The New York herald., 1876-10-19
The Past Yachting Season.


The season of the New York Yacht Club
may be considered to have formally closed
with the ocean race between the Atalanta
and the Idler, in which the former agreeably
surprised her owner with unexpected laurels.
1t has been season full of interest in the
history Of the club and quite worthy Of the
centennial year which has been SO banged
about our ears since January /. We have
had the challenge for the Queens Cup by
the Canadian yacht Countess of Dufferin, in
which the club, after conceding every point
in liberal Interpretation of that vexed
question, "The deed of gift," succeeded
easily in retaining the ugly mug in their
own possession; and we have had the
annual August cruise, varied, under the
lead of the enthusiastic Commodore, from
the well known tedious track usually fol-
lowed
We have also been called upon to record
the sad event Of the loss of the schooner
yacht Mohawk, SO familiar to rs all, capsiz-
ing at her anchorage, surrounded by assist
ance and close TO- the shore-a tragedy not
soon to be forgotten, either for the loss of
the valued lives that perished or for the gal
lantry of the survivors.
The August cruise of the entire squadron
is of much more value, apart from all con-
vivial considerations, than it seems It
affords large and continued opportunity
to yacht owners to compare the various
models in action, and to test their own boats
as to speed and stability; it also tends fire.
quently to reduce the gorgeous idea of those
essentials which become the true inward
ness ofevery yacht owner as regards his own
particular boat the moment she becomes his
own. 1t has, therefore, been unfortunate
that hitherto so few yachts are prepared to
follow the Commodore's lead the moment he
neglects the Capuan delights Of Newport or
the temptations Of Oak Bluffs to venture
into the Bay of Boston or the blue beyond.
The cruise Of the past summer carried but q
small representation of the large schooners,
and only one gallant little cutter as far east
as Gloucester but even then the strong
winds they experienced afforded many reve-
lations of the absurd oyersparring indulged
in year after year, and of the monstrosities
in canvass, which also appear annually to in
crease in enormity. The discipline of the
squadron, too, leaves much to be desired,
and yachtsmen who get under way to obtain
a foremost place before the signal is given
by the Commodore, and thus obtain an un-
fair advantage over those who honestly OBJ
serve the well-defned club rules, should
not go unrebuked.
The Corinthian races which have been SO
successfully adopted by neighboring clubs
might also, with great advantage, be grated
upon our racing events. They introduce
the desirable element Of healthful athletic
exercise into what is else the very flower
of idleness and lotos eating, and in that way
make an excuse for the vast repasts that the
sharp sea dir provides appetite for, and
which remind one Of the independent
electors in Pickwick. "'Don't they show
great devotion to the cause, SamY said Mr.
Pickwick. Uncommon, sir; they eats and
drinks enormous. only wonders they amt
afeard of bustin'.'"
The season has not been either without
its illustrations. Mr. Hepworth's charming
little book of the cruise OF the Nettie shows
the aesthetic side of the noble sport of yacht
ing, and that our yachtsmen are not afraid
to carry out the motto of their club
Nos agimur tumidis wells.