240 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[March 25, 
tide. As the flood next morning would beg^n running 
at 8:25 o'clock, we decided to start at 8 o'clock, run as 
far south as possible, while the slack water lasted, and 
then head W. S. W., letting the current sweep us in- 
side the point. 
Tired from our long run of the previous day, we did 
not wake up until almost 8, which gave us no time for 
breakfast before starting. We ran down the harbor 
with the wind aft and outside, found the weather look- 
ing pretty threatening, rain commencing soon after we 
cleared the Breakwater. The wind was blowing strong 
from the southeast, with plenty of weight in the puffs, 
but we held on until we were off the southwest end of 
the island, and then slacked our sheets and headed 
across. Being too thick to see Montauk, we were 
obliged to depend on the compass, holding our course 
W.S.W. until we sighted the lighthouse, and then bear- 
ing off to the west, which, with a strong current run- 
ning diagonally across our course, brought us well in- 
side the port. This was undoubtedly the finest day's 
sailing we had. A strong wind over the quarter, grad- 
ually worked up a big sea, which had not yet begun 
to break enough to be dangerous, but still had a lot 
of push to it as it ran under our stern and swung us 
along. Going the other way, we should have had in 
at least two reefs, and been buried even then, while 
well off the wind; as we were, it was simply exhilarat- 
ing. By 10 we had the lighthouse abeam, and at H 
dropped anchor at the upper end of Fort Pond Bay, 
having covered twenty-six miles in exactly three hours, 
which, allowing six miles for current, gave MS ft speed 
through the water of about seven miles, not at all bad 
for a boat like ours. The rain was coming down in 
torrents and the wind increasing every hour. We made 
everything snug for the gale, which was undoubtedly 
just beginning, and went up to the Montauk Inn for 
lunch, which was also breakfast, there having been too 
much motion on the way across to start the stoves. 
The afternoon was worse than the morning, and by 4 
we had fully decided to take rooms at ^he inn and 
sleep ashore, for the first time since leaving home, two 
weeks before. Daring the_ night the gale increased, and 
in the morning was blowing harder than ever, but we 
went on board thinking we might run down to Sag 
Harbor by keeping under the lee of the land, which 
would give us some shelter most of the way. The 
weight of the wind in the squalls, coupled with im- 
perative orders by telephone from the Doctor's wife at 
West Hampton, not to venture out under pain of 
severe displeasure, convinced us that it was not good 
enough, and we dropped our second anchor. 
With all the comforts of home waiting for us at the 
Doctor's house at West Hampton, it seemed foolish to 
waste time sitting about in the wet at Montauk waiting 
for better weather, and it took us very little time to 
decide to catch the afternoon train if we could find some 
way of leaving the boat with a fair assurance of finding 
her again on our return. A trip ashore and full ex- 
planation of the situation, obtained for us the sympathy 
of one of the large fish dealers and his promise to look 
out for the boat in our absence, provided we would 
make it fast to a vacant mooring in front of his place. 
This was half a mile from where we were anchored, and 
somewhat to windward, with a fleet of fishing boats 
between — a rather difficult proposition in the wind then 
blowing. Apparently there was no alternative if we 
wanted to leave the boat, and we concluded to tackle 
it. Knowing that an extra man would be welcome, a 
fisherman offered to come on board and give us a 
hand, and we accepted gladly. A trial of the engine 
showed us that we could not hope for much from it, for 
in the squalls it would not even run the boat up to her 
anchors. Our fisherman friend thought it was blowing 
too hard to put any sail on, and we had better make a 
try with the engine alone, so started it up again, ran 
up to the anchors and began edging over toward the 
mooring. For a few minutes we did fairly well, when 
another squall struck us and we began to fall off. In 
trying to speed up the engine, I pushed it too far, and 
it stopped, compelling us to let go the large anchor, 
which fortunately brought us up. I had made up my 
mind that the only way was to hoist the mainsail, close- 
reefed, easing it with the engine, which we did; and in 
ten minutes were fast to the buoy. Our fisherman was 
a wonderfully handy man, and made a very neat job of 
running out one of our cables, and serving it to prevent 
chafing. Now that the boat was safe, we hurried 
through our preparations for leaving, stowing every- 
thing likely to damage out of reach of water in case it 
came above the cabin floor, and with a dinghy load of 
duds the Doctor thought would be more useful at home 
than on the boat, we rowed ashore. That night we had 
a real dinner, and next day there was no excuse to go 
out, as the gale still continued. We spent a most lux- 
urious time congratulating ourselves upon having es- 
caped from Block Island before the storm prevented us. 
