Jan. 28, 1905.] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
77 
or it may be likely to cause pre-igniticn. It may be so 
low as to lose valuable power. The crank case compres- 
sion may be lower than it ought — it cannot be too high. 
Lubrication is a very important feature which is liable 
to be slighted, and a careful study of that important 
equipment is essential. Some engine manufacturers claim 
that a wrist pin turning in the piston is preferable to 
one having a bearing in the upper end of the piston rod. 
Both have their good and bad points, but no matter 
which method is employed, it should never be allowed to 
protrude through the piston sufficient to "score" the wall 
of the cylinder. 
The engine that has its parts easily accessible, is well 
and carefully designed and built, that is the best adapted 
to your especial requirements, that will wear the longest 
and be worth the most second-hand, is a good, safe 
engine to buy. 
The installation must be made safe and the greatest 
care should be exercised in running it and caring for it 
for the sake of personal safety and to get the full value 
out of the engine. 
In the m^itter of guarantees from the manufacturer or 
salesman, they should be carefully drawn, if at all. 
If a man buys something that is guaranteed to be as 
represented, the manufacturer should be willing to re- 
duce the claims tO' writing. The guaranteed horsepower 
and consumption should, however, be cautiously drawn, 
for it is quite easy if one is so disposed to readily re- 
duce the efficiency of an engine, and a manufacturer 
would be very foolish to guarantee a certain horsepower 
for any length of time, for there are a great many things 
that may reduce it for which the manufacturer ought not 
be responsible; but if an engine is sold and guaranteed 
to give a certain brake horsepower, it ought to show 
that on test before being placed in the boat. When the 
engine is first installed, the owner or operator should 
carefully time the engine speed, and note it for future 
comparison. If the engine is rated at 5 horsepower at 
375 revolutions per minute, and only shows 300, it can 
readily be seen that the _ engine is developing fully 20 
per cent, less power than it ought. If after a few weeks' 
use the speed is reduced, it can also be seen that the 
engine efficiency is decreasing, and a remedy should be 
immediately applied; first discovering the cause, which 
at that time may be very slight, but if left may do 
incalculable harm. 
Engines built this season ought to be of better general 
construction than ever before. There are some new en- 
gines seen this spring for the first time, and the knowl- 
edge of the art is so well understood and the necessity 
of careful machining so well appreciated by gas engine 
manufacturers of responsibility, that they will be in 
duty bound to make good any damage resulting from 
poor material or workmanship ; but do not expect them 
to replace or be responsible for breakage or accidents for 
which you alone are to be blamed. 
In the matter of delivery, hardly a season but that de- 
lays of several months beyond the agreed time of delivery 
occur, and it is but just that delivery should be guar- 
anteed under forfeit, for no power boat owner should be 
compelled to forego the pleasures of its use for several 
weeks or months of the season with redress. 
In selecting your engine for next season you have an 
unenviable assignment at least. 
Queries on Marine Motors. 
R. J. H., Port Jefferson, N. Y.— Wou"id I improve my ignition 
by using- twenty cells dry battery connected five in series and 
four in parallel? 
Ans. — There seems to be no Goject in loading your 
launch with 20 ceils dry battery when two sets of S each 
will be found ample, no matter whether using make-and- 
break or jump spark. If your lyniiicn is properly ad- 
justed, contact is not too long, ar t] spark coil is adapted 
to the current and engine, five cc will be found suffi- 
cient with another s<t in reserve. case by any over- 
sight both sets should become weak, they can be con- 
nected together in parallel ^nd will do for temporary use. 
