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THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 83 She was 40 feet on the water-line; 12 feet beam, and 6 feet 10 inches deep, and she had a 1% ton of lead outside. She was more like the British cutters in her model and rig than the Petrel had been, for her Jib set flying, and the bowsprit was a sliding one. Later on, when what had been aptly called the "cutter craze " became virulent, there were writers who assumed all the credit of the introduction of yachts of this type into this country, but the fact is patent that Mr. Hyslop and Mr. Center were the first two gentlemen who brought practically to the notice of the American yachtsmen the British cutter, and claimed for it a superiority over the ordinary center-board sloop. The name of this keel- sloop or cutter was the Volante, and she proved a much greater success in the matter of speed than her designer ever believed possible, his only aim in her design being to produce something entirely safe for two _young relatives to sail in. I think it must be admitted that the Seawanhaka Yacht Club has done more to promote yacht racing than any other organization during the time of its existence. It has never aimed at being a social club, but always a racing one, and in March of this year it adopted its racing programme for the season, appropriating $900 for a Corinthian race June 16, for first and second class schooners open to all clubs. An Ocean race for first and second class schooners, June 23, owners to steer, open to all clubs, appropriating $585 for prizes ; an annual regatta at Oyster Bay July 4, $425 for prizes ; a race for open boats at Oyster Bay, July 28, $50 for each class ; four races for open -boats at Oyster Bay, the last four Saturdays in September, $50 for each c*lass, and a Ladies' day in September, at an expense of $200. With the exception of the two last fixtures, all the races were sailed as arranged. The Seawanhaka club also during this winter initiated a series of lectures on yacht designing etc., which have proved to be of immense benefit to its members, starting many of them on a quest for information in this direction, the result being apparent in a much better class of yachts in the succeding decade. The Brooklyn Yacht Club disposed of its house on Gravesend Bay this year, and took one more step backwards by not providing itself with another. I think it may safely be assumed that if a yacht club has ■ no head-quarters and anchorage, it will -drop astern of its sister organizations. The New York club may perhaps be cited as an exception to this rule, but that club has not progressed as it should have done, since its house on Staten Island and its anchorage off Stapleton were given up, and, therefore, the rule holds good even in regard to that organization. Meantime, yachting in the harbors of the New England States had been making great advances. The total number of American yacht clubs in 1877 was fifty-three, of which number twelve were in the New England States and mostly in Boston and its neighborhood. In and around New York City there were twenty-three. There were eight on the Lakes, and ten in Southern waters. In the aggregate membership were 772 owners. Among the New England clubs, the Eastern was in 1877, as ^ is in 1886, the principal, and it then had twenty-nine schooners, twelve sloops and two steam yachts on its rolls, but it must be noted that of their schooners, all the large ones were New York rather than Eastern club yachts. For instance, there were among them the Dauntless, Alarm, Columbia, Faustine, Enchantress etc. It had an aggregate of 233 members, but as with the yachts, many of them owed their principal allegiance to the New York Yacht Club. It may be interesting to know that the commodore of the Eastern Yacht Club, in 1877, was Mr. J. Malcolm Forbes, who in 1886 owned the celebrated sloop yacht Puritaii. Next to the Eastern in importance, and its senior in age, was the Boston club with 258 members, who were all, or nearly all, Boston yacht club men. Its muster roll comprised seventy-eight yachts, of which fourteen were schooners, and sixty-one sloops, with three steamers. The Dorchester club, like the Seawanhaka of New York, was from the first a racing organization. It had averaged six races each season since 1870, when it was first organized. The South Boston club had about thirty yachts in 1877 and a membership of 150. The Beverly club had ninety-six members and fifty-four yachts, mostly small, open cat-rigged affairs, handled almost invariably by their owners, and requiring more skill than any other class of yacht that can be named. The East Boston club organized in 1874 had in 1877 twenty-five members. The Portland club in 1877 had 140 mem- bers and twenty-five yachts.
