S4 
FOREST ' AND STREAM, 
Oan. 1904. 
Designing Gompetilion, 
$225 in Prizes. 
Two designing coinpetiiions have been given in 
FoKK.^T AND MuKAM. I he tirsi was for a 2511 waler- 
Jmr crnistr; tlie second was for a 15ft. one-design class, 
B.iih conjpetuions were very successtul. The great ni- 
Jcresi taken ni those competitions has prompted us to 
give a thud one. t)pen to amateurs and prulessionals. 
Ihv (inzes which will be given are as follows: 
Ffl«si prize — $100. 
Second prize — $()0. 
1 hird prize — $40. 
Ftnirih prize— $J5. offered by Mr. Theodore Zerega 
for the best interior plan. 
1 he designs, are tor a yacht conforming to the fol- 
lowing conditions: 
I. Cemerboard cruiser. 40ft. 1. w. 1. 
II. Boat must not draw over 6ft with centerboard up. 
Ml The lowest freehi>ard to covering board must 
be 3ft. 
llie design must be modern in every particular, with- 
out conraiiimg any extreme or abnormal features. The 
conditions have been made as simple as possible, that 
competitors^ miglii liave ail latitude and scope in work- 
ing out their ideas. We wish to produce an able and 
comfortable cruising boat, one that shall have ample 
accommodation lor two or three men living aboard tor 
a period of several months, and one that can be easily 
managed at all timet, by two or three paid hands. The 
dratt IS restricted to bft. in order that the boat may 
have acce.ss to nearly all the desirable harbors, and 
may, thereby, widely increase her cruising field. 
Drawings Required. 
I. Sheer plan, scale ^in.=]ft. — showing center of 
ibuoyancy, center ol lateral resistance and center of 
effort of both rigs. 
II. Half breadth, scale •54in.=:ift. 
III. Body plan, scale ^in.=:ift. 
IV. Cabm pi^n. inboard profile and at least one 
cross section, scale Min.r=ift. 
V. Two sail plans, scale ift-; '^ne as a yawl; 
one as a potc uiasi sloup. 
In the case of the yawl rig the position and height 
of the mast and length of galT are to be the same as 
in the cutter rig. Plans must show working topsail and 
size of light sails. 
A' I. All ballast outside on keel except amount neces- 
sary for tritmning. 
An outline specification must accompany each de- 
sign. 1 he drawings should be carefully made and let- 
tereH All dravMTisjs should be on white patter nr 
tracing cloth in black ink. No colored inks or pig- 
ments should be used. The designs must bear a nom- 
de-plume only, and no indication must be given of the 
author. In a sealed envelope, however, the designer 
must inclose his own name and address, together with 
his nom-de-pliime. All designs must be received at tht 
■office of the Forest and Stream Publishing Company, 
,346 Broadway. New York City, not later than March 
I. IQ04. All drawings will be returned, but postage 
should accompany each. 
Tlie FoRR.^T AND Stream reserves the right to pub- 
lish any or all of the designs. 
Mr. Clinton H. Crane, of the firm of Messrs. Tarns, 
I.emoine & Crane, who passed upon the designs sub- 
mitted for_ the 25ft. with great care, has again con- 
sented to judge the designs and make the awards. 
English Letter. 
At a dinner given to Sir Thomas Lipton by the 
American residents in London on Dec. 18, the occa- 
sion being the presentation to Sir Thomas of a service 
of silver _ plate from the people of the United States, 
the recipient of this splendid gift in a humorous speech, 
made the welcome statement that if nobody else stepped 
in in the meantime he intended to have a fourth and 
last try for the America's Cup. He qualified his an- 
nouncement by saying that he would challenge again 
if he saw a reasonable prospect of success. Under th.e 
new rule, which has been adopted by the New York 
Y. C , and according to which any future challengers 
or defenders will have to be measured, it is certain that 
no such extreme types as Reliance or even Sharnrock 
III. could compete with any prospect of success, as the 
heavy tax is placed upon shallow-bodied vessels, suffi- 
cii'Ut to destroy all their winning chances. Nobody 
will reg:et the severe blow thvs dealt at the skimming 
dish type, which, although undoubtedly . the fastest yet 
discovered, has so many grave drawbacks -and has done 
so much toward killing first class racing and encourag- 
ing one-design classes. Sir Thomas Lipton did not 
give any definite date for his next challenge, but he 
nientioned the significent fact that he had sent a letter 
on the subject to the New York Y, C, tl%pugh he had 
not had time to receive a reply. The Hon. Henry Clay 
Evans, United States Consul-General, who occupied 
the chair at this dinner, spoke in glowing terms of the 
populaiity which Sir Thomas Lipton had achieved in 
America, and of his unfailing good sportsmanship in 
spite of his three unsuccessful attempts - to win the 
Cup,- and he also made pointed reference to the friendly 
relations which had been fostered between the two 
great English-speaking nations by these international 
contests, especially those in which the Shamrocks had 
taken part. Everybody seemed full of good humor and 
good fellowship, and the message on the menu card 
written in code signals, and interpreted, "Better luck 
next time," was one which will be echoed widely by 
sportsmen in the United States. 
