The Lambertville record. [volume] (Lambertville, N.J.) 1872-1968, 1885-10-28
STEAM AND SAILING YACHTS.
Too Expensive for Any but the Very Rich
TO Rnioy.

" The three largest steam yachts in The
country are the Nourmnhal, Mr. Aston 231
feet long and 500 tons burthen; the Ma
mouna, Mr.. Bennett, 226 feet long and 8i5
tons burthen, and the Atalanta, Mr.. Gould,
$50 feet long and TAI tons burthen. The
Namouna is probably the most luxurious
and expcnsively run yacht in the world
She is an iron three master, with steel decks
and carries Mt all times n full complement
of men. She is always ready for nm ocean
voyage, and can, at any moment, man all
her boats in case of necessity. Her crew,
all told, numbers upwards of fifty men. Mr.
Bennett commands and navigates her him.
self. Then there are four officers who take
watch and watch four engineers, nine fire.
men and coal passers, ten men before the
mast, boat-swain, gunner, ships carpenter,
two deck boys, four quartermasters, first
and second stewart and four cabin waiters
two cabin boys, chief cook and four assist.
ants, four mess boys, etc. Mr.. Bennett has
among the crew many old employees, who
receive large salaries, but even at the usual
| figures IL will be seen at q glance that his
monthly payroll must foot up over 1000
and in all probability it reaches So, 500. Al
q very moderate estimate it must cost nm
average of fifty cents day per head to feed
this crew, and that alone foots up the snug
little sum of $3.50 per month. When the
Namouna is Mt sea she burns in the neigh
<sft .Nf 81 Has, *.
at 1878 per ton amounts to $75 per day,
or in month of cruising So, $50. When to
this is added the cost of repairs, engineers
and mates stores (cordage, etc. J, the inter-
est at six per cent. on an investment of
about 1926, 600 and a proper allowance for
the depreciation in value of the property,
it will be seen that, without any reference
to the cost of maintaining the cabin and the
wine locker, the expense of running yacht
like the Namouna for q month is something
fabulous. At rough estimate $4,000 il
probably within the mark.
But for this money the owner 10 a
boating palace as home. He is free to 60
wherever he chooses at whatever time suits
his purpose or his pleasure. Whenever he
crosses the Atlantic he can choose his CON-
panions instead of being obliged to Fore
gather with the travelling hog who is always
10 be found on an ocean steamer.
"Tke Nourmahal and tho Atalanta, o.
they are principally used in home waters
are not SO extensively run. They each car
ry crew of about thirty, all told, and theil
expenses are therefore proportionatelJ
smaller. So with the Electra, which ma,
be taken as fair example of steam zach
about half the size of those mentioned. Sht
is TIA feet long and carries crew of abou
twenty men. Her payroll would foot VI
something like thousand dollars month
She burns about eight tons of coal da,
and the cost of feeding her crew is probabl,
trife more than on a large steamer. The
expenses, as has been said, of sailing vessel
is much smaller, but then they do not al
ways have fair wind, fact that is atonet
for in the opinion of their owners by the
sport of beating to windward.
" Among the larger sailing yachts the
schooner Dau ntless may be taken as fail
example. This boat carries fourteen mer
before the mast, two officers, three cooks
two stewards and two boys. Her payroll
therefore, foots up nearly $1,000 pei
month, and to this must be added the cosi
OF food, clothing and repairs, besides thu
other items of towing and wet goods for the
cabin locker. From this down to twenty
foot cat-boat the necessary expenses de-
crease in proportion, but it will be seen a
glance that yachting is an expensive
amusement"