New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1898-09-18

,,.splEsT CAN PLAY-ITs RAPID GROWTH
49, THE LAST FIFTEEN YEARS
rur FIGHT FOR THE REMNANT.
r,cbtlng has most appropriately been called
ice .,,r 0. winter sports. This title may be dis
tie nv hy some but it Will certainly not be ques-
p''eu. hv any one who has once enjoyed sail
uohe. frozen waters OF the Hudson Shrews-
over ,n one O, the big white-winged flyers OF the
winter feet ..,,ou s,o-. 49, oor., :. &.
"N ~, between a runaway locomotive and West
..s,sn cyclone. The man who takes his first SAL
Io 80 Yacht, when the wintry northeast wind is
~ ,,c aftv miles an hour, experiences more kinds
p.o" tons IN the first ten minutes OF the trip
OF a., Re had been dropped from a balloon or shot
~, Of a l3-inch gun Tobosganing. beside Ice
A,,rg nrov be compared to an afternoon siesta
hammock In fact. there is nothing like 1t in
N robert Stevenson said. 1t is living three to
~ inr,e A man feels that he is scoring points
- death. as every rod OF space Is covered at a
o' D,,oa ched by no other means o: locomotion.
s'nsohobiv not per cent of the people IN America
Owe, seen an icsboat. and yet in the local.
.,as where ice yachting is possible the women as
We" wv nc rho men are enthusiasts. and the sport IS
T,s,v Growing In popular favor. Any one who
.sSs that the ordinary sailboat and the ice yacht
'' s,r,uar only shows his ignorance OF the lat
o. About the only similarity Is the fact that both
80 ~. ~ driven by the wind. and there the like
ness ceases
ANTIQUITY OF ICE YACHTING.
ros Yachting Is by means sport that has
- nm recently It's origin is clouded in mystery
So. {, "a probabe that wherever ice sports have
s-she6 AZ for instance. In Holland. Sweden or
~-uav there mus; have been boats propelled over
-. Toe by means OF sails. In this country 1t dates
hock az least hundred years. The writer was
.beun a pair Of Ice yacht runners by Ollie Booth
hot nvpr cd
y, ons there are stories current around the club
e-ssides OF even greater antiquity than that. But
re Yachting in it's improved form, is OF compare
lively regent date. In fact, 1t has come to the
front within the last fifteen years and all OF the
improvements that characterize the modern craft
have been originated and applied within that
period
A majority OF the articles published on ice yacht
ing have given the East and, In particular. certain
localities near New York. as the only places where
Zee yachting is a popular winter sport This is
mt so as Will be shown later. But II is neverthe-
less true that the Hudson River In the neghbor-
hood Of Poughkeepsie and the Shrewsbury and
Nayesnk rivers, in New-Jersey, are the headquar-
,e-s And IT is also that the boom that the
snort experienced several years ago arose In the
plucky and gallant efforts OF the yachtsmen OF the
latter place 10 capture tho challenge pennan from
the sailors Of the North River In the spirited con-
tests that ensued between the boats OF the rival
clubs great enthusiasm was aroused. and Ma
tonal character and publicity given the sport
that did much to place it,on its present basis
OLD AND NEW TYPES OF YACHTS
Years before the War Of the Rebellion iceboats
we're sailed on the waters IN the East. Down In
New-Jersey at the pretty little town al the head OF
navigation on the North Shrewsbury. known as
Red Bank tradition tells OF the primitive anars
built BY Nathan Cook and George d. Allaire. These
boats were as unlike the modern craft as the pres
enc aric nal rpnd
The body was a big shallow box mounted on fodr
runners An ordinary mast and sail were used
The forward runners rigidly fixed 10 the body.
and the steering runners were unhandy and cum
bersome Later on the two runners in the stern
were replaced by a single runnsT. which was
gNeat improvement. At first the runners were made
out Of skates and OF hoop iron. but these were
followed BY regularly made runners Of steel Grad
ualy the four-runner box boats passed away and
tIangular-shaped affairs Of skeleton form sue
ceeded them. These boats were the foundation for
the present fine craft and in general conformation
they the
The modern type Of ice yachts are skeletons
two main frnbers are fastened together In the
shape Of a cross The lengthwise timber is known
as the centre plank and the cross timber as inc
runner plank. These timbers are, OF course, as
tough and strong possible consistent with
lightness On either end OF the runner plank are
fastened the runners. secured as 10 move easily
over the inequalities IN the ice. The runners are
Of oak or ASH shod with iron or steel and IN
many respects similar 20 the well-known bob SLED
runners so familiar TO a person raised In the
country. They are longer and narrower. however.
Recently the Shrewsbury men claim TO have ef-
fected marked improvement in runners. They
now make them curved at both ends. IKE the
rocker" skate. and declare that the new runner
greatly Increases the speed. This IS probably true
as the old runner. with the sharp rear end under
certain conditions acted az a brake, which the
curved rear end now avoids.
The most common rig for an iceboat is lib and
maipsail but the cat rig is frequently seen Tho
hteen rig is also a favorite and has many sd-
yantages lateen sail may be said 10 be the jib
and mainsan all in one. supported by an extra long
gaN The latter rig is daisy for heavy wind
but as great deal OF racing is in light airs, the
xb and mansail probably more serviceabe-
SAILING THE CRAFT
The cockpit IS smaller than most persons sup
pose. II Is barely large enough for three persons
and is very shallow. The steering ia done by
means OF a movable rudder runner. The rudder
moves at the slightest touch and the boat answers
the helmsman with surprising proInptness. The
ordinary tlller is used but In some lately built
boats the steering is done by the helInsman with
his feet. This enables him TO give more attention
to the sheet and the general conduct Of the yacht
Tho helynsman must keep his wits about him and
be cool there will be trouble. This is not easy
when the yacht is racing along at the rate OF
seventy-fiye or ore hundred miles hour. FOR
sudden tanning Of the helm down or up would
cause the boat TO whrl around like top and spill
out the the ice. When this occurs the men
Side along on the ice for rods until brought up
against or rough ice.
Stopping an ice yacht Is accomplished In the same
was as stopping ordinary ssiiboae-by running
herup into the wind in certain positions the rud
Ger may be thrown across tho stern when 1t scrapes
pongtheice and acts brake. This Is seldom done
however. as It strains the rudder. When at anchor
the ice yacht is lifted clear OF the ice and short
horses." such carpenters use. are placed under
her frame The sailing Of an ice boat is a revea-
uon to the unnitated sailor Her sheets are usually
Naf ~ IL MIR "a n hes I'm