878 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
THE RACE FOR THE OCEAN CUP. 
As A yachtinf? event pure and simple the race for the 
Ocean Cup presented by H. I. M. the German Emperor, 
will be of an epoch-marking character. Ocean racing has 
enjoyed great popularity within the last few years; its 
growth has been rapid and steady. This last event is all 
that could be desired. 
The German Emperor is particularly fond of yachting, 
and his interest and enthusiasm have done much to pro- 
mote the sport in Germany. During recent years the re- 
gattas held in German waters have been sufficiently at- 
tractive to induce owners of British yachts to cross the 
North Sea to participate in them. Yacht racing has not 
been in a very thriving condition of late years in Eng- 
land, and the absence of many of the crack boats while 
racing in German waters was keenly felt in their own 
regattas. Special inducements have been made to keep 
the British fleet at home by the various clubs, and the 
Kaiser doubtless realized that to have foreign starters in 
German events he must look further than England for 
them. 
This and a desire to show his friendliness toward 
Americans were, we assume, the motives which prompted 
him to offer the cup for the ocean race. 
The event has been an assured success from the be- 
ginning. Eleven vessels will start on next Tuesday, May 
i6, in the long race across the Atlantic, from Sandy Hook 
to the Lizard. Had the arrangements for the race been 
in the hands of men more familiar with American clubs 
and owners, the entry list would have been much larger, 
for (here are many more available l)oats in this country 
whose owners would have started had they been ap- 
proached personally. 
Of the eleven starters eight are American, two are 
English, and one is German. It is not surprising that 
more foreign boats did not enter, since this necessitated 
making an Atlantic passage rather early in the year in 
order to be on hand in time for the start. The compet- 
ing vessels vary greatly in point of size; Valhalla, the 
largest, is 240 feet on the waterline, while Fleur de Lys, 
the smallest, is only 86 feet, a difference of 154 feet. Of 
the yachts, six were built in the United States, and five 
in England. Atlantic is the only centerboard boat in the 
fleet. All the boats but Sunbeam, which vessel was 
launched in 1877, were built in 1890 or later, so they are 
all of fairly modern design and construction. Valhalla 
is rigged as a ship. Apache as a bark. Sunbeam as a 
topsail schooner, and Ailsa as a yawl. All the other ves- 
sels are schooner rigged with either two or three masts. 
It is any boat's race until the finish line is crossed.- The 
conditions to be encountered in an ocean race of nearly 
3,000 miles are so diverse that it is next to impossible 
to form any conclusions as to the winner. It will be a 
test of navigation, judgment and seamanship rather than 
of the boats' speed. All things being equal, however, 
Atlantic, with her clean hull of modern design and huge 
sail plan, should win. 
The owners of all the boats, except of Ailsa, will be 
aboard their respective ships during the race. Mr. Robert 
E. Tod, owner of Thistle, and Lord Brassey, owner of 
Sunbeam, will act as their own navigators; on the other 
vessels this most delicate and most important work will 
be left entirely in the hands of the professionals. 
Those who will do the navigating in all the vessels 
have been interviewed and all have frankly declared their 
belief that the northern route was not only the shortest 
but the best. All conceded, however, that every slant 
would be taken advantage of, and their intention of going 
well north would not stand in the wav should they find 
it advantageous to pursue another course, should better 
and more favoring winds be found. 
It now remains to be seen whether the record of 13 
days 20 hours 36 minutes made by that splendid ship, 
Endymion, in 1900, will be equaled or broken. 
Revive the Catboat. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I have read your editorial which appeared in the 
^OREST AND STREAM of April 22, and I consider it a very 
fine article and am sure you are correct in stating that 
the catboat has been neglected by both yachtsmen and 
designers, and can and we trust will, receive proper 
recognition in the near future. 
What you say in regard to expense, balancing and 
tiandlmg, and, in fact, the entire editorial, expres.ses my 
views exactly, and I hope you will continue to give the 
catboat all the encouragement possible, that she may 
again be placed in her proper position. 
