The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1903-05-31

The evolution of the sailing vessel
of the small pleasure type has made
such immense strides within the last
few years that now there is vast
population which looks forward to
spending at least part of the summer
months upon the water.
The pleasure craft of to-day form
vast fleets, from the large seventy-foot
sloop and the hundred-foot schooner
down to the tiny cabin catboat, with a
dinky bit of an engine to aid her owners
in getting about over the sparkling
summer seas.
Yachts are legion and Arms have
sprung up into prominence that do
little else than furnish fine types of
these craft.
An old sailor with whom had
made several voyages came to me one
day with a photograph Of his yacht.
She was a fine craft of twenty-five
| tons, fitted UP in the best possible
manner, a beautiful fabric to behold.
do you happen to know any fool
who would give me one-tenth of what
she cost me?" asked the old salt, eye
ing me Sadly. lou hHOW SICdN
many people and must know some
idiots among them"
There are few yachtsmen who have
not felt like the old sailor at some
time during their career, for life, even
aboard a fine yacht, is not always one
glad song. The worry, trouble and
Vexations of the owner of the larger
craft are so great at times that many
men of experience will not own YES
.Nxr r.
cumstances.
The work of getting the small cruls-
err into commission is not great. Yet
it is larger undertaking than the
landsman might suppose. The rigging
of new lines and overhauling of all
the necessary gear takes some days
of hard labor and not little expense,
but once in Commission" she may
be maintained at a small cost for a
long time. She will be much like a
thoroughly overhauled and cleaned
house ashore. hastings until wear and
tear or accident make it imperative
to renew her parts.
In the swalI cruiser the question CT
comfort resolves itself into one OF
draught and head-room, coupled with
speed and seaworthiness. The small
ship naturally must make harbor and
| lie cIose in. She cannot carry heavy
| anu a NICW " thh ~ 49, 80
well of srore at anchor. The motion
Of lying outside in a seaway in q small
vessel is annoying. But when she
starts in with a draught as deao as
| that of a ship ten times her size, she
| has N Uch to contend with. II her
| draught is light and she Is small, she
| can have no head-room and the occu-
pants Of her cabins must bow their
heads when below, causing tiresome
feeling in the back of the neck and
series of corns and callouses to grow
upon the back of the head from con-
tact with beams and carlines. The
conversation of those who are cooped
below in a vessel without head-room
during a long spell of bad weather is
unconventional.
These facts being known to many
builders, there have come upon the
market many models of small vessels
whose huls are small and whose
draught is light enough not to find
the bottom in every creek or river
they may investigate. They have cab
in trunks built with don1e-like deck
which gives ample room beneath, and
this, with the inevitable starboard
stateroom, gives the occupants a
chance to eat, breathe and even take
a turn up and down the bit Of carpet
upon the floor. They are the real types
Of pleasure craft and upon them life
may be joyous. indeed.
The number Of men necessary for
running a small vessel Of the forty to
sixty-foot overall type varies accord
ing to the energy of the owner and
master If the owner likes sailing for
it's healthful exercise and lends hand
at all times, he may run his little ves-
sci with only one man to help him
and a boy to do the cooking in the
galley. Such conditions are ideal, for
he will soon rely on himself and be
able under ordinary conditions to run
the craft alone in case OF emergency.
II, however, he must make a display
and pose as a soft-handed millionaire
who cannot soil his delicate fingers
with either line or capstan bar, he will
find three or even four men not at
all a numerous crew, for one must be
the master" and the others do the
work after a fashion. "sOgering" and
trying in every way known to worth
less yacht sailors 10 make life as easy
as possible for themselves and hard
for the rich and despised owner.
The greatest care should be exercised
IN rigging a small craft simply There
should be 20 racing gear upon q small
cruiser. The pole mast and single
shr0ud, with mast head shrOud and
runner, are far better than the heavy
racing rigs for ordinary work, and they
look much nsafsr. The single head stay
should always be used on = small yeS-