New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-08-19
FEW NEW IDEAS IN CANOING
RIGS TO BE SEEN AT LAKE CHAMPLAIN
FOLLOW OLD LINES.
THE RACING TO BEGIN To-pAY-cRUIs1Na CANOES
COMING TO THE FRONT

d.y TIL the whole OF regatta contests has been
exhausted
As far as boats and ideas to be found here are
concerned. there is little that is new since Buffers
Wasp. which was built in 1889 and In which he won
the trophy In 1892 and 1893 This is the boat tina, ne
used June, 1895 when he successfully defended
the New-York Canoe Clubs International Challenge
Cup against Archibald. OF Montreal The latter
sailed the Nab built In 1893. In which ne won the
A c A. trophy OF 1894. at Croton Point Butler has
new boat at this meet. the Bug built almost pre-
cisey on the lines of the Wasp and his other boats
and Il, has already shown good speed. II is evident
that the best OF the will be won by Butler
Gray Goddard and Aries OF the Lowell vespers
ar BY some newcomers IN the camp. Stewart,
packis and Martin, OF Rochester.
The canoes Of the latter are built by Ruggles on
the lines of the famous Glenwood. This canoe, sailed
BY Oxholn, was designed and put together by
canoe- builder who does all the work on every canoe
he turns out with his hands. He has been
building racing canoes for nine years and will work
only for those canoemen who bring him credit
bv sailing his boats we'll His boats have more
races in the las, years than those o. any
other builder. The Glenwood is not peculiar in any
way II is a genuine canoe. designed to suit
acly the weight and method OF sailing Of her owner.
The cockpit is very small and boxed in watertight.
so that no water possibly get into the hold Of
the canoe. even II she is upset In fact. an upset
did happen TO Oxhom while gybing at one Of the
buoys in a trial race. He righted the canoe by
standing in the centreboard and prying her up by
means Of the long sliding seat. and the entire per-
fo-mance delayed him In the just thirty
onds The Glenwood is canoe far superior 10 the
boats that took part in the first for the in
ternational cup and sails fully 25 per cent faster
in fact. she reached measured mile In less than
six minutes. which is at the rate Of over ten miles
Ct hour The sliding seat has greatly increased the
sail-carrying power OF canoes. and therefore the
speed But 1t is curious tina; practically no improve
nent has been made in the cutting or rigging OF
sails Both the Canuck and the Glenwood carried
standing sails-sails laced 10 the mast which can
not be hosted or lowered. Similar sails in
use in 1885, and they quite good as the pres
ent ones. Each canoe has five or six sails of differ
ent sizes and the two most suitable 10 the weather
or the day OF the used.
Cruising canoes be coming TO the front
again. and it has been arranged that prizes shall
be offered cruising outfits of all kinds The needs
OF the racers now we'll looked after by the Re
gatta Committee. and the racing programme seems
likely to stand with little need of alteration save
IN minor details. The Regatta Committee will now
do the same for the cruiser that IT does for the
racer unless the idea prevails that the division
meets should be cruises. and the A. c. A. meets
fixed camp with no cruising. cruiser should be
canoe with plenty Of dry stowage. and that can
STAY a, sea when il IL rough. not with an open
cockpit that must lay up on the slightest indca-
ton Of rough water. Each canoe might be obliged
10 carry a certain weight or bulk Each man might
strike his tent. pack II INTO MS canoe together Win
a certain weight of sandbags. sail 10 windward
around stakeboat and return. the tents to be
struck at the gun signal and the time to include all
preparation. The taking OF the tents ABOARD would
efectually bar the canoes that have no cockpts
OF course tent poles must go with the tents, and
the tents must be ft in cruising
The meet OF this year will be OF more than usual
interest because of the ideas about canoes
which have been discussed and which may be car
ried out Designers OF canoes have OF late been pay
ing much attention TO sailing qualities and some
surprising advances have been made There Is
growing sentiment in favor of larger and more
roomy canoes and plans TO Increase the beam from
30 inches to SO been widely discussed or late
There is an increasing desire to obviae the neces-
sity Of the sliding seat and In favor OF building
more useful and safer craft. The rules OF the
American Canoe Association now limit the size Of
canoes to a 3s-nch beam but many OF the leading
canosts of the opinion that the association
will recognize a wider boat.
Based upon the hope of such recognition W. J.
Stewart Of the Ianthe Canoe Club, Schuyler Schiet-
felin Of the New-York Canoe Club and William
Simpson Elliott have built canoes with these di-
mansions: Length ALL 10 feet length on water
line IL feet inches; beam, 3s inches; draught, 6
inches; freeboard 10 inches; deckseat length. 80
inches; cockpit between bulkheads feet 6 inches
Owner to have but set Of sails. which must he
of the hoistng and lowering pattern. capable OF be-
ing effectively reefed housed from the cockpit,
and not 10 exceed Us square feet in total Pri
marily this is cruising canoe for no canoeman
OF the present day TO sleep in his boat Even
the programme of the American Canoe Association
particularly specifies camp on shore in cruising
race In this canoe the sailors can carry al the
"dufie" which camping and cruising require, ana
while stability and comfort designed mainly, II
IL believed that the type will develop fair degree
of speed and afford interesting racing If a
SUFFICIENT number Of boats are built.
George c. Forrest. of Hartford. Conn; Frank
Vail mall nv
others OF the most noted and enthusiastic canoists,
are In favor Of a canoe which gives the designer a
chance to embody strictly true lines. whether for the
temporary excitement Of racing or the continuous en-
toyrnent Of cruising and sailing As early as 1852
william WhitIock. in THE American Canoist,
warned his brethren follows: The prominence
given 10 racing at the convention in New-fork
waters last summer. and the number OF the entries
at Lake George. while indicating the popularity
OF races were by some construed as menace TO
what l. In common with all ardent canoisis. ac-
knowledge to be the chief end of sport. namely,
cruising"
How to revive interest in racing is now being
widely discussed by canoists. George r. Douglas.
the well known canois Of the lantnes, Is In FAVOR
O. retaining the present 10 feet 30 inches racing
canoe hut also thinks that the American Canoe
Association should modify its present rule as 10
measurement by adding the feature OF sail limit.
SO az 10 admit the larger canoe He is not In favor
OF making separate classes. but rather II possible
OF putting all canoes on an equal footing IN one
class Mr. Douglas believes that there Is no ne
cessty for a canoe longer tnan 10 lee' OF snor'er
than 10 feet over all. narrower than 81 inches OF
wider than Is inches With sail limit ranging
from 100 square feet for 80 inches OF beam 10 l~
feet for Sc inches and limitations as to depth added
he thinks that the canoe would be kept WITHIN
reasonable relative proportion.
While il has always been heid that RACING anu
the winning of prizes were not the chief charms OF
canong vet all the regattas and meets OF the ca
noists seem 10 have been arranged in the last ie"
years mainly for the benefit of few acrooatic per
formers who Dy long training. were .nao'ed ga 10
sal canoe from the narrow END OF tehloot Piain
a. well as anywhere else. So mucn colsueia,Ioii
has been given 10 racing that the l0uerm SH aoH
l. nothing more than a racing machine Idchi,e 80.
cOmfnrf and usefulness. II Is Freely aulhI1teu ~.