Monday the gale had blown itself out, and we re- 
turned to Montauk, finding the boat just as we had left 
her with no water inside— actually in better condition 
than though we had lived aboard through two days of 
wet We squared our friends for their trouble, hoisted 
sail and headed for Shelter Island; but the breeze soon 
began to fail and the engine became necessary l^md- 
ing that we could not reach Shelter Island by dark, we 
changed our course for Sag Harbor, where we an- 
chored behind the steamboat dock at 6 We went 
ashore for dinner and telephoned to West Hampton to 
ask the Doctor's wife to join us in a sad through the 
Peconics, which she agreed to do. On Tuesday we 
were out at 5- The previous evenmg we had he^rd of 
a small marine railway near the town and determined 
to make another effort to have _the boat hauled out, 
but were again unsuccessful, owing to lack of water. 
Returning to our anchorage, we spent a busy mornmg 
cleaning ship and preparing for our guest. Mrs W. on 
board, we at once got under way, with a truly lady- 
like breeze that drifted us gently out of the harbor and 
ihen gradually picked up until we were moving nicely, 
tessup's Neck, with a picnic ashore, had been the 
Original plan, but lack of wind at the start caused us to 
Sfy this to Little Hog Neck, ^here we anchored 
Tnd had lunch, slightly marred m the writer's case by 
spilling a can of boiling soup over one hand. The after-j 
^Q^tj-las peripetia $00^ hrtez^, hn^H sun^hme an4 
just enough motion to the water to be agreeable. We 
stood across Noyack Bay to Jessup's Neck, and then 
through Little Peconic to Robin's Island, anchoring 
at New Suffolk for the night just at sunset, which gave 
us some wonderful cloud effects. 
To give Mrs. W. a correct idea of the delights of 
cruising, I resigned my place on board, and, dinner 
over, the Doctor and his wife returned to the boat, 
while I remained on shore for the night. Mrs. W. 
expressed herself in the morning as altogether in favor 
of cruising, even on a small boat, but remarks dropped 
from time to time since have somewhat encouraged the 
belief that there is to be a good deal desired in the line 
of woven wire springs and other luxuries, notwithstand- 
ing the very superior hair mattresses on the boat. 
A leisurely run next day brought us to Greenport in 
time for Mrs. W. to catch the afternoon train for home. 
Having seen her safely started, we at once turned our 
attention to finding somewhere to have the boat hauled 
out, knowing that this would be our last chance be- 
fore reaching home. Our first attempt met with dis- 
appointment, but the second was more successful. Tut- 
tle & Higbie agreed if we would bring the boat in at 
once, to haul it out and put it overboard again as 
soon as whatever repairs found necessary were com- 
pleted. We lost no time in getting on board, and in 
fifteen minutes were being placed on the cradle astern 
of a large fishing boat. A very clever man in a flat- 
bottomed skiff, with one oar, took charge, pushed and 
pulled us about in the most wonderful way, considering 
what he had to work with, and giving a few final pokes 
with the oar to. see that the fin rested fairly on two 
cross beams, had the cradle hauled up. An examina- 
tion showed that the lag screws holding the stern 
bearing had worked loose, and the stuffing box also 
needed repacking. While a machinist, sent from the 
shops, attended to these repairs, we scrubbed the slime 
off the bottom, and when that was finished, gave the 
whole topsides a thorough cleaning with fresh water 
from a hose ^kindly offered by the engineer. The 
machinist reported as ready to go off, so we paid up and 
the cradle began to move. The entire job of hauling 
out, making repairs, and putting us in the water again 
had occupied just an hour and fifteen minutes, which I 
consider remarkably quick work. When fairly afloat, 
I tried to start the engine, but found it flooded, and 
while trying to coax it into running we drifted down 
with the tide against a lighter. Here the first casualty 
of the cruise occurred, when in trying to push off with 
a long sweep, the end, which was against a greasy 
pile, slipped, and overboard I went. The Doctor 
thoughtfully refrained, from comment until later, and 
with a suspicion of the rather feverish energy generally 
following an unexpected wetting, the sails were hoisted 
and we drifted over to Shelter Island, anchoring in 
Deering Harbor, near the Shelter Island Y. C. 