B. E. J., Jamestown, Va.— How can I increase the speed and 
power 01 my launch? I use hei for towing occasionally, and do 
not get results I would like. Engine is double cylmder, 25 
H. P. 
Ans. — It is hard to diagnose the case with no data 
from which to work. The proper thing for you to do is 
first find from the manufacturer whether or not the 
present speed of the engine can be increased safely and 
profitably. Increasing the engine speed increases the 
power up to a certain limit, depending on the type and 
design of the engine. A change in your propeller is 
probably necessary. If you will send data we will answer 
the question more fully later. We would like to know, 
the name of the engine (not for publication, though), the 
number of revolutions the engine made when new and 
number now. Would also like to know the size of wheel, 
diameter, pitch, width of blade, number of blades, and 
whether true or compound pitch. 
B. J. E., Tarrytown, N. Y.— Is there more or less power in 
kerosene than gasolene? 
Ans.— More heat units in one gallon of kerosene and 
more in one pound of gasolene. The reason for this is 
that kerosene is heavier than gasolene, having more 
':arbon and less hydrogen. 
H. R. S., Sandusky, O.— What difference is there between salt 
water and fresh water equipment for gasolene engines. 
Ans. — Cast iron and steel are sometimes used for 
power boats in fresh water for propeller wheels, stern 
bearings and shafts, but not in salt water, on account 
of the corrosive action of the saline solution. Bronze is 
the only metal suitable. 
The Ormond-Daytona Beach Fatal Accident. — It 
was with sorrow that the many friends in both power 
boat and automobile circles of Frank Croker, the well- 
known owner of XPDNC, learned of his death and 
that of his chauffeur a few days ago on the Florida 
beach. Automobile running at such lightnmg speed is m 
itself dangerous, "much more so than power boating; but 
the most deplorable part of the affair is that m spite of 
posted notices and general knowledge of the presence of 
high speed cars, . anyone would knowingly expose him- 
self and others to such deadly peril by his presence on 
the beach vyit]i a motor chair. 
British Letter. 
There has been an animated controversy going on in 
one of our leading yachting papers for the last two 
months on the subject of hospitality among yacht clubs 
to strangers visiting their ports, and the general con- 
sensus of opinion appears to be that, although Scotch, 
Irish and Welsh clubs are almost without exception will- 
ing and anxious to admit strangtl^ to their clubs and 
make them welcome during their visit, the South of 
England clubs act on precisely the opposite plan, and 
show strangers the cold shoulder. There have been 
many letters from owners of yachts who have visited 
southern ports time after time and laid in their j'achts 
for days together flying the burgees of well known clubs, 
but no notice has been taken of their presence; and on 
one or two occasions where owners have gone ashore to 
inquire whether they could use the club during their 
stay, they have been met with a curt refusal. One of the 
worst offenders in this respect appears to be the Fowey 
Y. C, a body of not much importance nor of very long 
standing; and although its rear-commodore has been 
endeavoring to champion its cause, he has not been able 
to do SO' with any marked degree of success. The fact 
is the South of England clubs are more social bodies 
than yacht racing clubs. Most of them — especially the 
larger ones — give only one regatta a year, during which 
every owner of a yacht belonging tO' a recognized club 
is welcome to use t^'^ club premises and to bring any 
friends he may have on ooard with him. The clubs, in 
fact, keep "open house" at regatta time, but at any other 
the only way in which a stranger is admitted is through 
being put up temporarily by a friend (if he happens tO' 
have one) who is a member of the club. Of course 
eve^y club has a perfect right not to allow strangers 
within its doors, but the fact should be clearly under- 
stood. The Fowey Y. C, however, while apparently pro- 
fessing tO' a custom of inviting visiting yachtsmen to 
use the permises, does not carry it out in practice. 
As regards the larger clubs, they are so essentially 
social bodies that they can hardly be blamed for being 
exclusive. Most of their members are not yachtsmen at 
all, and being far from London they are looked upon 
in much the same light as county clubs. The question of 
yacht club hospitality is a very important and far-reach- 
ing one. It would be far better for yachting in general 
if more courtesy were shown to strangers. At the same 
time, there is much tO' be said on the other side, and the 
right of clubs to^ exclude strangers if they so wish is 
undoubted, although the use of a little discretion would 
usually be suffir'ent to keeo out undesirable people. 