The rumor that was afloat some time back to the 
effect that a Clyde syndicate were going to send Over 
a challenge for the America's Cup, appears, like many 
Others, to have been entirely without foundation. There 
is but little doubt that Sir Thc^iBas Lipton will be the 
next challenger, as nobody is ISwIy to want to step in 
if be is willing to try his luck once mdre — this time, 
^ he says, "with a four-leaved Shamrock." 
I'hf of thg yacht llacing Asspci^tioh h^ve 
tinder consideration the difficult and vexed question of 
improving — in fact, reviving — class racing among the 
bigger boats. This last season class racing in British 
waters stopped at the 52-footers. There was one 65- 
fnoter on the stocks at Fairlie. but as there was no 
likelihood of a competitor, she was not completed. The 
big class gave no sign of existence, and the question 
which the Yacht Racing Association have to face and 
settle is what measures should be taken to encourage 
owners to build. There can be no doubt that the first 
thing to go for is construction. It is not only highly 
desirable, but it is absolutely necessary that the flimsy 
construction of the present day rater should be made 
impossible by a judicious set of tables of scantlings. 
There is no question but that owners refuse to build 
under the existing conditions, because their band- 
boxes of boats, when done with as racers, will only 
sell for junk. Nobody would buy an ex-racer, built 
under conditions, after one or two seasons of hard 
racing, with the intention of turning her into a cruiser, 
and the natural consequence has been that racing in the 
large classes has gradually died out. It is to be hoped 
that the Council of the Yacht Racing Association will 
tackle the subject with determination, for many owners 
would be found willing to build if they could rest as- 
sured that their vessels would stand the stress and 
strain of racing without leaking like sieves or becom- 
ing pulled and twisted out of all fair shape. The pres- 
ent rating rule is by no means a bad one, its greatest 
fault, perhaps, being that it is inclined to limit drjaft, 
but a good, wholesome type of boat can be built under 
it which can compete with success, the most notable 
performer being the Fife 52-footer Magdalen, which 
had such a marvelous record two seasons ago, and 
which was a perfect little ship, fit to knock out any 
weather. 
It is probable that the Mediterranean regattas will 
this spring receive a mu,ch needed fillip through the 
gift of King Edward of a cup to be calleS the Medi- 
terranean Cup. This trophy is for an international 
race from Gibraltar' to Nice, open to all yachts exceed- 
ing 40 tons. Thames measurement. It is rumored that 
the Scotch boats Kariad and Bona will both take part 
in the race, and, if that is the case, they will no doubt 
do the round of the Riviera races. It will be a handi- 
cap match, of course; as many different types of boat 
will be entered. The task of bringing the fleet to- 
gether by time has been alloted to Mr. Andrew Thom- 
son, who will find his task sufficiently difficult to satisfy 
even him. The race is to be run in three heats: (i) 
Gibraltar to Palma in the Majorca Island. (2) Palma 
to Marseilles, and (3.) Marseilles to Nice. The Presi- 
dent of the French Republic has given a Swiss vase as 
a second prize, and there are two other prizes. Five 
yachts are to start or no race. The date fixed is Feb. 8. 
A new class of 30ft. restricted raters is to be formed 
on the Clyde, which has already met with a fair share 
of support, as five Owners have intimated their inten- 
tion of building. The Y. R. A. rules of rating will be 
followed with a few wholesorne restrictions as to con- 
struction, etc. A minimum draft of water at 0.6 water- 
line has been fixed, as it is considered that the present 
rating rule taxes draft too severely. A minimum has 
also been fixed for beam and freeboard, and it is cer- 
tain that the result will be a nice, moderate type of 
boat with rather full body and no excessive overhangs. 