Thursday the weather was fine, with a nice S.W. 
breeze. Our destination was to be Saybrook, and upon 
studying up the tides, we found that we should have 
the current with us to Plum Gut until noon, which 
suited us exactly. As a preliminary, we went over to 
Greenport and filled up with gasolene. From there 
we beat through the channel, passed Bug Light and 
headed for Orient Point. We reached the Gut just at 
the turn of the tide, and went through that oftimes 
rough passage in perfectly smooth water. Once more 
on Long Island Sound, with a good breeze almost aft, 
we traveled steadily toward the Cohnecticut shore, 
passing between the jetties into Saybrook about 4. 
We chose an anchorage near the Hartford Y. C. and 
rowed ashore for dinner at Fenwick Hall. The night 
was magnificent, the nearly full moon making it almost 
as light as day, and one look at the Sound decided us 
to go on board and run outside the Breakwater for the 
night. We accordingly went on board, and at 10 were 
under way, running around the western breakwater 
into smooth water near shore, where we anchored. 
This was not only a much pleasanter _ anchorage, but 
saved us a tedious struggle with the tide next morn- 
ing, when we were ready to start. 
In the morning we were out at 5 with the idea of get- 
ting the benefit of the flood tide until 9. The day was 
dull and cold, with a moderate wind from S.W., which 
was not encouraging for the good day's run we hoped 
to make. To save time we started the engine until we 
co.uld finish dressing and get up sail. By this time we 
had run out to the buoy on the western end of Lond 
Sand shoal, and came about for a long leg parallel with 
the shore. As the day wore on the breeze became 
lighter, and we occasionally ran the engine for a while 
to keep moving, until about 4 we ran into a strong 
S W wind and began beating around Stratford Point 
Evidently the wind had been blowing here all day, and 
there was plenty of sea, as is so often the case m this 
part of the Sound. Heavy banks of clouds began to 
roll up, and we were soon glad to run into Bridgeport 
for the night instead of going on to Black Rock, as we 
had intended. • , , 
Bridgeport has never impressed me as a particularly 
hospitable place, and that night the last of home 
week," we . had just given up all hope of finding any 
place to eat, when we discovered a likely looking res- 
taurant, and at 9 sat down to dinner. 
Saturday was no improvement on the preceding day. 
We turned out at 6, once more hoping for a good breeze 
from the eastward, and found, to our disgust, thick fog 
with a light west wind. Having only three days fett, 
we wished to accomplish as much as possible, so hoisted 
sail and started. S.S.W. was the best we could do; 
even then our progress was slow, until finally the wind 
gave out altogether. The middle of the Sound m a 
heavy fog is not the ideal of pleasure, and the engine 
was started We calculated our position as best we 
could and headed W.S.W. as likely to bring us some- 
where within a few miles of Eaton's Neck. Much to 
our delight, we sighted the lighthouse at 2, and about 
the same time a good breeze from the south cleared 
away the fog and gave us a fair wmd to Lloyds Neck, 
twch we rounded and then beat into Oyster Bay, 
anchoring just in time to escape one of the good old- 
fashioned squalls the place is noted for. I at once 
went ashore to telephone to my brother and get bim to 
Jo\n m for ihp last two days. To my satisfaction, I was 
able to reach him, and he promised to meet us that 
evening. This disposed of, we had dinner and spent 
-the time until his arrival purchasing needed supplies. 
By the time we were ready to go on board it had 
cleared and gave promise of fine weather next day. 
In the morning the weather was all it had promised 
to be the night before, with a splendid northeast breeze, 
which held steady all day, and went a long way toward 
making up for the two days previous of calms and fogs. 
To. celebrate the occasion my brother gave us for 
breakfast what he called a pan-broiled steak, wh ich 
really did him great credit, considering that he con- 
fessed, when it had been generously applauded, that it 
was his first offense. The wind being fair, we made a 
quick run up the Sound, passed Execution Light and 
Stepping Stones, anchoring early in the afternoon in 
the cove to the west of Willet's Point to wait for the 
morning tide through Hell Gate. A walk through the 
fort and dinner at Garrison's, which was made a sort 
of farewell affair, finished the day. 
