The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1911-08-18
SALE GRAFT Retire
IN FAVOR OF THE.
MOTOR BOAT
Expert Says That American Sport
Is Giving Away To Craze for
Speed in Everything
Now Days.
Declares Motor Boats Have Attained
Popularity Never Approached by
Wind Driven Craft.
pY LAWRENCE PERRY.
ssocinte Editor .Yacnting'

Associate Editor Yachting
Yachting In the United states Is
undergoing a transitional phase ana
the outcome is impossible to fore
cast.
DEVELOPMENT OF the internal com
bustion engine has added tens OF
thousands to the ranks of yachts
men: motor boats have attained a
popularity never approached by
wind-driven craft. Many former
advocates of wind jamming" are
found I'm cockpits OF gasoline boats.
The sport today Is represented by
the large clubs along Long Island
sound. Larchmont. Seawanhaka--
Corinthian, American. Manhanset
bay. Indian harbor. and I'm New
York waters by the Atlantic and
New York Yacht clubs; in New
England by the Eastern and Cor
inthian Yacht clubs. both OF Mar
blehead; on the great lakes by the
Inter-Lake Yachting association and
on the Pacific coast by clubs In San
Francisco and Los Angeles.
And II In the next decade sail
ing is not to become archaic--as
may we'll be the case in view OF
conditions--it will be the energy
and enthusiasm OF the bodies
named that will prevent II.
At the head OF all sailing organ
izations stands the New York Yacht
club. by virtue of its possession of
the Americas cup, but largely, also,
because of traditions, which have
not been maintained I'm recent years
at a standard that argues for future
prestige of that organization.
Regattas of this club in the past
few years have been puerile In point
of yachts entered. although the
quality OF entrants have been high
class.
Such regattas as that at Glen
Cove for the Spring Cups" and the
Annual Regatta. have of late beer
characterized by an entry OF from
IL TO 20 yachts. and only In the
August cruise. largely made up OF
steam yacht and sloops and schoon-
ers in cruising trim, has past great
ness been manifest.
To Larchmont most sailing yacht
adherents look for salvation and
here the class OF entrants showed In
the race week OF July a sad falling
of in quality. The number OF en-
trants maintained past figures
approximately 120 daily-4-but there
were no modern tracing schooners.
and only one crack sloop above so
feet water line.
In eastern waters the motor-boat
is gaining sensibly. The greatest
yachting event this season will be
the race for the British interna-
rtonaf trophy between gasoffne
flyers OF Great Britain and the
United States.
AS showing the progress in motor
racers, the pick of the challengers,
Maple Leaf, has made over 90 land
miles an hour over a mile course
and the principal American defender.
Dixie w., has registered So land
miles an hour.
The Motor Boat club, OF America,
and the American Power Boat asso-
citation have grown in influence un-
til they practically dominate the
yachting situation.
That motor boats may be had for
almost any price and a gasoline en-
CINE installed in any hull has made
yachtsmen OF thousands who never
thought OF going on the water.
At present careful estimates place
the number of power craft In this
country at 400,000--an extraor-
binary showing and Indicative Of
the progress since 1905. Sailing
yachts do not aggregate $4,000.
And yet, while speaking OF the
wind-driven boat do not imagine IL
has not advocates; on the inland
lakes OF the northwest; on Lake
Ponchartrain, New Orleans; on the
Jersey coast: on Chesapeake bay,
Massachusetts, bay; Casco Bay,
Maine; on Long Island sound and
Narraganset bay the email boat
abounds and races are held weekly.
On Lake Erie the sail boat Is be-
coming more subordinate to the en-
CINE craft although the regattas at
Put-in-Bay retain some of their old
prestige.
The Illinois Valley association has
established the sport through its
efforts in behalf of the motor boat,
where before the day OF the gas en-
CINE, yachting was never known,
and this Is the case on the Missouri
and Mississippi rivers
Only on Lake Michigan DO we find
the sailing yacht supreme The
Columbia, Chicago, Chicago Athletic,
Jackson Park and other organiza-
tions are alive In every sense and
their sail yacht regattas are famous.
The annual Mackinac race Is one OF
the classic meetings In American
yachting, but II is not going far to
say that ere long power craft will
combat the windjammer.
Eminent naval designers whose
activity was formerly the develop
ment Of sailing craft have turned
almost entirely TO motor boat de-
signing and plants are operated
chiefly for engine driven boats.
The tendency is TO travel fast and
steadily, not to wait for favoring
winds or stop for Gains: yachting
today is merely In line with the
times. =.