Object Description
Title | Yachts and yachting |
Creator | Cozzens, Frederic Schiller |
Publisher | Cassell & Co. |
Place of Publication | New York |
Date | [c1887] |
Language | eng |
Type | Books/Pamphlets |
Description
Title | 00000081 |
Type | Books/Pamphlets |
Transcript | THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN YACHTING. 83 She was 40 feet on the water-line; 12 feet beam, and 6 feet 10 inches deep, and she had a 1% ton of lead outside. She was more like the British cutters in her model and rig than the Petrel had been, for her Jib set flying, and the bowsprit was a sliding one. Later on, when what had been aptly called the "cutter craze " became virulent, there were writers who assumed all the credit of the introduction of yachts of this type into this country, but the fact is patent that Mr. Hyslop and Mr. Center were the first two gentlemen who brought practically to the notice of the American yachtsmen the British cutter, and claimed for it a superiority over the ordinary center-board sloop. The name of this keel- sloop or cutter was the Volante, and she proved a much greater success in the matter of speed than her designer ever believed possible, his only aim in her design being to produce something entirely safe for two _young relatives to sail in. I think it must be admitted that the Seawanhaka Yacht Club has done more to promote yacht racing than any other organization during the time of its existence. It has never aimed at being a social club, but always a racing one, and in March of this year it adopted its racing programme for the season, appropriating $900 for a Corinthian race June 16, for first and second class schooners open to all clubs. An Ocean race for first and second class schooners, June 23, owners to steer, open to all clubs, appropriating $585 for prizes ; an annual regatta at Oyster Bay July 4, $425 for prizes ; a race for open boats at Oyster Bay, July 28, $50 for each class ; four races for open -boats at Oyster Bay, the last four Saturdays in September, $50 for each c*lass, and a Ladies' day in September, at an expense of $200. With the exception of the two last fixtures, all the races were sailed as arranged. The Seawanhaka club also during this winter initiated a series of lectures on yacht designing etc., which have proved to be of immense benefit to its members, starting many of them on a quest for information in this direction, the result being apparent in a much better class of yachts in the succeding decade. The Brooklyn Yacht Club disposed of its house on Gravesend Bay this year, and took one more step backwards by not providing itself with another. I think it may safely be assumed that if a yacht club has ■ no head-quarters and anchorage, it will -drop astern of its sister organizations. The New York club may perhaps be cited as an exception to this rule, but that club has not progressed as it should have done, since its house on Staten Island and its anchorage off Stapleton were given up, and, therefore, the rule holds good even in regard to that organization. Meantime, yachting in the harbors of the New England States had been making great advances. The total number of American yacht clubs in 1877 was fifty-three, of which number twelve were in the New England States and mostly in Boston and its neighborhood. In and around New York City there were twenty-three. There were eight on the Lakes, and ten in Southern waters. In the aggregate membership were 772 owners. Among the New England clubs, the Eastern was in 1877, as ^ is in 1886, the principal, and it then had twenty-nine schooners, twelve sloops and two steam yachts on its rolls, but it must be noted that of their schooners, all the large ones were New York rather than Eastern club yachts. For instance, there were among them the Dauntless, Alarm, Columbia, Faustine, Enchantress etc. It had an aggregate of 233 members, but as with the yachts, many of them owed their principal allegiance to the New York Yacht Club. It may be interesting to know that the commodore of the Eastern Yacht Club, in 1877, was Mr. J. Malcolm Forbes, who in 1886 owned the celebrated sloop yacht Puritaii. Next to the Eastern in importance, and its senior in age, was the Boston club with 258 members, who were all, or nearly all, Boston yacht club men. Its muster roll comprised seventy-eight yachts, of which fourteen were schooners, and sixty-one sloops, with three steamers. The Dorchester club, like the Seawanhaka of New York, was from the first a racing organization. It had averaged six races each season since 1870, when it was first organized. The South Boston club had about thirty yachts in 1877 and a membership of 150. The Beverly club had ninety-six members and fifty-four yachts, mostly small, open cat-rigged affairs, handled almost invariably by their owners, and requiring more skill than any other class of yacht that can be named. The East Boston club organized in 1874 had in 1877 twenty-five members. The Portland club in 1877 had 140 mem- bers and twenty-five yachts. |