The sun., 1896-08-09
OUR CANOES AT FAULT.
HOWARD AND HIS YANKEE ABUsED
FOR BEATING ENGLISH BOATS.

Ten-uniie Course at Burnha on. .Croueh,
and So There should BE No More Canoo
RAeing. According to the Field Expert,
canoe Yankee In the race for the Royal Canoe
clubs Challenge Cup at Burnham -on. Crouch
on July Il. which announced by cable in
the columns of THE SCS some days ago, does
not seem TO have been received with favor on
the other side, and the Yankee her owner, and
cappoing in general are denounced in unmea.-
ured terms by the FIeid's expert, for no other,
reason. apparently, than that the American
canoe won The Fkld Of July 20 says, among
other things:
Tho Crouch racing has amply proved what
II was Intended TO prove; It has done so in tho
kindest msnner-that is, without loss of life
without actual loss of prestige to British Canoe
sailers, and without demonstrating any really
better type or class of canoe than the existing
rules permit to be produced and yet has clearly
pointed out where the present machine nature
ought to be toned down for the general good OF
canoe sailing The move of the Royal Canoe Club
TO open tidal water for sailing course was de-
cided upon with intent to demonstrate by actual
experiences and facts that though the rules per
mitted equally the sharpie and the skimming-
dish type. the racing machine and the useful
cruiser type the man. ballssted and tho metal
Ssllasted craft there are conditions on such
waters when the type OF craft innoocntly In fa-
vor on the Thames and other quiet inland rivers
are in other waters absolute death trapa.
Drownings In the north at Easter and very
nearly drownings In the summer In tho south
SHOULD be ample teaching for any men who claim
TO have average quality OF brains. Past oapsisss,
with happily prompt rescues, In sheltered
creation, the nimsy dyipg orange box type Of
canoe yawl, or butchers tray canoe. are again
manned with human life. The reckless life
eleCtp Arnhark hA a In ot ~,
60. but the sport OF canoe sailing should not also
The second point 10 the slack state into
Which the spor, Of canoe sailing has been al:
9H iSsra stack q
very we'll to say that Mr.. Howard only raced as
representing British club and not as an Amer
sppsss Print the Esois Tiosoiy VA Vi
be claimed as International:
:" II may be International. and whether Mr..
Howard was backed by one club in America or
one IN England matters little or nothing; no
grave fact remains that the holder Of the eap
and and ,ns e1S 1a, onIE the cup not read
AND The of ,he ssa
strsinlne their him.y craft to true bssEet-,eak.
race: she went ouly for the cup. Tho holder OF
the cup. instead of getting TO Burnham By tra!n
days and nights in an otherwise gall ant struggle
against wind aad tide and heap Of mishaps in
man aud boat in a state Of total collapse at BuTn-
ham on the morning OF the race. thus, in part
Cup for the first time Is won out OF the club.
I've do not in the slightest degree intend to
form OF gushing praise where none is due; we
prefer 70 state facts only, and expert men can
TO say amply bear out all we have written for
years past tn connection with the sport.
Looking at the feet OF canoes and yawls at
RurOhRm- with the eSceDtinn ~ he tvro
ing canoe class ew boats, there was not a ca
t noe ,tuP to date ate that that is to say that new Graf,
been reoallasted and rerirged up to date Ths
two cruiser class canoes were new and untried.
perfection all the time. aud neither had suit K
sails which could fairly at all be said to Sc:
owner She ran before the wind with the wh"io
rushing aft: tho bucket well was full and ~
the rudder barely touched the water. Can any
craft so the pace in such circumstances?
and untried. were further 'out Of IL In that
with their large s!oop RIG. and very high free
ba Rsy .a sSs ID
Burn ham only plain metal centre plates, AID
Weight Of ballast inside then them would would not hST SsTe
acted up 70 lG0 pounds on the bulb. Yet their
them as @ roomy p ,sie cra and .peaP hshS
Of the class as a future class capable OF racing
Hnd t Sas Is e5
very fast old and II she had not got strained
to sS. bad @ leaking point, we doubt no! she would
S,e fnT from S being II aSinE tette but the
masterpiece worthy Of better stuH to handle.
THE Viper. the last years holder Of tho cup,
was much In, the same swim as Prucas: her
gear and sails are capable OF renewal; ard
where serious sailing is contemplated It 10 un-
fair TO the club and country TO spoil the ship
lead bulb keel. she has a long slide seat. and
every me s expected great things g OF her ia olows
TO ghost along with Yankee.
We have on former occasions very fully do
now reading Of her may not have heard Of her
before. She Is very fast. strAightawRy through
The ma'ss ;o that SIS Is The n;most that San be ssd
man man Is always outside heI @ he Is abSye her 50
board; Yankee would not float upright She IL
ashalow N-secItoned canoe 70 feet long over
beam. very small rreeboard. and very little
sheer The deck seat is raised up like a garden
TO windward. /. about feet long: tho we'll only
a few inches deep and drains any water into
and OF ridiculous and unnscessary diameter,
her msst., b"oms. and saff. are hollow. but
Sor equally DH rh ho"w spar. II 6a IN
quality OF wood The woode Jaws to the booms.
better have been made even in sheet brass; the
rigging has very much OF the toy shop LOOK. bar
The reef gear as ftsed. WHICH i the f old loop: loop:
draw-'hroush gear. Is rot novel; It {. simple.
but We found similar gear in days
gone by worked well enough In nno
weather. but kinked and suarled in wet and re-
fused duty; yet such loop gear is very handy
for a cruising sail. but is not close enough for
racing. The rig is mainsail and mizzen. nearly
Of equal area; the main mast is stepped right In
the eyes OF the canoe, and the mlLzen not far
aft OF mid.h!ps; hence. In order 10 get the lat
eral resistance centre sufficiently far aft for
snCh sail plan, the centre plate has TO 10
dropped throuEh the boat right IN the well and
amidship.. thus putting an end TO any possi-
bil!ty OF having q sit-doNn well or any other
pleasure or comfort, or cruising tltments.
Perhaps this is as IL should be allowed In ths
unlimited racing machine; but the whole con-
tr!varce is foreign 10 ones feelings to a genu-
Inc boat She is a machine. the Is raced Asa
machine she comes TO England for particular
pot race. she sails in no Other race this year
and she Is packed up and goes away, DRAGON
IN shape and Air.ent is but lttle better from tho
usrful point of view. and has not proved "a good
from tie racing view. IL must be deyoutly
hoped the club will not encourage any further
building ot these useless things; the cup caa
Just a. sportEgly te raced Tor in usefu, type o.
canoe. The only source OF life To these raciuK