Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-08-19

breaking of this spreader which caused the
recent accident to the Columbia. When the
crosstree snapped the topmast was loosened
and fell before the wind with such force
about half way of it's length. Next to the
mast in Importance is the bowsprit 90,
which is held down by the bobstay and the
bobstay fall 16 and 10. The main boom
az spreads and holds fast the lower por-
ton of the mainsail ca. At the top of the
mainsail is the club gait 90, and above that
than the top of the topmast. These are
the principal sticks in a sloop yacht. The
racers are also provided with a very inn
portant boom called the spnnaker boom
%. This boom is removable, and is only
FUSED when the yacht is running full before
the wind. 1t is always conveniently placed
1t can be instantly placed in position. 1t is
let down by the topping lift QS) and held
in place by the spinnaker boom brace 90
and the spinnaker boom guy (26). 1t is
usually spread almost opposite the ma n SAIL
so that 1t gives to the yacht practically two
broad wings. by means of which she can
take full advantage of following wind in
TINS way immensely increasing her speed.
yacht with spinnaker set and bellying
full of wind is a most beautiful sight re-
sembling some huge seagull skmming over
the surface of the water. Indeed, the sails
are so big and reach so far on each side of
the yacht that the body of the boat itself
is hardly visible. No doubt much will be
said in the reports of the coming races
about the spinnaker and how it is set for
1t is an exceedingly important feature in
yacht racing.
The principal sail of a sloop is the MAIN
sail (A). 1t is held in place by the ropes
and tackle shown at go. These ropes are
called the sheets, and they are by all odds
the most important ropes connected with
yacht. The skill Of a yachtsman is based
largely on his ability to let out or take in
these sheets, thereby giving the sail more
or less wind. The speed of the yacht is de-
pendent very largely upon the exactness
he inc iS
the wind is behind the boat the sheets will,
of course, be eased out until the mansail
stands at wide angle with the length of
the boat, thereby exposing as much surface
as possible. In sailing into the wind, or
by the wind,' as the old seamen say, the
sheets are drawn in very close; in other
words, the yacht is "close-hauled, so that
the mainsail stands almost parallel with
the length of the boat The skipper must
keep his eyes wide open and never allow
his hand to leave the sheets for moment,
if he would get the best speed from his
boat and prevent being capsized by sudden
squalls. The mainsail is assisted by a num-
Der of smaller sails before the mast. These
are attached to various ropes connecting
with the tip end of the bowsprit and with
the stem Of the yacht. The rope which con-
meets the bowsprit with the top of the top
mast 90 is called the topmast stay, and
holds the topmast from being pulled back
ward just as the topmast backstay 600
holds 1T from being driven forward. The
line which reaches from the top Of the
mainmast to the stem Of the boat Q4) is
called the forestry and 1t supports the
mainmast from falling backward The sail
(B) Is called the foreSail, the sail Co the
jib and the sail (E) the jib topsail. They
are all held in by ropes which can be easily
extended shortened so as to draw more
or less wind. One Of the most picturesque
of the sails is not shown in the diagram
because it is used only under certain favor
ing conditions. This sail, the balloon jib, is
an enormous sail made of very light cloth
In the Columbia of silk-and 1t Is larger
than either the mainsail the spinnaker.
1t is attached at the very front of the
boat, and 1t Is supposed to gather up all the
wind that there is. 1t is usually used when
the winds are very light. The correct
method of using balloon jib is very i'm
portant feature of the yachtsman's work,
and 1t may play exceedingly i'm
portant part in the coming race. The little
flag at the top of the topmast (22) is called
the burgee, and that which flies from the
tip of the gaff is called the pennant In
case of heavy winds it is found necessary
sometimes to reef the sails. This is done
by means Of the little strings which arc
seen hanging in rows along the lower part
of the mainsail. The canvas is pulled down
to the boom and tied with these strings SO
that less surface will be exposed to the
wind. Reefng Is only done in case of a
very heavy storm or squalls.
The Mother of All the Herreshoffs.
Across the street from the Herreshoff
ship yards in Bristol, where the Defender
and the Columbia were built, there stands
an old country house. with generous New
England "stoop." In front of it there is
row of magnificent trees, and it looks out
upon the Bay Of Bristol. Sometimes in
pleasant weather a little old woman in
black comes out and sits for while with
one Of her daughters and watches the
stately yachts come up the harbor from
Newport and Fall River. She is the mother
Of all the Herreshoffs. Last February she
celebrated her eighty-ninth birthday, and
she was yet hale enough to take pride in
the Columbia she building in the
shops. She is descendant of the famous
family OF Lewises of Boston. merchants
and shipmen, and she brings to the present
branch of the family much of its skill as
ship designers and builders.
Her husband, Charles Frederick Herres-
family Of seven sons and two daughters
two of whom, James B. and Nat G., are
the organizers Of the famous shipbuilding
company. Never was there family more
positively touched with genius. John b.
Herreshof, the president Of the company
who has been blind now for more than
forty years. developed in his early boyhood
genius for invention Some of the older res
idents of Bristol tell today about the wonder
full Herreshoff churn, which converted the
milk on the Herreshoff farm at Providence
John B. Captain Nat" as he is called in
Bristol. built boats from the time he was a
mere boy. At one time he constructed a
catamaran, with which he cruised up and
down the harbor. 1t was an odd-lookng,
wide craft. with abnormally large sails, and
when he first appeared he was the butt of
much good raillery. Forthwith he
began to issue challenges to race, and.
much to the establishment of everybody, he
won all the races. And finally, to show
what he could do, he sailed down the har-
Dor from Newport. watched for one Of the
big sound steamers bound up from New
York, and. veering into line, beat the
steamer into Providence.
Another Of the blind Herreshoffs Lewis.
Is an expert swimmer, as well as sonethine
Of a literary man. I saw him not many
days ago wading out into the bay with
flock Of little girls. Two Of them held to
his shoulders, and he swan out to a float
anchored twenty yards away, and there he
taught them to dive. Still another of the
blind brothers has become an Accomplished
musician and gives lessons In Providences
Two others are experimental chemists. ana
one lives on the old homestead Of the fam
lily on the Quaint-named Papasquash point
across the harbor from Bristol.