FOREST AND STREAM. 49S 
Dec. 21, igoi.J 
say a ccnterboard boat of 25ft. waterline, it is perfectly 
possible to frame restrictions governing the minimum 
and maximum limits of beam, draft, freeboard, over- 
hangs, sail area and perhaps the weight of centerboard 
and ballast, and the result is a fleet of good boats, which 
make good racing under the Seawanhaka rule. This is 
no mere theory; it has been tried in dozens of places 
and has succeeded. Of course, there are "restricted 
classes." Certainly — why not? What else do we want, 
and what else are the framers of the new rules aiming 
at? Only, we have got into the habit of thinking that 
restriction, gained by an elaborate formula, is proper, 
scientific and right, while the same end attained by plain 
figures is empirical and wrong, involving, I_ suppose, a 
sacrifice of principle which can only be maintained by 
adherence to intricate formulae. 
It will be said, of course, that this method requires 
the framing of elaborate special restrictions by every chib 
for each class, and that it will lead to a chaos of types all 
over the yachting world, a result directly at variance with 
the desired results of an universal good rule. The ob- 
jection would be valid if we had the good rule now and 
were proposing to abandon it. But at present we have 
only the chaos and the bad boats, and the good rule is 
not in sight. 
It would not be worth while taking up space with ex- 
amples of restrictions and limits for any given class, as 
such work is essentially suited for a special committee, 
and there are plenty of examples extant which may be 
studied in detail. Local opinions on the question vary, 
and so do local requirements, especially in the smaller 
classes. The old notion that even in yachts of less than 
.30ft. waterline it should be possible to have a cabin, may 
"hold yet in a few places; but the whole question of ac- 
commodation is now regarded from a different stand- 
point than that of Kunhardt in "Small Yachts." It has 
been supposed that the small displacement and shallow 
hold of the modern racer have abolished the cabin, and 
that with say a displacement rule the cabin would come 
back, but it is by no means certain. Take a good, whole- 
some boat of 25 or 30ft. waterline, planked up and ready 
for the deck beams. The cruising man says, "Lots of 
room for a cabin; let me have a cabin trunk and as much 
head room as possible." The racing man, viewing the 
same craft, will look upon the hold as good stowage for 
sails and crew during a race, and will order a long hatch 
and no inside fittings beyond transoms. Both are right, 
and hardly any rule — certainly no mere formula — will 
induce either to order what he does not want. The 
modern small racer, with a long hatch and a clear hold, 
really affords better accommodation, more comfort and 
convenience, for crew and gear, either in racing or day 
sailing, than the old type of cabin boat, with its heavily 
incumbered deck. Of the owners of such craft many 
have no time or inclination to cruise; others find enough 
racing and sailing at the home port; the multiplication of 
clubs has reduced the necessity for long passages to 
obtain racing, and even when a run of thirty or forty 
miles is necessary, it is readily made in racing trim, the 
crew living ashore as much as possible, because it is 
much less trouble and actually cheaper. The modern 
owner cares less and less for a bunk and a well-found 
galley. What he really nee-ds is a shipshape, workable 
craft that will not require to be sailed within five de- 
grees of a given angle, or pitch him out every time she 
goes about. All these are matters that require attention 
in detail, and it is to be hoped that when we fully realize 
how little is to be expected from any new formula 
we shall be more content to make use — under restric- 
tions — of the good measurement rules now in existence. 
f William Q. Phillips. 
Our Boston Letter. 
Boston, Dec. 16. — The schooner Hildegarde, which was 
sold by Mr. Geo. W. Weld to Mr. E. R. Coleman this 
fall, started on a cruise to Florida and the West Indies 
Thursda3^ Since the close of the yachting season Hilde- 
garde has been in Lawley's Basin being' thoroughl}'- over- 
hauled and fitted out for her winter cruise. From Law- 
ley's she went to Simpson's dry dock in East Boston to 
have her underbody cleaned and painted. When she 
can^e out of the dry dock she was taken to the Common- 
wealth docks, where she completed fitting out for her 
long cruise. She pulled out of the dock shortly after 
noon Thursday, and proceeded out of the harbor in tow. 
After passing through the Narrows sail was hoisted, and, 
after clearing Boston Light, she dropped her tow and 
pnjceeded under her own sail to New York. Mr. Coleman 
was not on board, but will boafd her in New York, He 
jil] not, JiQweyer, tak? the !30U|;lierii Yop|« ffWh h«r. 
WESTWIND-33-FOOT HUNTING LAUNCH-SECTIONS. 
but will go by rail to Fernandina, Fla., where he will join 
her. She will then cruise about Florida and the_ West 
Indies, and is expected to return to Baston some time in 
May. - 
Hildegarde is a steel schooner, and was built in 1897 
for Mr. Geo. W. Weld, of Boston, by Harlan & Hollings- 
worth, from designs by A. S. Cheesebrough. Mr. Weld 
has always been fond of long cruises, and his voyages 
in the schooner Gitana are remembered by most yachts- 
men. Hildegarde was built to take the place of Gitana, 
and is an ideal cruiser in every respect, although there 
are many yachtsmen who fail to find anything beautiful 
in her appearance. But she Avas built for comfort, and 
one has not to go even beyond her deck to see that this 
object has been attained. She has a bluff, rounding bow 
and her sections are carried out ver-y full. This, with a 
great freeboard, gives her quite a' heavy appearance. 
Her deck area is immense, and, in spite of her bulky 
body, she has a very pretty sheer. She is 103ft.. 4in. 
waterline, 135ft. over all, 26ft. beam and i6ft. draft. Al- 
though designed for cruising, she has sailed many races in 
the New York and Eastern yacht clubs, notably with 
Constellation, with varying success. She cruised winter 
and summer under her old ownership, and it looks as 
though Mr. Coleman is going to keep up the good work. 
