302 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
[Feb. 23, 1907. 
A Warning to Yachtsmen. 
The terrible accident to the Joy Line steamer 
Larchmont, off Block Island, should be taken 
as a warning by every yachtsman. 
Only too frequently do steam and sailing craft, 
each relying on the other to get out of the 
way, have hair breadth escapes. 
Hardly a yachtsman, but what can vividly re¬ 
call some moment in his yachting career that 
looked to be his last. He, safe in his own be¬ 
lief that all steam craft must give way to him, 
held on regardless perhaps of the difficulties the 
poor steam boat pilot had to contend with. A 
shoal bank, no hindrance to the shallow sail¬ 
boat perhaps, but dangerous for the large 
steamer, may be close aboard and hinder the 
pilot in his maneuvers. Or, big and clumsy as 
they are, the steamer may not turn quickly 
enough to avert maybe a fatal crash. Surely the 
ocean and sounds are wide enough for all if 
each will give way a little. 
But where the sailing vessel, relying too 
strongly on the word of the law laid down in 
the rules of the road, steers straight on and 
leaves all to the steamer, she assumes a risk. 
She might just as well edge away from the 
steam craft a little and thereby lessen, in a 
measure, the danger. 
No steamboat man wants to incur a collision. 
But in carrying hundreds of passengers and 
much valuable freight, their safest course is to 
follow the beaten track, and should a yachtsman 
out purely for pleasure, unnecessary force one 
of those steamers out of her course, just be¬ 
cause being a sailing- vessel, he has the right of 
way, is morally unfair, not only to the pilot, but 
to all the manv passengers with whom travel is 
a business necessity. 
On the other hand, let me warn the yachts¬ 
men to tack, if they are going to, some time be¬ 
fore the steam craft is near so he will under¬ 
stand your intentions and judge his distance ac¬ 
cordingly. 
A small yacht can spin around almost in her 
own length with no effort except a movement 
of the arm on the tiller. But a steamer a couple 
of hundred feet long and of many hundreds of 
tons weight, requires a large circle to maneuver 
in. So indicate any change of course some time 
before the steamer is near you. If sailing toward 
her a slight pressure cn the tiller will steer your 
craft away from the oncoming steamer and even 
if a few seconds’ time should be lost the safety 
gained by dmng so is well worth the sacrifice. 
And we all know how a steamboat will hold 
on her course with the apparent intention of 
crashing into a yacht and only at the last minute 
roll his wheel over and rush by close enough to 
flip a penny aboard. 
One or two such accidents as the present one 
will teach pilots to sheer out a little and not 
try and pass sailing craft within a few feet. But 
the lessons are sad ones. 
The plans for the Block Island schooner 
Dauntless, published in our Feb. 9 issue, illus¬ 
trates the kind of craft that aided in the rescue 
work around the ill-fated Larchmont. 
Their seaworthy qualities are too well known 
to need comment, but when such striking proof 
is presented one cannot help but express his ad¬ 
miration for the craft and men whose hardiness 
takes them out on a gale-lashed sea in zero 
weather. 
Block Island Boats. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
I have just read in your latest issue an in¬ 
teresting account of “The Block Island Boat, 
which is accompanied by drawings. Mr. Eris- 
mann has, I think, done well to call attention 
to these vessels, as to any one acquainted with 
their capabilities, more especially their hard 
weather, sea-going qualities, no boats, in all the 
world are, perhaps, better worth attention and 
study. Mr. Erismann is, however, mistaken in 
stating that “the present lines and sail plans ap¬ 
pear to be the only ones so far published.” In 
the summer of 1881, having heard so much of 
these boats as hard weather craft, I went to 
Blcck Island with the express purpose of mak¬ 
ing a closer acquaintance with them, and pre¬ 
pared to stay there until weather conditions 
should be such as would afford a test of their 
sea-going qualities. I was fortunate in finding 
the wind southeast (on shore), and both wind 
and sea getting up on my arrival, and went out 
twice in Island Belle, the first time under 
full sail, and the second time under double 
reefs. I may here say that the first time we 
went out we met boats of other rigs running in, 
apparently for shelter, and the second time we 
saw a handsome fishing schooner under short¬ 
ened canvas diving bows under. Island Belle 
was 38ft. Sin. extreme length, and 13ft. Sin. 
extreme breadth. A few years before the date 
I write of, and before steam boats ran over to 
the mainland, this boat carried the mail to _ New¬ 
port winter and summer, and I was told it was 
very rarely delayed on account of weather. On 
the experimental trips, to which I have referred, 
she went out to windward with the most lively, 
buoyant and springy motion that I have ever 
experienced and did not even throw spray. There 
are some peculiarities about these boats, not 
only of the hulls, but of the ballasting and rig 
which afford matter for study, and appear to 
account for much in their performance. These 
things are commented on, drawings shown, and 
some details of fact and description given which 
Mr. Erismann and others of your readers may 
find referred to in Forest and Stream, Jan. 3, 
T884, and the article itself as supplied by me in 
the Field, Dec. 15, 1883, copied in its essentials 
into “Manual of Yacht and Boat Sailing,” 1884, 
by Dixon Kemp. 
The fact that Island Belle had five rows of 
reef points in her foresail, and four rows in her 
mainsail was evidence of her being fitted for 
heavy weather. With steam communication to 
and from the mainland for use of passengers 
» and cargo, and with fishing now done, as I think 
it is, nearer to harbor, and that harbor a securely 
inclosed one, the need for these excellent boats, 
models as they are of simplicity and efficiency, is 
less exigent than formerly. John Hyslop. 
A New Bermuda Race Candidate. 
The genial yachtsman, Commodore Frank 
Maier, is, we hear, having a new and improved 
Tamerlane built for the ocean race. 
Mr. Larry Huntington has turned out the de¬ 
sign which is a compromise between the old 
Fanshawe and new Tamerlane, the good qualities 
of each being incorporated in one. 
The over all length is 47ft. 6in., length, on 
lead waterline, 37ft. 6in.; beam, 13ft., and draft, 
7ft. 4m. All S, or reverse, curve to the gar- 
board is eliminaled in her design and a harder 
bi'ge and flatter floor is calculated to make her 
stand up better in a hard breeze. 
How much of a success the result will be 
to yachtsmen themselves we will be able to judge 
this summer. 
THE ISLAND BELLE. 