Double skinned planking, balance rudders and hollow 
spars (with the exception of topsail yards and spin- 
naker booms) are barred. The object aimed at has 
been to follow out the Y. R. A. rules of measurement, 
with certain restrictions to suit local conditions, and 
the class should work out well. E. H. Kelly.' 
Lake Yachting. 
Complications in yachting, like complications in 
business, are at best unpleasant, and when possible 
should be avoided. Sometimes, however, they are un- 
avoidable, as in the present instance, which comes from 
Detroit. It was owing to the Country Clul3's enthusi- 
asm in trying to lead all other fresh water organiza- 
tions, that the present predicament, which, in reality, is 
one of the Avorst tangles vi^ith which anv regatta com- 
mittee was ever confronted, was brought about, and it 
will be many days, if not months, before the unfortu- 
nate committee succeeds in ^freeing itself from the 
dilemma into which it has been placed. The adoption 
of the 2ift. restricted cabin class of the Columbia Y. 
C., of Chicago, was a wise move by the Country Club 
of Detroit, an-d will eventually do more in protmoting 
fresh water yachting interests than the combined ef- 
forts which have hitherto been brought into play. It 
is a wide-awake organization, and there is no doubt 
of its ultimate success; in fact, it is bound to become 
the greatest factor on fresh water provided its present 
policy is maintained. It has many things in its favor, 
of which other clubs are deprived, and the time is not 
very distant, when the Country Club will be the recog- 
nized head of all fresh water yachting organizations. 
That the club's next annual regatta will eclipse all 
previous attempts, there is no doubt, but in order to 
make it even more so, several of the members set 
about in an endeavor to have the Columbia Y. C, of 
Chicago, send its entire fleet of 21-footers to compete 
for the Walker trophy. Accordingly, negotiations were 
begun with the owners of La Rita, Sprite. Hoosier and 
also Pilot, of Milwaukee. Little Shamrock's appearance 
was assured, as she won the trophy last September. 
The Columbia Y. C. is full of enthusiastic members, 
and it required little persuasion to induce them to 
agree to send their boats. Then the trouble began. 
Mr. E. L. Ford, of the Country Club, has a 21-footer 
vifhich is rapidly nearing completion, and with which 
he has great hopeS of winning the trophy. Mr. Ford 
raised an objection to La Rita, affirming that she was 
l^^ft. longer on deck than allowed by the restrictions, 
and that if the club hoped to be successful with the 
class, it woTild have to live up to the very letter of the 
law, as well as the lavt/ itself. Mr. Ford referred to the 
evil results attained in the M. Y. R. A. boats, through 
not limiting over all length, atad stated that the same 
gontiitioris \yolild exist ?n thei^ ^|ub if infringements of 
the nile.s were permitted. Several members argued tliat 
La Rita conformed in every particular to the rules, ex- 
cept in this one. and that in reality she was a smaller 
boat than his own. with this single exception. Mr. 
Ford was not easily convinced, however, claiming that 
his craft conformed with the restrictions, and that in 
the inte-est of the sport he believed in abiding by the 
rules. He went even farther and referred to rule No. 
4. which reads. "A square or snub nose bow shall not 
be allowed. The beam measure on deck at a point 
equi-distant from the water line forward and the ex- 
treme bow, shall not exceed 45 per cent, of the greatest 
waterline beam, and the deck line shall not run at an 
angle with the center line greater than 30 degrees. 
Any evasion of the spirit as well as the letter of this 
rule shall disqualify a yacht from racing in this class." 
By referring to this rule Mr. Ford had something 
else in mind, as later events proved. He was of the 
opinion that Little Shamrock, which boat won the cup 
last season, and Hoosier, were both ineligible to com- 
pete, owing to rule No. 4. 
To determine this point, he sent his engineer to 
measure Little Shamrock and Hoosier. and found the 
latter 4 degrees in excess of the restriction, and the 
former one half a degree over the limit. This settled 
for the time being La Rita's. Little Shamrock's and 
Hoosier's chances of competing for the trophy. It also 
placed Little Shamrock in an embarrassing position, 
inasmuch as she was officially measured by the Colum- 
bia Y. C. measurer before entering in the Lipton 
series. Accordingly, she was permitted to ent-er the. 
