The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1906-12-25
THE ~SCANTLING RULES.
opinion In England That New Tables Pro-
duce a scrviceable Boat.

Opinion In England That New Tables Pro-
duce a scrviceable Boat.
The scantling question has been troubling
yachtsmen for a long time and many schemes
nave been devised to compel yachtsmen TO
build good stanch boats. but as long as there
are no restrictions in the regular classes there
will always be found wealthy men who will
nave a lightly constructed craft built which,
"hen lts racing career Is ended. will be good
Tor the Junk heap. These men consequently
nave a great advantage over the boat that il
oullt 10 he serviceable, and the man who could
aHord the lightly constructed boat conse-
quently has the advantage in racing. On this
SIDE many one design classes have been built
under certain scantlinG rules. and in the small
classes on Long Island Sound, Massachusetts
BAY and the Great Lakes, rules have been
framed that have worked very well. Now
the matter Is to be gone into in a systematic
way on both sides Of the Atlantic. Here a
committee is to collect all the date possible,
and in Europe a rule hes been framed which
Is 10 be announced very soon.
Referring To this the IOchtino World saws.
There has been much speculatio and
some very natural concern az to the kind of
racers We shall have built TO ia under the new
rule Of sCantling regulation. The speculation
rises from the fact that this proposal or law
rather, for il has gone beyond the stage of
proposition into that Of Accomplished legisla-
tlon is i'm many ways the most draSti" set of
limitations ever imposed on yacht designers
in this country. The concern was born of
our experience with the provisions which
come nearest to the laws which come into
force with the ensuing year. II is true that
We nave never yet had a sCantiing scale
suited to the needs of racing Yachts, and il
would be still within the bounds OF truth TO
say that We have never had a scale suit ed TO
the necessities of yHcht ing. A numDeT OF
the gentlemen who have built for cruising and
handicap racing in the larger classes. and one
az Feast VINO built Tor racing in the largest
class on the strict letter Of the !. r, 4. allow
ances. did, II is true, decide 10 have their
yachts hall marked by a classification M
Lloyd's. ana built az, ordingly. By doing
so they voluntarily accepted q handicap the
extent of which has never yet been estimated
with anything that looked like accuracy. they
added considerably TO the cost Of the vessels.
ana they LEFT II still y matter OF doubt whether
as strong, sound and serviCeable a vessel, and
al the same time livelier and faster in the
racing arena, could not have been built for
less money.
1T is undeniable that 10 per cent. Of the
Tor classification AZ Lloyd's went beyond
utHlty INTO mere dead weight. The choice,
however, lay between this on tho one hand,
or on the other Of lea wing il entirely 10 the
designer ~ decide rs to the size, weight and
class Of materials to he employed. II viii
he granted without denmr that our designers
are as careful Of the interests Of their clients
as could be dems nded in eason,
hey IA We. however. n very natural in
c~Ilnation 10 bid for a prompt success in tho
racing arena II the yacht il intended for
competitive Al iling rather than tho pro
duCtion Of n vessel which might stand To the
neat generation az an object lesson in the
splndness II old fashioned work BIT nv
bt, Iherrforc. they inclined 10 outbid each
other IN the saving Of weight in construction,
and il IL undeniable that. both ~ home and
abroad, this development was carried n I'M
in fear Of III" lengths 10 which this might |
no pushed rather than for the cure Of any |
existing evil that this legislation was agreed
10 mi nAnn Gonna nf NhnGA wUhA -. Al. ]
weight Of their influence in support Of the
movement did so WITH the pious hope that
when the conditions we're framed they would
be found more in accordance with the nocas-
stiles Of yachting than any ~ the regulations |
which, ha No hitherto been offered ~ ia.
ScantlinGs If excessive weight have their |
diSadvantag yes as well as those TINT are in
sufficient. Tn" ha ndicnp upon the Yacht |
which is hurd"ned nv her own weight dis |
level. but the disa ppointing feeling Of dead I
ness which such n Yacht has In any ordinary |
summer breeze remains as an evidence of
error. aud the extra cost becomes worthy
Of consideration in these days when all the
tendencies soon TO go in the direction of |
greater outlay.
The full note Of the revisions of the new
scale OF scantlings is not yet available - the
ordinary Yachting man. but this IL nor r
which need concern hin very greatly
The most Skilful and interested Of Yachting
amateur might we'll be pardoned the adj
mission that the table Of complicated figures
IN which tho provisions are presented gave
him hut scant e~nlightment on tho burning
'lllFHllpu - ~ Nntl'itT Ilt new order IL ~
give us sisters Of the ships hitherto Chased.
or yachts in which allowance il made for
the class Of work which the vessels are in
II do, and for the excellence of the
workmanship which we expect. and gen
orally get, IN yacht building. One example
goes further - the elucidation Of these qnes-
tons than all the figures with which che scale
Is loaded. The example II afforded in the
TWO vessels now being constructed T. the
designs nj Mr.. Nicholson and MIR. Fife. These.
ire the hrst biG rncers To be built under the
new sCantlinR avs, and they are. naturally.
planned 10 take fun advanta &c Of these pro-
As well IA the rule Of rating. There
j.. therefore, cause for general tula-
ton in the assurance, which we are in a posi-
ton 10 give, that the product of the new
laws has scarce q trace of the eU-
aggerated weights demanded Of the yachts
hitherto intended for classification. There
are details which the designers would doubt
have lightened had they been work
ing with q free hand, but either Yacht Judged
As n whole would be entitled 10 rank as a
medium between bandbox construc-
and the dead solidity which marks the
lther, and equally undesirable, extreme,
The weight is amply sufficient for all pur-
poses, and yet, with the exception Of some
,Omparatively unimp ortant details, il never
-unS to excess. II we must have a scantlinR
lcale, and this seems TO be decided beyond
then the tables now framed may
ne accepted as admirably suited for the
work they have to do"