POt^fiSt ANf> STRIEIaM. 
48^ 
speed-giving power of small weight remains to be seen. 
Puttittg it broadly, there are three principal speed pro- 
ducers in the sailing yacht: 
I. Sail area — the motor. 
II. Length of hull— the wave minimizers. 
III. Smallness of displacement— without infringing on 
the amount required for holding up the motor. 
This being so, is it liot evident that any logical rating 
rule for yacht racing should tax these three speed pro- 
ducers ? 
Yet we find that with the exception of the new French 
rule, smallness of displacement has never been taxed in 
any rating rules actually adopted for employment. 
The rule I should like to see adopted, or, at all events, 
tried with view to adoption, if successful in some class, say 
of 30-footers, is one in which the linear rating varies as 
10. L + Vs - 16 Vd 
D. being displacement in tons (of 2,24olbs. avoirdupois) ; 
thus a boat weighing eight tons when hauled upon a 
weighing machine, and carrying 1,296 sq. ft. of sail on a 
hull length on waterline of 30ft., would rate at 30 + 36 
32 = 34 sailing length. 
This is a simple rule, which in no way or manner fet- 
ters design, and can be remembered by the following 
doggerel: 
'Tis easily done, for her rating will come 
From her waterline length on the sea; 
And her square root of S, then discover their sum, 
And deduct the cube root of her D. 
Of course such a rule can be expressed in a multiplying 
form, as Mr. Herreshoff recommended in 1892, thus : 
11. 
L X "^S 
Linear Rating = ^ X Constant 
3 
V13 
I feel sure, however, that the plus and minus form is bet- 
ter, at all events for experimental purposes. All multi- 
plying rules are so rigid and therefore so difhcult to deal 
with after a few years' experience has shown that a change 
in a certain direction is advisable. For instance, after 
trying the rule, I suggest for a year or two in one of 
the open classes, it might be found desirable to intro- 
duce a tax on beam. 
It could be done at once by the following change : 
k £ai ' _ s , 
" (12. W It LLinear Rating = L + B -f- ''^S - 20 
But how difficult woiold it be to introduce B. in the above 
multiplying formula of Mr. Herreshoff' s. 
My modification is practically identical, but is mathe- 
matically more convenient. That is all. But the pro- 
posing of a formula (whether in 1892 or 1902) is not 
everything. The more important action is to support a 
proposal by arguments which are sound and convincing to 
a degree sufficient to persuade those in authority to try 
the proposal. Mr. Herreshoff has let the uiatter drop. 
I, on the other hand, have preached it for years; have 
published pamphlets explaining the object of the proposal; 
have enlisted the help and cordial assistance of a first-rate 
scientist, mathematician and expert in mechanical and 
ship engineering (Lieut.-Col. Thomas English, R. E., re- 
tired, and at one time managing director of Palmer's 
Shipbuilding Co. on the Tyne) ; have constantly advo- 
cated it whenever a chance occurred, both in the public 
press and in the Yacht Racing Association. It is true that 
the proposal has never yet been tried, but the matter was 
carefully considered by the Rules Committee of the Y. 
R. A., when the last change was under discussion in 
October. 1900. 
It was thrown overboard because the committee con- 
sidered that the displacement encouraged by such a rule 
"would not of necessity be put into a form of underwater 
body that would give good living accommodation." 
"Numerous instances of this were afforded by the de- 
signers, and it was their unanimous opinion that dis- 
placement would probably be taken in a form other than 
the form we desired." 
I begged to give evidence before the committee, but 
the chairman refused. Had the committee allowed me to 
speak I should have pointed out that "good living ac- 
commodation" is a matter of no consequence whatever to 
the small classes of racing yachts, say up to 30ft. linear 
rating, or even 36ft. linear rating, by the British rule of 
rating, for the simple reason that these raters are never 
employed by their owners except for racing, and occasion- 
ally as day boats, many owners, however, never using 
them for the latter purpose, but boarding them just before 
first gun in their steam or oil launch, and quitting thtm. 
at the termination of the race in like manner, Of what 
possible utility is "good liviiig accommodation" to such 
'owners, or. indeed, to any owners of these small racers? 
Yea; s before the sifill cte.-iR'es degenerated" Tti'tb the 
present light diiplacement band boxes, it was the same. 
When the -did 5-raters were started on< the Solent by Lotd 
P«nraven., Mr. P. Percival and niy^df, the boats were 
-omewhere aboiTt : tons of dispiacement on 33ft. of 
"L.W.L., but v,<ii nuvcr thought of living on board, and 
used them simply as day boats, just as the lighter and 
more costly 36-footers are used now. We 
living accommodation on board small racers, 
shine. The desiderata we require are: 
I. Cheaper construction. 
II. Smaller maintenance. 
III. More competitors and better sport. 
The existing rules (except the new French rule) in 
almost every particular avoid these desiderata. For in- 
stance, the Y. R. A. rule in no way tends to lessen the 
cost of construction. On the contrary, the lightest pos- 
sible hull per unit of hull area will, celeris paribus, have 
a distinct advantage under the rule. Moreover, the Y. 
R. A. rule taxes sail so lightly that enormous sail plans 
are employed, requiring large crews of expert profes- 
sionals to 'sail them, thus raising the cost of racing_ ab- 
normally and keeping men of moderate means out of it. 
Indeed, the sum total of the requirements in small yacht 
racing may be uttered in the one word. Sport — i. e., racing 
sport, which is not in the smallest degree connected with 
'the hotal accommodation under the main hatch. 
This broad fact the Council of the British Y. R. A. 
cannot or will not see, and the result has been the practi- 
cal ruin of small yacht racing, so far as the Y. R. A. 
classes are concerned. But, some may exclaim, how will 
a rating rule with a premium on displacement alter mat- 
don' t want 
It is moon- 
