Evening journal., 1898-03-07
THOSE KNOCKABOUTS.
A. c. McVey Writes Interest
iugly About Them.
A FLEET BEING BUILT HERE
THEY ARE BEING PLANKED ONE
BY ONE, AND THE ENTIRE
FLEET FOR THE CoRINTHIAN
YACHT CLUB WILL BE READY
FOR THE SPRING SEASON.

In the current number of Land and
Water A. G. McVey, OF the Boston
Herald, writes as follows ON small boat
rating and racing:
The small boat classes are growing
all over the country, and the lengths
recently adopted by the Mass. Y. r. A.,
viz: under Is, 15 to IS, IS to 81, 81 TO
25 rs to 80, 80 to 80 feet water line.
| cannot be improved on. Already the
popularity of these lengths has shown
itself in the great fleets OF new 21 and
20 footers, and add to this, that the
| international cup offered by the Quincy
Yacht Club, Of Quincy, Mass, open 10
| all comers, for boats under q feet
water line, with no restrictions on
hull or sail, and it appears that the '21-
| fOcter' is the proper small boat length.
This length of boat and the free hand
given by the Quincy Club to both own
ers and designers is In accord witch
I full experimenting, for 1t allows every
one the chance of building boat, with
a fixed constant to work from, fair to
all, with nothing of the rubber condi-
tons of the rating rule about it.
What we want is racing data to
work on. The Americas cup Is raced
| for under fixed water line lengths, 20
| wit: 80 feet for cutters. lis feet for
sehooners, extreme lengths for respec-
tive rigs. There is nothing OF the rat
ing rule in the deed OF gift for the
| Americans cup, hence it is ill-advised
to work outside its conditions If infor-
nation looking to the development of
the design in accord with its conditions
is desired
1 q A1rradxr Htsa bava caa, tha -ns-,,l4 .
the rating rule as it affects small boats
the complete melting away OF the
half raters.' The Seawanhal1a Clubs
cup, which properly stands for the
sail-row boat, is actually going beg
ging, so far as the attempt of any
American yacht club to regain it out
side the doner club, and the same can
be said OF the British clubs, for nome
outside the Minima Yacht Club has
shown any desire to sail for.
The contests for this cup thus far
have been four. Each time the donor
club has had to sail FOR it, and since
last August, although 1t was open to
competition, not one American club has
seen fit to challenge for it, and for
| shames sake and to keep it out OF
| the closet, the donor club has again
challenged for 1t, and thus given it
life for 1898.
These are facts and cannot be de-
MED. Not even the quasi international
, prefix has been able to extricate the
club from it's present position. AN
American clubs have given it the cold
Z shoulder.
There must be some reason for this
and one need not go far to find this
/ cause. The conditions are silly, THE
rating rule nOnsensical. There is nc
outlet in bhe small boat class fer these
boats when they get through racing
and, above and beyond all, no informa-
ton can be gained from them.
with one swoop the ehalf-raters'
which wepe built to sail for this cup
were wiped off the yachting chart, and
: a similar ending awaits the class built
under a rule, If you want sail, take
OF the water-line; and il you want
| length. take on sail This rule Is sc
unpopular on this side in the smali
boat classes that in New England, the
! | great home OF the small boat, there n
! not a class made for boats built under
I it. To encourage rules which will
benefit US in holding the cup is what
7 | every true American should work for
VI and all rules which do not do thai
should be stamped out.
II am for the Quincy Yacht Club in.
\ | ternational 21-foot challenge cup, first
last, and always.
O ''Why? Because its conditions are
fair, open and above board, and nc
8 handouts are put on designers lor own
4 ers.
Get out the plans and build the fast.
4 est boat possible, on d feet, any type
! any design Mno restriction on beam
draught, sail or construction. There Il
= nothing ambiguous or uncertain II
: this, for the mandate is-build ths
fastest 21-footer possible. Such a cuI
stands for something, and there is nj
giving and taking on sails area oi
water-line length, to get at rating sal
Y length.
e aAt home here we are having a bit o
z trouble over the mo time allowance
= rule. This rule Is so outrageous,
wrong, it's existence will be short foi
J. even those who voted for this mos
- unspOrtsmanlike of rules are now fall
q ing over each other in their hurry Il
change their votes at the coming meet
ing. In classes where there are mini
mum and maximum lengths owner
5, have a right 10 build and start. ap'
> their boats should be taped at their ex
d act lengths and at none other. Wha
1t each boat measures on the water lin
t, should decide the question OF time al
t. lowance.
j. "All along the Atlantic coast, small
e. boat yachting is on the gain, and
E. look for sharp work in the great 5l
foot class, whether out and out racers
knockabouts, or one design. Speakin
.. OF one design suggests the fact tina
/ the racing between these beats may b
Ie full of fun for those taking part, but
is hardly in accord with the develop
ment OF yacht naval architecture, 10
the man, and not the design, is develsp
= ed. Bui6ing fleet OF boats from on
- design, from scientific standpoint
q helps nothing in the problems whic
! enter into the getting up Of boats 70
N racing purposes. There is too muc
= all the starters from one stable aboU
: it, Now that the Minima challenge ha
not been accepted by the Canadians
is to be hoped that Mr. Brandt, forms
owner OF Spruce ~, will challenge fo
the Quincy Yacht Club internationS
r cup. He is sure of warm welcome. -