ApfiiL 4, 1903.]' 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
27 S 
seem the worst with wind and tide in opposite direc- 
tions, although I have seen them entirely absent under 
these very conditions. Sometimes a tide rip half a 
mile or a mile wide and two or three times as long, 
will form off Point Wilson and then travel rapidly off 
toward Smith Island at the rate of 10 or 15 miles an 
hour, perhaps overtaking some craft in its path, toss- 
ing it wildly in its grasp for awhile, then relinquishing 
it and soon leaving it far behind. Sometimes these 
rips will present the appearance of a maelstrom with 
gigantic eddies and whirlpools in which all sorts of 
debris and even large boats will spin around and 
around at a speed that will make one dizzy. At such 
times the sea is seldom breaking, and even a small 
open craft would be safe if carefully handled. The 
Government Tide Tables state that the tides of the 
North Pacific coast are the most complex in the world. 
It is this uncertainty of the tide rips which has given 
the passage from Port Townsend to Victoria a dan- 
gerous reputation among the local yachtsmen. Per- 
sonally, I have crossed the straits more than a dozen 
times in all kinds of weather, and I never saw . the 
rips dangerous but twice, and one of these occasions 
was on this very Sunday morning. 
By the time we made sail, the wind had almost died 
awaj', so all hands had breakfast before leaving Port 
Townsend Bay. We passed Point Wilson about 6 
A. M,, practically drifting with the tide. We could 
see a big tide rip breaking badly a mile or so out, 
and right in the middle of it a halibut fishing schooner 
of twice our size pitching and rolling, with her sails 
slatting and booms banging back and forth. We 
made preparations accordmgly, taking the dinghy from 
the davits and lashing it inverted on the forward part 
of the cabin house. Ports were closed and hatches 
made snug. We already had the tender rigged with 
a painter 200ft. long, and led forward with several 
turns around the windlass. The Artist was not feeling 
well that morning, and had remained in bed in her 
stateroom. 
The long Pacific swell was now much in evidence, 
and in 15 minutes more we drifted into the first rip. 
There was enough wind to make perhaps a mile an 
hour if the water had been smooth, but in that seeth- 
ing and tumbling expanse of breakers the Rambler 
plunged and jumped so that every particle of wind was 
shaken out of the slatting sails, and steerage way could 
not be kept even with a course that would bring the 
wind abeam. One instant her bowsprit would appar- 
ently be pointing well toward the zenith and half a min- 
ute later it would be buried in some huge wave that 
would break as far as the mast, and then come swirl- 
ing aft bulwark-high on both sides of the house, only 
to pour out over the rail aft as her bow would rise 
to another. 
The tender required almost constant attention. Plav- 
ing no headway, we could not keep away from her by 
even the length of a short painter, and she was con- 
tinually trying to ram us on the side or nestle under 
the counter, where she would unquestionably have 
been badly smashed if not swamped entirely. It re- 
quired the constant attention of Jim with the awning 
pole to keep her clear. 
All the sails were slatting furiously, and as the booms 
swung from side to side about five times a minute, 
the banging of the lower sheet blocks on the travelers 
was incessant and nerve-racking. 
Presently a weak knocking was heard on the inside 
of the closed companion doors, which being opened, 
disclosed the agonized features of the Artist in an ad- 
vanced stage of mal-dc-mer. Imagine what slie had 
endured trying to dress in her stateroom with the 
yacht plunging like a bucking horse. The Rambler 
carries very little ballast, and most of that above the 
keel and well winged out, so her motion is entirely 
free from sudden jerks, and as easy as anything could 
be in a sea-way. Her very buoyancy, however, makes 
her very active and on top of every sea instead of 
driving through it. . 
Not to prolong the reader's agony, it may be stated 
briefly that we passed in succession through three or 
four of these tide rips with comparatively smooth 
areas between them, and by 7 A. M. were through the 
last. The breeze strengthened steadily, and we soon 
had all we needed with all sail set. It was the true 
ocean breeze following the same direction as the Strait 
of Juan de Fuca, which enabled us, after one leg on 
the starboard tack, to lay our course for Victoria har- 
bor on the port tack. We tore along at racing speed, 
every sail bulging with the force of the wind and the 
sheets like bars of iron, The tender towing astern 
was now fairly tearing through the water, and throw- 
ing a bow wave, which would occasionally rise higher 
than her gunwale, and then the top of it would be 
caught up by the wind and blown away to leeward, a 
shower of sparkling spray in the brilliant sunshine. 
