March 2, 1907. | 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
343 
The Block Island Boats. 
Editor Forest and Stream: 
The latest issue of Forset and Stream con¬ 
tained some references by me to Block Island 
boats, and the excellent qualities of boats of this 
class and rig. Island Belle was referred to as 
illustrating the characteristics of the class. I 
was surprised to see in this number a picture 
over the title Island Belle which did not illus¬ 
trate the kind of rig written of, and which pic¬ 
ture, devoid of explanation, is quite likely to 
cause a misconception as to these boats, and the 
claims which may be made for the features 
peculiar to them. The hull of the boat in the 
picture shown may be, and probably is, that of 
the old time mail boat Island Belle, but if so 
the rig has been changed to that of a schooner 
carrying topmasts and a bowsprit, and compli¬ 
cated with the usual amount of shrouds, stays 
and rigging, and fitted for sword fishing. With 
the change she will have some adaptations to her 
new employment, the bowsprit and its “pulpit” 
are evidently essential, but it should be as dearly 
evident to any one having knowledge of design 
and aenuainted with these boats that the changed 
Island Belle, even though her easy ended and 
well formed hull remains the same as ever, is no 
longer half way capable of her old time perfor¬ 
mance in hard weather and trying times. The 
characteristics of the old rig were its lightness, 
simplicity, absence of weight and windage and 
its flexibility. There were no shrouds, and only 
four pieces of running gear, namely two sheets 
and one halliard to each of the short gaffs. The 
masts not having to withstand the thrust of long 
gaffs, did not, as is necessary in the schooner or 
sloop rig, have their thickness and weight 
carried up aloft, but were made with a straight 
taper, those of Island Belle being gin. diameter 
at the keel, and about 3m. at the head, and not 
being held rigid by shrouds or stays they would 
oscillate with the boat’s motion sufficiently to 
ease it. When inquiring into these matters years 
ago I was told that about forty of the boats were 
then owned on the island, and that not one of 
them had been lost through stress of weather 
since the commencement of the nineteenth cen¬ 
tury, and only one from any cause, that one by 
running on a rock off Point Judith. It may be 
interesting in connection with what I have 
written to state that I was also told that one 
of these boats had been sold to be used as a 
pilot boat somewhere in the neighborhood of 
Baltimore, I think, that her rig was changed, 
and by it her seagoing qualities were lost or 
greatly impaired. John Hyslop. 
The illustration of Island Belle is a reproduc¬ 
tion of a sketch among our collection, drawn in 
Newport Harbor while on a cruise. Island 
Belle dropped anchor near us just as the picture 
shows, a complete transformation from the origi¬ 
nal rig such as the Rhode Island shows and with 
which she was originally rigged, without the 
long plank bowsprit. That is a temporary con¬ 
trivance put on for the sole purpose of sword 
fishing. 
Just as the New York Motor Boat Show ends 
yachtsmen of Chicago start theirs agoing with 
every prospect of a very successful event. 
Many innovations in motor designs are pre¬ 
sented and a complete assortment of various size 
launches make the event a good sized sister show 
to the New York one. What is purported to be 
the smallest engine for marine craft ever ex¬ 
hibited will be at this show, an engine of iRt 
horsepower, which, although powerful enough to 
drive a light boat, can be carried about in a 
small hand satchel. A water jacket safety valve, 
to prevent any possible danger of explosion of 
the gasolene engine, is another novelty at the 
Chicago show. 
Mr. T. H. Bullock is the owner of the power 
boat Erin, which won the longest fresh water 
power beat race ever held in 1905 between Chi¬ 
cago and Mackinac Island. Mr. Bullock will ex¬ 
hibit the famous Rudder cup which he secured 
by winning this race. A short time after win¬ 
ning this race Erin again achieved fame by 
rescuing Miss Zelda Stewart and Geo. Chartres, 
the Evanston counle who were adrift in an open 
boat on Lake Michigan for forty hours and were 
nearly exhausted when Erin came upon them 
far out in the lake. The American Association 
of Engine and Boat Manufacturers, under whose 
auspices t'he show is to be held, will hold its 
annual meeting at the Armory during the show 
and the election of directors and other important 
matters are to come up for consideration. The 
yacht clubs will have one big night on which to 
make a demonstration instead of having separate 
club nights as was first intended. 
* W, *, 
The Knickerbocker Y. C., of College Point, L. 
T., has purchased a site for a new club house at 
Manhasset Bay close to the handsome home of 
the Manhasset Bay Y. C.. and it is their inten¬ 
tion eventually to move there where a better an¬ 
chorage and better facilities of sailing are offered. 
A Power Boat Race. 
New York, Feb. 14. —Editor Forest and 
Stream: I have read with great pleasure your 
article on the “Power Boating to Block Island" 
in your issue of the 2d inst. and I beg to ex¬ 
tend my thanks to you for your kind words of 
praise in regard to the annual race held by my 
club and under my management for the past three 
years. 
The suggestion you mentioned of also holding 
a motor boat race at the same time and over the 
same course is a most welcome one, and I should 
be most pleased at any time to co-operate and 
lend every possible assistance to any club that 
desire to undertake the project. I would myself 
endeavor to hold this race for our club were it 
not for the fact that we have no boats suitable 
to compete in it and the larger majority of our 
members are still advocates of canvas in place 
of gasolene. I, myself, cannot claim to have any 
knowledge whatever of power driven craft, and 
all my sympathies as well as time are devoted 
to the Wind Jammer. Nevertheless, I deeply 
appreciate the large and growing fleet of motor 
boats and thoroughly believe that they should be 
given opportunities to compete over what I 
think myself is an ideal course for just such a 
race as you mentioned. To that end, if you 
know of any club who should be interested in 
holding the power boat part of the contest as 
stated above, I would be most pleased to co¬ 
operate with them in every possible way. 
Our fourth annual Block Island race will in 
all probability be started on June 22, although 
the date is, of course, rather uncertain until it 
has been approved by the Yacht Racing Assn- 
elation, but I have no doubt that June 22 will 
be the day. All conditions will be the same as 
last year with the exception of a slight reduc¬ 
tion in time allowance and the admission of 
auxiliaries, with engines sealed, at an additional 
allowance or approximately ten per cent. I will 
certainly send you a copv of the prospectus as 
soon as it is printed which will be about the 
first of April. TI. A. Jackson, Jr., 
Chairman of N. Y. A. C. Yachting Com. 
The first entry for the power race of the New 
Rochelle Y. C. from New York to Marblehead 
has been received. The boat, named Teddo San. 
is building at Tottenville, Staten Island, for 
Walter M. Bieling, of the Rudder, from designs 
by E. B Schock. Both designer and builder 
were on Sis, winner of last year’s race. 
