Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1885-09-03
THE HHtkER,"
An Aquatic Racehorse Whose Habitat Ii
on tho Delaware.


An Aquatic Racehorse Whose Habitat Ii
/ on tho Delaware.
The ''hiker" is an aquatic racehorse
not more than fifteen feet long. with
out deck, with a mast away up 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 utl-
ize their weight so as to prevent cap
sizing. the unknown genius who invent
ed the ''hiker" devised the following
SCENE: Fastened to the center-board
the mast and the lower yard of the sail
are five Or six ropes. which are long
enough to hand 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 Club. The
Southwark is composed entirely of
''hikers. either with double
Or single bow. When the starting
gun is fired, from thirty to fifty racers
dip across the line as their crews
frantically haul up the sails. They
continue hauling until such spread of
canvas is displayed that any specta-
tor who was not acquainted with the
use of the apparently useless ropes and
wooden bars, which seem to be only in
the way OF the men, would say at
once that the UNPUBLISHED little boats
would 60 over before the first quarter
mile was finished.
On they glide down the river. gath
ering increased momentum with each
moment. Still their progress is COM
paratively slow, there being but a
breath of air. The crews all sit
staring at the sail and the river be-
hind. Suddenly the 1uff1ing of the
water tells of the coming of a putt
of wind. The crew of each "h kerr
scramble over to the windward side
and perch themselves on the gunwa1es
with the bars of wood in their hands.
Perhaps the wind blows steadily
perhaps it strikes them in gush. If
the former, then the men sit where
they are. balancing the craft simply
by their all being on one side. But.
if especially while lacking. the chi
ker's" spread of canvas above proves
too much for her and she plunges over,
the Captain yells franctically "hike
over"
In an instant the ropes are stretched
taut and the wooden bars disappear
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 dip to wind
ward submerges them completely, with
the exception of their legs, which
flourish wildly up over the side of the
boat but when they reappear again the
craft has been saved from capsizing by
this sudden hanging out of from 500 to
over 1000 pounds on the wlndward
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 their efforts, the wind proves
too strong for them and the side they
are sitting over is raised high in the
air Then for few brief seconds
every nerve is strained as they pull on
the ropes and hang. almost head down
ward, over the side. They may succeed
and keep the boat from capsizing. or
they may all execute a grand flying
leap as the ''hiker' goes over and they
are thrown forward into the sail. This,
however, happens. only when there is
an. unusually 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 stiff or the cruise is
against the wind. But if, after the
buoy is rounded and the wind dies
away, the captain chances significantly
atone of 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 of the
of himself. In this case he calmly
strikes out for the shore. half a
mile away Sometimes half q dozen
men are dropped over in this manner
from one boat. in order to Tighten her
and keep her rivals from crawling
ahead. But woe to the captain who
sacrifices too many of his men. There
may come up an unforeseen wini and
bowl over the too-lightlv ballasted
boat in the twinkling of an eye.-HiI
n1p1pbi0 prsce