New-York tribune., 1895-07-21
SAILMAKING FOR YACHTS.
DIFFERENT METHODS OF CUTTING THE
WINGS FOR RACERS.

THE OLD CRosscUT STYLE REvIvED-CoNDEMNED
BY AN EXPERT WHO SAYS THAT EXTREME
FLATNEss IS TO. BE AvoIDED-LUcK OF
THE MAYFLowER IN THE CON-
TEST WITH THE GAIATEA.
"The pro5er cutting and making OF sails for rae
Ing yachts should receive as careful attention as
the skilful designing and thorough construction OF
their huls" This remark was made to Tribune
reporter yesterday by A. Cary Smith, the we'll
known designer many fast sailing and steam
yachts. and OF the swift Sound steamers RicLard
Peck and City OF Lowell. in discussing the new
keel-soop Defender las understand IT, contin-
ued Mr.. Smith. "one suit Of the Defenders racing
sails is OF the kind commonly known Gs crosscut
sails: that is sails the cloths Of which run square
With the after leech. This method Of making sails
Is a very old one, but Is generally supposed TO be
new Such sails. however. were used on North
River soops over forty years ago. and were then
quite common. The old soop yacht Maria or that
day, which was owned by Mr.. Stevens. had similarly
made sails ana Old yachtsmen OF the present day
remember that frequently. when she was sailed In a
strong breeze. her ma.rslil was split
WHAT THE RECORDS SHOW
"A man came to me a month or so ago with
some English patent records which showed that
crosscut sails had been thought Of as early as Ei4
over fifty years ago, that this manner OF making
sails now is only revival of a very old method.
The strain on n crosscut sail comes upon the thread
with which It's seams scwed. instead Of upon the
canvas Itself. Is the case with sails that are
made with the cloth running parallel with the leecn
The crosscut SAIL therefore, has less strength ana Is
more likely to split In strong breeze, especially
when bearing a heavy boom comparatively new
English method OF making sails for racing yachts
IL to have the leech cloths. say for distance or
four or five feet from the leech. slightly longer than
those between them and Abe luff The cloths are so
graduated in their increase OF length from luit 10
leech that the last one is from six to ten inches
longer than It would be by the old method. In
gh, airs the leech would be slightly slack. but in
heavy breeze It would become fat and the sail be
better than in a light breeze
.Ry the old method OF making sails the eech
often becomes taut that It causes the aftercoths
TO curl up and form bag, which makes The yacht
carry more weather helm than she ought to carry
besides spelling the shape of the sail. Il is fall
lacy to assume that a sail. to be well cut. we'll
fitting and efficient. perfectly fiat like a
board The wind will be spilled from. or In other
words will slide of from such sail. while sail
which bellies trifle will have draught, hold It's
wind and therefore have greater propusive power
Referring again to the crosscut sails. / will say
that according old maxim, history repeats
itself This may be the case with yachts of the
present day which crosscut sails. did the
Old Maria whose mainsail was SO often split by
breeze which would have had no damaging effect
hstorS viii not repeat Itself The cutting and
making Of sails for racing yachts VIII be Inucn
more Important factor in the future than In the
past and it is be hoped that the subject VIII re-
ceve study and experiment commensurate with Its
vital importance
THE MAYFLOWER AND THE GALATEA.
A veteran yachtsman, - whom shown the
foregoing remarks by Mr. Smith. said: Il fui'y
agree with Mr. Smiths opinions on the subject. and
can give a very striking practical illustration IN
support OF his theory When the International race
between the Mayiower and the Galatea was sailed
several yachtsmen. including myself were on board
the Maylower as guests OF General Paine. her en-
terprIsirg owrer. For fifteen or twenty minutes
after the competing yachts had crossed the starting
line the Maynower not sailing nearly so wei
as she ought 10 have sailed All board began 70
Finally one of the guests spoke right out in meet
ing and said that her mainsail set too fiat tx
per,s on board said that the sail did not set TOO
fat Suddenly the malnsail outhau parted ana tne
sail ran inbOarl from two 10 three feet, wnere II
was held by the cleveland. which )ammed on the
boom or course this gave the sail much nore
draught and as soon the outhaul parted the
Maynower sailed right away from the Galatea A
purchase was rlgged 10 hold the clew where ~ was
and that's the way the Mayiower sailed ana Won
her race with the Gaatea. have had the same
experience more than once myself ana wnen tne
outha parted and the clew sid in0oard everything
was -. ~ Moral: Don't make yacht racing sails
too Hat"