Country Club's races, the regatta committee accepting 
the yacht's measurement. The question arises, can 
Little Shamrock hold the cup. now that she has been 
found not to conform with the restrictions? It is true 
that the Detroit Club permitted the yacht to sail, but 
was the fault that of the club, the owners of the boat, 
or an error on the part of the measurer of the Chi- 
cago Club? On the whole, it is unfortunate business, 
and admits of technicalities, which can't help but be det- 
rimental to the sport. Nor is this the extent of the 
club's "difficulties. It now develops that Mr. Ford's 
boat, which is rapidly nearing completion, has also 
been measured, and the result shows her to be 2 de- 
grees in excess of the deck width, as specified in Rule 
4. The very objection Mr. Ford had discovered in the 
Chicago boats, or to speak more correctly, non-com- 
pliance with the rule, was also apparent in his own boat. 
Two degrees don't appear much. but. nevertheless, it is 
not conforming with the rule, and in order to race his 
boat next season in the class for which she is being 
built, he will have to pull her in that amount, or take 
off the bow and build on another that will conform to 
the rule. 
The Country Club, practically a new organization, 
has made big strides since its formation, and is rapidly 
forging ahead. It has everything in its favor, a splen- 
did location, a fine club house, and an abundance of 
influence and financial backing. The adoption of the 
2ift. class has brought it prominently before the yacht- 
ing public, but it now has a tangle to unravel that will 
require a bit of diplomacy, in order to protect the 
future interests of the club. 
The Detroit Boat Club yachtsmen, of Detroit, held its 
annual election of officers at the Russel House, Tues- 
day, Dec. 22. Many of the members were desirous of 
having the retiring commodore, John H. Smedley, suc- 
ceed himself, and had he said the word, his election 
would have been assured, but he respectfully declined 
Uie honor, explaining that his recent election as com- 
modore of -the Interlake Yachting Association, in con- 
nection with other arrangements made for next sum- 
mer, precluded his serving the club as he deemed neces- 
sary in behalf of its best interests. After Mr. Smed- 
ley. Mr. John L. Dexter, one of the most widely known 
men on the chain of great lakes, was the choice, and 
was elected by a unanimous vote. Following is the 
list of officers that were elected: Com., John L. Dex- 
ter; Vice-Com , C. A. Newcomb, Jr.; Rear-Com., E. 
F. Lloyd, Secretary and Treasurer, Norman Warren; 
Fleet Captain, Dr. T. B. Aldrich. Directors at large, 
Messrs. John H. Smedley, John A. Rathboiie, Philo 
Wright and Dr. E. M. Houghton. 
In the fourth year of its existence the Lakewood Y. 
C, of Cleveland, stands preeminent, as one of the most 
successful clubs on fresh water. Three years is not a 
very long time, as the club is just entering on its fourth 
year, but a great deal has been accomplished during 
that time by this lively little organization. The year 
just ended has been a most successful one and is very 
gratifying. A goodly number of races were sailed, 
and the usual number of protests and. kicks were 
omitted, which speaks well for the club. The club also 
scored an enviable victory, capturing more than its 
share of prizes. Chloris. one of the M. Y. R. A. 21- 
footers, purchased last spring by Messrs. A. J. Phelps 
and A. J. Primett, made a remarkably good showing, 
beating everything in her class whenever she was raced. 
Not satisfied with this, she went out of her class, and 
in this she was equally successful. The outlook- for 
next season is very favorable. A number of new boats 
are well under way and several of the members are at 
present discrssing the advisability of building for the 
2ift. class, which, from all appearances, is going to be 
the popular boat for next season. It is quite likely 
that the club will build a boat for this class, and there 
is talk of a syndicate boat, also for the same class. It 
is strange to note the change that has taken place on 
the lakes during the last year. Formerly the 40, 35, 
and 30ft. classes were about all that was used, but the 
tendency seems to incline toward the smaller craft. 
The 25ft. yawl for Dr. N. W. Brown is rapidly nearing 
completion. While there is nothing of the freak about 
her, she is a likely looking craft, and may 'flevelop a 
good turn of speed. The work of planking has begun 
on the i8-footer, building for Mr. Harry Watterson at 
Maltby's yard. . ' 
Rev. W. A. Dietrick has plans frpm the board of Mr. 
W. H. Hand, Jr., for a 30ft. cruisitig yawl, but she has 
not as yet been laid down. It is understood, however, 
that she will be completed by next spring. Several 
boats will be purchased by club members during, the 
Ranter and added to the already big fl^^, Mr, Henry 