According to the telegraphic messages received on this 
side from time to time, the entries for the German Em- 
peror's Ocean Race continue to increase in number. 
Rumor has it that over fifteen vessels have entered, but 
the conditions of the match are stated to have been 
altered, and it is said that two of the old America's Cup 
defenders are entered. A more recent report includes 
Ailsa in the list. It seems scarcely credible that such ves- 
sels should be allowed to compete in a race which was 
originally intended for bona fide cruisers, and if such is 
the case, all interest in the match will be eliminated.' 
Ingomar is a sufficiently awkward competitor for most 
of the old-fashioned vessels which will take part in the 
ocean voyage. She is in everything but scantling as 
much of a racer as most vessels, but the Cup defenders 
running would be a farce, and it is to be hoped the 
rumor is not true. Earl Crawford's ship-rigged Val- 
halla and the handsome auxiliary Utowana are reported 
among the latest entries ; but the information received 
on this side about the race has been very vague, and 
probably incorrect. However, there is plenty of time to 
have all that set right, only it would be more satisfactory 
to know the actual state of affairs. One thing is certain, 
and that is the German Emperor will spare no efforts to 
make the event a success, and to get the boats to gO' on 
to Kiel to swell the regatta fleet there. 
E. H. Kelly. 
Boston Letter. 
At the next meeting of the Eastern Y. C, to be held 
on February 14, Messrs. Henry Howard and Louis M. 
Clark, special committee on the revision of racing rules, 
will make the following report : 
Boston, Jan. 20, 1905. 
To the Eastern Yacht Club: 
The report of the special committee on revision of racing rules, 
with authority to confer with committees from other clubs, is 
herewith submitted : 
Two years ago this club, m conjunction with the New York 
Y. C., adopted a new rule of measurement based upon length, sail 
area and displacement. The change came none too soon. Under 
the old rule the racing of yachts of the size recognized by this 
club had come to a standstill. 1 he efforts of designers to evade 
the rule had been so successful that the racing measurement of a 
yacht was no indication whatever of her actual racing size. Under 
any rule of measurement a designer, to be successful, is obliged 
to take the largest possible amount of those elements which are 
not taxed by the rule and the least possible amount of those 
elements which are taxed; hence, it follows that a rule which on 
its face seems to give the designer the freest hand because it taxes 
tl'.e smallest number of elements of speed, in practice bars out 
everything except one extreme type, and to most people, ex- 
tremes of any kind are undesirable. The old rule resulted in an 
extreme type, not only undesirable, but absolutely useless except 
for racing purposes, and nobody was willing to build under it. 
The new rule was adopted after a most careful investigation 
and consideration, in the course of which the opinions of many 
leading yacht designers and experts were sought and obtained. 
These men were unanimously of the opinion that the racing meas- 
urement should be a rating measurement, based upon length, sail 
area and displacement. The formula in the rule adopted was 
suggested and recommended by Mr. Herreshoff as one which 
would be difficult to evade, wliich would tax the element of speed 
of any given design at approximately their fair vakie, and which 
would not tend to produce one type of boat to the exclusion of all 
others. 
That rule has now been under trial for two years, and we are of 
the opinion that the results ha/e been eminently satisfactory. 
There are several matters of detail which eventually will have to 
be modified, but the principle upon which the rule is based 
seems to be correct. The strongest point brought forward against 
the rule up to this time has been that it favored the smaller boats; 
hut this objection goe-". only to the matter of time allowance. Up 
to i-vfo years ago the time allowance table used by the club was 
figur-ed at 60 per cent, of the theoretical time allowance, which 
proved to be madequate. At the time of the adoption of the 
new rule the actual allowance was increased to 80 per cent, of the 
theoretical allowance; SO per cent seemed to be excessive, so that 
tlie p'roposed amendment of 70^ per cent, of the theoretical allow- 
ance will, we believe, be as satisfactory as any rule of time allow- 
ance. is likely to be. Time allowance at best is an arbitrary han- 
dicap, and under the proposed amendment, rating .a new boat at 
the maximum limit of her class, this unsatisfactory fe9.ture of rap- 
ing will gradually be eliminated. 
