest sport to be enjoyed, and being 
championed by our best citizens? 
These two can be condensed to one, viz.: What is the 
object of the Interlake Yachting Association? 
its prime object is yachting, its encouragment of racing 
and cruising, and raising the standard of our clubs, and 
consequently the standard of our yachtsmen. This would 
place the I. L. Y. A. ahead of every yachting organiza- 
tion on Lake Erie in our own and the public's estima- 
tion. Just how to do this is a matter we must solve, or 
disband the I. L, Y. A. Let the question rest for a few 
moments and hastily consider our meets from 1894 or 
1895 up to and including the last in iSpp. 
Our meets up to that of, and perhaps including, 1897, 
were well attended. Unfortunately our undesirable ele- 
ment was very prominent and succeeded in giving yachts- 
men such an unsavory reputation that our attendance be- 
gan to decrease. It was only a few years ago that our 
anchorage would be crowded with yachts of all de- 
scriptions, and prominent among these were several fine 
sailing and steam yachts, which were on hand, with par- 
ties of ladies and gentlemen who had come to enjoy the 
races and other pleasant features of th(; meet. The stay 
of these latter craft Avas made unendurable by the actions 
of a lot of yachtsmen about the village of Put-in-Bay 
and the anchorage Nothing was done to look after the 
pleasure or comfort of these yacht owners and their 
guests. There were no possibilities at that time of social 
features. The natural consequence was that these yachts 
left the bay after a few visits, their owners vowing never 
to return during a meet of the I. L. Y. A. 
Many yacht owners were at those meets to race. They 
brought their friends to help sail their yachts. They were 
those who wanted the outing. They were looking for 
sport, fresh air, invigorating breezes. They were not out 
for a week's drunk. They had their races, but also had 
to come in contact with a few most undesirable, so-called 
yachtsmen. For these there were no social pleasures, so 
they began to disappear, not rapidly, but their attendance 
has been growing less. Happilj\ our rowdy element also 
decreased to a great extent. From the year 1896 the at- 
tendance at our meets has grown alarm.ingly less. At the 
last our number of yachts had graduall}'- dwindled to 
about thirty. 
The absence of visiting cruising yachts was most 
noticeable, shov>ring a great lack of interest among the 
owners of our finest yachts. 
The absence of racing yachts was another hard blow to 
rhe I. L. Y. A., and those who had worked to have the 
meet of 1899 well attended. 
With the non-attendance of yachts, however, our num- 
ber of undesirables had decreased. 
We must not overlook a great point to the credit of the 
I. L. Y. A. While duri 11 our m c V t the undesirables 
were making nuisances of themselves, our great majority 
of yachtsmen were enjoying greater social pleasures than 
ever before. The improvements of hotels at Put-in-Bay 
now make it possible for the friends and townspeople 
of our yachtsmen to attend our meets, and this year there 
were more ladies and gentlemen at Put-in-Bay (friends 
of yachtsmen) than ever before. The party we gave at 
the Hotel Victory was beyond compare. It was well 
attended and beautifully managed. The yachtsmen were 
most generous in introducing the visiting ladies to their 
friends. It was a most gloiious success, and like our 
preceding parties at the Victory, added wonderfully to 
the general benefit and contentment of our yachtsmen. 
Let us return to the question how to make the sport and 
our meets more popular with our racing and cruising 
yachtsmen, and so put the I. L. Y. A. at the head of all 
yachting organizations on Lake Erie? We should all 
endeavor to answer this question, but before doing so 
observe the following: 
In planning our meets we want a locality which the 
majority of yachts, large and small, from Buffalo to De- 
troit, can reach. We should not have a series of races or 
cruises which will exhaust our yachtsmen, take too much 
time or cause them to return to their homes worn out. 
Our measurements should be fair to all, for just classifi- 
cation. There should be social features, and our re- 
spective townspeople promised an enjoyable time. 
The fine fleet of cruising yachts, both sail and power, 
on Lake Erie, and the wishes of their owners, as we want 
them to have their yachts at our meets, deserve great 
attention. They will cruise most any place, but don't 
care to be "on the go" all the time. After seeing a race 
in the morning and returning to their anchorage, time 
hangs heavily on their hands, and at this point the con- 
ditions of our racing and cruising yachtsmen at our 
meets become identical, and it is just at this point where 
.something is and always has been needed to entertain 
our yachtsmen and put restraint on the actions of many. 
