Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1885-08-22
Hikers ON the Delaware.


The "hiker" is an aquatic racehorse. not
more than fifteen feet long, without a deck
with mast away MP in the bow, and with a
single sail big, enough for good-sized yacht
The "hiker" does not carry any ballast except
that which can move about on two legs. In
other words, her crew of four Or five men are
her ballast. In order to utilize their weight so
who invented the "hiker' devised the following
scheme: Fastened to the center-board, the
mast aud the lower yard of the sail are five OF
slx ropes, which are long enough to hang over
one side into the water. On the ends which go
over the side are fastened bars OF wood, and on
these bars OF wood hang the human ballast.
An admirable illustration of the working OF
this simple but rather moist device Is afforded
during every regatta of the Southwark Yacht
"hikers," either with a double or a single bow
When the starting gun Is fired, from thirty to
fifty racers dip across the line as their crews
hauling until such spread of canvas is dis.
played that any spectator who was not acqualn.
ted with the use of the apparently useless ropes
way OF the men, would say at once that the un.
ballasted little boats would go over before the
fir ut 9pSa a1! .;;al was finished:
creased momentum with each moment. Still
their progress is comparatively slow, there
staring Mt the sail and at the river behind. Sud.
denly the ruffiing OF the water tells of the com.
Ing OF q puff Of wind. The crew Of each "hiker
themselves on the gunwales with bars Of wood
IN their hands. Perhaps the wind blows stead.
lily; perhaps it strikes them in gush. If the
former, then the men sit where they are, bal
ancing the craft simply by their ali being on
one side, But If, especially while tacking, the
yells franticaEy,. "Hike over"
In an instant The ropes are stretched taut and
the wooden bars disappear overheard into the
water, followed by the men or the posterior part
OF them. Only their legs remain In the boat as
they sit on the transverse bars and hold on to
the ropes. Every other wave surges up to their
necks, and often a dip to windward submerges
them completely, with the exception OF their
legs, which flourish wildly up over the side OF
raft has been saved from capsfzing by this sud.
zen hanging out OF from 500 to over / 600
pounds on the windward side. Sometimes an
entire tack across the river Is made with the
crew linking out" In this manner.
Sometimes, as they come about, in spite OF
sde too
high up into the air. Then for q few brie1
8 seconds every nerve is strained as they pull on
over the side. They may succeed and keep the
boat from capsizing. or they may all execute q
grand flying leap as the "hiker" goes over
usually strong wind or when bad management
IS shown in coming about" at the wrong time
And, even If they do capsize, there is no harm
done OF course, they are out of the race, but
that is all. The tugs and steamers that follow
pick them up and tow the half submerged boat
back home again, where she is righted and
bailed out.
On many OF the races at least ten men are
taken in each boat. They serve to keep her
steady as long as the breeze is too stir OF the
cruise is against the wind. But it. after the buoy
is rounded and the wind dies away the captain
glances significantly at of one the crew, the
yachtsman grins, pulls off his boots, and drops
overheard. Perhaps he is picked up, perhaps
he is not noticed in the excitement or the race
and Is left to take care of himself. In this case
he calmly strikes out for the shore, half q mile
away. Sometimes half dozen men are
order TO tighten her and keep her rivals from
crawling ahead. But woe to the captain who sac.
rifces too many of his men. There may come
up an unforeseen wind and bowl over the
to-lightly ballasted boat in the twinkling Of
an eye.