News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1886-09-16
THE COST OF KEEPING A YACHT
From the Boston Herald

Yachting has become so favorite
pastime among wealthy men, and the
number of trim vessels increases so wear
by year, that it is not difficult to arrive
at some general knowledge of the aver
age value and annual cost of the crafts
in commission. The famous vessels of
the Eastern clubs have been so rlany
times described in these columns that it
is not necessary to recount the particu-
lars of their architectural design. A
vessel like Mr.. Gray's Huron could be
launched complete, according to the
statements of the leading builders in
this section of the country, at a cost of
from $50, 900 to $25, 900 at most. The
Jolly tars on board would number eight
or nine men before the mast. a captain,
a mate, cook, a steward, and perhaps
a cabin boy. The pay of the crew will
average about $50 per month for each
ordinary seaman, from $50 to 1925 per
month for the captain, from $50 to SO
for the mate, and according 20 the cpl
-curean tastes of the owner, the cooks
wages would range from that of the
heave ON y-timbers tar to that of the
gallant and gold-laced captain. Some
yacht owners, who are inclined to "put
on style, will select from their rope
hauling minions a second mate, a
60 bosun" and quartermaster for an
additional wage of S. every thirty days.
Putting the number of the working
crew of crack yacht at twelve, and
fixing the cost therefor according to the
following literally calculated table, the
expense of maintenance can be easily
determined:
Captains salary per month, say. 500
Mates salary per month, say. so
Second mates salary per month,
say. ............... 30
Quartermaster's salary per month,
say. ............... 30 |
Bosun's salary per month, say. 30
Six seamen at $50 per month. go. $50 |
Cook per month, say. 40
Total per month. .... $475 |
Adding to this the cost of the ''keep,"
and bringing the total up to 5000, we
have the sum of 81, 800 as the seasons |
expenditure for the crew. Placing |
it at $4,000, the allowance is liberal |
indeed.
But yachting has this in common
with Housekeeping, that one never
knows when his expenses will cease. |
There is always something to be bought, |
whether it be some adornment for the |
cabin or some supplement to the rig. |
Accident to the canvas, collision, bump |
ing upon the shoals, the hundred and |
one mishaps which befall nautical loco |
motion, and the various causes for |
frequent hauling up" on the stocks
pile up the outgo of dollars. These
things provided for, it remains with |
the owner to determine whether his |
reputation for hospitality and dinner
giving shall follow him from Common
wealth avenue to the briny If he Is
accustomed to playing mine host upon
ship, he is likely to find this item in his |
dog day expenditure beating the ships |
maintenance bill out of sight. At this !
point the cost of yachting becomes mere |
conjecture, but he must, indeed, be
generous skipper who entertains to the |
extent of So, 900 during the season, and |
thus brings up his account with Nep- |
tune to the comfortable figure of So, goo. |
What shall be said, then, of the man
who regards $40, 900 as a moderate |
seasons yachting bill He must have
t1oared his vessel on champagne and |
Burgundy. and dined his crew and his |
guests upon Delmonico menus every |
day in the week. Considering the fact, |
however, that few Boston yacht owners
live on board their sloops or schooners,
and that still fewer keep open house
for an army of acquaintance, it is
ditHcnlt to understand how Mr.. Gray,
who was proverbial for not doing
thus could find an outlet for the sum
which he is said to have expended.
What has been said above applies to
yachts manned only for cruising 1t is
an ther story when racing yachts are
the object of outgoing dollars and
dimes. Then the crew is doubled, a
racing gear has TO be provided for, and
the cost of continual preparation and
continual overhauling mounts up to
figures which would make most men
feel rich. II is a matter Of common re
port that the Puritan and the NIavtiowcr
cost In building and Quitting upward /
OF $50, 200 each by the time they had !
started on their trial trips. The Or
binary crew of the Maytiower numbers
some thirteen men before the mast, be- |
sides the captain, cook and mate The |
wages, clothing and provisioning of this
crew are said to amount to nearly 500 |
every thirty days, and, adding the |
other expenses, the cost of maintenance
is thought to average 81, 900 monthly. |
On race days the crew is increased to
twenty-five or thirty men, and conse-
uuen+1v tho cost ic OboDco6