990 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Dec. 22, 1906. 
THE LONG DISTANCE RACES. 
Last week the daily papers published the final 
conditions, which will govern the Sailing race 
and the Motor Boat race to Bermuda next June. 
The plans are much further advanced than could 
have been hoped for under even the best cir¬ 
cumstances, and it may be inferred that this mat¬ 
ter of long ocean races for small vessels is gen- 
erally well understood. During the past three 
years the question of racing motor-driven boats 
has been several times proposed but aroused no 
enthusiasm. The influence 'and success of the 
two races by these boats from New York to 
Marblehead has been a preparation for those in¬ 
terested and made them familiar with the idea 
of a race to Bermuda. The work of the regatta 
committee of the Motor Boat Club of America 
in charge of the race, in framing the conditions, 
shows a keen realization of the responsibility in¬ 
volved. In events of this sort the regulations 
should be so made as to lessen the premium on 
courage, and increase that on good judgment. 
The restrictions are w'ise, and not arbitrary. The 
value of this race will be significant not alone 
to the sport, but to the men engaged in the manu¬ 
facture of boats or engines. It will show—what 
has already been shown in isolated cases—that 
boats may be designed and built so as to go any¬ 
where in safety. 
The designers of these boats will realize the 
value of a heavy reliable engine placed in a 
heavy hull, which in bad weather will have some 
hold on the water and not be tossed wildly on 
the surface. The present practice has been to¬ 
ward speed and so toward lightness of construc¬ 
tion to obtain the maximum speed with a mini¬ 
mum horsepower. For sea work a good form, 
with a proper location of centers, such as center 
of gravity and metacenter, coupled with a re¬ 
liable, comparatively slow turning engine of good 
weight will accomplish the end. 
The sailing boat race is open to large vessels 
and an extensive entry is expected. The suc¬ 
cess of the race to Bermuda last summer was 
gratifying, not from the number of contestants, 
but in the safe accomplishment of a journey that 
was spoken of by many as impossible. 
The sea is. cruel and gives nothing—so say 
those whose life-time has been spent upon its 
waters—but those who understand may venture, 
not with impunity, but venture nevertheless, 
against odds seemingly insurmountable. 
Yonkers Y. C. 
The annual meeting of the Yonkers Y. C. was 
held at the club house at Glenwood-on-Hudson 
last week. Commodore Marran was in the chair. 
The reports of the officers of the club were read,- 
and showed the club to be in a very good con¬ 
dition,. and a membership of about 300. The fol¬ 
lowing officers were elected to serve for the fol¬ 
lowing year: 
Com., William J. Bright; Vice-Corn., William 
H. McVicar; Fleet Cap., William H. Benjamin; 
Recording Sec’y, Albert B. Lefurgy; Correspond¬ 
ing Sec’y. Joseph H. Quinn; Financial Sec’y, 
John Stahl, Jr., Treas., Edward J. Lynch, Meas., 
Arthur J. Van Suetendael. 
Kenesaw II. 
The houseboat has been a growing factor in 
the field of yachjing since its recognition and 
adoption as a means of either recreation or travel 
upon often shallow but unexposed waterways all 
over our country. The houseboat has not alone 
solved a question of taking a home with you while 
traveling and enjoying its comforts, but has been 
requisitioned by the sportsmen, and also those re¬ 
quiring rest and recreation away from the great 
centers of life. 
Strangely enough, the realization of the house¬ 
boat idea has been of very slow development, and 
in most cases of record a houseboat has been a 
disguised steam yacht or a scow with a house 
upon it of the roughest construction, and often 
with -no means of propulsion. The intermediate 
type-—something of a launch, more of a comfor¬ 
table floating house, with few necessary servants, 
small engine power, but adequate to drive the boat 
in unexpected bad weather to a place of safety— 
has not been much in evidence. The success of 
each type must greatly depend upon the service 
required and character of the waters. Also what 
would satisfy one owner as to arrangement would 
not another; this is ever a debatable point hav¬ 
ing no absolute solution. 
The houseboat we reproduce by the courtesy 
of the designers and builders will at this time 
be of interest. Florida—each year growing in 
popularity as the country becomes better known, 
calls us all to its sunny beaches along a beautiful 
sea to avoid the sudden and unexpected changes 
of our winter weather, and one cannot but admit 
the delight of houseboating, where shines a bright 
sun, and where fogs, rains and snow seldom pay 
unwelcome visits. 
Kenesaw II. was designed and built by the 
Gas Engine and Power Co. and Chas. L. Sea- 
bury & Co., Cons., of Morris Heights, for Mr. 
Chas. L. Webber, of New York. The boat 
is for use about Long Island Sound in summer 
and Florida in winter. As the plans show she is an 
attractive little vessel both inside and out, the 
appearance being less squatty, and heavy than 
the other boats of this 'type. The quarters are 
simply arranged and simply finished all over in 
white enamel. The engine is a gasolene motor 
of the well known Speedway type and in smooth 
water drives the hull at a rate of 754 miles per 
hour. With the construction of boats nearly of 
a size with Kenesaw II. one of the most remark¬ 
able points is the very low horsepower to drive 
them at a good speed and the resulting economy. 
The crew is composed of four men, a captain, 
engineer, ( a cook and a steward. This force 
seems considerable for a 67ft. boat, but all things 
taken into consideration it is not an excessive 
personnel. 
The ability or mobility of the boat up and down 
the coast of course would necessitate the use 
of the canals, and such outside work as is 
necessary would have to be undertaken under 
favorable condition, for at no time or under any 
circumstances can a houseboat be expected to 
perform as a life boat. 
The drawings and photo do not seem to re¬ 
quire any great explanation, and with the gen¬ 
eral dimensions kindly supplied by the builders 
a good idea of ■ this little vessel may the had. 
As to cost, such a vessel in construction and 
finish is simple and therefore cheap. The en¬ 
gine of a low power and small consumption of 
fuel does not increase the first cost greatly or 
the running expenses. This type in many ways 
seems to be one which will become popular, as 
it conforms to the greatest number of condi¬ 
tions at a cost much less than that of any 
other type of boat. 
The dimensions follow: 
Length— 
Over all .67ft. 6in. 
Waterline .62ft. oin. 
Breadth .17ft. oin. 
Draft . 2ft. oin. 
Freeboard— 
Forward . 4ft. oin. 
Least . 2ft. 9m. 
Aft . 3ft. oin. 
Engine.One 4-cycle 6 x 6in. Speedway motor. 
Oil capacity .500 gal. 
Water capacity .800 gal. 
The planking is of 2in. Y. P. over frames, 
2in. by 3m. of oak spaced about I2in. centers. 
The outfit of boats includes an 18ft. gasolene 
launch, a 12ft. dinghy, and a 12ft. skiff. 
Virginia, steam yacht, owned by Mr. Isaac 
Stern, New York Y. C., has been chartered to 
Professor Agassiz, of Cambridge, Mass., for a 
cruise to the West Indies for a scientific re¬ 
search. A number of friends will accompany 
Prof. Agassiz. Virginia is at Hoboken under¬ 
going a general overhaul and will be ready to 
leave -on Feb. 1. Virginia was designed by the 
late Geo. Lennox Watson and built by the Bath 
Iron Works. She is, length over all, 200ft.; water¬ 
line, 165ft.; breadth, 25ft. gin.; draft, 12ft., and 
a depth of 16ft. Captain Leander A. Jeffrey is 
in charge. 
KENESAW II. 
Designed by the Gas Engine & Power Co. & C. L. Seabury & Co., for Mr. C. L. Webber, 1906. 
