The New York herald., 1870-04-01
Y a @ II r I N G..
Lively Preparations for the Coming Season
Launch Of tho Schooner Yacht Madeleine
Her Trial Trip-Great Expectations.

1t is gratifying to know that the pleasure navy OF
the country is increasing both IN numbers and
architectural beauty. splendid season is approach
ing-more brilliant probably, than any that has yet
preceded 1t. Yachting Ia verging into national
pastime and for the reason that its popularity ts
gradually being made more manifest. The day he's
gone BY for drifting down shallow rivers or ner.
vously hugglng some well known shore. A hand.
some, stanch, swim leet OF seag6ing vessels has
"ess substituted for The NUMBERING craft Of old.
And YET the nsma 81 tue America win ever be oher
ished In the memory OF Oil true yachtmen. En-.
nobled BY spirit Of friendly rivalry always sure
step towards success taste, elegance, practical ex.
perience, skill and expense are now being brought
into redusition In order tnat American yachts shall
be second to none 10 the world.
Shiphuilders' yards have, during tue past few
months been the scenes Of busy and eaflest pfePa.
ration New yachts are being built and Of course
neY MQdels follow suit. sy--, zsc,s.,e.S
Experiments must be made that PERFECTION may bc
arrived at The general AIM OF our yatchmeu, how.
ever seems 10 be that their vessels should be equal
to all others in symmetry, seaworthness and
speea-three elements which every builder must Ia
these days strenuously endeavor to work out. Tne
task Of renovating, altering and improving IL also
rapidly progressing.
Among Che yachts just launched IL that OF the
new schooner Madeleine, owned by Mr.. Jacob
VoOrhis Jr. OF the New York Yacht Club. The
name OF the vessel Will doubtless recall that OF q
fine sloop yacht owned by tnat gentleman last
year, and which competed In many or tho principal
regattas given under the auspices OF both the New
York ana Atlantic yacht clubs. But although the
new vessel bears the graceful title Madeleine
end although there arc aome indistnct traces OF
the former craft, she 10 y new boat, leaving
scarcely a vestge Of tue other behind. To all In.
tents and purposes she Is quite different yacht
ana one. too judging from her performance yester.
day, that Is bound to make her mark during
the coming season. Mr.. Jacob Voorhs Is
an experienced yachtnlan who has spared neither
expense experiment TO advance rhc interests OF
the great pastIine, and more aspect ally TO render
his own vessels inferior 70 mono or their class. As
the owner OF the Addte " he successfully carried or
prizes In some weli-contested races aud won The
champion pennant OF the Atlantic Yacht Club last
year with the s0op Madeleine. Anxious to further
nls IDEAS as TO wnat stanch racing vessel shouid
be the Madeleine was placed upon the ways at
Nyack in December last dsmantled and broken up.
Anew and improved model was adopted, and the
work or rebuilding was commenced by Mr. J. Il.
smith. The obect OF the owner was TO make her q
racing Schooner, competent for ocean trips.
about fourteen inches, giving her u flush deck
the advantages Of whicn are now perceptibe,
aud making raklng stem. The greatest attention
detail being carefully superintendent. The former
plan OF the interior was rejected aud an improved
one substituted, everything being new, substantial
and appropriate. After months OF earnest labor the
schooner was completed TO the entire satisfaction
OF her owner, and having been successfully launched
on Tuesday, she anchored u ieW cable lengths from
Ine Madeleine is 14s tons, club tonnage, ef Ieet
inches on deck II feet ITO inches beam the depth OF
hold being . ieet and her leogth ON the wafer 81
feet Tbe dimensions OF the Msdeleine's spars
are:-Mainmast ~ feet; foremast, II ieet main.
boom, 90 feet; forenoon, 2s ieet; man gan, 80
feet; ioreaan, q feet. The topmasts are
foSt ssea ss0' ec n0 nyaa nsasG pSoo ' o ce on
clear OF the stays, jib topsa the outer jibboom
three iest the bowelrit Deiag twensy.slx feet out
board. Tue Madeleine has considerable sheer for
ward. which gives her quite dashlng, graceful ap-
pearancc. she 10 abont nine feet above the water at
The DOW, aad the stern ABOUT three feet. The deck
is very handsome and roofiy, ana the spars are
well finished, composed or the best WOOD the rig.
eray points unnista saby 70 tile hand OF the prac
tlca yaehtnlan. Whatever may be the result OF Mr.
vooris alterations II IL quite patent that 20 far as
and important improvements has hsan made IN
And white the externai arrangements have been
so admirably carried out the interior has by no
means been neglected. Space has Deen greatly
econ0fnZed The dining saloon, tweDty-One 1cet
long, ls finished with ASH aud mano0any, and though
intended to be unostcntatous ls very pretty In de-
sign and elegant, while the light from overhead
imparts to tho room quite cheerful aspect. The
Madeleine contains five stateroOms, Two berths IN
the cabin ana eight large ones In the forecaste,
which. by the way, has been constructed tn the
view TO the comfort Of t1e crew. handsome boox-
case has been made between the inaninast and the
cenreboard, and capacious lockers tor plato wines.
clothes culinary utensils ad various otner necessa
res ABOUND throughout the vessel. II should be
mentioned that IN IN hold all the beams are OF the
same size In fne, nothing mas been omitted which
coud possibly con,routc 10 tue convenience, beauty,
comfort or luxury o! a yucnrs interior. Yesterday
morning the Madeleine manned by an excellent
crew made trial trip down tnc river, The wind
somewhat from the northeast. Her new white sails
flied quickly, and shc scudded along In dasllnu
style, To the intense Oeaht OF those on board. Sne
evidently required few tons more ballast. but heI
performance was nevertheless unexceptlonabe.
She sailed quite smoothly and went about with
amazing ranliity-a circumstance which caused ber
owner to look forward hopefully TO coming re.
gattas that in which the British yacht Cambria Is
TO contend included. Ihe manner IN which Sue
opened the water clcited rom those Who witnessed
her trip high encomluns i0r the builder Mr.. Voorhis
himself being subsequently the recipient OF hearty
congJ gJatuiations the owner Of fast sailing, hand
some, wen constructed yacht. the upholstery o
the Madeicinc has not ycl been finished. IL Is ex
pecei, however, thatjshe Will be completed In eyers
respect and ready for sea Ia about week.
AQUATIC.
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