April i6, 1904.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
821 
The merit of the measurement rule exploited over a 
year ago by the New York Y. C. is at last receiving 
proper recognition, and the club may now feel that its 
efforts to secure a good formula that might be universally 
adopted were not in vain. 
For some years past yacht racing has been on the de- 
cline and the sport has reached almost as low an ebb 
here as it has in England. This state of affairs is due to 
various causes, but chiefly to faulty measurement rules. 
From the time the old Seawanhaka rule, which held swa^- 
for so many years, was abandoned, various formulas were 
adopted by the different organizations, but none of them 
served the purpose for which they were intended. As 
the different clubs were thus experimenting, matters grew 
steadily worse, and the situation reached a climax last 
summer when five different rules were in effect on Long 
Island Sound. 
Old yachtsmen conceded that something must be done, 
but the first club to take up the matter in a thorough and 
systematic manner was the New York Y. C. ' This club 
appointed a committee of the ablest men that could be 
secured anywhere, and these gentlemen devoted them- 
selves for months in an effort to devise a correct mathe- 
matical formula for the measurement of racing yachts. 
They conferred with prominent designers throughout the 
world and consulted all the existing data on the subject. 
In fact, to sum up in a few words, they made an exhaust- 
ive study of the problem, and the rule that was decided 
upon was one which was believed to be the best adapted 
to the purpose. The report of the committee was put. 
before the members of the club and the rule which had 
been devised was adopted. No sooner had this been done 
than the club was criticised somewhat harshly by the 
press and by other clubs, some of which felt that they 
should have been consulted in the matter if the New York 
Y. C. were making an earnest endeavor to secure a rule 
which might become universal. The New York Y. C, 
however, felt that all efforts in this direction were more 
or less experimental in character and they wished to bear 
the entire blame provided the rule they decided upon was 
not practicable. The New York Y. C. rule went into effect 
last year, and only three boats were built under it. 
Yachtsmen were still a little skeptical and they hesitated 
about building until they were assured that several men 
were willing to take the step and that the classes would 
fill. The three boats that were built were the schooners 
Ingomar and Valmore and the sloop Pelligrina. The 
schooners did remarkably well in the racing, but Pelli- 
grina was used solely for cruising. It is interesting to 
note that all three proved to be fine cruising vessels, and 
more than satisfied their owners ia this direction. 
As soon as the rule had been adopted. by the New York 
Y. C. the Eastern Y. C. accepted it. This was the first 
step toward a general adoption and the securing of .what 
bids fair to be a universal rule. The season of 1903 
passed without giving the rule a really satisfactory test, 
in so far as the building of new boats was concerned. It 
was rather unfortunate that the rule should have been 
adopted in an America's Cup year, for the interest was 
centered in the international contest. As the season wore 
on, however, the rule was looked upon with less disfavor, 
the original framers were gaining more confidence and 
new supporters were found on all sides. Other clubs saw 
that the rule had unquestionable merit and that they were 
hindering the development of the sport and the building 
of new boats by adhering to old rules. Most yachtsmen 
felt that a good universal rule, even if it was not perfect, 
was far better than a nwmber of indifferent ones. 
The Atlantic Y. C. was the next club to join forces with 
the New York Y. C, for they adopted the formula last 
winter, with slight modifications in the factors. The 
Yacht Racing Association of Long Island Sound next ac- 
cepted the rule, and they also ratified it with modifications 
in the factors. Thus all the Sound clubs were racing 
under one rule, with the exception of the Larchmont Y. 
C. and the Seawanhaka Corinthian Y. C. The members 
of the latter club saw that the tendency was now toward 
a universal rule, and they felt that it would be advisable 
to accept it also, for it would be obviously difficult to sail 
their club matches under one rule and the Association 
races under another. This leaves the Larchmont Y. C. 
^lone, but as this c\u\> is not a member of the Associ- 
ation, it was not so essential that they should accept the 
new rule. 
The New York Y. C. formula is as follows: 
"Length multiplied by the square root of the sail area, 
divided by 5.5 times of the cube root of the displacement." 
