New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1906-01-08
YACHTING

No better evidence is necessary that there is
genuine and a healthy interest in the sport Of
yachting in America. and that the sport is ever
making rapid strides. than glance at the rec
ord of 1905. For years the public has been in
the habit of regarding yachting season without
race for the Americas Cup as an off year for
the sport, when. as a matter of fact, the con-
trary is the case. The real yachting of this or
any other country is embodied in its local races,
the success of which determines the success of
the season. The Americas Cup races have al
ways distracted attention from the local racing.
hence Americas Cup race year is absolutely
harmful TO home club racing. The season Of
1905 started with a boom in the shape of the
great ocean race for the German EmDerors
Cup. a contest that has passed into history
the greatest example of SKILL pluck and endur
ance in the annals of transatlantic racing. That
eight American yachts entered and that one
of them. the Atlantic, won the race. is glory
enough for US, and other nations regard the
victory as a distinct tribute to cur designers,
builders and sailors.
An analysis Of the seasons racing shows that
the large and small clubs located on Long Island
Sound New-York and Boston bays held one
thousand races between May Is and September
Is In these races between 200 and 1.500
yachts OF various types started. This does not
include racing on the Great Lakes and on the
Pacific coast which would easily run the total
number of races UP to 1,200, and the starters to
1000. which means that the yachting season of
1905 was successful not only from a sport
ing standpoint, but that the cruising and racing
OF these yachts furnished employment directly
end Indirectly to some $4,000 men. whose wages
for the four months may be roughly estimated
al $4,000 600 So that yachting is really quite
an item TO reckon with In the realm OF sport.
J. Rogers Maxwell. the owner of the smart
70-footer Yankee, who. by-the-bye, is one Of the
cIeyerest amateur shippers on the Sound, said
at the close of the season, that he had had more
fun with his boat then ever before The Yam
kee started in eighteen races and won only
wheel. winning fifteen. but Maxwell had
his fun just the same. Many race on the
Sound was helped nightly by those smart little
design boats the 'thirties.'' for they sailed
in forty-one races. and the Nautilus. owned by
tie Hanan brothers. Wilmer and Addison, won
the most first prizes The power boat ocean
race for cruisers from College Point to Marble
head, successfully promoted by the Knicker-
booker Yacht Club and the Brooklyn Yacht
Hampton Roads, both attracted much attention
in yachting circles. did the high speed power
boat races on the Hudson in the fall.
That American yachts and yachtsmen are held
In high esteem by the King of England is eV1-
dent from the fact that he has presented to the
New York Yacht Club cup to be raced for an
nuaIiy by American yachts in American waters.
This may be construed a desire on the part
of the donor to more closely cement the grow
ing friendship of the nations through the me-
dunn of the royal sport OF yachting.