Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1886-06-11
INLAND YACHTS AND YACHTING.
A summer school of salling-snggestions.

A Summer school of Sailing-Suggestions.
What Il wonder it is that no school ex-
lists in the country in which boy can be
taught how to to sail small yacht safely.
Almost every other branch of education
seems to be provided for. A father can
have his son taught how to fence, dance,
shoot, swim, row, ride and box, but where
shall he send him and have him taught
bya competent instructor to sail a boat
safely and well? | know of no such
school A gentleman said to me the other
day 81 have two boys who are crazy to
have Il boat to sail. and | would gladly
buy them one for think that boat sailing
is not only a healthy and manly recrea-
ton, but 1t develops boy in Judgment
and courage and the power to do the
tight thing at the right time promptly,
ftut | don't like to trust them in boat
until they know how to manage one, and
J. don't know where | can send them to
have them taught. Is there no school in
The country where the art of sailing yachts
lis taught | had to confess | knew of
none. And yet the gentleman's wish was
-. most natural one and his feeling en-
cirely proper. And it seems to me that
this IN the educational system of the coup-
Try SuOulu Dt SuDplleu, anu llldJ SC0OOlS
may be established at desirable points in
which both the science of navigation
might be taught and instruction in prac-
tical sailing of small craft be given.
| believe that if such school was es-
tablished here, with summer sessions,
more applicants would apply than could
be accommodated. can not conceive
that any more pleasant way of spending
the summer months could be found for
many boys and young men than attend
ing such Il school in this city. The stretch
of water in front of it is perfectly adapted
for the manpuvering of small craft being
both roomy and safe while the lake in
its entirety is large enough to afford am
pie distances for cruising under every con
dition required to give practical illus
tration to every principle taught. be-
lieve that if such school of instruction
was established here, 1t would receive
ample patronage, not only at the hands
of our own citizens but of many non resi-
dents who would eagerly embrace the OPP
portuuity thus offered of having their
children educated in the art of sailing a
boat without the risk which must ALWAYS
attend the effort of ignorance educating
itself
AprOpOs to this line of suggestion is the
remark of a resident Of Burlington to the
effect that "rhe difficulty with this local
ity is two-fold First, Burlington has no
yachts, and second, she has no Yachts
tent. For we are confident that we have
among Il, and near us along the shore a
gOodly number of men vino have praCti-
cal knowledge of the lake, and are able to
pilot any yacht safely from one end of il
to the other And many of them are men
not only Of ample knowledge but of eX-
cellent character and sober habits Not
only so, but there are several young men,
not experts but amateurs, who handle
C3ats fairly well and with little more
practice and by turning their attention to
what might he called the theory of sail
ing for a short time would speedily be
come capable tller men. We have watch
ed every craft that has put out for several
weeks, and have been agreeably impressed
with what we have seen. What they
seem TO need is more practice in handling
their boats. y man must sail his boat
often il he would sail it well. If Il young
would learn how to skate finely he must
skate. 1t he would learn how to sail a
boat we'll he must sail, Once a week
wont answer Let any young man who
owns boat, or can command the use OF
one, continue to get into it for an hour OF
two each day whether there is any wind
or not, and he will be astonished at his
improvement at the end of month. Let
any one VINO reads these lines try it and
see.
"What can do if there is no wind =
you ask. y good many things, we reply
and things that need to be done well too
Let me cateCh'se you Il little. DO you
know how to splice rope fairly well
How many sallOr-Wlse, useful and needed
knots can you tie Can you take in rec
quickly and neatly Have You ever prac
ticed reeting a sail in a good breeze in the
middle OF the lake Can you bring YOU
boat without help IN a stun wind to hel
moorings and moor her safely Can yol
take 4 company aboard without confusion
and cast oil your lines or trip and stow
o. hnr 1Tnf ftsa fr1t 1f