She is commanded by Capt. S. M. Masters, who has very 
able assistants and a good crew. 
Mr. Howard Denny, of the Savin Hill Y. C, is to start 
on a cruise to Charleston, Tuesday, in his 29ft. schooner 
Favorite, and will be accompanied only by Mr. Fred 
Packard, who is also a member of the Savin Hill Y. C. 
Mr. Denny intends to take in the exposition, and he 
thought the most sport could be gotten out of the entire 
trip by cruising there. This is not the first experience 
that he has had in this direction— in fact, he has a fond- 
ness for taking in exhibitions and employs novel methods 
of travel. Last year he attended the Pan-American Ex- 
position and cruised there in a little yacht called Thora. 
He went to the Omaha Exposition, making the whole 
trip from his home in Dorchester and return on his wheel. 
He had five companions when he started, but only one 
stuck to him during the entire trip. He will take Favorite 
through the inside passage, and expects to use up about 
a month on the trip, but this will depend upon the time 
it takes to get through the canals. After leaving Beaufort, 
at the end of Core Sound, Favorite will have to sail 200 
miles at sea before reaching Charleston, and it may be 
possible that the sailors will find that two is rather a 
small crew, even for a 29ft. schooner. It is expected 
that Favorite will remain in Charleston all winter, and 
in the spring Mr. Denny intends to go around to New 
Orleans and up the Mississippi, returning to the coast 
by way of the Erie Canal and the Hudson; or, if condi- 
tions are favorable, he will go through the Great Lakes 
and down the St. Lawrence. 
Plans have been completed for the new station of the 
Boston Y. C. at Marblehead. They were drawn by Mr. 
A. C. Fernald, secretary of the club, and the building 
will be a good one. The perspective drawing shows a 
very pretty interior. The structure is to be built upon 
piling at the end of the wharf, and on both stories arc 
vvide v^Tandas, with Open casements, which give a Y^ry 
pleasing appearance. On the east side of the second story- 
an uncovered balcony extends outward, . supported by 
shingled brackets. The whole structure is consistent and 
well proportioned. The interior is arranged for every 
convenience for cruising yachtsmen. 
Coincident with the establishment of this station came 
a meeting of the Burgess Y. C. last Wednesday. While 
officers for the coming year were nominated, the most 
important business was the consideration of a proposition 
from the Boston Y. C. This proposition was in regard 
to the Boston Y. C. absorbing the Burgess Y. C. on 
terms which would be agreeable to both clubs. As there 
was some corporate irregularity about the call for the 
meeting, no definite action could be taken. It is under- 
stood, however, that the members of the Burgess Y. C. 
were much in favor of the move. A meeting will be 
called by the Burgess Y. C. in legal form, for Dec. 27, and 
it is more than likely that, in 1902, the club, which bears 
the name of Boston's illustrious designer, will be a thing 
of the past. 
Starling Burgess has an order for a 25-footer for Eben 
D. Jordan. This young designer's latest and crowning 
success and one which widens his field, is an order for a 
six-masted schooner for a syndicate organized by Capt. 
A. C. Crandall. She will be 306ft. on the keel, 350ft. over 
all, 50ft. beam and about 30ft. depth of hold. She will 
draw lift, light and about 28ft. when loaded to her full 
capacity of 6,500 tons. Her masts will be 125ft. above 
the light waterline, and her topmasts will be 6oft. long, or 
48ft. above 12ft. mastheads. Her booms will be 50ft. in 
length, with the exception of the spanker boom, which 
will be 75ft. She will be built by John M. Brooks, of 
East Boston. 
The following officers were elected at the annual meet- 
ing of the Beverly Y. C. last Friday : Com., Geo. H, 
Richards; Vice-Com.. Lewis S. Dabney ; Sec'y and Treas.. 
Lawrence Whitcomb; Meas., F. E. Cabot; Regatta Com- 
mittee, David Rice (chairman), S. G. King, J. G. Pal- 
frew, F. E. Cabot, E. M. Farnsworth, C. H. Jones and 
R. W. Emmons, 2d ; House Committee, Dr. E. S. Wood, 
A. H. Hardy, W. E. C. Eustis, N. H. Emmons and Law- 
rence Whitcomb ; Admission Committee, A. S. Hardy, 
E. M. Farnsworth, F .W. Sargent, F. F. Field and Law- 
rence Whitcomb; Council, Com. Richards, Vice-Com. 
Dabney, Lawrence Whitcomb. David Rice, John Parkin- 
son, C. H. Jones and Dr. E. S. Wood. It was voted to 
adopt such rules as might be necessary for governing the 
new one-design class of 30-footers now building at 
HerreshofE's. It was also voted to limit the membership 
to 200, and to increase the initiation fee to $15. The racing 
rules were amended, making it compulsory for the wind- 
ward yacht to keep clear when two yachts are converging 
close hauled. 
The following officers have been nominated by the 
Winthrop Y. C, and will be elected at the annual meet- 
ing: Com., Jas. R. Hodder ; Vice-Com., Wm. D. Allen; 
Sec'y, Charles G. Bird; Treas., C. H. Whitney; Meas.. 
A. S. Richards ; Board of Directors. H. E. Blanchard, C. 
A. Sawyer, E. A. Cook and C. H. Whitney; Regatta 
Committee, M. C. Rogers, C. H. Kelle3^ John Mac- 
Connell. Jr., A. C. Stacey and H. B. Whittier; Member- 
ship GomtTiitteej /^lb?rt Partrid^^^ C, M^ynvi ^\ ^] 