But for the parafiine duck cover stretched over a ridge 
pole and laced under the gunwale, the tender would 
have filled a dozen times. The cover was sometimes 
almost hidden b}' the wash of the seas over it, but no 
water was taken inside. By il o'clock quite a sea 
was running, but the wind was steady, and we carried 
on until the lee deck was full of water, level with the 
bulwark and the staysail wet ten feet up the stay. 
Then we started the main sheet and jib topsail sheet 
a trifle, and went by Brotchy Ledge, at the mouth of 
Victoria Outer Harbor, at almost steamer speed. 
The yacht anchorage is in the inner harbor, called 
James Bay. It is reached through a rather narrow 
winding channel about a mile long, but very easily 
negotiated, as the prevailing wind in the narrowest 
portion is almost invariably abeam. 
James Bay (in which we anchored about noon) is 
an ideal harbor. Completely landlocked, its environ- 
ment is enchanting. On one side is situated the beau- 
tiful British Columbia House of Parliament. On an- 
other side is the Government building, containing the 
postoffice and custom house. The Victoria Y. C. has 
a neat club house on the shore close to the Govern- 
ment building, and right here I wish to say that the 
Victoria yachtsmen are as fine a set of sportsmen as 
ever gripped a tiller or "tailed on" to a main sheet, 
and they we most Jbospitable. makingr the visiting 
yachtsmen welcome in a manner that I have never 
seen equaled in other ports. 
Victoria is a delightful spot to spend a week. It 
has a good park, fine drives, many beautiful houses 
and an air of rcsLfulness quite in contrast with the 
cities on this side of the border. The British Gov- 
ernment maintains an iniportant naval station at Esqui- 
mault, only three or four miles distant, and several 
warships are always on the station, and their sailors 
much in evidence on the Victoria streets. Also their 
brother of the land service. Tommy Atkins, in all the 
glory of his scarlet uniform and pill-box cap. The 
most beautiful featin-e of Victoria is the gorge. This 
is a narrow arm of the sea which extends for five 
miles inland from James Bay, and the wooded banks 
RAMBLER IN VICTORIA. 
of which are lined with the residences of Victoria's 
wealth and aristocracy. A trip up the gorge in launch, 
row boat, or canoe is one long to be remembered. We 
spent five delightful days in Victoria and left with re- 
gi-et. A gentle breeze in James Bay proved deceptive, 
as a glassy calm covered the straits outside. We 
hugged Brotchy Ledge Buoy for about an hour. (This 
hugging of buoys is no sailor's delight, although, as 
a friend once remarked, "The nun buoys aren't so 
bad!") Then the tender was ordered out ahead to 
tow, and we were soon leaving the ledge behind at the 
rate of three knots an hour, while the steady puff- 
puff of the launch away out ahead was so conducive 
to somnolence that even the man at the wheel had to 
assume painful poses in order to keep awake. There 
is one advantage possessed by the power tender over 
auxiliary power in the same hull — perfect absence of 
vibration and noise. At the end of an hour Chris, in 
the tender, changed places Avith Jim at the wheel, and 
on we went. During the second hour of towing, and 
when off Trial Island, the true west wind came along 
and, calling in the tender, sails were trimmed, and we 
entered Haro Strait. The wind was light and our 
progress slow. Late in the afternoon it became evi- 
dent that we should not be able to make our intended 
destination (Reid Harbor) before the turn of the tide. 
I therefore determined to make Roche Harbor by go- 
ing through the Mosquito Passage, a narrow and 
tortuous passage a mile long. With a large scale chart 
of the harbor and passage and the assistance of the 
tender, I had no fear of mishap. 