While the rule of 19D3 is, like the rules adopted for the various 
restricted classes of Massachusetts Bay, based upon the elements 
of length, it is an impi-ovement on those rules, in that it meas- 
ures 'equitably the length which a boat sails on and allows the 
designer to vary the proportions of length, sail area, and dis- 
placement at will — provided he does not exceed a given rating — 
instead of arbitrarily limiting each element. Restricted classes 
and one-design classes serve no purpose other than to test the 
skill of the men who sail the boats — a matter of little interest to 
others than those concerned. 
The ideal rule would measure all the fundamental elements of 
speed in any given boat, whatever the type_, and tax those ele- 
ments at their true value, leaving to the designer a free hand to 
use such combination of those elements as to him seems de- 
sirable. How Dear to such a rule is the present one time alone 
can determine; but after two years' trial, in the course of which 
yachts of widely different types have competed with each other, 
it does not appear that any one type is favored to the exclusion 
of others. The schooner Ingomar, the only large yacht built to 
race under the rule, has shown herself to be extremely fast, and 
has twice crossed the Atlantic. She is Mr. Herreshoff's idea of 
one type that will succeed under the rule, and has demonstrated 
her speed and seaworthiness; but there is no evidence whatever 
that she is the only type that can succeed. 
Last fall a movement was started in favor of the adoption of a 
uniform rule of measurement and time allowance for all the yacht- 
ing organizations of the country. As a result of this movement 
the rule herewith submitted was agreed upon by committees from 
the following organizations, and will be recommended to these 
organizations by their respective committees; there is little doubt 
of its adoption by all: 
New York Y. C, Eastern Y. C, Atlantic Y. C, Larchmont Y. 
C. Corinthian Y. C. of Marblehead, Corinthian Y. C. of Phila- 
delphia, Seawanhaka Corinthian Y. C. and the Yacht Racing As- 
sociation of Long Island Sound, which includes the following 
yacht clubs : American, Bridgeport, Corinthian of Stamford, 
Harlem, Hartford, Hempstead, Horseshoe Harbor, Huguenot, 
Huntington, Indian Harbor, Knickerbocker, Manhasset Bay, New 
Haven, New Rochelle, New York Athletic, Northport, Sachem's 
Head, Sea Cliff, Shelter Island and Stamford. 
The proposed rule is a modification of our present rule. The 
formula is unchanged, but the methods of ascertaining the ele- 
ments of the formula have been somewhat changed. The material 
changes are as follows: 
First— The quarter beam length will be measured on a plane a 
given distance above the water, instead of being taken as the mean 
quarter beam length. The old way of taxing the extreme quarter 
beam length had a tendency to cut down the freeboard, as of 
course, the lower the freeboard the shorter the extreme length. 
This change is a good one, and is in line with a suggestion made 
by _ this club two years ago. The distance above the water at 
which the quarter beam length is to be measured has been deter- 
mined with the intention of measuring the length which a boat 
actually uses when heeled to a moderate angle. 
Second — The method of obtaining the sail area measurement has 
been changed in a number of particulars, but the result in meas- 
urement will not be materially different from that obtained under 
the^ old rule. _ This change is not considered important. 
Third— Limit of draft: The effect of this change is to increase 
the limit of untaxed draft for a given measurement of length, es- 
pecially in the larger classes. For example, a boat with an L 
measurement of 90ft. now is allowed 14.63ft. of untaxed draft; 
under the proposed rule, she would be allowed 16ft. A boat of 
21ft. L measurement is now allowed 5.45ft. of untaxed draft; 
under the new rule she would be allowed 5.65ft. 
