The daily morning journal and courier., 1904-03-12
MOTOR BOAT FAD.
MORE THAN II, 1000 NOW IN USE
 MYTHS COUNTRY.


 The Work of Fishermen Rendered
 Easier.
 The fad for motor boats is growing so fast that the builders are just now as busy as they can be turning out boats of all sorts and sizes and of speeds varying from about five miles an hour, , or even less, to considerably more than twenty.
 Many who are having power boats built want them for an afternoons fun without any excessive speed. If they can make from ten to fifteen miles an hour and have fair accommodations, they are satisfied; but there are some who want these boats for speed only. These speed boats are taxing the in- genuity of the designers, and just now, although several are being built, their lines are being guarded as carefully as Herreshoff screens Cup defenders, and very little will be known of their peculiarities until they are seen darting about the Harbor, on the Sound or up the Hudson River
 During the last few years the gas i engine has ben so much improved that l to-day it is the most popular motor. Gasolene is used in most of these engines, and to work the motor tiny spray of this oil is injected into the 1 cylinder or cylinders of the motor and exploded there by an ingenious electric sparker. When the gasolene is explod- ed it expands and acts in the same way 1 that steam does when it is forced into 1 the cylinders of steam engine. Some motors, those of small power, have only one cylinder, and one explosion will cause the shaft on which the propeller is fastened to revolve once. Others have two or more cylinders, and there is l practically no limit to the number that can be attached to one shaft. Of course l the more cylinders there are the more complicated becomes the machinery, and in these motors there are seldom more than six cylinders. Four is the most popular number, and if a higher powered engine than can be made with four cylinders is wanted, then two en- zines tandem are used.
 These motors are what are called two and four cycle A two cycle motor is
  Ilene for every revolution, and the old charge is exhausted on one side of the l cylinder while the new charge is being injected on the other side In four cycle motor there is fresh charge Ievery two revolutions, and the old charge exhausted on the second revolu- tion before the new charge is injected Unto the cylinder. The four cycle motor is considered the better of the two be- cause there is less likelihood of any of the old charge being left in the cylinder for the second explosion.
 The motors are very simple, and al- most one can handle them. A good make rarely gets out of order, the only things that have to be watched being the supply of gasolene and the power of the electric battery which explodes the charge in the cylinder. Some of these motors are started by turning a wheel around while others work by throwing over a lever, and this lever is placed in the boat, where the helmsinan can handle it easily. Iii fast boat the helmsman has a steering wheel, which lis like the brake wheel on a railroad lear; starting lever and a speed gear, so that the boat is always absolutely under his control.
 The cheapest motor boat that is on the market costs s175 These boats are l12 feet in length and have a tank in the bow. and the motor which is one and a falf horse power, is in the middle of the boat in the after part. Seats are Iarranged around the sides. The boats are little more than good sized row. boats, but can be used safely on smooth water and lots of fun can be had out of them. Of course, they are not very speedy, about five miles an hour being the limit, but they are cheap and do not cos. much to run. One of these boats will use about a quart of gasoline an hour and as they carry twelve gallons they can run for forty-eight hours without taking on a fresh supply Gasoline is sold for 16 cents a gallon so that to run one of these small boats costs only few cents an hour.
 A 17-foot fitted with a one and half horse power motor will cost $230. A boat 20 feet long fitted with a three horse power motor can be had for $375 and d 25-soot boat with a five horse power motor can be had for $50. These prices are just for the boat and the motor, and if awnings and other fit are wanted they cost extra.
 As the size of the boat increases anc the power of the motor becomes high. CT. Of course the cost increases very much A 30-foot boat with a ligh Estanding roof fitted with 3 six horse power which will drive the boat at tht rate of seven miles an hour can be hat for $1,425. This boat could be built o cedar and have oak frames and comb
 ings and interior fittings of ash. Thi: boat would use three quarts of gasoline Ian hour and could carry fifty gallon; in the tank. A boat of this size. bu fitted with glass inclosed front ant standing roof. is worth s1,950. Int
 cabin is finished in oak or mahogany and ii is an ideal knd of craft fol
 cruising during the day.
 If one vents a boat with accommo