New-York tribune., 1906-12-02
MOTOR BOAT SCHOOL.
Where Young Men IRE Being
Trained to Become Operators.

Every clear Friday and Saturday afternoon a
group Of eight or ten young may be seen
trying different types Of motor boats on the
Harlem River Spuyten Duyvil Greek, and as
regularly every clear Friday and Saturday af-
ternoon these men have hard luck It matters
not what craft they are IN. what type OF engine
they use-jump spark make and break-ap-
parently they always have trouble. The boat
is constantly stopping. backing doing some
thing erratic. AS a result, the group OF men
has become known generally as the "Jonahs"
and If is doubtful If any owner Of a motor boat
near by would risk his luck by taking them for
a spin.
The other afternoon the Jonah" crowd was
ont as usual and the antics Of their craft at
tracted the sympathy Of another owner whose
boat was skimming along without hitch. So
he made for the Jonah craft from which the
sound or much Intellectual cranking came. AS
he drew near, he called out, Want a tow?"
The answer a hearty laugh and a polite
refusal Of assistance. Then he noticed strange
thngs-no one was swearing at the engine. and
everybody seemed perfectly happy drifting
around. Also, he heard the captain asking
quietly:
Now, Mr.. Jones before you begin to crank,
what must you look to?"
Why" said Mr.. Jones, see that your switch
IS on that your carburetter is right and that
the timer is properly set"
Yes said the other voice, but you've for
gotten one thing"
ITO turn on the gasolene?"
Exactly"
Mr. Jones looked sheepish. but reached under
the engine and all of a sudden the welcome
chuck-a-chuck and the forward movement Of
the boat indicated that the trouble had been
located.
What fool OF an engineerr' thought the
other man.
The Jonah boat went forward about hun
dred yards, when the captain raised hand
The boat stopped short with a wheezy chug.
Mr. Smith," said the captain, your turn at
the engine. Mr. Jones' so forward and steer
Tie owner Of the other boat called out, What
under the sun are you fellows up to?"
The captain of the Jonah" craft smiled and
called out: This is the West Side Young Mems
Christian Associations class in motor boating
We're giving the students experience in starting
stopping and general handling Of motor craft.
Just now, we are queering this engine IN every
old way We can think Of and making the men
ILt her into commission again
Just then another teacher at the wheel called
out: Hard left Mr.. Jones. We're drifting
Keep her pointed for that rowboat as to take
the current right" Then followed q series Of
explanations as to the effect of the current
oh" said the owner. good luck, or, rather.
The worst possible artificial bad luck. This is
rev one on met"
First motor boat school in the world
the reply, as the school again moved onward.
IF the owner of the other boat had followed the
Jonah" crew Of the first motor boat school
IN their other doings he would have seen other
matters equally surprising. One night a week
he would have found them, twenty-five to thirty
strong, in the lecture room Of the Young Mems
Christian Association, at No. 32O West 9th
street, listening intently 10 naval architects and
marine engine experts who, from models of craft
or from actual pieces Of machinery, were de-
nsonstrating to their pupils what lines and ma
terials best for speed and safety, what
types OF engines are necessary to gain certain
ends ana how best to manage and care for hulls
and engines to get maximum results On
other night he would find the members of the
course at the garage Of the West Side Young
Mems Christian Association automobile school,
learning al about repairing and caring for gas
engines
But Thursday evenings TO find the class.
he would have TO make his way up to 14lst
street and the Harlem River. to the boat build