I. M. Whittemore, 
President of Cape Catboat Ass'n. 
BosTOM, May 2, 
Sunbeam Arrives. 
The British topsail schooner Sunbeam, owned by Lord 
Brassey, arrived at New York on Saturday, May 6. She 
was the last of the three foreign entries in the race for 
the Ocean Cup to reach port. Sunbeam is one of the 
most famous cruising yachts ever built, and a number 
of the yacht's voyages were written up and put into book 
form by Lord Brassey's first wife. Lord and Lady 
Brassey were accompanied by Captain and Mrs. A, Park- 
enham. After passing Quarantine the owner, his wife 
and guests left Sunbeam and found quarters at a hotel 
in town and the yacht proceeded to the Morse Iron 
Works, South Brooklyn, where she was put on the dry 
dock. 
Lord Brassey was interviewed at his hotel and he had 
the following to say to a representative of one of the 
big New York dailies: 
"When I first heard of the Emperor's offer to give a 
trophy for a race across the ocean I had no idea of en- 
tering the Sunbeam. My yacht is thirty-four years old 
and I am more than twice that age, and the Sunbeam 
was not built for speed. But I knew that few boats in 
the English fleet would be entered, and to encourage the 
younger men in yachting who are not so enthusiastic as 
they should be, I decided to put Sunbeam in the race. 
I thought, too, that the idea of the Emperor was a good 
one, and that every one who could should give it sup- 
port. I am devoted to yachting, and fifty seasons of my 
life have been spent on the water. 
"There was a deeper motive though that influences me 
to enter the race, and that is explained by saying that 
most of my life has been spent in the public service of 
my country and for me there is no higher aim for a 
British statesman than to seize every opportunity to im- 
prove_ the cordial relations existing between the English 
speaking people. Such contests as the one to be started 
in ten days tend to this end. 
"All my life has been much occupied with maritime 
concerns. In these days there seems to some to be a 
decreasing interest in British maritime affairs and a de- 
cay of interest in shipping. I do not share that view. It 
is the race, however, that I am most interested in just 
now, and so I must talk of my boat. In all my fifty 
years of yachting I never had a finer crew than there 
is now on the Sunbeam. We had a fine trip across the 
Atlantic. Every voyage that the Sunbeam has made 
across the Western Ocean has been by the southern route, 
and I recommend it as the most expeditious for one who 
depends on sail power. Lady Brassey, who is in full 
S3Tnpathy with all my yachting plans, joined the yacht 
at Madeira, and with her on board I could not risk the 
gales of the north Atlantic and so took the southern 
route. 
"We left Southampton on March 27 and made Madeira 
in eight days. It took a day and a half to reach Las 
Palmas. and from Las Palmas to St. Thomas sixteen 
and a half days. It took eight and a half days to run 
from St. Thomas to this port. In all, we made 6 500 
miles in thirty-four days. Three-fifths of the journey 
was made under sail, and the yacht averaged 194 miles 
a day. She averaged under sail eight knots an hour, but 
that is not what the Sunbeam can do, as we had light 
weather all the way and no chance for fast work. 
"The Sunbeam is a composite vessel built of iron and 
teak and is coppered. She is rigged as a three masted 
topsail schooner. _ Originally she was schooner rigged 
and under that rig made her first voyage around the 
world. That was in 1876, but after that she was made 
a topsail schooner." 
"Who is the captain of your yacht?" Lord Brassey was 
asked. 
"Well, as far as I know, I am the captain. I am not 
an A. B. as far as knowing anythinsr about knots and 
sohces are concerned, but I am navigator and plot out 
the yacht's course when we are cruising and will do so 
in the race. The Sunbeam has sailed more than 300,000 
miles in her time. She is not a fast boat, but is a won- 
derfully good cruiser and very comfortable. 
"All is not easy on the Sunbeam, though, and when 
she is sailing fast there is plenty of motion. If I were 
to build another boat I would not copy the Sunbeam. 