The writer suggests one more trial at the Bay. and the 
following idealized meet, with our rowdies absolutely 
minus. Remember, this is only a suggestion, intended 
to invite criticisfn from the members of every club mak- 
ing up the I. L. Y. A. Let us have our next meet at Put- 
in-Bay. Some months before you start see that your 
dues to your clubs are paid up. This will help put your 
clubs on such a sound finaticial footing that there will 
be no temptaticfn to elfect doubtM tnetnbters for the sake 
of their dues. Then see that your club dues to the I. L, 
Y. A. have been paid. Discourage any tendency, should 
it appear, of your members using thtir different expe- 
ditions as opportunities for getting full. Encourage 
social life about your clubs. If you don't like it, don't 
keep it from those that do. Those who enjoy it are the 
ones that pay for it. They bring a good class of people 
to your clubs, and do all they can to give their guests 
a good time. They make enthusiastic friends, and do a 
great deal to keep the sport we champion before the 
public in an agreeable light. Work up on yachting eti- 
quette, attend the meet, and it you are a boat owner or 
captain of a hired crew at least call on or leave a card 
for the commodore, giving official notice of the arrival 
of your yacht. 
Now, to our meet. Don't come to it or bring friends 
under the impression that this will be the last oppor- 
tunity that season for a week's spree. If you cannot 
keep your hired crews in line, discharge them. You will 
find plenty of good fellows to help sail your yacht home. 
Do everything to get the splendid fleet of sailing, racing, 
cruising and power yachts of a few years ago to attend 
this meet. Assure them that the days of stealing, drunk- 
enness and rowdyism about the anchorage and among 
the yachtsmen are at an end. Urge your townspeople 
to be on hand. Make strenuous efforts to get your 
young friends of both sexes there with the certain 
promise of a royal good time. Take them sailing and 
then visit on your friends' yachts. See that they attend 
the parties given by and for the j^achtsmen. Do all you 
can to show them that yachting under the management 
of the I. L. Y". A. is the only sport worth following, and 
that our yachtsmen are gentlemen. Give careful attention 
to our programme. Endeavor to follow out every item 
presented by the different committees. Have your yachts 
measured before leaving home. Enter them, early. Do 
all possible to have everything pass off smoothly. 
Such a meet as this would put the I. L. Y. A. and its 
members a long way up the ladder, and we can do it. 
We are not so dreadfully far from it now. The opening 
night of our last meet our smoker was held. It was well 
attended, and we had a jolly good time. Our party at 
the Victory was all that could be desired. Our regatta 
programme was well arranged and everything pertain- 
ing directly to it well carried out. Our several com- 
mittees worked splendidly, and the meet, though sparsely 
attended, was a success, just as all others have been. Its 
good effects, however, were killed, just as those of all 
ethers have been, by those who want no etiquette, no re- 
straint, no social features, and have no respect for law, 
decency or order. 
Our annual meeting takes place in December, and our 
new regatta committee will want to know what kind of 
a meet our members want in 1900. Whether racing or 
cruising, where they want it held, and what features, out- 
side of racing events, their programme will include. It 
is suggested that each of our individi:al members plan 
the meet that to their mind will do yachting and the I. 
L. Y. A. — or we might call it the Lake Erie Yachting 
Association — the most good. Send these plans to the 
writer. Thej- will be carefully filed and handed over to 
the new regatta committee for a foundation with which 
to strengthen the 1. L; Y. A., and give us a splendid 
meet in 1900. We will make it a glorious entry, of yacht- 
ing on Lake Erie, into the next century, and a cheerful 
farewell to our mistakes of the few last years of the past. 
Very sincerely, Geo. T. Bliss, 
Commodore I. L. Y. A., 1900. 
The International Races. 
Defender has already been laidup at Hawkins' yard. 