All the clubs that have ratified the rule accepted it as 
here printed. 
The New York, Eastern and Chicago Y. C.'s find the 
length factor as follows : 
"The mean of the length over all, exclusive of bulwarks 
and rails, and of the length on the load water line, both 
measurements to be taken parallel to the middle vertical 
plane and at a distance from it equal to one-quarter of 
the greatest beam of the water line. * * * *" 
In the case of the Atlantic Y. C. and the Y. R A. of Long 
Island Sound, the length factor is obtained by different 
methods. The Association calculate the length as it is 
now done under the Hyslop rule, which is as follows : 
"Actual water line length plus the excess, if any, of 
the beam measured ys in from either end of the water 
line over the extreme beam." 
The Association calculates the displacement in a slightly 
different manner, which, however, gives practically the 
same result. The sail area is measured, as was done 
unde the old Seawanhaka rule, which is really a spar 
measurement. The Atlantic Y. C. arrived at the length 
factor in still another way, which is as follows : 
"Length jan the quarter beam line, 10 per cent, of the 
beam above the water line." 
These several methods of calculating the factors em- 
bodied in the rule do not affect the formula in any de- 
gree, and for the pi'esent the variation of calculation is 
hardly an objection, for the practical application of these 
three methods will enable the experts to determine after 
a season which one of the several ways is best. The rule 
may have to be modified slightly, but now that a good 
basis to work on has been secured it is more than likely 
that an admirable rule will be the outcome and that the 
slight changes which may take place will not only be help- 
ful in its development but will do much toward ad- 
vancing it to a point of real perfection. 
The Larchmont Y. C, which is perhaps the strongest 
racing organization in this country, has always conducted 
its fine races in an excellent manner, and substantial prizes 
have always been given. It has always been looked to as 
an advisory organization in racing matters in general. 
We have always felt, however, that for the benefit of the 
sport at large the club would do well to join the Asso- 
ciation, for such a step could in no way injure the club 
and would certainly add to the Association's strength, and 
the two organizations could then work together without 
danger of conflict and with more singleness of purpose. 
All clubs should now join hands in a firm resolve to re- 
vive the failing interest in yacht racing, throw aside petty 
and personal feelings and do their utmost to encourage 
the building of racing yachts and the development of the 
sport, for it is for this purpose that they were organized. 
The ranks of the racing men have been greatly thinned 
out during this lethargic period, for men have no desire 
to attempt to build a boat that will fit several racing 
rules. Many of the Corinthians have drifted to power 
boats during the last year or two, perhaps never to re- 
turn to the racing sailing yacht again. This is not so 
much the case in the east as it is on Long Island Sound, 
where good boat-sailors arg somewhat scarcer. 
The Chicago Y. C. has accepted and adopted the New 
York Y. C. rule, and this seems to be the beginning of the 
general adoption of the rule on the Great Lakes and 
through the west. The Chicago Y. C. is a far-sighted 
institution and moves only after giving a subject due con- 
sideration, and its attitude as to the new rule is significant. 
If the rule works out as well as is anticipated on the 
lakes it is more than probable that the 'Canadian yachts- 
men also will accept it, for these sportsmen are always on 
the lookout for changes that are really improvements, and 
they can always be counted upon to assist in any move 
which will be of benefit to the sport. The Gulf Coast 
Yachting Association now has in its membership several 
clubs whose combined strength is very great, and they are 
on the lookout for a rule which is better than anything 
yet introduced in their waters, and now that so many 
northern, yachtsmen are to talc^ their h,Q^t$ south in the 
winter to race, it is, of course, essential that the same 
rules of measurement should apply to the racing there as 
in the north. 
The only way we can ever hope to have really fair aiid 
satisfactory inter-club, inter-association and international 
races is by the adoption of a universal rule. ; 
Boston Letter. 
