The Pioche weekly record. [volume] (Pioche, Nev.) 1877-1900, 1892-07-28
YACHTING IN AMERICA.
The Extent and Cost OF Boating
for Pleasure.
Hundreds OF Organized Clubs and Thou
sands of Recorded Yachts Repre-
sentIng an Invested Capital
OF Millions OF Dollars.

Hundreds OF Organized Clubs and Thou
sands of Recorded Yachts Repre-
sentIng an Invested Capital
OF MilIions OF Dollars.
Each advancing year makes more APP
parent the universally of taste for
aquatic sports among the American
people. Yachting has ever been Il grow
iar pastime by the waters Of the North
Atlantic coast. We now find white
iailS in the least-expected places; yacht
a:.d yachters where but a few years ago
the only sailors were the timid Wild
duck and the solemn mudhen; boats up
On waters that have scarcely ceased to
ripple from the agitation Of their first
invasion by launched vessel; butterfly
canoes scudding over rivers that not a
decade since knew no alien thing save
the Indians dug-out; lakes upon which
float shapely vessels OF pattern so mod
rrn that they almost seem uncouth in
their intrusion upon natures primeval
landscape; sloops and cutters, schoon-
crs and cst-boats, every kind OF sailing
craft, in short, that can be made to ca
ter to the yachter's insatiate desire for
sport. In yachting the United States
takes first rank; her yachts and yacht
ers outnumber and outsail those OF all
other countries. Few among the land
hibbers" of the country, and not man..
yachters, realize the magnitude OF this
national pastime. The Queens Cup
races gave the sport publicity which
IL never had before, but even these
events did not bring to general public
notice an adequate conception of TIE ax-
| tent OF this interest
! 1t is safe to estimate, writes +. W.
Pangborn In Century, that there is at
least one yacht to every ten thousand
people in the land, and that an average
yacht will carry at least ten persons
This means that there are at least six
thousand yacht owners in the country
and that sixty thousand people may
participate in pleasure-sailing; large
number, surely, to be devoted toa spor'
which is necessarily confined to local.
ties near the water, and which Is an ex
pensiye pastime The public hear
much OF vessels of the Volunteer ant
Grayling types, champions OF the big
boat classes, but the real yachters o
the land are the owners OF small boats
in fact, the big-boat owner generally
keeps small yacht in which to enjoy
himself when he feels like being maste
Of his own craft. A few statistics vii
render this quite plain.
Figures that are somewhat incom
plete show that there are over 200 OF
canized yacht clubs in the Unite
States, which enroll nearly 1900 yachts
OF these, less than one-thirteenth ar
steam vessels, launches, etc, and nc
sailing-boats at all. One-eleventh ar
classed as large yachts, including man
steam and sail vessels, big schooners an
sloops, all of more than forty feet WE
ter-line measurement. That is to say
Of 4, 900 recorded yachts, ave-sixths al
sailing vessels under 40 feet. Thl
shows conclusively that the majority
American yachts are small boats tha
are managed by their owners. It's sal
to assert that there are at least a'o'
more small yachts which are not e.
tered in clubs, and of which no exa
record can be given
The 200 clubs report membership
over 1000 men, 1000 Of whom are zach
owners. Leaving out one-sixth OF the
as owners Of large and very costly VIC
j, sells ranging in value from $4,000
perhaps S500OO0 each, and assumii
the average cost of the small yachts
be about $1,000, which is a low figui
one finds that fve-sixths of these 40
yachts represent an invested capital
u over IS, SOC, 600; a large sum when it
remembered that yachts never p
back anything in profit to their buye
and that, like horses and carriag
they eat up good deal OF money
the time. The average dues, etc., OF
yacht club are about e25 year, !
counting extras. This, paid in by ~
- members of clubs, shows revenue
sl75,OOO per annum, which really rep
sents no part of the great cost OF vac
ing, for every yacht-owner has to
his own expenses, and the club d.
are spent on shore, At very low e
mate the. owner of small yacht Y
spend $50 @ month during the season
about Ave months. This means t
Is, the small-yacht sailors of the coun
spend at least 100000 in a seas
How much their yachting costs
owners of the big boats 1t would be
nnao;hle tn state. the sum ia enormt