The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-04-22
PRICES FOR IACHrs GOING Up.
Scarcity Of Good Lumber Worries the
Builders and Increases Cost.

YaChtsmen who have been ordering new
vessels are figuring that prices have gone
M at least 10 per cent. and there Ia every
prospect Of the cost being still further in
treased. Builders are not making any more
money out Of their work. but the increased
cost i, through the increase in the price OF
materials. One thing that builders are
worried about IA the difficulty they have IN
procuring lumber. Not many years ago,
according 70 the Poucr Boat N'rs. "a builder
could go 10 n lumber yard aud pi'k out every
thing he needed to construct the hull of a
wooden Yacht. Now he must sCOur the
country, by letter. telegraph or travel To OBJ
tain the stock required for a yacht OF good
size. annoying delays are often experienced
fl getting even a fair sele' ti"n OF certain
kinds OF HUMBER. and not inireqlenlly actual
loss because the stock provided does not
come up to standard. All this makes the lot
of the builder not AN easy one tins year,
An example Of the difficulty IN getting good
stock may I've cI'ei from the experience of n
leading concern recently in :" uring a StIth
for the keel OF a schooner Of ~ rating. lhe
designs called for a very thick deadwood,
a. do nearly all designs under the universal
rule of measurement, which gives al under
body form similar To- that of the old English
cutters in the middle part, with a thick Keel.
The piece wanted IN this case must be Of OAK,
about 2s feet long, 26': inches vide across
the top Of the lead and 10 inches thtck. IN
order was placed al V'e "'9' Ii ii s"''"oI'
stick. which was promise in September,
but which did no. arriv" up to christmas,
Then the head of the concern went ont ana
ranged up and down New England pastures
To get a suitable oak.
at last he found n promising one in Md
dlc5oro, Mass. IL was a giant tree, four feet
through the trunk Al the ground and three
fest Hftcen feet up. 1t appeared sound,
was cut and shipped to the yard, but When
the saw c~nterei it, rotten hollow was found
In the heart. The stick was valueless, and
~ II ~ an, L,.. or about ann while inc
stood the hrm Il l's~ OF aP"", s,'"' """e u
search Tor a sultaple tree hau " u WIN
timle1.
Gaor,ar I,v,av fine veteran Yacht builder
~ Rnston recently talkei TO a Giobe man on
Twenty years ago We were building the
Mayaow"r. she ia So feet water line and 100
leet over an, llel I"a, ~ w., -
with lead ballast ana rug p"' "l.ho"' S"'s
ahnut 'ssg2i, aH or above 10 per cent. more, If
hni,t eTar',Iy mo same,
nun, eNa,'S .t~ s"m,r' r,ors work in Yachts
But to-day we pun more Moih III aaCHis,
fittings. plumbing. cabin fnlsh, srarS, NhiHh
have ton" hollow n blacks and IN S'iis IN
every way, we spend more lnnneS ant.
men TO-DAY EouldH1 be satisfied 81 3 YIN buns a "a D car
was a fine yacht for the day"
Mr.. Lawley. when asked Tor a comparison
years ago, sail,
Take S~hiyessa. tlat we built for Alfred
Douglass, in lol@. she IS al eigE,lii cTuising
over all, The old 30 foot waterline cutters
were about 3 feet shorter on top, aud cost
about 800. One of them built to-day in the
style Of twenty-oue years ago would cost
abo4t-S 81 $40, or nearly 80 per cent, more.
Speaking Of the reasons for TINS increase IN
cost, aud Of the price of lumber in particular,
Mr.. Lawley said
The forests Of the world are being de
Melted of lumber suitable for building Yachts.
Pine is SO scarce in this CouGtry thql W. are
advice we get from London quotes teak at
a higher price, and reports fewer and lever
CarVoes Of il from the Far East.
Our domestic pine market is bare, aud
We cant get any more OF the Michigan white