Aug. 6, 1904.] 
FOREST AND/ STREAM. 
119 
• Yachting- Fixtures for \ 904. 
Members of race committees, and secretaries, will eohfer afavor 
by sending notice of errors or omissions in the following list, and 
also changes which may be made in the future. 
AUGUST. 
3. Corinthian, midsummer series, Marblehead. 
4. Corinthian, midsummer series, Marblehead. 
4. Royal St. Lawrence, Seawanhaka cup match, Lake St. Louis, 
Canada. 
4. Mass. Racing Dory Association, Marblehead. 
5. Corinthian, midsummer series, Marblehead. 
5 Royal St. Lawrence, Seawanhaka cup match, Lake St. Louis, 
Canada. 
5. Mass. Dory Racing Association, Marblehead. 
6. Corinthian, invitation race, Marblehead. 
6 Royal St. Lawrence, Seawanhaka cup match, Lake St. Louis, 
Canada. ■ 
6. Hempstead Harbor, L. I. Sound Y. R. A., annual Hempstead 
Harbor. 
Shelter Island, L. I. Sound Y. R. A., annual, Shelter Island. 
Larchmont, power boats, Larchmont. 
Mass. Dory Racing Association, Marblehead, 
Manchester. Maps V. R A.. West Manchester. 
Manchester, Crowhurst cup, West Manchester. 
Boston, club race, Marblehead. , • 
East Gloucester, Mass. Y. R. A., Gloucester, 
New York, special races, Glen Cove. 
New York, rendezvous for annual cruise, Glen Cove. 
Annisquam, Mass. Y. R. A., Annisquam. 
New_ York, annual cruise to Morris Cove. 
Annisquam, Mass. Y. R. A., Annisquam. 
Horseshoe Harbor, L. I. Sound Y. R. A., annual, Larchmont. 
Bridgeport, L. I. Sound Y. R. A., annual, Black Rock. 
New York, annual cruise to New London. 
Annisquam, dory races, Annisquam. 
New York, annual cruise at New London. 
New York, annual cruise to Block Island. 
New York, annual cruise to Vineyard Haven. : 
Corinthian, club race, Marblehead. 
New York, annual cruise to Newport. 
Eastern, special open, Marblehead. 
New York, special races, Newport. 
Eastern, special cpen, Marblehead. ",;.,. 
New York, Astor cups, Newport. 
Boston, club race, Hull. 
Huguenot, L. I. Sound Y. R. A., annual, New Rochelle. 
Northport, L. I. Sound Y. R. A., annual, Nortbport. 
Hartford, L. T Sound Y. R. A., soecial. Fenwick. 
New York, start of ocean race. Newport. 
New York, steam yacht races, Brenton's Reef. 
Brooklyn, power-boats, Gravesend Bay. 
New York, Newport series, Newport. 
New York, Newport series, Newport. 
New York, Newport series, Newport. 
Plymouth, Mass. Y. R A., Plymouth. 
Duxbury, Mass., Y. R. A., Duxbury. 
Duxbury, Mass. Y. R. A., Duxbury. 
Corinthian Stamford, L. I. Sound Y. R. A., annual, Stamford. 
Larchmont. power boats, Larchmont. 
Wellfleet, Mass. Y. R. A., Wellfleet. 
Wellfleet, Mass. Y. R. A., Wellfleet. 
6. 
6 
6. 
R. 
9 
10. 
11. 
11. 
11 
12 
12. 
13. 
13 
13. 
13. 
13. 
14. 
15. 
16. 
17 
17. 
18. 
18. 
19. 
19. 
20. 
20. 
20. 
20. 
20. 
20 
20. 
22. 
23. 
24 
25 
26. 
27. 
27 
27. 
29. 
SO. 
1. 
2. 
3. 
3 
3. 
3. 
3 
5. 
5 
5. 
5. 
5. 
8. 
10. 
10. 
11. 
17. 
24 
SEPTEMBER. 
Cape Cod, Mass. Y. R. A., Provincetown. 
Cape Cod, Mass. Y. R. A., Provincetown. 
Indian Harbor, L. I. Sound Y. R. A., fall. Greenwich. 
Hartford, L. T. Sound Y. R. A., special, Fenwick. 
Manhasset Bay, special club. Manhasset Bay. 
Larchmont. club race. Larchmont. 
Cape God, Mass. Y. R. A., Provincetown. 
Lynn,; Mass. Y., R. A., Nahant. 
Larchmont. fall regatta, Larchmont. 
Norwalk, L. T. Sound Y. R. A., annual, Norwalk. 
Sachem's Head, L. I. Sound Y. R. A., annual, Sachem's Head. 
Indian Harbor, club races, Greenwich. 
New York, autu nn cup, Glen Ccve. 
Seawanhaka, L. I.. Sound Y R. A., fall, Oyster Bay. 
Larchmont, club raire, Larchmont. 
Mass. Y. R. A., rendezvous at Hull. 
Manhasset Bay. L. I. Sound Y. R. A., fall, Sand's Point 
Riverside, L. I. Sound Y. R. A., fall. Riverside. 
