The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-08-13
10

she would touch the opposite shore Of the
lake within yard of the spot aimed at
Any boy can do this with a little practice
] would not advise a boy 10 attempt 10
make "a model yacht. Unless expert with
tools and possessed of great ingenuity, ne
viii surely fail. The boats are nearly al
ways dug out Of solid beam, and their
water Ines must be very deiicately
drawn II much speed is desired. On the
other hand, YOU can buy a model yacht
al all prices ranging from s. to $50. and
even more IL extra adorument is wanted.
Regatta boats range in length from thir-
ty- hve inches to forty-flve inches on the
load water line The style In shape and
rigging changes from year to year just
as does that OF the big yachts. Probably
there will he many miniature yachts built
this year in imitation of the Columbia
and the Shamrock. Tney will be as speedy
as the big boats In proportion 70 size OF
huh and sail area. You would be sur
prised at some of the speeds attained. A
mile and quarter has frequently been
made in less than eight minutes A mile
in six minutes Is a record. once on the
Hudson, a model yacht was smashed on
the rocks. because her owners-two swift
oarsmen In a boat-coud not catch her.
1t is difficult to give instructions for
sailing model yacht, unless the owner is
under the personal direction of the tutor.
Probably however your boat viii be so
weighted in the keel that she viii not
capsze. Always haul your jibsheets tight.
Never let them hll out like balloons, as
they sometimes do on the big yachts. \
rudder four feet long would not keep your
boat from going in a circle II you do You
may sometimes let your mainsail run. but
this viii depend on weather conditions and
on the way you adjust your steering gear
which is operated by a string attached to
the main boom. The steering gear of all
models is fixed SO that when the boat
fills and bears away on her course, the ac-
ton of the sail automatically pulls the
rudder in the proper direction, counter
acting the Wlndward motion Of the boat
and keeping 1t stralghtaway on its course.
IL remains with the yachtmen, however.
to determine how far the rudder shall be
pulled from side TO side by the SAIL, Small
guide screws on each side of the helm en-
able him to determine the length of the
pun, 1t Is here where his science and IN
tuition viii be most needed. for of course
different strengths and directions OF wind
will have different results on the action
of the yacht.
During the races. the yachtmen general
" follow their yachts In rowboats TO keep
them on the course should they get out
of II. The time Of a yacht is calculated
as from the base of the mast and so ex-
pert 10 some yachtsmen become that they
VIII have the nose OF their boat within
an inch of the starting line when time Ia
called In running over the course no
boatman will touch his yacht any more
than is absolutely necessary, for In all
races touch" counts ten seconds Off
the time made by the boat Many boat
which has come ahead of all others has
lost the race because its owner touched
ID too often. Races are sailed generally
to windward, around a buoy ana return.
In beating to wndward the main boom
Is secured close to the deck by cord
carrying loop which Ats in "A slot on the
end of the boom. Having seen that his
yacht viii round the buoy, the yachts
man stations himself beside the buoy, and
as the model comes around he raises an
oar or a long stick and with one stroke
knocks the loop out of the slot In the
boom. The boom Immediately swings
around, the sail filling dead before the
wind and pulling the compensating rudder
to port or starboard, as the case may be.
while the yacht tears home at full speed.
There are many model yacht clubs in
the United States. Some of them allow
| no minors to become members, others are
composed wholly of boys. Boston has the
| largest boys yacht club.
believe, New York. Brooklyn,
Boston, Philadelphia, Paterson. N. j..
| and Seattle are among the cities
which possess clubs holding regular re-
gattas. They offer prizes and the COM
petng boats work under stringent regu-
lations. In New York and Brooklyn the
Blauvelt racing cup Is a coveted prize.
IL was created by a model yacht enthu-
siast. ] suppose the model yacht clubs
of the United States own altogether 500
boats, representing an expenditure or at
least $4,000. That Is aside from the boats
owned by persons who do not belong to
clubs 1 suppose $4,000 would not buy
all of the model yachts In the country.
+. j. Sweeney.