New-York tribune., 1901-06-02
THE RICn MANS SPORT.
YACHTING AND WHAT 1T COSTS IT'S
DENOTEES.
DEVOTEES.

There is boom in the yachting business
New vessels are being built, and, although there
some pleasure yachts in the market at the
disposal of men who willing to pay a good
price the number is small. The activity is due
In part to the interest in yachting which always
makes itself manifest in Cup years, but
more to the general business prosperity.
Yachting is expensive luxury and one
must have money in addition to enthusiasm to
indulge in it. The who own charter
sailing yachts in most instances amateur
sailors, but the owners of expensive steam
yachts rarely lay claim to the title. There
two classes Of yachtsmen'' said a yacht broker
whose business brings him in contact with many
owners. The members of class ambi-
tious to own and cruise on a private vessel be-
cause they like the sport. the others buy have
built charter yachts because it is fashionable.
Men often graduate from the fashionable class
into the other and from having chartered a
yacht just because there was nothing else to
do have become devotees of the sport and
valuable members of the fraternity. Men come
here and say that they have tried the seashore.
the mountains. Saratoga. Newport and Europe
and now they would like a go at yachting II
the man belongs to the ot-all-the- -money-I-
want class he gets his yacht, but if he is modest
ana has had no experience in the line he ex-
presses wonder at the great cost and thinks the
matter over because il costs from $500 to
$4,000 month 10 run a yacht
The crew Of a yacht Of the 20o-foot class in
cudes a captain, who receives about - 100 a
year, and first engineer whose pay is from
Sl,5,0O to $1,000 a second engineer and mate, at
about $50 a month: two quartermasters, at
about $50 a month; head steward, at $50;
chef. whose pay is in keeping with his station
in his calling but rarely less than 500; six as
sistant stewards and cooks, at about 50. and
fourteen sailors. at Sl4. In some instances, a
yacht is chartered wages paid that is with
the crew and some vessels turned over to
the temporary owners bare" There is little
trouble in securing n crew If application is made
early in the season to the brokers who make it
business to supply them. The captains are
English and American. but the crews are for
the most part made up of Scandinavians. II IT
is the intention Of the owner 10 use his boat for
a season OF four months he must figure on at
least six months pay for his crew because of
the time necessary to get into shipshape and 10
make ready for winter quarters.
The cost OF maintaining a yacht" said an
owner, cannot he estimated any more than the
cost Of keeping house 1t depends on where you
60 how much you entertain and whether you
run your boat on the liberal the close plan
The man who splits hairs about the cost Of
set Of signal flags a cabin carpet will need
less money to his vessel than the man who
gives an order for a yacht and rever goes near
the constructor until the job is completed. But
the close gets no fun out Of his yacht
and he is usually n makebelieve yachtsman
who when he returns from a trip. says There,
now that's done, and I'm glad of it.
Many private yachts built as auxiliary
business institutions. The owners use them for
the entertainment of their business friends and
they find that business deal can be made TO
better advantage in a luxuriously furnished
cabin or on a deck ..rranged for the comfort
of the visitor, than in unnvitlng office
But the majority Of the steam yachts owned
by Americans maintained, at great cost
for the pleasure which may be derived from
their use While some of the vessels make long
cruises others are kept near home. but always
ready at short notice to carry the yachtsman
and his friends TO foreign ports. and there IS
rarely an important meeting of yachts IN Euro
pean waters where the United States is not
well represented