New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-12-01
MEASUREMENT OF YACHTS
CHANGES PROPOSED BY THE NETWORK
CLUB
AN ATTEMPT TO MAKE THE RULES SIMPLE
AND MORE EFFECTIVE.

AND MORE EFFECTIVE
The report of the Committee on Measurement AMI
Classification of the Ncw-York Yacht Club has Just
been published. 1t not only contains matter which
Is Of interest TO all the numerous yacht clubs Of
America, but IL will undoubtedly form the subject
for discussion al the many winter meetings of other
organizations held in preparation for nsxt season.
The rules hitherto used by the New-York club, and
slight variations Of those rules have governed the
time allowance system of the most important yachting
societies. and II is only reasonable TO suppose that
the new departures Will be re-ochoed as they deserve
1t is TO be desired always that the yachting sport so
far as racing is concerned should be harmonized by
= uniform sS stem OF classification and measurement.
The selected to devise the new methods have 10
supcriors as expert yachtsmen In the country, and
comprise john Hyslop. the yscht-measurcr, and
A. Cary Smith the Designer, representatives OF
professional yachting, and Vice. Commodore Latham
A Fish and T. A. Willard the to protect the
interest OF the amateurs
The problem which stared the committee in the
face when It assumed It's work, a complex and
consequently q difficult II considered tina,
the true Light in which TO view all rules to be framed
for the regulation and government Of the sport should
DO such would put aside keep out of the
way wherever practicable, all needless and unde-
sirabe features ana conditions; should favor
especial type dimensions should concern itself
soely With elements Of advantage for speed or with
such features would be representative Of these
or factors few and simple possible 1t
looked upon necessary that the committee should
give to these as nearly just value as 1t could, and
in this way give to the owner and designer the only
real discretion practicable for them, to tine use
they would make of the features which enter
factors into the measurement.
The committee had besides this to consider the
sufhcency OF the allowance by the present table
for differences IN size and the question whether this
table, any other which might be recommended could
be adjusted to make the Of IL by regatta
committees Others more ready and convenient
Alss the question whether the mode OF measuring
spars could be improved in detail, so as 10 secure
greater accuracy In results prevent possible nvasons
and remove the pressure toward undesirable develop
ments and tendencies.
When the last report upon this subject made,
May g. 1883 the introduction of sail into the
rule of measurement was almost al experiment
Since then, sail has been taken into the formula
Of almost every important club IN this country and
Europe. IN every where sail has been
factor In the measurement 70 it has been given an
importance much grcs,er and in some cases nearly
double that which 1t has had in the New-York Club
rule; yet to such extent has large sail area
been relied upon for the production Of speed that it
appears be Of all clubs having racing yachts
on their Lists that the winning yachts have
much larger rigs in proportion TO their water-l1ne
lengths than those existing when the present rule
was adopted. 1t has not appeared 70 the committee
that 1t IS necessary t. prevent the production of
largely rugged yachts by making successful racing
with them impossible The recommendation II there
fore makes is that the measurement for allowance
shall be obtained by taking the square root Of sail
area and the length of the waerline once, and
dividing the same by two. Hitherto the length OF
the waterline taken twice, the square root OF
the sail area once, and the sum divided by three.
The effect OF the alteration will of DO to give
increased value TO the factor representing sail
The change, however. is not thought sufficient
10 encourage the production Of racers OF moderate
which has hitherto been made by WatelIne length,
shall hereafter DO made by the same measure which
governs the allowance, IN other words, according 10
the sailing length. This method will give great
liberty of design aud opportunity TO suit the varying
proportions and requirements Of owners THIS method
Of classification has been in use with the New-Yorh
Corinthisn Yacht Club since last season.
given quantity added to the %a'eri ihe
s@sa o OF sail aea which has been a by
present rule \ fory-foot yacht can gain Two iess
as: a Yacht Of seventy-ioot waierline would gam
by loss Of 3o feet Of canvas ms toad OF o4o
length By loss square feet instead Of 736 square
1eei. --.,..u- 10 ,o.r.,,.,.o .h,r,, that |
II will be acceptable owners and othcrN and conduce
the equity and prosperity OF yacht racing, thst
certain Wedet h heccme measrahIe It is pro
posed therefore, that spinaker boom which measures
no longer than distance between the lore soe OF
the foremost OF schooner or the malhmast Vi sso
rnasted vessel TO the forward point OF measurement
OF the line. shall remain out OF account Du tat
any spnaker boom exceeding this limit shall be taken
into acc,.. .i The length in excess. and this amount
added to TIE base line used for spar measurement
The next matter considered by the committee was |
the allowance table The scale formerly IN use gives
about as per cent Of the theoretical allowance based
upon the principle that opportunities Tor speed vary
az do the square roots OF the varying lengths The
allowances are loss liberal than they should be- AMI
the committee that the changes viii, II carried
stiu further remove the yachts from the positions
the scale for which their allowances are cacuatc1,
recommends that the scale OF allowances be increased
from the present as per cent 10 90 per cent OF the
theoretical scale. Finally, II is recommended that,
IN order facilitate of the table OF allowances,
table should be calculated throughout the range
the scale for every interval Of tenth OF loot, and
that the rule should be established that no smaller
interval shall be used but that every yachts cOfecteI
tine should be reckOned 10 the nearest tenth
In arranging for the divisions Of the schooner
classes by racing length instead Of by waierline
length II has not appeared practicable % change with
advantage the points OF division the intervals as
Firstcsss schooners feet sailing length and
Second class schoOners... 90 100 fet sailing length.
Thr1.class schOOners..- 50 70 so feet sailing length
Fourth class schooners 20 70 80 teet sailing length
Tifthclass schOOners.--.- 10 fcet ana under.
In the division Of sloop yachts 1t is recommended
that the classes be:
Yrst.class feet sailing length and over.
kecond.cass ............6e TO = feet sailing length
Thirdclass .........-..6O 70 81 feet sail NJ ength-
ass........... sc feet sailing length.
10 81 Feet sailing enRth
Sixth.c ass. .............4S feet and under
The effect Of the innovations described is best shown
by the following comparison;
Measurement Meas'm't AlOw'ce AllOw'ce
by present by pioPos' by pres by pro
rule. ed rule ent rule posed rle
Fortuna .. 80 1872 9422 1:59 1:27
sea Fox-......-.-..... go79 Pig .39 52o