Labor Day we turned out at 7 and ran down to 
College Point, where we anchored for breakfast. The 
tide began to run west through the Gate at 10:12, and 
■10 o'clock found us under way for the last lap. When 
we started there was no wind, but before reaching 
Lawrence Point a breeze came up, which, however, was 
too nearly ahead to do us much good. The engine 
worked v/ell and made no objection to doing all the 
pushing, so we felt fairly confident that it would see us 
through. Down the river it blew hard in puffs, with 
calm spots between, so that we could not depend upon 
the sail to help us much, but we made fairly good time 
and had little trouble until near Catherine Ferry. Here 
on-the Brooklyn side we ran into a bunch of ferry 
boats, excursion steamers and a couple of car _ floats 
which gave us plenty to think about for a few minutes, 
but we finally got out and were soon past Governor's 
Island, feeling that our troubles were about over. The 
rest was easy, and with a fair wind and tide we reached 
Gravesend Bay at 1:15 and made fast to our mooring 
with a total of 561 miles to our credit. 
With the exception of Nantucket and Osterville, we 
had accomplished all that we intended to, and although 
we went through none of the startling adventures that 
seem to occur so frequently in some cruises, we had a 
thoroughly good time. For the benefit of others in- 
tending to go over this same route, I append a synop- 
sis of the daily distances run: 
Miles. 
Aug. 14.— Glenwood to New Rochelle 9 
Aug. 15.— New Rochelle to Stamford.. 16 
Aug. 16.— Stamford to Stratford 35 
Aug. 17.— Stratford to New London 55 
Aug. 18.— New London to Stonington 13 
Aug. 19.— Stonington to Newport 37 
Aug. 21.— Newport to Bristol 17 
Aug. 22.— Bristol to Black Point (Sakonnet River) 15 
Aug. 23.— Black Point to New Bedford 33 
Aug. 24.— New Bedford to Woods Holl 19 
Aug. 25.— Woods Holl to Cottage City 10 
Aug. 26.— Cottage City to Cuttyhunk 23 
Aug. 27.— Cuttyhunk to Block Island 45 
Aug. 28.— Block Island to Fort Pond (Montauk) 26 
Aug. 31.— Fort Pond to Sag Harbor 21 
Sept. 1.— Sag Harbor to Suffolk 15 
Sept. 2.— New Suffolk to Shelter Island 15 
Sept. 3.— Shelter Island to Saybrook 22 
Sept. 4.— Saybrook to Bridgeport 46 
Sept. 5.— Bridgeport to Oyster Bay 35 
Sept. 6.— Oyster Bay to Willet's Point 30 
Sept. 7.— Willet's Point to Gravesend Bay 25 
Total.....-'.............. 561 
Designing Competition Suggestions. 
Editor Forest' and Stream: 
Are the sailboats going to be given another chance in 
the competitions? I would suggest that a desirable boat 
for the next competition would be a 28ft. or 30ft. water- 
line cruising sloop or yawl. J. G. Alden. 
Boston, Mass., March 18. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I notice you propose to institute a designing competi- 
tion for amateurs, and am much interested. If I can find 
the time, I shall have a try at it, especially if you can 
find a judge who will give the competitors helpful 
criticism. 
As you ask for suggestions, I will add one or two ; 
if they do not fit in with your plans, no harm will be 
done. 
1. Let us try a genuine cruiser; that is, let the element 
of speed be quite secondary, and seaworthiness and com- 
fort be the main points. 
2. If possible, make economy in first cost an item in 
the judgment of the designs. The men who want to 
make their own designs and perhaps _ build their own 
boats generally have to consider this point. 
3. Be as specific as is possible in regard to the weight 
to be given to different points, so much for the design, 
so much for the sail plan, so much for dpaughtsmanship, 
and so on. 
4. Would it not be well to call for a construction plan 
as well as specifications? 
5. The object of amateur designers is, I suppose, in- 
struction rather than prizes. I would suggest, therefore, 
that you make the prizes small and the criticisms large, 
going into detail and explaining errors and faults. 
The boat I want myself is a keel boat of about 3qft., 
yawl-rigged, with small sail plan, and with a good ladies' 
cabin. But other people will of course have other ideas. 
In any case allow me to express my interest in your 
plan, and count me in as a competitor. 
E. P. MOREIS. 
New Havbn, March 18. 
Manhasset Bay Y. C-'s New Flagship.— Mr. 
Frederick Grinnell has sold the steam yacht Quickstep 
through the agency of Mr. Frank Bowne Jones to Com- 
modore A. H. Alker, commodore of the Manhasset Bay 
y. C. The boat's name will be changed to Florence. 
She was designed and built 'in 1902 by the Herreshoff 
Manufacturing Company at Bristol, and is 124ft. over all, 
i<^2ft. 6in, waterline, i8ft. 3in. breadth, and sft. draft. 
Florence will replace the smaller steam yacht of the same 
name that. Commodore Alker has vised for several ye^^rf 