We carried all sail, and at the mouth of the passage 
the tender could hardly keep ahead, but getting 
further in, the wind became fitful and the tender was of 
great assistance, although I am inclined to think we 
could have made it in half an hour longer under sail 
alone. The only danger is Pole Islet in midstream, at 
the inner end of the passage, which must be left to 
port in entering, while a strong flood tide might draw 
a craft on to the reef extending from the islet to the 
west bank. 
Once in, Roche Harbor is a perfect protection from 
any winds. Pearl Island lies in the mouth of the har- 
bor, on the north, making two channels on that side. 
The next morning we towed out through the channel, 
east of Pearl Island, bound north. We found a breeze 
outside coming from the northeast, but a strong ebb 
tide running west between San Juan and Spieden 
Islands. 
A. submerged reef runs out from the northwest point 
of San Juan Island and terminates in a small rocky 
islet called Morse Island. The tide runs over this 
reef like a river. Almost before we knew it we were 
rushing down upon it in spite of the good breeze, 
which was enabling us to point due north. We tacked 
not a moment too soon, and as our new course was 
east, it was just in the teeth of the tidal current, and 
we stood almost still. The tide was stronger than the 
wind, but we managed to work outside of Morse Isl- 
and, past which we went stern first. It was a narrow 
escape. If we had been drawn through the passage 
between Morse and San Juan islands, we should al- 
most certainly have been wrecked on the reef. Also, 
if we had left Roche Harbor by the channel west of 
Pearl Island, our utmost efforts could not have pre- 
vented us from being- drawn into this same passage. 
On account of having entrances on both the north and 
the south sides, the tide ebbs and flows through Roche 
Harbor, and at certain stages of the tides these en- 
trances (all narrow) cannot be negotiated safely by 
sailing craft unless favored with a free wind. Reid 
Harbor, in Stuart Island, only three miles north of 
Roche Harbor, has none of these objections. It is 
easily entered and cleared at any stage of the tide, and 
failing a wind, any small yacht can be towed in or 
rowed in with a pair of sweeps. But jnofe of Reid 
Harbor when we get to it. 
[to be continued.] 
Mr. Stanley H. Seaman has made the following 
sales through his agency; The pole mast sloop Athla, 
owned by Mr. James A. Keenan. of Washington, to 
Mr. J. H. Clontier, of Chicoulimi, Quebec; the aux- 
iliai-y yawl Coon, owned by Mr. Wm. H. Langley, of 
New York, to Mr. Robert Galloway, of Memphis, 
Tenn,; the sloop Bonnie Bairn, owned by Mr. Herbert 
L. Stone, to Mr. Morton H. Smith, of New York City. 
Shamrock III. was to have had a trial under sail 
on Saturday, March 28, but as a fierce gale prevailed 
throughout the day, she did not leave her moorings. 
Shamrock III. is now lying in Gourock Bay alongside 
of Shamrock I. The new boat's mast is considerably 
higher than that of the old boat, and it is believed her 
rig will be as large as that of Shamrock II. An in- 
novation in the shape of a wire main sheet will be used 
on the third Shamrock. She will have quite an amount 
of American material in her make up. Her steering 
gear was turned out by an American firm. Some of 
her hollow wooden spars as well as her blocks were 
made on this side. The latest reports say the new boat's 
overhangs are long and well balanced, and her sheer 
straight. The freeboard is less than that of Shamrock 
I. , but more than the second Shamrock's. It is said 
that she is 138ft. long over all, with a breadth of 22 or 
23ft. at the waterline, and a draft of 19ft. 
The hull of the boat has all the refinement of the 
second Shamrock with all the power of the first one, 
and it is just here that Mr. Fife's triumph in this model 
will lie. 
The London Field gives the following description 
of the third Shamrock: 
The design of Shamrock, as we indicated some time 
ago, is much nearer the present British type of racing 
yacht than that of any recent challenger. The lines, 
while not so fine and rounded as those of Shamrock 
II. , are still beautifully curved, and there is a distinct 
impression of speed which was absent from the Wat- 
son boat. It is in the formation of the hull that the 
most marked change is seen. The boat is deeper sided, 
very easy at the bilge, and has a full underbody down 
to within 8ft. or so of the bulb, which is shorter than in 
either of the other two Shamrocks, carries rather more 
lead, and has a drop of about 2ft. to the heel, while 
the draft will not exceed 19ft. 6in. She is said to have 
been built close up to the 90ft. limit, and her over all 
length is about 138ft. 
