104 
[Jan. 19, 1907. 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
RAVEN-CONSTRUCTION PLAN. 
Designed by C. D. Mower, 1906 , for Messrs. J. W. Fearnside, et al., of Hamilton. 
Raven. 
Though it is a long time since pleasure sail¬ 
ing began upon the waters of the Great Lakes, 
lying on the northing boundary of the United 
States, it is but in comparatively recent years 
that it has established itself in a way that be¬ 
tokens beyond all doubt the interest of the fresh¬ 
water sailors in both cruising and racing. Each 
year seems to add to the membership of the 
clubs and the number of boats. 
As the middle west has developed it was 
natural that when the country was permanently 
settled and the great industries prospering that 
there should be many men that would realize 
the possibilities of these magnificent sheets of 
water. For many years the boats of our eastern 
seaboard—after they had been out-built or out¬ 
classed—found a ready sale in this new field, 
and many a proud champion has held her title 
through a second childhood on some western 
lake. Some of these old vessels have been the 
basis on which many of the best racing classes 
have been built up. It did not take long for 
commissions to come to eastern designers for 
boats to “lick creation,” the local conditions 
being so different to those prevailing here, that 
before the true state of affairs was realized, there 
were many failures. These days have passed 
and there are few naval architects to-day de¬ 
signing sailing boats who are not thoroughly con¬ 
versant with the conditions. 
Mr. Charles D. Mower has turned out a great 
number of boats that have brought him well 
deserved praise in many of the western classes. 
It is by his courtesy that we publish one of two 
boats that he designed last year for the Lipton 
cup races at Chicago. As this event grows in 
popularity, so also do the number of com¬ 
petitors. The number of boats entered showed 
the great interest this match awakened. Mr. 
Mower was associated with Mr. Morgan Barney 
in designing a third boat—Cherry Circle—which 
won the cup in the races last summer. 
Raven, the boat reproduced by permission of 
Mr. Mower, was ordered by J. W. Fearnside, 
Esq., of Hamilton. Ontario, and associates, and 
was built by Messrs. Robertson Bros., ol 
Hamilton. Raven, who finished third on finai 
score in the Lipton race, as the plans show, if 
typical in form and rig of the type best adapted 
to speed under the conditions governing the 
Lipton cup. But they are not productive of a 
boat, in the full sense of the word, but of an 
ingenious machine conforming to the rules, which, 
if well handled, is fast. It was a matter of remarl 
to notice the way even the designers spoke 01 
these boats, and were they their own or not. 
they were not reticent in condemning the type 
as impossible to the best advancement, either ol 
the sport of racing or sailing yacht or the art 
of designing small boats. 
It is of interest, however, to look at Raven 
from a point of view not so much of thej 
amateur as the professional, and the drawings* 
—excellently done—will give ample reason^ 
though none is now needed for the Universal 
Rating Rule, but indicate the present and im-l 
mediate need of scantling regulation. The 
