344 
FOREST AND STREAM 
[Feb. 27, 1909. 
“Second—To consider and recommend to the 
motor boat and yacht clubs of North America, 
uniform rules for rating and handicapping 
motor boats. 
“Representatives have already been appointed 
by many clubs and associations in response to 
a preliminary notice issued by the National 
Association of Fngine and Boat Manufacturers, 
and it is hoped that all clubs and associations 
will respond at once and send the names and 
addresses of their representatives to the under- 
signed. . . r , , v • 
“Where there are associations of clubs, it is 
suggested that representatives may be appointed 
either by such associations or by the clubs com¬ 
posing them. .... , 
“Interest in motor boat racing is widespread, 
and is increasing, and while such interest was 
at the outset localized in the various districts, 
it has now so broadened that those who have 
heretofore confined their participation in the 
sport to waters ‘around home’ are ready to race 
in other districts. 
“The best interest of the sport, therefore, ap¬ 
pears to require a rating rule or system of 
handicapping, that shall be the same in all 
waters. It has been suggested that three 
methods of rating are necessary, namely; first, 
one based on length and displacement of hull 
and power of motor; second, one based on 
length of hull only, disregarding power of 
motor, etc.; and last, a handicap based on 
previous performances or on trial runs. 
“It is one of the purposes of this meeting 
to induce each club holding races to use one or 
more of these methods of rating, as may be best 
suited to the different types of boats and 
motors, bin each method in itself to be uniform 
throughout the country. It is hoped that the 
meeting will take such action in .this respect as 
will systematize the methods of conducting this 
sport and add to the convenience of racing 
motor boats, as well as promote racing be¬ 
tween the best boats of the various parts of the 
country. 
“As to possible legislation affecting the rights 
and privileges of owners of motor boats, a 
special commission was appointed by the Presi¬ 
dent in May. 1908, to recommend such revision 
of the maritime laws as might appear necessary 
to promote the ‘safety of life at sea.’ Customs 
officers and the government officials, co-operat¬ 
ing with the commission, have devoted much 
time and attention to the consideration of new 
regulations concerning the use of motor boats, 
and have- asked motor boat organizations for 
suggestions. There is at present quite some in¬ 
fluence being exerted to place motor boats 
under practically the same rules that _ govern 
steam vessels in the same service, and it is ab¬ 
solutely necessary that the motor boat owners 
of this country shall combine for the purpose 
of presenting their side of the case through 
committees from the various clubs and associa¬ 
tions. A special committee of this association 
has under consideration certain recommenda¬ 
tions in this regard, and the result of their work 
will be presented to this meeting. 
“It should be remembered that while Congress 
has no jurisdiction over certain inland waters, 
still in all probability any action taken by it 
w'ould be followed by the Legislatures of States 
controlling such waters, and therefore the 
matter of new legislation is of importance to 
all boat owners in all localities. 
“Please send in at once the names and ad¬ 
dresses of your representatives, so that further 
information concerning this meeting, the hour 
of assembling, etc., may be forwarded as soon 
as the details are arranged.’’ 
This convention was held in the concert hall 
of the Madison Square Garden on Thursday 
evening, Feb. 18. There were three hundred 
motor boatmen present, and it took so long to 
call the roll, that little time was left for the 
transaction of injportant business, so that an¬ 
other meeting will be held. There were dele¬ 
gates from Seattle, Detroit, Buffalo, St. Louis. 
Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston. Chicago, and 
almost everywhere that the motor boat is 
popular. 
President T- Howard Wainwright. of the 
Power Boat Association, told for what purpose 
the association had been organized, and made a 
plea that other clubs join rather than have a 
new association formed. The delegates favored 
this suggestion, and there is no doubt that one 
result of the convention will be that many more 
clubs will be enrolled in the association, and so 
enable it to better carry out its work. 
This resolution, proposed by T. R. Still, of 
the Detroit Motor Boat Club, was adopted: 
“Resolved, That it is the sense of this con¬ 
vention that it is in accord with the object 
aimed at in the appointment of the committee 
by the President of the United States, and that 
the committee appointed by this convention 
assist the Congressional Committee in amend¬ 
ing the present bill (No. 701) before the House 
to conform with the wishes of the power boat 
interests of the United States.” 
A committee of five, to be appointed by Presi¬ 
dent Wainwright, is to confer with the Con¬ 
gressional Committee, and to help it in its work 
of passing laws that will regulate motor boats 
and safeguard the lives of those who use these 
craft. 
Still Watching Cup Matters. 
British yachtsmen show that they are still 
favorable to racing again for the America’s 
Cup by the comments that are frequently made 
in their papers. The London Field recently had 
this to say about the difference in the rules 
adopted here and in Europe, which, it contends, 
is responsible for there being no more races 
for the cup: 
“It is regrettable that the healthy rivalry 
which used to exist between British and Ameri¬ 
can yachtsmen has temporarily abated. Most 
yachtsmen would like to see another race for 
the America’s Cup, or to hear of a visit from 
an American sloop to this country, but for the 
time being the outlook is unusually tranquil. 
The members of the New York Y. C. do not 
seem to be very anxious to put the America’s 
Cup in such a position that any sportsman 
could challenge for it, but still keep the trophy 
safely tied up with a formidable deed of gift, 
the basis of which renders it quite impossible 
for the challenger to have fair play. By this 
we mean that the deed of gift provides (i) that 
the challenging yacht must be selected ten 
months before the race. (2) The challenged 
club shall not be required to name its represen¬ 
tative vessel until at a time agreed upon for 
the start, but the vessel when named must com¬ 
pete in all the races. 
