THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING
17
FrecLo.Cc
met**
^ 86"
"HORNET.
its members been that their superiority in
this respect would be lost sight of in the
now almost general adoption of this method,
either in whole or in part, that some years
ago they tacked the word " Corinthian " on
to their originally beautiful Indian name
" Seawanhaka," making a clumsy and cumbersome title out of their first extremely
appropriate name ; and I suppose few, if
any, of these young gentlemen are aware
that on the 6th day of October, 1846, the
New York club sailed a match for a cup,
subscribed for by members, the rule being—
I quote literally—" none but club members
allowed to sail or handle the boats, but
each yacht may carry a pilot." They could
not even have their sailing-master, except
as pilot, which is further in the " Corinthian " line than even the Seawanhakas
have ever gone.
The course was from a stake-boat off the
Elysian Fields to a stake-boat off Fort
Washington Point ; thence to a stake-boat
anchored in the Narrows, returning to the
place of starting, a distance of forty miles,
with an allowance of 25 seconds per ton.
It was in this race that the sloop Maria—
afterwards celebrated—made her first appearance. She was 160 tons, and was
owned and sailed by Mr. John C. Stevens,
who was then commodore of the club.
The other " Corinthians " were the sloop
Lancet, and the schooners Siren, Cygnet,
Spray and La Coquille, The wind was a
strong breeze from southwest, and the
Maria won, beating the Siren 58m. 15s.
actual time.
Four days later, namely, October 10,
1846, the first ocean race ever sailed by
yachts, came% off. It was a match for
$1,000 a side—pretty good that for a club
only two years old—between the sloop
Maria (and this time she is entered at 154
tons) and the schooner Coquette, the course
being 25 miles to windward and return,
the wind strong from the northeast, and
the boats went from the buoy at the entrance of Gedney's Channel to a stake-boat
off the south ends of the Woodlands. The
Maria started with double-reefed mainsail
and bonnet off of the jib, the schooner carrying all sail all through the race. Evi-
THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING
17
FrecLo.Cc
met**
^ 86"
"HORNET.
its members been that their superiority in
this respect would be lost sight of in the
now almost general adoption of this method,
either in whole or in part, that some years
ago they tacked the word " Corinthian " on
to their originally beautiful Indian name
" Seawanhaka," making a clumsy and cumbersome title out of their first extremely
appropriate name ; and I suppose few, if
any, of these young gentlemen are aware
that on the 6th day of October, 1846, the
New York club sailed a match for a cup,
subscribed for by members, the rule being—
I quote literally—" none but club members
allowed to sail or handle the boats, but
each yacht may carry a pilot." They could
not even have their sailing-master, except
as pilot, which is further in the " Corinthian " line than even the Seawanhakas
have ever gone.
The course was from a stake-boat off the
Elysian Fields to a stake-boat off Fort
Washington Point ; thence to a stake-boat
anchored in the Narrows, returning to the
place of starting, a distance of forty miles,
with an allowance of 25 seconds per ton.
It was in this race that the sloop Maria—
afterwards celebrated—made her first appearance. She was 160 tons, and was
owned and sailed by Mr. John C. Stevens,
who was then commodore of the club.
The other " Corinthians " were the sloop
Lancet, and the schooners Siren, Cygnet,
Spray and La Coquille, The wind was a
strong breeze from southwest, and the
Maria won, beating the Siren 58m. 15s.
actual time.
Four days later, namely, October 10,
1846, the first ocean race ever sailed by
yachts, came% off. It was a match for
$1,000 a side—pretty good that for a club
only two years old—between the sloop
Maria (and this time she is entered at 154
tons) and the schooner Coquette, the course
being 25 miles to windward and return,
the wind strong from the northeast, and
the boats went from the buoy at the entrance of Gedney's Channel to a stake-boat
off the south ends of the Woodlands. The
Maria started with double-reefed mainsail
and bonnet off of the jib, the schooner carrying all sail all through the race. Evi-
