Feb. 13, 1909] 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
265 
and extending the full width of the yacht, and 
fitted with all necessary lockers, tool chest, 
work bench and tools. 
Next aft will be the bathroom, 4 feet 4 inches 
fore and aft, and 7 feet in width. On the port 
side there will be a passageway, and outboard 
a clothes closet and wardrobe. Abaft of this 
will be the main saloon 14 feet long. There are 
to be transoms on each side, arranged so that 
they can be made into berths. This saloon will 
be fitted with a book case, lockers under the 
transoms, sideboard and deck, and all the 
furnishings will be of mahogany finished 
bright. The deck fittings will also be of ma¬ 
hogany. 
This yacht is to be driven by a four-cylinder, 
four-cycle, 50-horscpower Lozier engine, which 
will give it a speed of 13 miles an hour. The 
yacht is to be ready for delivery by May 30. 
Handling a Yacht. 
An illustrated article of yacht handling was 
recently reprinted in Forest and Stream from 
the London Field. That article caused some 
correspondence, which the Field has published, 
and in its late issue to hand, it says: 
“In our article on this subject in the Field 
of Jan. 2 we were discussing the desirability of 
knowing how to make things fast in a seaman¬ 
like way, and we referred to having heard a 
skipper say, ‘There’s lots of gents can pull on 
a rope, but there ain’t many as can make one 
fast.’ A well-known yachtsman writes us that 
this remark recalls to his memory a yarn about 
a celebrated old-time skipper. Tim Walker was 
in command of the cutter Cythera, and in the 
early days of amateur matches she was waiting 
for the start. The skipper was having a final 
look round, and he said to the mate: ‘Bill, see 
as ’ow these ’ere amateur gents lets go of 
nothink!’ to which the mate promptly replied: 
‘Oh, it’s all right, skipper; you need not be 
afeared. I’ve stoppered everythink up aloft!’ 
The undisguised contempt in which some of 
our old-world salts held the amateur yachts¬ 
men in those days was only to be equalled by 
the artless manner in which they candidly ex¬ 
pressed it. This same skipper. Tim Walker, 
was graphically describing one of the Cythera’s 
races to a well-known amateur helmsman of the 
time when he said in a disparaging tone: ‘Why, 
he can’t sail a boat no-’ow; he ain’t no better 
at the tiller than you are, Mr. Robert.’ Old 
stories, no doubt, but, as our correspondent 
reminds us, there must be many such that would 
bear re-telling in the pages of the Field if the 
older generation of yachtsmen would tell them. 
“If, however, the hardy specimen in pilot 
cloth and brass buttons possessed, a poor opin¬ 
ion of the average Corinthian yachtsman’s 
capability of handling a yacht, it should be re¬ 
membered that old-fashioned seamen are 
terribly conservative, and they find it difficult to 
believe that any ‘gentleman’ can have any real 
knowledge of sailing a yacht. This belief is 
fast dying out amongst modern skippers, the 
younger generation being more ready to listen 
to amateurs than their fathers. 
“One of the chief things in handling a yacht 
is to keep one’s head. Do not become flurried. 
Remember the direction of the wind and how 
the tide is setting, and remember what tack the 
vessel is on. This last piece of advice seems 
so simple that we are almost afraid to give it; 
indeed, only reference to something written by 
the late Mr. William Cooper (‘Vanderdecken’) 
as long ago as 1870 has given us courage to 
relate our experience on this point. Our ex¬ 
perience tallies so exactly with Mr. Cooper’s 
that we venture to recall it. 
“It is all very well for the professional to 
scoff at the amateur, but we have known a 
yacht’s skipper, and a capital seaman, too, one 
of_ the old school, perhaps, but a right good 
sailor, completely forget whether his vessel was 
on the port or the starboard tack. We were 
sailing slowly along in the open sea in a light 
wind on the port tack close hauled, and we 
were meeting another vessel which was close 
hauled on the starboard tack. As the vessels 
gradually approached close to one another, but 
the skipper made no sign of altering his course, 
some one remarked: ‘Look out! We have to 
give way.’ To our astonishment, the skipper 
replied: “Why? Ain’t we on the right tack?' 
Then, simultaneously, he saw his mistake, put 
the helm down, and round we came in a hurry. 
Here we have an actual instance of a case that 
might have caused a serious collision. We do 
not pretend to account for the incident, but, 
to prevent any misunderstanding, we should 
say that the skipper was a sober man. Perhaps, 
in landsman’s parlance, we should say the 
skipper was woolgathering. 