Her rig is not the best for all sorts of weather. This 
^vas shown in this last passage. The Sunbeam is square 
rigged on the foremast, and when we were carrying the 
northeast trade winds from the Canary Islands we ran 
along with only the sails on the foremast set. The fore 
and aft sails were no good." 
"Those in the race are much interested in the weather 
they ?t-e going to experience this month. What is your 
opinion of May weather on the Atlantic?" 
"My experience with it is nil. But a general knowl- 
edge of the Atlantic in May leads me to believe that 
from May to July is the quietest time. The winter 
storms have passed and the ""^^est Indian hurricanes have 
not commenced. As far as the best passage is concerned, 
I have seen a specially prepared chart, which shows that 
those vessels that have gone in a beeline have fared as 
well as those that have taken a northern passage. A few 
years ago the Sunbeam sailed from the Chesapeake to 
Plymouth m seventeen days and was under steam only 
a day and a half, and she made another voyage from 
Nova Scotia to Dartmouth in thirteen davs and steamed 
^ c ^"^ ? ^^^^ °" ^^^^ voyage. This shows that 
if the Sunbeam is favored with her weather she can do 
well. ' ; ! 1 
"If the weather is heavy I look to the "^^alhalla fo win 
but if not then one of the American bu'"It schooners. T 
do not expect to win with the Sunbeam, and, as I said 
before, to win the race was not the reason I entered the 
boat, 
Boston Letter. 
Eastern Y. C. Ocean Race.— Pursuant to an announce- 
ment during the annual cruise last season, the Regatta 
Committee of the Eastern Y. C. is now making prepara- 
tions for an ocean race from Marblehead to Halifax, the 
start to be made on Monday. Aug. 21. A better time for 
starting such an event could not have been selected. The 
fleet of the New York Y. C. coming eastward to be the 
guests_ of the Eastern Y. C, will be in Marblehead at 
that time, and the yacht owners would be more likely 
to be desirous of entering such an event in consequence. 
Yacht owners of the New York Y. C. fleet have been 
invited to take part in the- race. The distance from 
Marblehead to Halifax is something over 350 miles. It 
is expected that the Royal Nova Scotia Y. C. will co- 
operate with the Eastern Y. C. and that races may be 
arranged at Halifax. 
_ The Regatta Committee of the Eastern Y. C. is con- 
tinuing the great activity evidenced last season, and has 
now arranged for more power boat races on account of 
the growing interest in eastern waters. With the power 
boat, annual and special open races, the ocean race and 
the club cruise, this is likely to be the most active year 
know|n in the history of the Eastern Y. C. The full 
schecjule of power boat races, as so far arranged, is as 
follows: Tuesday, July a; Thursday, Friday. and Satur- 
day, July 27. 28 and 29; Saturday. Aug. 26. and Saturday, 
Sept. 2. All of the power boat races will be held in the 
forenoon and will be sailpd over the trianeular course 
arranged by the Rega*ta Committee la^t season. 
The club house at Marblehead will be opened for the 
season on May 27. 
Dorchester Y. C. Officers— The following officers 
have been elected by the Dorchester Y. C. : Cnm., Oliver 
Fl. Davenoort; Vice-Com.. John P. Meade; Rear Com.. 
Chester H. Swift: Sec. W. S. Mace; Treas.. Hialmar 
Lundber!?; Meas., John H. Burrouahs: Director';— H. W. 
Smith, Franklin H. Codman pnd Coolids-e B-^rnard; 
House Committee— Williqfti E. Richards, John H. Bur- 
roughs and Harold P. Earl^; Rep-^tta Committee— Louis 
M. Chrk, T W. Kincr. C. H. Swift. A. D. Pr^tt and H. 
Lundberg; Membership Committee— Albert F. Foster, 
Charles L. Carr. Arthur P. Nute and A. E. Rogerson. 
The opening nisfht of the cl"b will be May 20. 
With the 22-Footers — Four of the n^w 22-foote»-s 
are now in the water. The new one for Commodore E 
P. Cheney and Mr. Charles D. Lannina- was lannched 
last Frid'jv, and has been tned under sail Mr. W. H. 
