The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1892-08-25
The "Fresh" Yachtsman.

Egotism is a very prominent feature in
in yacht or small boat, especially if they
have an earnest desire and an ambition to
learn seamanship, etc. Many, before they
have been outside of harbor, read nauti-
cal books, and in a manner wholly salts
factory to themselves ''study up on
yachting and other matters pertaining to
the sea.
A days sail is enough to cause some
people to think themselves fully compe
tent to take charge of almost any kind of a
craft, from a cat boat to 100-ton schoon-
er. When the weather is fine, the breeze
steady, and sea smooth, it gives them
every confidence to think they could man
age a boat of large size as well as an old
hand Have they not watched the man at
the helm when all kinds of orders have
been given him; and have they not given
particular attention to the way the sails
We're trimmed when sailing on the wind,
running free, and with leading breeze.
The thing looks so easy, and every thing
works so nicely, that confidence of no
small proportions soon springs up in the
mind of the novice; and nothing short Of
ger will have the slightest effect towards
dispelling his conceited thoughts. Maybe
he is allowed to steer for a short time
this generally inspires him with wonder
full confidence, and for the next week his
associates are compelled to listen to such
tales of the ocean as would send a shiver
have you believe that in all weather,
however boisterous, he understands just
what to do.
The people who have been deceived and
led into danger by this class of sailors are
not few. Every summer at the sea shore
hundreds of people, both male and female,
unhesitatingly, through their ignorance of
the sea, place their lives in the care of
those who know but little of things per-
tanning to boats, but who pretend to know
it ALL These t1atulent sailors are the
cause of many deaths: but in some mys-
terious manner they continue year after
year to victimize large proportion of the
people whom they meet. and lead them
to suppose that they are all they represent
themselves to be.
A few years ago overheard CONVEX
sation carried on between some clerks and
customers in an p-country grocery store.
1t was in the winter. and the usual num-
Der Of loafers found in a country store
We're roosting in their respective places
on sugar and cracker barrels. and in close
proximity to the rasin box.
1t seemed that one of the clerks had
sometime during the previous summer
taken short yachting cruise off the coast
of Maine, and was relating to an attentive
and appreciative audience the wonders he
beheld while on the trip. He favored
his remarks with a number of hair
breadth escapes IN which he figured as a
hero of no ordinary type. The style in
which he used nautical phrases was
amusing, and the absurtity of the tale as
but he had an appreciative audience, and
through the ignorance which he displayed
of sea- fa1ing affairs | found myself listen
ing with as great an interest as any in the
store.
The speaker was frequently interrupted
by the clapping of hands and humping of
feet against the sugar barrels and stove
railing whenever particular funny point
in the story was reached.
He told how. ON dark and stormy
night off the coast of Maine. he and an
other shipmate had saved yacht from
going to the bottom. The manner in which
he described the reeting OF the yachts sails,
the bowling of the wind through the rig
ging. the Tapping and tearing of canvas.
the heavy pitching and staggering of the
and the halloaing of the crew as they
executed the orders of the captain, were
accepted by his awe-stricken listeners as
something wonderful.
Evidently the speaker had studied his
piece well, for it had the faint of some of
the ocean scenes which W. Clark Russell
SO graphically and admirably describes in
"Marooned'' and the 'sWreck of The
Grosvenor.
There was an elderly gentleman who en-
joyed the only comfortable seat in the
store. and the manner in which it was Of
fered when he entered plainly showed
him to be man of some distinction in
the town. He Immediately became inter
ested in the conversation, and when the
nautical clerk had finished his story many
questions were asked by the old gentle
man. From his manner of asking ques-
tions concerning the voyage it was evil
dent that he thought of buying Yacht
That he had the greatest confidence in
the ability Of the young man to sail a
yacht was plain to be seen; for once dur
ing the conversation | ventured to correct
an absurd statement which he made CON