Boston, April 11.- — The second general meeting of the 
Eastern Y. C. for the year was held at the St. Botolpli 
Club last Tuesday evening. At this meeting it was. 
voted to purchase the wharf property on the town side 
of Marblehead harbor, now used by the cltib as a 
landing station. The transfer of the property at this, 
time is merely a matter of form, it being understood 
at the time the wharf was bought that the purchase 
was made for the Eastern Y. C. The regatta com- 
mittee announced one of the best list of fixtures that 
has been arranged for the club in many year.s; It in- 
cludes racing for yachts of all sizes, including three 
open races for automobile and power boats. It is also 
contemplated holding an ocean race from New York 
to Boston on July 6, if there should be sufficient 
number of entries to warrant starting the boats. In 
this proposed race there will probably be an oppor- 
tunity for yachts to compete which are barred under 
the rules of the Lipton cup race, to be held under the 
auspices of the Brooklyn Y. C. It is understood that 
several Massachusetts yachtsmen, owning yachts of 
more than 40 feet over all in length, are desirous of 
competing in such a race. This year a cruise has been 
arranged along the coast of Mame as far as Bar Plar- 
bor, where the Eastern Y. C. has a station. There- 
will also be a race at Bar Harbor. The cruise will be 
one of the best that the club has held in years. As 
the cruise to the eastward will be of considerable ex- 
tent, the fleet will probably not cruise to the west- 
ward in squadron order to join the fleet of the New 
York Y. C. The complete list of fixtures announced 
by the Regatta Committee is as follows: 
July 2, Saturday — Open race for E. Y. C, classes J 
and K, and Y. R. A., classes D, E and I. 
July 2, Saturday — Squadron run to Gloucester. 
July 4, Monday — Automobile and motor boats, open, 
A. M. 
July 4, Monday — Open race for E. Y. C, classes J 
and R, and Y. R. A., classes D, E and I. 
July. 6, Wednesday — Start of ocean race from New 
York to Marblehead. 
July 9, Saturday — Automobile and power boatSj open. 
July 15, Friday — Annual regatta. 
July 15, Friday — Rendezvous for cruise at Marble- 
head, captains' meeting on board flagship. 
July 16, Saturday— Start of annual cruise and run to 
Gloucester. 
July 17, Sunday — Squadron run, Gloucester to Isles 
of Shoals. 
July 18, Monday — Squadron run. Isles of Shoals to 
Peak's Island. 
July 19, Tuesday — Squadron run, Peak's Island to 
Boothbay. 
July 20, Wednesday— Squadron run, Boothbay to 
Islesboro. 
July 21, Thursday — Squadron run, Islesboro to Bass 
Harbor. 
July 22, Friday — Squadron run, Bass Harbor to Bar 
Harbor. 
July 25, Monday— E. Y. C. regatta at Bar Harbor. 
July 30, Saturday — Automobile and power boats, 
open. 
August I, Monday — Open race for E. Y. C, classes 
J and K, and Y. R. A., classes D, E and I. 
August 18, Thursday— Open' race for E. Y. C, classes 
J and K, and Y. R. A., classes D, E and I. 
August 19, Friday — Open race for E. Y. C, classes- 
J and K, and Y. R. A., classes D, E and I. 
During the cruise the fleet will lay over during one 
day at some port, to be arranged at captains' meeting 
after the start. 
The annual meeting of the Dorchester Y. C. was 
held at the American House last Thursday evening, at 
which it was announced that the work of dredging on 
the south side of Dorchester harbor had begun. Com- 
modore T. W. Souther showed an official blue print, on 
which was indicated the extent of' the dredging to be 
done. Commodore Souther felt that the deepening of 
the water would . prove of great vale to the yacht 
owners. The work of dredging has commenced on 
the north side= of the harbor, the. work in this direc- 
tion being explained by ex-Commodore Hawes, of the 
Savm Hill Y. C. When this work has been finished 
Dorchester will be one of the best anchorages for 
small yachts along the coast. 
Throughout the winter dredging has been carried on 
m Dorchester Bay, at City Point. It is proposed to 
mcrease the depth of water along this shore, where 
the yacht clubs are located, and for a considerable dis- 
tance out, to 12 feet at mean low water. This depth 
will be maintaine4 inshore almost up to the sea walL 