In the matter of entrance, Fife has greatly improved 
on the flat spoon bow of Shamrock II. , the stem of 
the new challenger having a sharp edge for 6ft. or 8ft., 
and then flowing into a full, graceful underside, and 
the counter being one of the handsomest the designer 
has drawn. The sheer is very slight, the only notice- 
able rise beginning at a few feet from stem to taffrail. 
The beam is calculated at 22ft. 6in., and the greatest 
breadth is ' found at 25ft. or so aft of the mast. The 
bowsprit is an unusually large spar of solid wood, and 
indicates the probability of an extensive fore triangle. 
Main boom, pole mast (rather longer than that of 
Shamrock II.)-, and galf are of tubular steel, and the 
smaller spars, with the exception of the bowsprit, of 
hollow wood. The sail plan has been variously stated 
as likely to be greater and smaller than that of the 
former Shamrocks, but the evidence of things is in the 
direction of a moderate increase. For purposes of 
extra strength, the bobstay has been drawn through 
the stem of the boat and screwed down to the keelson. 
Reliance, the new boat building at Bristol, will prob- 
ably be launched on April 11, the day before Easter 
Sunday. There is still considerable work to be done 
on the boat, and it is barely possible that she will not 
be finished in time to be put overboard on that day. 
English Letter. 
Shamrock III. was launched on Tuesday last, 17th 
inst., the event passing off without a hitch. In the 
morning the weather was very bad, heavy rain falling, 
accompanied by a high wind. However, just before 
the time of the launch arrived the sky cleared and the 
yacht passed into the water in brilliant sunshine. As 
usual at Dumbarton, this long-legged craft was 
launched on pontoons, the water being too shallow 
for her. It is customary on these occasions to be- 
come rapturous on the subject of a new vessel's ap- 
pearance, but in Shamrock's case there is solid ground 
for high praise. She is of an extremely refined model, 
and ought to look particularly well when fully rigged, 
ft is said that her draft is lighter than usual — 19ft. — 
but the lead is in the form of a pronounced bulb, so 
lhat its center of gravity is probably as low as in her 
predecessors. The yacht was launched with her bow- 
sprit in place, and, to judge from this huge spar, her 
sail spread will be very considerably greater than any 
single-stick vessel has had. All over, the yacht is very 
fnir and round. She has an easy bilge, and this gives 
her quarters and counter a much lighter appearance 
than that of the first Shamrock. The floor turns into 
the fin with an easy curve also, and the stem is not so 
much cut away down there as to give an abrupt ending 
to the lower waterlines. Her forward overhang does 
not appear to be at all extravagant, and, as at the 
stern, the sections there are fairly rounded, forming 
an entrance somewhat like that of Khama. For the 
first time in the historj'- of cutter racing, the tiller has 
been discarded, and a wheel fitted. I have no doubt 
that this will be found a great advantage. Immediately 
?i_fter the vessel was floated she was towed over to 
Greenock and put into dock. The next day her mast 
was stepped, and the work of fitting out is proceeding 
with the utmost speed. She will probably have had her 
first spin before the end of this month. One thing is 
very certain, viz., that if she intends to part with any 
of her spars she will have every oportunity of doing 
so before she leaves the Clyde. The early spring with 
us is always squally, and the Clyde estuary is one of 
the squalliest yachting places I know. Therefore, dur- 
ing the next races you may rely on it that no matter 
what the weather may be like, our boat will not break 
down. The appearance of the new challenger seems to 
have pleased everyone who has seen her, and unless 
Herreshoff has made a very large stride she bids fair 
to prove a regular teaser. Alike from her moderate 
draft, her great sail-spread and her fair round body, I 
should say that she wUl show up best in weather that 
will just give a finish within the time limit. The con- 
dition of the water will not be of much moment to her. 
There is an impression here that Sir Thomas Lipton 
is not taking the yacht out early enough, and that her 
trials in American waters are more important than 
i 