A Cruise on Long Island Sound. 
BY CHARLES N. ROBINSON, HARTFORD, CONN. 
Early in June — the tenth, to be exact — we cast off the 
mooring lines of Ramea at Essex and started down 
the Connecticut River for a cruise up the Sound as far as- 
New Rochelle and back to New London. 
Ramea is a sloop rigged centerboard cruiser, and 
was designed by Mr. 0 IX Mower and built by Lawley in 
1902. Her dimensions are : Length on waterline.. 21ft. ; 
over all, 33ft. $\n. ; extreme beam, 8ft. loin. ; draft, 3ft. 6in., 
and with board down. 6ft. 6in. Besides the centerboard 
she has a keel T2 ft. long and x8in.' deep, and we have 
found that she sails very hahdlfy with this alone, which 
is a great convenience in shoal water work. The ballast 
is all outside on the keel. A sloop rig on a 21ft. boat is 
rather a novelty in this jib-and-mainsail age\* This rig 
was adopted because it appeared to be the most efficient, 
aiid at the same time the most convenient one that could 
be handled by two men. The experience of two seasons 
has shown that it is entirely satisfactory, and may be 
handled by one man without much trouble. The area of 
the jib and mainsail is 460 sq. ft., and. Ramea will 
carry this in : a 15 to 20 knot breeze. In light airs the sail 
area may be increased to 530 sq. ft. by setting a club- 
topsail and, jib-topsail, and these sails draw well in close 
work to windward. When not in use the club-topsail is 
stowed in either of the long lockers which extend aft 
from the cabin on each side of the cockpit. The cabin 
was designed for comfort. The transoms are 6ft. 3in. 
long and, when extended, 26 in. wide. Aft of the transoms 
on ekher side are clothes" lockers, while at the forward 
ends are shelves with lockers underneath opening amid- 
ships. On each side under the deck are two lockers with 
a larger one between in which the bedding is stowed 
during the day. The galley is entirely under the house, 
and has good headroom. The stoves and dish lockers arq 
on the starboard, and the ice-box is on the port side. _ 
We — that is to say, the crew, consisting of the writer 
and his brother — got up for an early- start Wednesday 
morning, but not a ripple disturbed the glassy surface 
of the river. It was fine weather for bathing, however, 
and we were, soon overboard in the rather warm water, 
which at this point, six miles from the mouth of the river, 
is fresh. Breakfast we took leisurely, and then over- 
hauled the rigging, loosened the mainsail, put the jib up 
in stops, and generally straightened things out. Still no 
wind arid from the hazy look of things to the south'ard 
it seemed probable that we should not have much at any 
time during the day. 
I went ashore and bought some more provisions and 
got hold of the ice man. With some care in stowing, 
Ramea's ice-box will hold from 60 to 70 pounds, and this 
generally lasts five days. The waste water drains into a 
small tank under the lower shelf and is emptied morning 
and night, when the cook remembers all his duties. This 
water is used for washing dishes, etc., although 
Ramea's water supply is ample, two-thirds of the space 
under either transom being occupied by a copper tank. 
The two hold about thirty gallons of water, which is piped 
forward to a pump in the galley. 
A light southerly air came in from the Sound about 
noon, and we decided to make a start. It came very near 
being a false one, however, for we were close to a mud 
f 
■ 
: ■ •■ '. 'N.v .... . . 
1 ; \ 
■ 1 
RAMEA. 
flat and the strong tide nearly set us on to it. We tacked 
slowly "down against the last of the flood tide and caught 
the first of the ebb above the Lyme bridge. This was for- 
tunate, as we could never have worked through the draw 
against the tide. The draw swung open in plenty of time, 
and we soon left the long bridge behind. In years gone 
by, when this draw was swung by hand, they were net 
so prompt in opening, and, if they thought a small boat 
could take her mast down, they " often wouldn't open it at 
all. ' t 
We decided to bring up at the upper anchorage, which 
is about a quarter of a mile above the steamboat dock at 
Saybrook Point. And bring up we did, but it was on a 
mud flat ! This flat is a favorite spot of ours to ground 
on; in fact, we never feel that the season's cruising is 
complete unless We are hung up here at least once. In 
order to excuse this annual piece of carelessness we con- 
ceived the idea that the flat was encroaching on the chan- 
nel somewhat each year; an. excuse that was- quite satisfy- 
ing until we calculated that it would only be a matter of 
ten years, more or less, before the mouth of the river 
would be cornpletely obstructed. -The wind was light 
S.E., arid; I was letting Ramea run in pretty close -to the 
flat in order to get into slack water, when she came to 
a gradual stop. The jib had been already taken in, so the 
tiller was jammed down, and with the mainsail flattened 
in she swung around broadside to the wind. As the tide 
was falling, no time was lost in lowering the mainsail and 
taking an anchor out into deep water. After some good 
hard hauling, she gradually came off, rather to our sur- 
prise, and we soon had everything snug and shipshape 
for the night. , 
The writer prefers. the upper anchorage at the mouth of 
the Connecticut because of the better protection it offers, 
and the fact that it is in comparatively slack water. The 
bottom — a black mud— is excellent holding ground. An 
anchorage in about 12ft. of water may be found between 
the two coal docks and about 300 feet from therein 
order, to avoid the mud flat above mentioned, one must 
not pass north of the line of the second (the northern) 
coal dock. The principal objection to this anchorage" is 
that it is two miles from the mouth of the river. Small 
boats may find good anchorage for the night inside the 
breakwaters, either off the inner end of the western or 
near the spindle on the inner end of the eastern break- 
water, care being taken to keep out of the path of the 
steamers. There are no buoys in the mouth of the river, 
though there is considerable shoal water. One would be 
particularly welcome at the end of the shoal which makes 
off from the inner lighthouse. A pile was driven there 
this season by private parties, but evidently in too deep 
water, as it was hit by a barge and broken off below the 
water. 
