44
THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING.
Fred. 5. C 033 e«s
SLOOP "BIANCA.
at the first introduction of the double-head
sails, was that, in racing, they took in the
jib first. This should never be done, as
long as it can be carried; as there is but
slight propelling power in the staysail.
The advantage, however, of the large
jib is so apparent, that some of the yachts
have their forestays fitted so that they can
be come up with at will, and the big jib can
be used, if necessary, in races; while, for
ordinary sailing or cruising, the handier
double sails are used. From year to year,
however, we have been improving, and
where we formerly used ordinary canvas,
such as was made for coasters generally,
now, for a yacht of any pretensions, the
canvas is manufactured especially for her,
and of narrow cloth.
It was in 1870, that the Eastern Yacht
Club — now one of the most important in
the country — was organized. The Dorchester and the Manhattan also came into
existence this year, and were followed next
year by the Seawanhaka and the New Jersey, the latter securing the old quarters of
the New York club at the Elysian Fields.
From this time on, clubs have multiplied
to an enormous extent, and especially in the
New England States. All the lake ports
have their yacht clubs, and there are three
or four on the Pacific Coast. The South,
too, has its yacht clubs, some of them very
thriving organizations. In Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, St.
Augustine, Mobile, and New Orleans,
yachting is active. Still, these organizations are all comparatively young, the
Quaker City, at Philadelphia, having been
born in 1876, and the Mobile not until
1883.
44
THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING.
Fred. 5. C 033 e«s
SLOOP "BIANCA.
at the first introduction of the double-head
sails, was that, in racing, they took in the
jib first. This should never be done, as
long as it can be carried; as there is but
slight propelling power in the staysail.
The advantage, however, of the large
jib is so apparent, that some of the yachts
have their forestays fitted so that they can
be come up with at will, and the big jib can
be used, if necessary, in races; while, for
ordinary sailing or cruising, the handier
double sails are used. From year to year,
however, we have been improving, and
where we formerly used ordinary canvas,
such as was made for coasters generally,
now, for a yacht of any pretensions, the
canvas is manufactured especially for her,
and of narrow cloth.
It was in 1870, that the Eastern Yacht
Club — now one of the most important in
the country — was organized. The Dorchester and the Manhattan also came into
existence this year, and were followed next
year by the Seawanhaka and the New Jersey, the latter securing the old quarters of
the New York club at the Elysian Fields.
From this time on, clubs have multiplied
to an enormous extent, and especially in the
New England States. All the lake ports
have their yacht clubs, and there are three
or four on the Pacific Coast. The South,
too, has its yacht clubs, some of them very
thriving organizations. In Philadelphia,
Baltimore, Charleston, Savannah, St.
Augustine, Mobile, and New Orleans,
yachting is active. Still, these organizations are all comparatively young, the
Quaker City, at Philadelphia, having been
born in 1876, and the Mobile not until
1883.
