The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1873-05-17
ENGLISH AND AMERICAN YACHTS,
From the London Morning Advert


With the revival OF the yachting season. and the
known presence OF the Sappho, the champion yacht
OF America. In our waters, u few remarks from our
pen on the veXed question Of the rival claims to
superiority between the English and American
style OF naval architecture, applied to yachts
may not be out OF place. The number of articles
that have appeared In the various sporting
papers, both English and American, the able
essays In Hunts Ydchti,t0 Adgaztne and the
multitude OF letters written on this subject, have
done very little yet towards solving the prob.
lem as to whether or not the Yankee yachts are
able to show us the way round a course. The
exclusion or centre-board vessels from our
matches, with the exception of a few OF the minor
coast regattas, has OF itself tended to leave the
question OF centre boards IN allegiance. We regret
that our clubs have thought At TO lay restrictions
upon the entrance OF this class vessels into their
regattas. 1t has given the Americans a handle,
which they have not been slow TO use, to assert
.'that we are afraid OF their yachts, and that we
confess the capaDuity OF the centre-board boat TO
them sail for our cups.n For our own part we
have always thought that, except In very smooth
water and light winds, our deep, sharp, heavily
baaSted vessels Will always beat any ceAtre-bOard
vessel OF equal size; and In the only race In which
an American centre board allowed to SAIL viz.
the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta IN 1853, the
Sylvie, crack American soop that had beaten all
the then existing yachts across the Atlantic, was
easily disposed OF by the cutter yacht Julia, and
day, too, peculiarly fitted for the light skmming-
dish qualities OF the Yankees show TO the best
advantage, the wind being light topsail breeze,
and the water very smooth. We sincerely trust
that our high-spirted yachtsmen will do away with
any absurd regulations which tend to debar our
American cousins from having a try for our prizes
We believe that two or three Yankees intend max
ing their appearance in our waters during the
son. and we hope they will not go away Without
leaving us pretty well acquainted with what they
can do against our own clippers. We were very
much disappointed in not seeing the ong-talked.
OF match between the Guinevere and the Sappho
last year. Captain ThellussOn Is too well known
to need any defence from us against the sneers OF
the American press that he was afraid to meet
their champion; but still we think ne might have
strained point for the honor OF Old England, and
tackled the Sappho some way or another. The
last challenge OF Mr.. Douglass was very fair.
see anything in 1t to cavil at Our readers must
know, however, that the Sappho does not repre-.
than the Iiyonia, Er Ratsey,s great experiment,
the English. The Sappho is a keel boat and draw
ing ~ ieet inches OF Matlr or as much as the
test OF the two principles. There are three large
schooners building at Gosport that will doubtless
got when they make their appearance. One, the
Norma, belonging to Mr. Houidswortn-the owner
Garron-but the year before last, by Steele OF
GreenOck-will soon be ready; the other two are
ance till the latter end Of the season. even II they
do then. We are glad to see that there Is some
chance now OF proving what large yacht. b4iis
on thorough English principles, Will do. since the
advent OF the America, we nave been going IN Tor
full after bodies, lean heads and shallow midship
sections, until our large schooners have become
sort OF hermaphrodite, with all the bad qualities OF
the American grated on to the worst ones of our
by great St beam, as the Yankees DO, we kept
our long and narrow FORM and decreased
depth and then not rta sans sue with taad
buoyancy OF vessels, followed their doors
away until they were nothing else but keel and
dead wood. The America, although only half the
depth of her beam. had very 1ul timbers amid
ships; In lact slightly rounded out, II anything.
in her moor Us the Lvonia and IS much broader,
consequently her power and buoyancy are con-
siderably greater. Our builders have, at last be-
come alive to this fact, and the new vessels are
deeper, and have straighter rising hoOrs that Will
enable them TO carry on IN breeze and sea that
would smother their more cut-away sisters,
very good illustration OF this seen IN the race
between the Aiine and the Livona Tor the Prince
OF Waies Challenge Cup In 1871. The Livona in
the squalls buried down to her sheer poles, while
the Allnc although inclined at quite as
great an angle, only had TIE top OF her gunwale
awash We, may remark, DdSsd1u that the
Aline is comparatively fulDodlad vessel. There
have been great many arguments adduccd to
prove that In large yachts OF 200 300 tons, the
depth must be considerably modified, or the sail
power would be insufficient to drive the vessel at
some Of our last frigatebult SHIPS drawing twenty
three or twenty-fOur feet OF water and yet with
full cargo on board actually beating some OF the
more modern vessels that are built narrower,
longer and shallOwer. A narrow vessel must have
q certain amount OF depth to give her sufficient
buoyancy and sail-carryng power. The small dis.
placement principle is all very well In its way, but
in carrying 1t out we have entirely lost sight Of
every other consideration. The Guinevere, q craft
with very large displacement, Is remarkably last
In light winds, and when II Is taken into cOnsidera-
ton that she has always sailed in cruising trim, with
neither racing sails nor lead ballast the TACT seems to
us unanswerabe. LasinesS OF lines and adaptability
to the motion of the water are to thinking, Of
far more Importance than question OF dispiace.
ment, provided 1t Is not Carried to too great an
excess. The American principle OF the broad,
shallow build, when inclined at any considerable
angle, Increases its resistance to the propelling
power Of the sails IN much greater degree than a
narrower and deeper form. This Is one reason
why the centrebOard craft are so mise ably wet in
anything OF a seaway. Their canvas IL obliged to
be reduced so mucn that there Is not enough to
keep the vessel steady consequently she rolls to
The English deep yachts on the contrary, are
none the worse Tor being laid down q little and
presenting good weather side; the spray fieS
into the malnsail over the heads OF the people
this is a subject that has been argued over and
over again. and what we want to see Is the matter
practically tested.
With regard to the Sappho, although, az we said
before, she is not an exact representative Of the
American dish, yet still she Is q flyer, and I'M
douptedly the fastest schooner In America. The
Dreadnougnt gave her q good deal OF trouble in
match round the Sandy Hook lightshp, but still
the Sappho had the best OF 1t, and II either Mr..
TheIlusson or Mr.. HOuldswOrtn can beat her in Q
bourg and back again. we shall be able TO congratu-
late ourselves the fastest Schooner yacht In the
world flying the English nag. Inc Oimara, oil
course, could beat the Sappho in turn to wind.
not consider IL a fair match, though why cutter
or 1850 tons should be considered AZ having an I'M
fair advantage over schooner OF 800 Is rather
astonishing.
YACHTING NOTES