Leaving H. to start the dinner, I rowed over to the 
dock and walked down to Kellogg's store at the Point 
to get a paper. As soon as the potatoes were boiled, H. 
warmed up a can of soup, broiled an excellent steak, and 
we sat down to dinner. Having the table leaves hinged 
on either side of the centerboard case is a great con- 
venience, as you can put them up in a jiffy and there is 
your table firm and secure, with no legs to be knocked 
out by an inadvertent sweep of the foot. Cleaning up 
after a hearty dinner is not always the pleasant est job 
in the world, but with plenty of hot water and soap it 
does not take long, and then one can settle back on the 
transoms with a well earned sense of satisfaction. 
Later in the evening, when I went on deck to see if 
the anchor was clear and everything snug preparatory to 
turning in, a heavy fog had settled down. The wind had 
dropped completely, and the river flowed by like oil. 
They were ringing a bell on a schooner out in the river, 
and the deep, hoarse voices of the sirens came in from 
the Sound. 
The fog held on all night, and Thursday morning, after 
breakfast, was as bad as ever. What wind there was 
came from the eastward. We rowed ashore after break- 
fast and walked over the bridge to Fenwick. The big 
hotel was still closed up tight and looked as gloomy and 
depressing as a summer hotel always does out of season. 
When we reached the stone pier the fog began to lift, 
so we started back. But it soon rolled .in again, and we 
turned to the right on reaching the bridge and went over 
to the Hartford Y. C. house. 
On our way back we stopped on the bridge over, the 
creek which connects the cove with the pond over near 
the beach to watch a muskrat busily engaged in collecting 
material for a house. Lie finally secured a load and 
started up stream with the tide, disappearing some dis- 
tance away in the marsh grass. Pretty soon he reap- 
peared and swam back to the bridge, making irregular 
tacks against the swift current. When he had secured 
what he wanted, he went home again with his load. Ap-. 
parently he knew enough not to try to buck the current 
with a load. In a stream like this there is always an end- 
less procession of minnows. They are caught and swept 
in by every flood tide, only to be swept out again by the 
ebb. 
The fog persisted, but a nice little breeze had come in 
from the S.E. As the tide was running in, we made short 
hitches and hugged the west side of the river, getting out to 
the end of the breakwaters without any trouble under main- 
sail and jib. Rounding the red lighthouse close to w e 
squared away for Cornfield Point steering W. by N. We 
were squarely bucking the ebb tide, and it was forty 
minutes before the pebbly beach with the dirt bluff behind 
it appeared out of the mist. Our first landfall lay ahead 
fair and square. We were not so fortunate, however, 
with our next point, the spindle on Hens and Chickens. 
The buoy off Cornfield Point lay far outside of us, but 
as there is plenty of water inside of it we took our depar- 
ture from the Point itself. A difference of opinion arose, 
over the amount of northing from the true course neces- 
sary to meet the strong S.E. sweep of the ebb tide, set- 
ting out of the hay. As a compromise, points were 
allowed. It was not enough; three points in a light air 
would be much better. After twenty minutes' sailing 
we expected to see the spindle, but it seemed a coy thing, 
and insisted in remaining hidden in the fog. We did not 
stop to look for it, but changed our course a couple of 
points to the north and kept on for the red buoy- off 
Crane's Reef. This did not show up on schedule time/ 
either, and it appeared that it also had been moved away. 
Then the fog began to burn up and drift away iri long 
streamers. The man at the tiller took a long look, ut 
shore, and suddenly exclaimed : "There she bobs." Sure 
enough, the red buoy lay inside our course a full quarter 
of a mile, swaying up and down in the strong tide. We. 
scon changed our course for Duck Island breakwater, and 
anchored well up under it about midafternoon. 
While we were stowing the mainsail a tow of coal 
barges came in from New Haven and anchored between 
us and the breakwater. They immediately began to swing 
with the tide and it looked for a few minutes as ' though- 
we might have to get out of the way in a hurry. ' We 
took the chance, however, and they cleared us by less than 
a hundred feet'. . 
After making everything snug, we rowed over to the 
beach. to the east of Grove Beach for the purpose of "ex- 
ploring" the Patchogqe and Menunketesuck rivers, two. 
