Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-04
CHEAP SEA SPORT
MAY BE ENJOYED
BY AMATEURS OF LIMITED
MEANS
One Need Not Be a Millionaire to
Own and Sail a Comfort.
able Cruising
Yacht
By Herbert Russell in London Express.

By Herbert Russel in London Express'
The popular idea sets yachting down as
the most costly of all sports. In one
sense this is correct. The sport of
kings" as followed by Sir Thomas Lip
ton, for example, is probably the most
expensive pursuit which sane fancy has
yet devised.
/ But in another sense this notion is
quite wrong. The effect of 1t Is to deter
many men, whose highest dream of joy
does not go beyond possession Of little
cruising craft, from touching the hobby
at all.
believe it is true to say that upon no
subject does so much misconception exist,
nor is so much extravaganza of talk in
dulged in. A copy of a well known
journal devoted to sport lies before me as
write and my eye is upon the following
paragraph:
"'Novice,' Burnham.-We should think
single-handed craft of about 25 feet
would suit your purpose best, preferably
yawl rugged. Such a craft, with cabin,
you might buy within a100. The cost of
maintenance we would put at about 82o
per annum."
If Novice is man of decent income
these figures will not greatly perturb
him. But If he be one of that vast legion
who measure their hobbies by most dill
gent contemplation VI tlelI pdoopOohS' ho
will probably shake his head and con-
slider that to be a yacht owner is just
wee bit beyond his means.
1t is, of course, easy to spend E1O0-or
twice that figure-on a 25-footer, and 1t
is equally simple to spend 10 shillings
weel1-or double that sum-on her up
keep.
How to Save Epense
Il,tf 10 hla that
men such as Novice want to set to
work in the cheapest possible manner,
and as one of the fix of twenty years
experience, 1 will endeavor to tell how.
A boat of % feet is big enough to make
comfortable, single-handed cruiser. If
she be much bigger the working of her
will require two men. Such craft, OF
decent beam and good draught can easily
have sufficient undertook accommodation
to sleep four people.
We may put down the burthen of such
little vessel as five tons. And she may
be bought, sound in hull and reasonably
we'll found in gear, at 910 ton
Not at Cowes nor Southampton, 1 ad-
nit, and not during the height of the
yachting season. The man of limited
means has to finesse in more directions
than one, and so 1t is in buying boat
Wait until the fall of the year begins
to darken in, and the equinoctial gales
are shrilling bleak across the sea. Then
it is time to put away all playthings on
salt water-and the time to buy.
| Many a man, who has some fresh
caprice for next season. or who does not
want the bother of laying his little vessel
up, will get rid of her for a trifie more
than the proverbial song. have seen a
staunch 12-ton sloop sold for 940. Her
sails alone were worth the money.
1t may be taken. then, that novice
who puts ESQ in his pocket and awaits
his opportunity will be able to buy a snug
little cruiser. But, although 1 call him
novice, 1 may reasonably assume that
knowledge of boating.
Problems to Be Settled
Indeed, this condition is essential to
amateur yachting on such economic lines
as l have in mind. 1t is also perfectly
feasible that a man may have but the
foggiest notion of the value of a boat or
the cost of her maintenance, and yet be
perfectly competent to manage her.
The little vessel being purchased, two
points have to be decided which will go
far to settling the annual average cost of
upkeep-where to moor her when In COM
mission, and where to lay her up during
the winter,
In nearly all ports a craft Of the size
1 am indicating will be free from harbor
dues. A thoroughly adequate set OF
moorings may be laid out for couple
of sovereigns. This first cost being in
Cured, there need be no more outlay
under this head for several seasons.
Then will occur the advent of the
yoracious longshoreman anxious to mind
the gents boat" The best thing for the
gent" to do is to promptly give this
individual to understand that he means
to mind his boat himself. Otherwise the
twenty-five pounds year suggested Dy
the sporting journal 1 have quoted Will
become an accomplished expenditure.
II Is characteristic of all amateurs that
they take a profound pride in their boats.
Ask a man to paint his bath room at
home and he will either be sarcastic or
deliberately rude, but ask him who Is
going to paint his boat and he Will
promptly answer Il am"
Scrubblng and Cleaning
A little .,acht needs scrubbing at least
once a month to keep her free from weed.
Personally I am not above doing this job
myself, because / am then sure that no
"holidays" are left. But 1t is not very
interesting work, and is well worth the
three arf-crowns'' for which the aver
age beachcomber will undertake it.
The laying-up of small yacht is
matter In WnlCn some Juu6lilShI ihuSh "
exercised. If you go to pukka yard
they will probably quote you seven-and-
sixpence per week for mud BERTH with
the privilege of hanging up your spars
and putting your sails in store where
they will be eaten up by mildew. BY a
little inquiry you may find virtually the
same thing at the cost of sovereign for
the season.
What remains in the way of outlay?
From time to time a sail may want re-
pairing, pair of halyards or set OF
sheets need renewing, a block require re-
placing. and the like But few shillings
a month should suffice to keep pace with
all demands in this way-barring excep-
tionaI rnishaps-in the case OF boat
well found at the outset.
In short, Il make bold to say that a
yachtlet big enough to coast the Channel
in summer time may be purchased for
fifty pounds, and maintained Tor ten
pounds year. And I know plenty or
men who have done and are doing this.
SOUTHERN STATE GAMES
letic mark today viii be as follows: Pa