Joyce's Tvro. recently completed «t Ea^^*^ BooMibav. will 
be o"t with the oth'^r n^w ones this week. Mr. Sumner 
H. Foster went to Boothbay last Saturday to sail her up 
to Marblehead. Mr. A. C. Jones' new one. btu'It by Mr. 
Hanley, has not made her apnearanre yet. b'^t i'^ ex- 
pected to be o"t within a few days. Mr. H. H. White's 
Mednc II., which was fo'md to be light, can take on the 
required additional wei^-ht without nnttinsr her out of 
the class. If was a closer shave wi+h Rube owned by 
Mr. H. L. Bowden. Rube measured just ?2 ft. and was 
abotit ,300 pounds shy on weioht. It is believed that by 
shaving the nlankin? forward, where it is said to be 
greater than the renuired thickness, she can take on the 
required weip^ht and measure under 22ft. Medric T.. now- 
owned by Mr. George Lee, was launched at Graves' 
Marblehead yard last week. She is now painted white 
and looks verv trim. Mr. Lee had no alterations made 
in the boat. She has a new set of sails, but they are cut 
to the original sail plan. 
At the Marblehead Yacht Yard. — Messt-s. S+earns 
& McKay h ave the 2^ft. sueed launch for Mr. W. H. 
Sttiart, Jr., in frame and partly planked. Her construc- 
tion is very light and is a liHle otit of the orflinarv. She 
is b'ult on a system of webb framiup- in whieh A/[r. W. 
■ B. Stearns has introduced a new winkle of his own. 
In addition to the resrular frames, which are of mahogany, 
sawn annlewood frames are nlaced at intervals. The 
lone-itudinal frames are let into the sawn frames and 
eno-as^e the regular frames, and liners are us«d over the 
reg-nlar frames. The nlankinp- is nuarter-mch laid over 
linen and has the effect of double plankino- while the 
weight that wo"Id be necessarv from two thicknesses is 
done ^awav with. The boat is a very sHoperv looking 
rnodel and shonld show a smart clin wi<-h a Nanier en- 
gine of from ?o to 2^ horsepower. Mr. Stearns has de- 
signed a la'inch for the Eastern Y. C, which will be built 
at_ once. She is intended for use by the Reo-qtta Com- 
mittee and will have s"fFicient power to give fair sneed. 
WoLLASTON Y. C. Fixtures.— The follo"-ing fixtures 
have been announced by the Wollaston Y. C. : 
May 30, Tuesday — Opening night and smoker. 
June 10. Saturday — O'u'pcy interclub race. 
June 17, Saturday — Wollaston interclub, 
Jime 24. Saturday — Ladies' day. 
July 4, Tuesday — Cl'ib championship. 
July 8. Saturdav — Clnb championship. 
July IS, Saturday — MoonhVht sail. 
July 22, Saturday— Clambake. 
Aug. 5, Saturdav — Sntiant'im interclub. 
Aug. 12, Saturday — MoonhVht sail. 
Aug. 19, Satn.rday — Club championship. 
Sept. 2, 3 and 4 — Cli.ib cruise. 
Among the Power Boats. — Mr. John F. Anderson7"of : 
Philadelphia, is to have an 88ft. cr'u'sino- gasolene yacht 
b'u'It at Lawlev's from desio-ns by Mr. Fred. D. Lawley. 
She win be lA^t. beam and 4ft. 3in. draft. She will be 
driven by two Globe engines ao^gregatino- 120 horsennwer, 
and is expected to ,«how. a sneed of about i^ miles an 
hour. She will have good accommodations below decks. 
At the same varHc r^f^ i^p,-.^sono_,-,,--^,-,pn.n^t .- . 
in f rarne. She is 14ft. beam and 4ft. 6in. draft. This 
boat will have a dining saV^on deckho'i>p forward with -1 
low trunk running aft. The accommodations will con- 
sist of three staterooms and a main saloon. The keel js 
