The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-01-15
Y A G n T | N G.

Y A G n TIN G.
English Yachtsmen ON Ccntrc-board Vessels
The Question Of Measurement Discussed.
The following interesting correspondence, taken
from the London Field Of December 20, shows the
agitation at present prevailing In England on tile
question Of centre-board vessels:-
ON THE MEASUREMENT OF CENTRE BOARD YACHTS
To THE EDITOR OF THE FIELD
Since writing my letter or November 81 last on
this subject have had leisure to look into the
sailing regulations OF the various yacht CLUBS
three have permanent sailing rules pro:
nlbltng 'centre-board or sliding keel vesses''
Yacht Squadron, Royal Thames and Royal
London-all OF whom have good reason
courses, On which q racing vessel which can
at pleasure reduce her draugnt OF water IN large
tage over her opponents the Royal st. George has
no fixed code OF sailing regulations but issues new
they inserted similar enactment against centre
b0arders, though what the object ef tine committee
no corners can be cut OF in DuSn BAY racing ana
i cannot say whether the restriction Will be per-
severed IN next regatta; the other mode OF excla-
clearly does; and it was with the view Of
1t for discussion, and not with the intention OF
entering on the much more elaborate question OF an
Fouied Trotman" seems TO think. me present rule
has many faults, the chief one IN my eyes being its
vessels where the multiplication by beam and half
beam on their great length makes small mistake
difference In opinion as to the exact breadth OF
vessel OF great consequence-as, for instance, the
LlvOnia, which on the Thames was called 255 tons,
pa Sm oers o. ss oe
III feet OF length small difference soon
sp m 1y no ss 20
ment; another for area Of canvas; another Tor
measuring spars; fourth for multiplying length OF
water line by beam ana rejecting the last figure OF
product; 1lth for multiplying total length by beam
ana total depth and dividing decimaly while my
own individual opinion leads Inc TO THINK That Tor
racing craft length, and length alone taken either
on the water line, or the mean between the iengtn
there and deck, Is the true OF speed and
that time should be given or received according TO
the difference OF that measurement IN feet aud
inches alone, excluding all other consI deratlons,
ana allowing man to oulld wide or narrow, deep
or shallow or as he pleases. "Who shall decide
when n d"Sors diner ~ and hereore eonne my
centre-boarders; and IN putting my IDEAS forward,
can assure d. X. |. by no means meant Ito penalze
centrebOarders," as ne seems to imagine, but 20 re-
taey a. present labor. The only, Mats I
from Inc present owner of the celebrated
little Yankee sloop Irna1t, brought TO the Mefsey
ago Sy 'S a aaa Of the
serving of the greatest weight, he thoroughly
derstapds SUCH craft, which confess do not; lie
says that under my rule Truant would be reduced
from 44-9lths, her tonnage under existing rule, to
24e-04tns tho second multiple being HIN. + 44in.
feet az inches, and 50 would tend to carry out
my idea; but ne points out that centre board
M W wse SO e s ns ea
would gain her own natural depth without paying
for IT. This. OF course did not intend. and would
her actual draught and that OF the centreboard when
lowered as far as It could be' may be used as the
second multiple instead OF hal-beam. Tnis, I
THINK would be fair to centreboardars, and don't
share Mr.. Ms opinion that larger vessels such
ans~;u Nan fa nfnr fhtS rln nnln hn
superior to our fixed keel yachts as to give them
chance, but rather agree as to their merits with
regret cannot now give the rule he proposes In
stead as have mlslald 1t. but Will at future tlme
guide en- me, and especially Of the larger American
craft which use sliding keels
DEC. IL. RED WITH WHITE MALTESE CROSS.
To THE EDITOR OF THE FIELD:-
SR-The correspondence in your columns rela-
tive 10 small yacht measurement, as applied TO
centre-boards Is so pertinent IN the present condi.
ask your PERMISSION to state one case, IN The hope
that some consistent and definite rule may DO
We are a young but prosperous club,
increasing our members and our Meet
are with one exception, essentially beach boats
OF light draught, ana the successful results OF the
centre board O boat built TO comply with beach.
ing requirements has resulted In alteration to ext st.
ing vessels, ana construction OF new boats with
ing to argue out system OF measurement that we
can apply taking into consideration lne new force
-
estimated by length OF kee, 0nly-we have little in.
formaton but think ours Is The first club that has
taken into consideration the value of the
duration Of the race In our time allowance.
Hitherto VIC have allowed on one hours
sailing on triangular course two minutes per loot
per hour-our frequent competitions IN most cases
coming close upon mat unle-with an equation for
over or under four considered IN the calcu atons
II has been suggested that The computation TOM
mage by ordinary deep yacht measurement Is In our
case g fallacy, the draught Of boats OF twenty
ana fifteen tons being so closely approximate, and
we fully discard the value or boat as estimated by
length OF keel only. AT tho same time we
cannot fan to he impressed with value
Of beam mot rr,, excesslvess s IL has been
to estimate our time allOwance-simply by adding
length 10 BREADTH again by adding half the breadth,
aud again by estimating the means or three meas.
urements OF breadth; finally, by tonnage, as orli-
increase In the number and quality OF coast regat.
tas IL Is essential that definite well considered
rule should be adopted that would admit 10 compe-
titlon boats OF different dimensions Many difficulties
have arisen In the course Of attempts 10 iegisate;
would enlist the practical experience OF your many
nautical readers. PLUS.
BRIGHTON SAILING CLUB Dec. II.
| SR-Perhaps 1t would not be out OF place In dis
the sort OF Injustice which the present rule pro-
duces in the case OF centreboa vessels AT re-
gata this year was asked to sail my centre-bOard
| boat against one with fixed keel and these were
the dimensions Of the vessels nearly as could
ascertain, the one with xed keel A feet by feet
inches; the 81 feet by IL feet by the
present ruie IA ana Is tons respectively the former
being Dy the rule counted as feet 3inces deep, and
the latter as feet inches. Now If we calculate
according TO the real depths say feet ana 2
respectveIy-a somewhat startling difference, but
much more nearly conveying the true state OF the