The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1905-08-18
TELLS THE EAST
OF MINNETONKA
Ward G. Burton Writes Inter-
esting Sketch of Western
Yacht Racing.

Ward c.. Burton, the we1l-known Minneapolis
athlete and yachtsman, contributes yacht Rae,
Of Golfers Weekly. The article is illustrated
with pictures of Minnetonka yachts and the
racing course on the big lake.
The writer points out how western sailors
developed wonderful speed. This he summar-
ICES in the statement that Minnesota designers
have planned boat to go the water rather
than thru it. He points out that many Of the
boats IN the state lakes are built by their own
ers, and that these boats make higher speed
than the big deep-water yachts sailed in the
international races. He describes in detail the
boats familiar to citizens Of Minneapolis.
The story of the famous Onawa is told by Mr..
Burton as follows:
.'The Minnetonka Yacht club, organized in
1882, after struggle of ten years had made
no progress in yacht designing; their fastest
frst-class sloop in 1892 practically the
same low, square ended boat that was raced
in the early eighties. She carried 800 square
feet Of sail and for ballast about 800 pounds
of dead weight supplemented by crew of six
men, After ten years the Minnetonka Yacht
club had not been able to increase the speed
of their boats over thirty seconds mile.
''In the winter of 1892 a resolution was passed
whereby the racing length of yacht was de-
termined by the square root of the sail area,
which sail area, however, should not be less
than 400 square feet. Coincident with and par
TALLY resulting from this rule came the revolu-
ton in lines. A boy of Is discovered that, with
a crew of two, his Indian canoe could carry a
given amount of sail better than his rowboat of
the same dimensions and consequently would
sail much faster. This discovery he embodied
In Onawa, which was constructed during the
winter of 1892. Like his canoe, she was con.
structed with fat ribs and thin Quarter inch)
cedar planking, which covered with canvas.
Tho p feet long and 61a feet wide, the hull OF
Onawa weighed less than 500 pounds; add to
| this so pounds for tfDh steel centerboard and
200 pounds for rigging, and Onawa weighed about
as much as the. standing ballast of the champion
in the first class of 1892, and but little more
than the weight Of her own crew.
The victory of Onawa was decisive; not only
could she beat the former champion from fif
teen to twenty minutes, but she had little
difficulty in defeating Alpha (the famous Boston
Herreshof 21-footer of 1922 and Kite-es
pecially designed by Herreshoff to beat Alpha
from five to ten minutes in sailing a ten
mile course. ...-- 49,.
>''This marks the greatest change in the de
| sign of inland racing yachts. The standing
ballast was done away with sails ont dorT
and construction of boats lightened. All en-
ergy was concentrated to drive boats over rather
| than thru the water.
| "The following winter the regulations wer,
| changed, so that Onawa never raced again. Dur
\ ing the subsequent years the Minnetonka clul
| added size and power to the Onawa principle
which resulted in Tartar, the flrst-class slool
the interlake races. To defeat Tartar th
White Bear Yacht club had secured boa
| from Herreshof which represented an apparent
tho misguided, attempt at western ideas. T
| Ills AAcii esAoI Dodl, allreua, Tartar admins
| tered most emphatic drubbing, finishing ST
! and eight minutes ahead Of her in the two ten
mile races.
! 'The invasion of eastern designers farm,
mated. Minnetonka had learned her lesson thr
| the defeat of the Herreshoff boat Alpha an
White Bear thru the defeat of Alfredo Whit
Bear took her defeat the hardest but he
yachtsmen had learned their lesson. They adopt
ed the crude principles, scrutnized them an
then perfected them"
Modesty probably restrained the writer fro,
mentioning that he was the ''boy Of 49, wh
designed built and sailed the Onawa to suo
decisive victory. So