New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-01-29
YACHTING.
NEW FACTS ABOUT THE AMERICA.
THE HALF-cENrURY OF PRIVATE EXPERIMENTS
THAT EVOLVED HER. AND THE BEGINNINGS
OF THE NETWORK YACHT CLUB

THAT EVOLVED HER. AND THE BEGINNINGS
OF THE NETWORK YACHT CLUB.
Some interesting items about the celebrated yacht
America and the beginnings of the New-York facht
Club seem 10 have escaped previous mention. and
they tend TO show that the vessel which surprised
England by her speed was by no means quickly
conceived creation. but the outcome OF nearly
half a century Of private experiments in yacht
building made by Commodore John G. Stevens. a
complete list Of the boats built by Mr. Stevens in
the many years I'm which ne was slowly but surely
advancing toward the model Of the America can
this date be given, but 1t seems to he
capable Of proof that he was more valuable in the
general evolution OF the yacht than have been any
OF his successors.
Later builders OF craft that have been interna-
onally successful accomplished their ends through
extension or modification OF other peoples ideas,
while Mr. Stevens had practically nothing to assist
him his final great results except his many ex-
periments. At that time the fastest Hudson River
craft were rudmental evolutions Of Dutch boats
whose bows would knock cork a mile before they
would hit it, and the English yacht was In much
the same condition, so that there was nothing 10
suggest the long lean bow. clean run and fiat
sails OF the vessel that greatly altered the con-
struction of ships, as we'll racing yachts
With his brothers, Mr.. Stevens lived In fo-
boken and as the ferry TO New-York was slow
each of the Stevenses had his own boat to make
the passage. John took to making faster craft
and his first important design was the Diver
produced In 1863. which followed by the
Trouble pirogue that 1fty-six feet long,
Then followed a series OF experiments In yacht
building the last OF which was the schooner Wave
with s5-foot water-ne, which in 1875 80 beat all
the yachts of Boston. His next boat was 2O-ton
schooner, the name of which seems to nave beeh
lost though In 1874 he had smaller vessel that
had a sort of fin keel and was called the Gin
crack.
The New-York Yacht Club began the CHM
crack In her cabin those yachtsmen gathered who
later formed into the association over which John
G. Stevens commodore for ten years-ls44-Sf
A neet OF yachts was now secured by the money on
enthusiastic amateurs. and, later on. Mr.. Stevens
and a historic syndicate had George Steers build
the America.
How far the merits OF this boat are to be credited
TO Steers and how far to Mr.. Stevens VIII never
be accurately known Steers has received the
credit as a rule. though IT is impossible to suppose
that the long series Of experiments which had been
followed by Mr. Stevens for nearly half a century
did not put it's valuable results into the new craft
She was schooner OF 10 tons. with water
line length of 50 feet and beam Of % feet Inches
and with a bow that was long ana hne-draWh III
comparison with the round. full-bosomed BOWS OF
the English yachts. In the race that was run on
Nav % 1871 the Aatness of her sails the pc
cuarlty most commented on and an eyewitness
Of the famous race has written: 'Her sans were
made to stand much latter than ours 30 nuTm 80 30
that when the boat clOsc-hauled they were
barely visible II looked at edge-on. Ii was reVe-
lation"' . ,., ~
The Irish Times printed this account AS
matter Of fact. three of the best boats competing
were put out of the by untoward accidents.
The famous Arrow ran aground I'm Sandown BAY
the Alarm had TO bring up and go TO the arrow
assistance. while the Noante cOllded with tne
Freak and carried away her bowsprt: the uPshh nor
being that the America won. With the loss OF her
iibboom the three first arrivals being as follows.
First the America: second. the Aurora tcuttef);
third the Bacchante (cuter) The finish Is described
as little better than a drifting match. Also, It has
been noted that the Aurora was known 10 ne IN
ferior TO the three disabled cutters. and that the
America gained an advantage by breaking RUE.
and not going round the Nab Light She was wa not
dsoualiied however. and the flO cup. which was
esented by the Royal Yacht Squadron and not by
the Queen. as has often been said, went to her ana
across the Atlantic.
This trophy. which given by the owners or
the America to the New York Yacht Club as a per-
petual challenge cup to he sailed for by the yachts
Of all nations has been said to belong ito period
when workmanship in silver was perhaps al rs
lowest ebb" But II has exercised marvellous
fascination over the yachtsmen OF the world and
Il has been we'll referred to in these words: For
the possession Of this INSIGNIFICANT piece OF plate
nations will continue to do battle, and individuals
70 pour out money as eagerly as If its artistic
worth were that Of a Dresden Madonna"