“Now let us see the effect of these conditions. 
Condition No. 2 allows the New York Y. C. to 
build several yachts, and having tested them 
to select the best for the defense^ of the cup. 
Condition No. i prevents any British challeng¬ 
ing yacht club from adopting this course, but 
compels the yacht to be selected ten months be¬ 
fore the start. Hence if the New York club 
built three yachts to defend the cup. A, B and 
C, and found on the day before the race, after 
many trials, that B was the best, they would 
be allowed to defend their cup with B. Sup¬ 
pose, on the other band, the Royal Irish Y. C. 
built three yachts to challenge for the cup. A, 
B and C. they would have to select their chal¬ 
lenger ten months before the race. Now, sup¬ 
pose they selected A, and after several trials 
they find B is the best yacht; then they may 
not—according to the New York Y. C.’s deed 
of gift—race with their best yacht B, but must 
continue with the yacht selected ten months 
previously, namely, the inferior yacht A. This 
yacht they will have to race against the New 
York Y. C.’s best selection. 
“Now all we ask is for fair conditions—the 
same conditions for both challenger and de¬ 
fender. If the New York Y. C. is allowed to 
clioose the best out of three, the Royal Irish 
y. C. should also be allowed to choose the best 
out of three. The New York Y. C. has never 
put forward any answer to this simple request. 
Surely the time has gone by when it was con¬ 
sidered rather a fine thing to get the better of 
one’s opponent in the terms and conditions of 
the race. The members of the New York Y. C. 
must sooner or later realize that the deed of 
gift must be altered to make the conditions 
equal for both sides. If this is not done British 
yachtsmen will certainly be justified in assuming 
that the leading men of the New York Y. C. 
do not want to adopt equitable conditions—a 
state of affairs which is really inconceivable. 
‘‘Again, turning to the question of the rating 
rule—a matter which the public may not under¬ 
stand, but which, nevertheless, is of the greatest 
importance to yachtsmen. The New York Y. 
C. having adopted a rating rule, which it pleases 
to term the ‘Universal Rule,’ does not permit 
the America’s Cup to be sailed under it, owing, 
we are told, to the ‘deed of gift’ Surely there 
must be among the Americans who go yacht¬ 
ing, some one left who takes a practical inter¬ 
est in the international sport of first-class sail¬ 
ing; a racing man in fact whose hands are hard 
enough to handle a rope and whose devotion 
to the pastime of yachting is not entirely to be 
accounted for by the luxury afforded in palatial 
steamers with Parisian saloons, swift motor 
boats and floating hotels and the unaccountable 
attraction of the wicker chairs on the little 
sloping lawn at Cowes. 
“If such a man can be found among the 
members of the New York Y. C., let him come 
forward to tear up the so-called ‘deed of gift’ 
of the America’s Cup, and open the great event 
to fair competition, without favor. He will then 
be doing an infinite service to sport on both 
sides of the Atlantic.” 
Yachting Items. 
Brokers report that there are many inquiries 
for small yachts, and particularly for the yachts 
of the smaller racing classes. This is a good 
sign. 
The Quincy Y. C. has accepted the challenge 
for the Quincy cup sent by the Corinthian and 
Boston clubs. 
Lawley has set up the frames for the 55-foot 
cabin gasolene launch for Dan Hanna. 
The Illinois Motor Boat Club has been re¬ 
organized, and it now has a women’s auxiliary— 
something new in motor boat clubs. It has 
been formed, so that women relatives and 
friends of the members may take part in the 
club’s cruises. 
The regatta committee of the Ocean City Y. 
C. is to invite all members of New York, Penn¬ 
sylvania, Delaware and New Jersey yacht clubs 
to take part in its three-days’ race meet, to be 
held July 15, 16 and 17, when there will be races 
for motor boats and sailing craft. An ocean 
race is to be a feature of this meeting. 
Members of the Edgemere Y. C., of Detroit, 
will build three catboats to compete next sum¬ 
mer off Toledo in tfle races for the Taft cup. 
Four challenges from clubs in the far North¬ 
west have been made for the Alexandra cup and 
International trophy now in the hands of the 
Royal Vancouver Y. C., which will defend it at 
the big regatta at Seattle in Jul}'. The challeng¬ 
ing clubs arc the Elliott Bay Y. C., of Seattle; 
the Seattle Y. C.. of the same city; the Everett 
Y. C., of Everett, and the Victoria Y. C., of 
Victoria, B. C. 
Arnold Scott is having a 26-foot mahogany 
runabout built by Rice Bros., of East Booth- 
bay, Me. The boat will be equipped with an 
18-25-horsepower Sterling engine, which will 
give her a speed of about 19 miles an hour. 
Guy Green, of Waltham, is having a 28-foot 
trunk cabin launch built by Linnell, of Dor¬ 
chester. She will be equipped with an 8-horse¬ 
power 4-cycle Palmer engine. 
Baltimore Y. C. 
The Baltimore Y. C. has held its annual 
meeting and elected officers. They are: Com¬ 
modore, H. R. Gilpin; Vice-Commodore, 1 . E. 
Emerson; Rear-Commodore, Walter Aucker; 
Fleet Captain, J. Austin Dinning; Secretary and 
Treasurer, J. A. Davis; Measurer, F. W. 
Robertson: House Committee—Robert Ramsey. 
William L. Andrews, Baker Waters; Regatta 
Committee—Louis F. Dietz, William H. Towles, 
W. T. Kuhns; members of Board of Governors 
—George M. Shriver. Robert Ramsey, Arthur 
D. Foster, F. W. McAllister. 
