The New York herald., 1876-07-28
The Duty OF Yacht Owners.


The construction of a vessel should be
adapted to the character of the waters and
the climate in which it is intended she shall
cruise. In all his own works man should
initiate nature, who clothes the animals of
polar regions with fur and those of the trop-
les with q thin hair, and in thousand ways
makes the principle of adaptation plain to
the observer. AS q rule, the methods of
shipbuilding are determined by these laws.
The English yachts. which sail on the stormy
Irish Sea and English Channel and on
the treacherous Mediterranean, are built to
encounter the storms of any sea. In New
York Bay and on the Sound our yachts are
made for speed and the comfort of the pas
sengers for our waters are smooth and
pleasant, and in heavy weather safe harbors
are easily reached. Therefore we do not
expect yacht like the Mohawk, built like q
floating palace, with every luxurious nven-
ton that can be found on land, to be as
strong and hardy as vessel intended to
cross the Atlantic. She was made for plea
sure and not for "roughing it" in mid-ocean.
But such an immense yacht as the Mo-
hawk, carrying such an expanse Of canvas,
should have been fully prepared for any
emergency that could occur in the waters
surrounding New York. Even here we cam
not always count upon an eight-knot breeze
only, and that the Mohawk was knocked
over in the Bay by q squall that did not cap
size the smallest boat in the vicinity proves
hat hov a1x
bad seamanship but something wrong in
the manner in which she was fitted
out The facts show that the furniture in
the main cabin was not properly fastened
and that when the vessel capsized sofas and
tables imprisoned the victims behind bar
ricade from which escape was impossible.
But in addition to this error the ballast of
the Mohawk broke free, and, as it was lead,
was hurled about the hold like the loose car
ronade which Victor Hugo describes in one
of his recent stories. The squall that first
struck the Mohawk had not the force to
in good order. Yet it spite Of her condition
she partially righted, but when the second
squall came it found the furniture and bal
last shifted to the lee side and she was thus
easily thrown upon her beam ends without
any chance Of recovery
Mr.. Garner unquestionably believed that
his ballast was perfectly secure, and so the
owners of many yachts now cruising in our
waters believe their ballast to be. But if
he was mistaken it is probable that they are,
and two-thirds of our yachts, it is likely, are
in similar condition to that of the Mo-
hawk. 1t is not enough that ballast should
be confined in place by beams, but it should
be wedged in, SO as to be utterly immov-
able. Nor should the word of the sailing
master be taken as sufficient proof that the
vessel is seaworthy in this respect. A yacht
owner should examine for himself and this
duty the loss of the Mohawk now makes i'm
perative. Every yacht should be carefully
studied, the flooring taken up and the bal
last examined and thoroughly wedged in.
We do not give this advice in the spirit Of
alarm, but in that of caution. The pastimes
of the water are as safe as those of the land,
and it would be a pity if the beautiful amuse-
ment Of yachting, which has made such as
tonishing progress in America, should suffer
even temporary loss of popularity because
of the distrust and fears of the public.