The mirror. (Stillwater, Minn.) 1894-1925, 1910-11-10
ST co a year, advance
tEhMS Six Months, SO cents.

defender Columbia and Reliance
were built with fin shaped keel-for
navigating shallow rivers and bays,
the round bottom center board boat
is handy and reliable, while for deep
water cruising, the broad beam keel
sloop is both roomy and seaworthy.
A good 3O-foot keel sloop may be
built, fitted out in Essex or Glouces-
ter, Mass. for $1 200 dollars. A cat
rugged boat with cabin, 20 feet on
the water line will cost half this
sum. Of course, these figures are
approximate as it is possible to spend
hundreds Of dollars in luxurious
fittings.
In passing it may interest the
non-nautical members to have the
uses and merits of the center board
explained. 1t is briefly, as the
name indicates, center board, and
adjusted with weights placed on the
.centerline of the boat midships,
or, if this is not clear, about half the
distance between the bow and stern
it is held in position with an iron
pin when not in use or when the
boat is sailing with fair wind COM
ing over the stern or quarter-when
the wind is dead ahead or few
points over the bow, by dropping
the center board the affect is as if
the boat had a keel and it is then
possible to beat to wind dward-with-
out a keel or center board, a boat
close hauled, pointing into the wind,
would slide off to leeward without
making any progress toward point
Of destination. That many persons
have crude ideas as to the sailing
management Of yachts, is evidenced
every summer by the long list of
capsizes and drownings. | say it
without fear of contradiction, that
there are few or no accidents to sail
ing parties when the skipper knows
his business. But it requires good
seamanship in all that the word inn
plies to manage a 30 or 50-foot sloop.
Such simple direction to always
sit on the weather side of yacht
has, by being violated, cost many
human lives-the weather side is
always the side over which the wind
blows. A few summers ago eight
cen young ladies were drowned off
the Isle of Shoals. These young
ladies were students or school
teachers, working as mattresses at
the summer hotel on these islands,
and had gone sailing on a 30-foot
sloop. The skipper was going close
hauled, having the main sheet flat
aft, or, as the whalers would say.
the main tack down to the deck.
He jibed, or came about, the young
ladies retaining their places, the
consequence was that the lee, or un-
der side, was over ballasted. A
sudden gust of wind and over the
boat went. Had these young ladies
climbed upon the high weather side
it would have stlfFened and ballasted
the boat and no doubt the skipper
would have been able to land his
party safely. / have given the in
cident to more forciably illustrate
to you how small a thing and yet
how important it is always to obey
the proper sailing directions Of the
skipper.
For the business man or clerk
who must be back at the office at a
certain hour, the power boat or sail
boat with auxiliary engine affords
an enjoyable as well as reliable
method Of getting out on the water
and living a life of ease and health if
only for few hours, away from the
worry. noise and discomfort Of the.
city and yet without straining the.
needs of his pocketbook too much,
and with the certainty that he can
get back to the office at any time.
he desires. Marine gasoline engines
are now as reliable as steam, and
| with reasonable care any power
boat or auxiliary can always be de-
pended upon to go when desired.
Thus any man or woman who wishes
70 es.,y health, happiness and true
contentment, may find itat small ex-
pense by turning attention to the
greatest of all sports, yachting.