In the opinion of your committee, the interests of the club 
and of yachting in general will be advanced by the adoption of 
the proposed amendments. The advantages resulting from a 
uniform rule more than offset any minor defects in the details of 
the rule, and the larger the number of organizations using a rule, 
the sooner will such defects be discovered, and the stronger will 
be the demand for a remedy. 
(Signed) 
Henry Howard, 
Louis M. Ci.ark, 
Special Committee on Revision of Racing Rules. 
The Paris Motor Launch Congress* 
From The Yachtsman. 
The final meeting of the Congress was held on Decem- 
ber 24, with Baron de Zuylen de Nyevelt in the chair. M. 
Famechon read his report, composed of the reports of the 
secretaries of the different sub-sections. 
RESOLUTIONS ADOPTED BY THE CONGRESS. 
Section I. — Racing. 
For 1905 the Congress decides to maintain the rules obtaining at 
the Monaco meeting. For 1906 and the following years the Con- 
gress recommend that racing boats be divided into length classes 
as heretofore, no restrictions being placed on horsepower. The 
length to be measm-ed between perpendiculars, excluding rudder 
and mouldings, unless the rudder form part of the propelling 
mechanism. After 1906, the boats will be measured according to 
the metric system, hut allowance will be made for boats built in 
1905 and preceding years. 
For the criiiser classes, the Congress considered that no rating 
or handicapping formula should be considered that does not 
encourage the construction of efficient and economical motor, and 
permit of motors of all systems of working — four-cycle, two-cycle, 
rotary arid turbine— running together in an equitable manner. 
The Congress considered that motor makers, hull designers 
and , propeller makers should be left untrammeled as far as 
possible. 
The following rule was therefore adopted: 
The rating will be based on the product of length and H. P., 
divided by weight of boat, or formulated: 
L X H P 
Rating = ■ 
Displacement. 
Section II. — Touring. 
This section deals with the improvement of existing conditions 
on the French waterways, and the facilitating of inland touring 
by the publication of guides and charts, etc. 
Section III. — Technical Questions. 
The Congress recommends:' That owners and builders send 
details of hulls, motors, propellers, etc., to the Technical Com- 
mittee. ^ The information will be given in order to facilitate the 
elucidation of technical questions and difficulties. 
That all communications of this nature be addressed to the 
Association Technique Maritime, who will be able to give infor- 
mation to interested persons, who in time will be at liberty to 
make such information public. 
The Congress also recommends that the rating of H. P. launch 
motors be based upon their consumption at their maximum 
working output, the thermal properties - of the fuel employed 
being taken into account. 
Section IV. 
The Congress recommends that builders should endeavor to 
bring out a type of motor launch suitable for use in the merchant 
service. 
The Government will be asked to facilitate and reduce the 
formalities necessary to obtain the remission of the tax on liquid 
fuel in .fishing vessels, in order to encourage the use of internal 
combustion engines. 
It was also decided to ask the various railway companies to 
facilitate the carriage of fishing vessels over 6.5 m. in length. 
Knickerbocker Y. C. — The Knickerbocker Y. C. held 
ils annual meeting at the Hotel Manhattan, New York, 
on Wednesday evening, January ig. The following offi- 
cers were elected : Com., Walter B. Beam ; Vice-Com., 
G. Edgar Allen ; Rear-Com., Frank G. Brown ; Treas., 
George H. Cooper; Sec'y, J. D. Sinkinson; Meas., G. 
J. Stetz ; Pleet Surgeon, G. D. Hamlen, M.D. ; Directo^rs 
— Harry Stephenson, Rodman Sands, F. H. Stellman, 
L. C. Berrian, O. D. Dike. 
•e •! « 
Steam Y.\cht Parthenia Changes Hands. — Commo- 
dore Morton F. Plant, Larchmont Y. C, has sold the 
steam yacht Parthenia to Mr. H, C Converse, of Boston, 
