The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1901-08-30

avoids extreme width, and what was
formerly movable centerboard is now
q solid keel, shaped much like a CENTER
board, but built into the hull and reach
ing down into the water twenty to
twenty-five feet. The great stability Of
the present day yachts, is made by plac-
ing heavy metallic keel at the lower
edge of this fixed center board, so that
where the old centerboard yacht had no
ballast at all, and the cutter boat ballast
but ten or twelve feet below the surface
Of the water, the new boat has many
tons of weight twenty or more feet
down. The principle is that the body OF
hull of the boat Is the fulcrum floating
on the water, while the mast and sails
above are the long arm of the lever and
the weighted keel below is the short
arm.
Yacht racing is without doubt the fin.
est and fairest sport in the world. In
building the boat and sailing her,. the
highest types Of science, skill and judg-
meht, are necessary, and in handling the
boat in strong winds and difficult posi-
tons, courage and energy are equally
needful.
Yacht racing is always an honest
sport. The men who can afford to build
and race yachts cannot afford to sell
races. There are usually no pecuniary
returns to the winner of a boat race,
only cup or trophy, and generally then
only held in trust for the next winner.
In yacht racing there are three ele.
ments of defeat or success; The boat.
the man, and luck, other things equal the
best boat wins, other things equal
the best man wins. Sometimes luck will
beat either or both. In a strong, steady
breeze, it is boat against boat and man
against man, barring accidents. Unless
there is considerable difference in the
speed OF the boats, a smart captain with
an active crew will make the difference
necessary to win. These yachts, how
ever, are very liable to accident, the
spars and rigging are light and the sails
very large. Two serious accidents
which have! already occurred for these
reasons, one on the Shamrock and one
on the Constitution, would be we'll nigh
impossible in ordinary weather on
common sailing craft, and almost ALWAYS
when racing in fresh breeze, some OF
the lighter sails, spars or ropes are torn
or broken.
But it is a light, ftful wind that beats
all skill, judgment and calculation.
Some boats which can sail like witches
in good breeze, lie like logs in light
wind; other boats, which when in rough
water just go up and down like churn,
seem to have the power of skimming
along at quite gait in smooth water
with almost no wind.
Then again in light winds the wind
varies in force at different places. Some
times one yacht will lie becalmed while
the other. left half mile behind, will
come sailing up with quite a breeze to
the chagrin of the former boat.
In drifting race the yacht that has
the luck to catch the most "cat's-paws," ("
as these little temporary breezes are
called, generally wins the race.
In the present race the new American
yacht Constitution in trial races has not
been able to beat the old boat Columbia.
The new Shamrock II has shown herself
the superior of the old Shamrock l.,
which was beaten by the Columbia. It
is therefore probable that the present
race will be between the Columbia and
Shamrock II and the race will be very
close, and there is more danger of the
cup going across the water than ever
before.