City Island. It will be remembered that after her vic- 
tory over Valkyrie III. in 1895 Defender was moored 
afloat at New Rochelle, just inside of Glen Island, and 
left there until last winter, suffering more or less deter- 
ioration meanwhile. This year for the first time these 
big boats will be hauled out for the^winter, high and dry, 
the marine railway at City Island Ifow being capable of 
handling them. The work of dismantling Shamrock was 
begun at the Erie Basin early last week, her mast being 
removed and replaced by a smaller one of wood, with «. 
mizen. 
On Oct. 23 Com. Morgan entertained Sir Thomas 
Lipton at the Metropolitan Club, some fifty guests 
being present, including Sir Henry Burdette, the 
Hon. Charles Russell. Hugh C. Kelly, H. MacGill- 
downcy. Col. Sharman-Crawford, William Gibson and 
John Young, of Sir Thomas Lipton's party, and S. Nich- 
olson Kane, Chester Griswold, Irving Grinnell, Lewis 
Cass Ledyard, August Belmont. H. F. Lippitt, Edward 
M. Brown, C. O'D. Iselin, Herman B. Duryea, F. W. J. 
Hurst, William Butler Duncan, Jr., Herbert C. Leeds, 
Woodbury Kane. Newberry Thorne and J. V. S. Oddie, 
of the New York Y. C. 
On Tuesday luncheon was tendered to Sir Thomas Lip- 
ton and his party by the Transportation Club. On Tues- 
day evening the crews of the two yachts were the guests 
of the Yacht Masters and Engineers' Association in South 
Brooklyn at an entertainment arranged in their honor. 
The Yacht Masters and Engineers' Association, organized 
in 1894, now numbers among its members the leading 
yacht captains and engineers in the parent organization 
at New York and the Boston branch. In 1895 the Asso- 
ciation entertained the crews of Defender and Valkyrie, 
and this year a similar entertainment was aranged. The 
large autditorium of Prospect Hall, in South Brooklyn, 
was decorated with yacht flags, that of Shamrock having 
a prominent place. The two crews marched into the hail 
together at about 8:30, Columbia's crew coming down 
from New Rochelle on the St. Michaels. The early part 
of the night up to ir o'clock was devoted to a smoking 
concert, a very good vaudeville entertainment, including 
blographh views of the Dewey parade and of the yncht 
races. The dinner was served in a lower hall, some 300 
being seated. At the head of the room were Captains 
Hogarth, Wringe and Barr, with President Pruette and 
other officers of the Association, and Mr. David Barrie, 
representing Sir Thomas Lipton. Mr. Iselin sent the fol- 
lowing telegram: 
New Rochelle, Oct. 34.— Yacht Masters and Engineers* 
Association, Prospect Hall. Prospfect A'venbe. BwcfklVn-; 
Although unable to be with you to-night, I join in your 
good cheer and wish all my men who served me so faith- 
fully and their plucky opponents the best of luck. 
Iselin. 
Capt. David A. Kerr, steam yacht Intrepid, was toast 
master. In the party were fifteen of the Boston captains, 
who had come on purpose for the occasion. The dinner 
was enlivened by songs and recitations and afterward 
by toasts and soeeches from the captains of the two yachts 
and others. It was nearly 3 A. M. when the party hroke 
after a very pleasant night. 
On Wednesday quite a party sailed on the Majestic for 
Liverpool, among them being Mr. Fife. As he was very 
anxious to return home he was taken in a coach to the 
pier and carried aboard in a litter, being intrusted to the 
care of the ship's surgeon, Dr. Donie. He is recovering 
slowly but is still very weak, having been unable to ta'K^e 
any food during his illness. Mr. Ratsey sailed with him; 
also Mr. Jesse Connell, Vice-Com. Sharman-Crawford, 
Secretary Hugh Kelly and Mr. McGildowney. 
Columbia is still at New Rochelle, most of her crew 
having returned home. Shamrock and Erin were to sail in 
company on Oct. 31. 
A Sodal Club for Yachtsmen. 