“Now let us turn to ‘Vanderdecken’s’ experi¬ 
ence on this same point, written some thirty 
years before the incident we have related took 
place. We append a sketch showing clearly 
what is meant by port and starboard tack for 
the guidance of the novice. ‘Vanderdecken’ 
says, ‘There is one point in connection with the 
subject of turning to windward, and, in fact, 
generally with yachting, that in itself, although 
extremely simple, has been matter of much per¬ 
plexity to many. One can understand the diffi¬ 
culty an amateur sailor not thoroughly versed 
in or practically acquainted with working a 
fore-and-after labors under, but I have seen 
professionals, accomplished seamen, ana 
thorough good hands, taken aback when two 
cutters have been approaching each other on 
different tacks by the question, “Are we on the 
right tack?’’ Strange it may read, but it is 
nevertheless true, that I have known instances 
of as good sailors as ever walked a plank that 
if you gave them an admiral’s commission 
could not tell when a cutter was either on the 
port or starboard tack; and I have seen veteran 
yachtsmen, heroes of many a hard-sailed match, 
completely puzzled when on the verge Of a 
collision, and ask. with a bewildered air, “What 
tack are we on?” ’ Here, then, is the very 
thing of which we have had experience, and it 
only shows how mistakes of a similar kind 
occur in practice, and not only among green 
hands. ‘Vanderdecken’ gives the following little 
explanation, which may be useful to the novice: 
‘‘ ‘A simple rule, if borne in mind, will re¬ 
move the doubts that will sometimes arise on 
this subject in moments of excitement. When 
the wind is blowing on the starboard bow or 
side of a vessel, and that you are standing 
aft with your face to the bow, the “port” jib 
and fore sheets will be sheeted home, the boom 
will be on your “port” or left hand, and the 
vessel will be on the “starboard tack.” 
“ ‘When the wind is blowing on the port bow or 
side of the vessel, and you stand facing the bow. 
the “starboard” jib and fore sheets will be 
sheeted home, the boom will be on your “star¬ 
board” or right hand, and the vessel will be on 
the “port tack.” ’ Whether cruising or racing, 
yachts close-hauled on the port tack have to 
keep out of the way of those close-hauled on 
the starboard tack and those running free out 
of the way of vessels close hauled on either 
tack. 
“As regards steering a yacht in a tideway, 
we remarked that in maneuvering the helms¬ 
man should remember on which tack he is 
sailing and also the direction or set of the tide. 
If you are on the starboard you may look to 
other vessels to keep out of the way as best 
they can in cruising about, but never put any 
one in an awkward fix through selfishness in 
.giving way. Remember that a strong tideway 
may make navigation and handling as difficult for 
others as for yourself. If the tide is setting 
you on Or toward any obstruction or vessel, 
give it a wide berth. Make up your mind what 
is ample room to clear and then give more. If 
you are a novice sailing in a strong tide, allow 
twice the room your first thoughts suggest as 
sufficient, and never in any circumstances try 
to sail fine, or cut it fine, when crossing the 
bows of another vessel anchored in a tideway. 
When the tide is setting your boat off or away 
from any obstruction or other vessel, you can 
go as close to it as you like. Pass quite close 
to the stern of a vessel moored in a tideway if 
you like, but do not cut the painter, or run 
down the jolly boat, which sometimes looms 
up rather unexpectedly if it is made fast some¬ 
what close under her counter.” 
ARTHUR BINNEV 
(Formerly Stewart & Binney) 
Naval Architect and Yacht Broker 
Mason Building, Kilby Street. BOSTON, MASS. 
_ Cable Addr ess, “Designer,” Boston 
COX (SL STEVENS 
Yacht Brokers and Naval Architects 
15 William Street, - -New York 
_ Telephones 1375 and 1376 Broad 
W. STARLING BURGESS CO, Ltd. 
JOHK R. PuRDON, Manager. 
Naval Architects. Engineers. Builders 
Office <a Works. MARBLEHEAD. MASS. 
Broktrast and Insurance Dept., 153 Milk St., Boston. Mass. 
C. D. CALLAHAN. Naval Architect. 
Designer of Yachts and Motor Boats. Construction supervised. 
San Pedro. CALIFORNIA. 
Canoe and Boat Building. 
A Complete Manual for Amateurs. Containing plain 
and eomprehensive direetions for the construction of 
canoes, rowing and sailing boats and hunting craft. By 
W. P. Stephens. Cloth. Seventh and enlarged edition. 
264 pages. Numerous illustrations and fifty plates in 
envelope. Price, $2.00. 
FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO. 
Building Motor BoeLts nud 
Managing Gasolene Engines 
are discussed in the book 
“HOW TO BUILD A LAUNCH FROM PLANS 
A complete illustrated work on the building of motor 
boats and the installing, care and running of gasolene 
motors. By Charles G. Davis. With 40 diagrams, S 
folding drawings and 3 full-page plans. Price, post¬ 
paid, $1.50. 
in designer of national repu¬ 
tation. All the instruction given is defined and com- 
prehensive, 40 diagrams, 9 folding drawings and 3 full- 
page plans. 1 hat portion of the book devoted to the 
use and care of gas engines should be most carefully 
perused by every individual who operates one. The boo^ 
is well worth the price asked for it. 
FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO. 
GAS ENGINES AND LAUNCHES. 
Their Principles, Types and Management. By Francis 
K. Grain. 
The most practical book for the man or boy who owns 
or plans to own a small power boat. It is motor launch 
and engine information boiled down and simplified for 
busy people, and every line of it is valuable. Cloth, 123 
pages. Postpaid, $1.25. 
FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO. 
Manual of the Canvas Canoe. 
This IS a seasonable book. The very practical guide 
to satisfactory results that the man or boy who is Alan- 
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not only simple, complete and practical instructions fully 
illustrated and with working drawings for building the 
canvas canoe, but suggestions as well for cruising and 
camp lif^ and splendid reminiscences for memorable 
cruises. Cloth. 115 pages. $1.26 postpaid. 
FOREST AND STREAM PUBLISHING CO. 
