The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1907-05-05

OLD UhAPT BKHe6 OVERHAUEED
IN BdILDBEg YARDS.
RgeteFS Busy TFying 20 Aee0mmOdat6 the
DiIstoFy Yachtsmea-FaIlaey ct AS0ks-
lng fer Bargains Pointed Out-safo.
guards fer TA0se intending % Buy.

NJ lUg nNEk0A EOtutCD
guards for Th0Se intending 70 Duy'
In q few weeks now every piece Of water
from PASSPORT 70 the Virginia capes, every
navigable river and every inland lakeswill
be crowded with pleasure vessels, steam
yachts, sailing craft. a~uxilaries. power
boats Of all sorts and sizes and row boats
and canoes. The inhabitants Of the big
oities willhave taken to life afioat~ wheresthey
can get fresh air. freedom and exercise
and gain strength and energy to resume
the battles Of life when the summer months
are gone.
Just now every yacht basin and builders
yard lie crowded with these vessels and
they are being o~verhauled. painted and
made to look their prettiest and be ready
Tor their owners, and while these are being
prepared many men who wish 70 enjoy
some pleasure oil the water are looking
for favorable craft. It is the same old
story each year. Early In the winter when
It Is easy TO make plans for the next yacht
Ing season, when the designers do not have
much to do and when there IL % much
work In the builders' yards those who are
interested In the sport put of making
plans. They keep on putting of until
they suddenly find out that It is too late
TO have a yacht built to suit their require
ments and then they hurry OF TO some
broker 10 TRY TO buy a vessel. or falling
that 10 charter one to tide them over the
season, at the same time vowing that they
will start at once and build that ideal craft
they have * long dreamed OF.
The brokers are busy now. The demand
for yachts and particularly for large ones
with good cruising accommodations Ii
good, but those who own such craft are
holding out for high prices and not many
charters are being arranged at present.
IL is probable. though. that before Decora-
ton Day several boats will be transferred
temporarily 70 some yachtsmen who are
without boats and who wish 10 enjoy q
season on the water. There is also q de-
mand for small boats. boats large enough TO
accommodate two or three persons, "a and
81 ~footers. and in Eastern waters this de-
mand exceeds the supply. 90 that the brokers
there arb looking in other markets to find
just what they want.
For many years IL has been the habit of
Eastern yachtsmen to unload their obsolete
craft. those outbuilt as far as racing 10
concerned, on New York yachtsmen. but
this year things are changed somewhat.
New York boats are going TO Boston and to
Philadelphia. and New York yachtsmen
will own boats specially built for the sport
here. This is partly due TO the uniform
racing rules that have been adopted. The
rules as they now stand we're adopted in this
section before they spread to other clubs
and the new boats were first built here 90
that yaohtsmen who race in other waters
have purchased New York craft to show
in their waters what the rule can do.
How TO Buy a Yacht" is the subject of an
interesting article in this months Yachting.
1t tells how q bargain hunter can examine
a craft himself and find out II che is staunch
and seaworthy. 1t says
Buying a yacht is no easy task, as many
things nave to be taken into consideration,
and two Of the chief factors are the cost Of
the yacht and the cost OF maintenance.
There are many who go about looking for
bargains, but bargains in yachts are just
as hard to find as in other things, and il one
wants a good vessel he must expect to pay
q fair price for it. Sometimes, however,
one is fortunate enough to find some one in
a hurry to dispose OF a yacht, and who, TO
get 1t OF his hands, is willing to let ft go at
most any price, but such bargains should
be examined with care before they are taken
up
article points out why vessels that are
at absurdly low prices should be
fought shy Of n gives reasons why a good
vessel is always worth a fair percentage Of
its original cost and says:
"A Boat that Is sound and seaworthy,
whether sailing craft, steamer or power
boat, will ordinarily bring from 10 to 80
per oent. OF her original cost IL only one or
two years old. 1t has been said BY some
that a yacht depreoiatee in value at least
rs per cent. as soon as she is launched, but
this is not so with boat that Is stanch and
able. Many men in building are in the habit Of
charging almost everything to the yacht 40
as soon as the order for the vessel is
They will hire the captain weeks
before he is required and let him watch
the building Of the vessel proceed. They
will make many trips TO the yard themselves
and always take with them some friends,
and these expenses are charged to the
yacht acoount They have a formal launch
ing and give a luncheon TO q large party.
and this, too. is charged to the boats ex-
pense account; 80 while the contract price
Tor the craft may be $40 1000 a cost Of si2,o o
be declared. When the yacht Is sold a
year or 80 later, they will say the reduction
has TO be made for depreciation. By their
way OF figuring they will be correct. but on
the actual cost OF the yacht itself their loss
be considerably less than stated.
when prices for boats are quoted low
there is usually some good reason for 1t.
They may have deteriorated considerably,
the wood may have been poor when used
ar the metal work rusted. They may have
bad eeagoing qualities or other faults,
and for these reasons their owners wish
10 get rid of them. Real bargains are very
lew, but there are q wonderful lot of gold
bricks to be picked up. and unless one is
IN expert purchasing q yacht is a thing to
be careful about
Things to be considered in buying a yacht
ire told OF and IL also tells how retrospective
should weigh the different points
hat have to be considered.
@The first thing TO consider in buying a
is where is IL going to be used2 1t
nay be wanted for shallow harbors or for
,f shore and deep water work. II it is
shoal waters a good centreboard craft is
he best, but IL for deep water a keel boat
will best suit the purchaser. Having de-
,ided on the locality, the prospective pur-
Shaser must consider how many he wants
% have In his party and whether he is going
10 cruise for one or two days, or wants TO
70 OF for several weeks.
sHaving settled all these points he oan
ook about for the boat, but IL he has had
40 experience the best thing to do Is to
to some broker Of repute and state his
whole case. II In best, too, to go to one
and not 20 shopping around among
III In town. There are q certain number |
II boats In the market, and one brokers'
list Is very similar TO another's, because
when a man wishes to dispose Of his yacht
be will usually zee that It is placed on all
he sale lists. One broker, FOR instance,
las a list OF 1,700 boats, which range from
rowboat to a 800 foot steam yacht. Hav-
nc learned what you want the broker win