The membership of the majority of the yacht clubs 
about the west end of the Sound and the waters of the 
Hudson and New York Bay is made up largely of yachts- 
men living in New York city through the winter, the club 
houses being closed and the club life virtually suspended 
from October to May except for an occasional business 
meeting. The project of a winter club house in New 
York as a home and rendezvous for yachtsmen has been 
under discussion for several years, with the result that 
the following circular has just been sent out to yacht 
clubs throughout 'the country. It is purposed, if the 
scheme proves practicable, to secure a suitable house in 
New York, to run after the manner of a social club, with 
no conection with yacht racing, but bringing together the 
followers of the sport. The house will be fitted up with 
special meeting rooms for the use of the different subur- 
ban clubs whose business meetings are now held at hotels 
in New York. 
Dear Sir: A proposition to establish in New York city 
a social club, the membership of which shall be restricted 
to persons who are mem.bers of recognized yacht clubs, 
has been discussed informally during the past season. It 
was brought before the Yacht Racing Association of 
Long Island Sound at its annual meeting, and the_ Asso- 
ciation gave its approval, to the extent of requesting its 
executive committee, acting as a special committee, to 
take the matter in hand, investigate questions of cost, 
possible membership, etc.. 
It is the intention, if such a club be organized, to pror 
mote social intercourse am.ong yachtsmen in general, to 
give its members the facilities of a first-class city club, and 
incidentally to afford accom.modations for the meetings 
of members, board of governo^-s, trustees, etc., of yacht 
clubs, that are commonly held in New York city. 
The committee has ascertained that the present house 
of the New York Y. C, which is to be vacated in the near 
future, can be secured if it is desired. It has also ascer- 
tained that a house suitable for the purposes of such 
club, convenient of access from the Grand Central Rail- 
road station, can be leased at a reasonable rental. 
It is also estimated that with membership fees of $25 
per year for resident members and of $15 a year for mem- 
bers residing beyond a radius of fifty miles from New 
York, such a club should have a membership of at least 
five hundred. 
The committee desires to know if the proposition as 
thus briefly outlined meets with your approval and if you 
will join such a club, provided that at least five hundred 
members can be secured. 
An early reply will promote the convenience of the 
committee. 
Executive committee Yacht Racing Association of Long 
Island Sound: Chas. T. Pierce, chairman, Riverside Y, 
C. ; Frank Bowme Jones, Indian Harbor Y. C. ; Stuy- 
vesant Wainwright, American Y. C; Frederick M. Hoyt, 
Stamford Y. C. ; C. H. Crane, Seawanhaka-Corinthian Y. 
C; E. M. Maclellan, Manhasset Bay Y. C..; Chas. P. 
Tower, secretary. New Rochelle Y. C. 
The Yacht Racing Association of 
Massachusetts. 
The October meeting of the Y. R. A. of Massachusetts 
was held on Oct. 19 at the Parker House, Boston, with 
President A. H. Fligginson in the chair and the follow- 
ing delegates present: Columbia Y. C, Edward Dille- 
hant; Lynn Y. C, Lincoln S. Coffin; Manchester Y. C, 
A. H. Higginson; Mosquito Fleet Y. C, S. C. Higginson; 
Old Colony Y. C, W. F. Scott; Quincy Y. C, H. M. 
Faxon; Savin Hill Y. C, J. E. Robinson; South Boston 
Y. C. J. T. Hurley; Squantum Y. C, A. T. Hill; Win- 
throp Y. C, A. T. Bliss. 
A number of proposals for amendment were presented 
and discussed, the result being that the following amend- 
ments were adopted; 
Rule 3, entries— To amend Section I by inserting in the 
fifth line, "and must be accompanied by certificate of 
official measurement." 
To strike out Section 5. 
Rule IS. prizes— To amend Section i to read: "Prizes 
and places shall be awarded to boats regularly entered and 
not defeating competitors." 
Rule 26, orotests— To amend by adding a new section, 
to read : "No appeal from the decision of the judges shall 
be made later than fifteen davs thereafter." 
To amend cabin-yacht limitations by adding: "If the 
required headroom is obtainable under this rule, additional 
height of cabin trunk is allowed." 
To amend sail area by inserting r "Sailmaker's certifi- 
cate of area of sails aft of the forward ma«t_ shall be re- 
quired, subject to remeasurement by the oftieial measurer 
under protest, and the actual number of square feet shall 
be, marked on such sails over the maker's name." 
Thb fyilb'wijig proposed am.tendments \^^r& rejected! 
