New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1897-11-21
WITH THE YACHTSMEN.
MEASUREMENT IN ENGLAND.
THE SUBCOMMITTEE OF THE YACHT RACING
ASSOCIATION PROPOSE TO ABOLISH THE
TAX ON SAIL AREA-HOW 1T
WILL AFFECT RACING IL

TAX ON SAIL AREA-HOW 1T
WILL AFFECT RACING N
THIS COUNTRY.
1 Perhaps no question has done more 10 tax good
brains than that which pertains to the measure
ment OF racing yachts. The lost tribes, the lost
Eden and perhaps the Lost Chord" may have
caused cerebral activity but they never stirred the
human gray matter into such porrdge as the
search for a measurement rule that couldn't be
evaded The English nation has just come on
with its last attempt to head off the ingenuity that
invariably succeeds in knocking measurement rules
into A cooked hat. The lex scripta" has always
been an Aunt Sally. and ii Is well known that the
late Lord St Lc1nards, when plain Sir Edward
Sugicn made it the boast of his llf". before ne
went 10 the bench. that he could drive n coach
and four through any statute that ever Issued from
the Queens Printer.
The Yacht Racing Association OF England mas
now received the report Of its special committee a
polnted 10 consider the old question which seems to
retain such perpetual youth. and there are men on
this committee who evidently think they nave
finally corraled the measurement cheater. FER
hans they have. Bat. without knowing anything
about IT, It's fair sporting bet OFF" to they
haven't At any rate. some important changes
have been recommended. and the report, when ~
a bulky paper quotes the opinions OF the best pro-
fessional designers Of yachts.
In the United States and Canada the conundrum
has of late been attacked with the same Old uhhy-
ing spirit. and Just now halt has heeh 'ailen
which will last one year during which our present
rules on this point will remain as they are In
the mean time W. 7. Stephens VIII eiaooid'e tue
scheme for controlling the construction 81 !i,., S
through defining the sizes Of the P.'nihlnk anu
timbers which will be proper for each CLASS.
1t took about five years TO elicit inc aIn H
rule which he devised for ;he English Yacht Rac,
ing Association was pracucally S'aitr. ,ion tons on
,Sicb tbn tbcn accented rule developed Accord
ine'y. in 1896 the regulation which Is at presem,,
followed namely. The length plus tho ntam any
10 Per cent OF the grh added 10 ,rnded 70 cdice
yachts OF shape better able 10 cope WIN d 80
way and 20 control TO some cxtcn' a re which was
announcement and even dangerous when yachts
running in heavy weather anS WerS "'''''
The last report regards the tax on SAT- area ms
useless and cypress e sccntiy provide
against any excess IN the carrying OF salI, IL IS
also suggested that this will put premium oi.
with restricted sail plan. The rue I"r M ~ toI
lows: The length plus half the beam added 10 the
Sucb a ruiz NAV b. All risht FOR English waters.
r,bere heavy winds are so frequent that yachts
men may perhaps be relied upon 20 dp,'at t!Un'
doing foolish things It may be that all the Ing
len vacbtsmen ale extremely wise. but 10 Amer
lean ears this rule seems 10 be putting I ei b,
on foolhardness: calling II good seainanship wneh
a man wins on light days. simply through carry
ing an untaxed excess OF canvas In AmStI1 u,
sers where ninc-tcrthS OF the races ar" sailed IN
light weather and large proportion ~ tnc ileIrSl
drifting catspaws. such rule woud enireg NJ, w
Settle the satisfactory condition OF things VIM
mas been evolved by long and caTctully 2p-e. 49,
local experience. The test as 10 seaInansnp t'. -,
is obtained IN the idcm classes ~ no" "'''''''N "
be the best that IL possible. $50. ,.,.o,, ,,o
Ncw-York yschtsmen have passed our beyo"1 IN VIZ
vears in which the entcrprlsing catboht lroil
Eyacx that almost capsized from the simple
weigh; OF is canvas could enter on ca. .rbp
day and easily drift away from the Meet Ih nso
was neither fun nor scamanship nor anytn,nR e.s,
in ma. WITH us. II generally meant thau M
bicees, fool won and though the climatic dlHer-
snres may render this sort OF person Imposing III
England I; must he said that the last lacnt raj
ING Association rule offers ralsoh q ""e ""' "
most amounts 10 a creation