New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-12-18
YACHTING.
THE NEW RULES FOR SOUND YACHTS
MEN-THE EXECUTIVE COMMIT

TEES REPORT.
Io., Nonday night the delegate. from all the
Yacht clubs on Long Island Sound gathered at the
association meeting to hear the report OF the ex-
ecutve committee that was deputed on November
. IN recommend schemes for restrictions as to
scantIing construction, etc. for all classes from
thirty feet downward and for establishing cruis-
ing classes as distinct from racing Glasses 10
tell what they recommended. why they ana So ana
the difficulties and alternatives considered occu-
pied ten closetyped pages OF legalcap to say hoth
,pc Of the Stephens scantling table. which. ike
Dick Swiveller's rosy" was mot 10 ne 'asteu !"
n SIP The delegates were confronted with
mass Of matter which no one could iu'ly argue
when It was read aloud only once.
The committee had TO consider the best inter-
as,s NJ tho snort and with n general local knowl-
edqe Of the vachtsmen they were working Tor. NO
matter how good new enactments might DE- 'hey
had 70 avoid sudden changes that might 'end 10
create a Want OF confidence in the buiIdins OF new
boats The claims OF the beats no" eN,Su"s "au
to no considered rs we'll as the possible doubt
,hou, o.hor new fleets he built 10 CONFORM 10
nec, regulations It Is not the Intention OF the
committee TO suggest such legislation MS VIII 'Ne
glow Yachts win from fast ones, but ra'her sue" IN
will draw n fair line between extreme SPeeu' ~
rordess OF n other qualities. and such h'sn 9p.e'
as NAV bc had with good design ana construc'io"
:, = ,.oe-ol TINT honestly deserves 10 be called
Yacht Reference Is made TO the Boston KNOCK
abou, class which has proved that THESE aims a'o
practicable. -, . ,,,s.
Al the outset the committee Determined 10 Wv rue
the racing fee, into two divisions one " '''''
Yachts built exclusively for racing. anc the other
=. ,,,,1, ,hoso which while fast enough TO AFFORD
ovc,tirc enor will ,rovc able under all conditions
and will be good for life Of many years n''"s ais"
fitted for every sailing ana crulshs Inc h"'''
for these the racing division" and the cruis''s
division" serve partly to convey the 'dea' 'u' WIZ
probably be replaced by o'heis' II '
can be hit upon.
While admitting the desirability Of exchanging
the old length-and-sail area rule for something
better the committee has considered the three
methods open to them. First. 10 ADOPT 'he lie"
rule In which girth measurement Is iac'oi. az
rcccn.,v adop.ed for the larger classes; second 10
ronoco orother formula to produce yachts OF
roo,or dis,Iaccmcnt; third to adopt system Oh
arbitrary and fixed restrictions similar 10 those
now in use In other classes and localities
The first alternative was rejected because 1t
would create great labor I'm TN" remeasurihS Oh eN
,st,nr boats. and might no. be Desirable IN the
suaIlcr CLASSES The second idea, that OF ne"
,ornula would conplicate the measurement ques-
t,on for those who prefer their yach'ihg 10 DC eA
cmpt from mental exercises. The thiro Propo''
tina. for fixed restrictions, has beer aaop'e"' anu
much Is said oe tn, work that this entaod In visit
ING Roston and the yachting associations in the
Fast where close study of yachting problems Is
considered worth having In the interests OF adj
vance New methods might have been introduced
here but II that the large amount OF
work involved In measuring ana ca'cnlaVons or
mandcd voluntary labor. which was not mere avail
able Reference was therefore made to the schemo
,ho, uos taken 10 the upper lakes by the Ca
rod,an vachtsmen ana found to be satisfactory
of.or one wears building and racing. instead OF
mourning the delay necessary for inc coinp'iatio
81 a new table. 1t was thought better 10 introduce
tho stephcns table for scantlings, which mas peer
,rovod \ success in the Yacht Racing Union OF
NJ
aos - Gt tho altered class limits recommended
a., ,bis renort The dimensions Of materi"' TOT
construction given here are based on actual pr'c-
,ico as shown in modern yachts OF gooh cohs''uc-
tion and II Is practically certain that they one,
., agreeable combination OF hghtness ana
strength 49,.
Among existing yachts It will he found that
,,o do not quite comply with scantng rules
laid down hut have been shown by prolonssd ,ts
to be of sufficient strength ana II IS
that such boats shall be admitted to ,hrf plor,r
classes the intention being no. to sPo ,g
of the new ones. thus providing FOR trus. i..?
fleets in the future ana sivinE 1t ng Tuding
This assurance is absolute necessity NJ the prs
emf time as the chief question of yachtsmen Tor
the last four months mas pee"' "'''
Tho scantllnr rule will be advanced 70 the
thiriy-sx-foot class and the committee especially
b nrnosc Of testing the girth rule. there being
direronces of opinion as 10 whether or not ms
ruo PRODUCES boats OF large internal capacity IT
e. Of national ard international value ~ get az
the truth through practical experiment; ana thlS
class with its thrty-foo: waier-'ine; Is no, on
rensivo In construction while ihe boats punt I'M
dor the scantlinr rule Will last for many years
and always command a good sale when further
heats are wanted hN their owners. 49, .,
Conservatives still possessing chances with old
boats will be rejoced to hear that the COMMITTEES
will not propose to alter the old length-and san
area rule in the classes under thirty FEET IL is al
,nittod that no measurement rule tnat IS D'!nnh
All doubt better for these classes has beeh dls-
covered but the committee has great hopes Ior
the future In simply arranging for better caDln ac-
commodation and general construction ana IN rec
| ommonding the following classification; 49,
Cruising DivisOn-SlOOps, Cutters ana fawls-
Cabin: thirty-foot class. twenty lve-foot class;
| omen. sixteen-foot class eightccn-foot ASS ,at-
| boats-Cabn: thirty-foot-class twenty-hve-foot
| class, tweniy-onc-fOot class
In order to qualify for any OF these classes =
: yach, must conform the standard table o.
/ srantlings and TO the cabin restrictions. yacht
! MOI so complying will sail in the racing division 81
her class under the above class limits. AS thls
! svsiem doubles the number Of classes and prizes,
IL * pointed out that there Is little probability or
both divisions Of each class flhng.
THE STEPHENS TABLE OF sCANTIlNGs.
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