Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-01-21
BY WIN. B. LAUB, JR.


During the present lull in club activ-
tiles suggestions such as the one offered
In the following letter. which was brought
aft last Tuesday. are gladly received and
acted upon forthwith:
Boating News Dept, Star:
Baltimore, Norfolk and Eastern sho
yachtsmen speak OF local motor boatists
and such seekers of excitement and aqua
amusement in such glowing terms as
fresh water sailors and mud fat tars.
for the reason that comparatively few
Washington boat owners drop Point
Lookout astern when bound on a cruise.
There are several reasons for the APP
parent timidity shown by the local boat
ing element, but I believe the chief one
Of these is the fear of encountering con-
ditions on the broad waters of Chesa-
peake bay that might necesstate a slight
knowledge of the simplest form of navi-
CATION.
1T would therefore seem that The
Star could overcome this suspected
malady among said knights of the car
buretor and compass by throwing a little
light on the black terrors of the deep
Athe bay. Respectfully.
ONE OF EN-"
The identity of "One of EN- is not for
publication by his request, but that does
not alter the value of his suggestion,
which will be carried out.
The reason given for the apparent
timidity of local yachtsmen is believed to
be very plausible one, but there are
other excuses, more readily MADE pv
the boating man who never leaves the
Potomac. One will have friends and rela-
tives at some summer resort on the river,
vr,t~ - AI- b. wit
during every minute of his leave" An
other Graves the glare of electric ngnts
and the symphonic strains of the nyln
bosses" at Colonial Beach, and another
may own a craft responsible for his rail-
ure to secure life insurance policy; so
you see 1t Is not because We are all UNI
versed in simple navigation that the
Chesapeake doesn't rock us on its bosom
every summer. But what knowledge OF
inland water navigation, 1t may be ask
ed, Is essential for bay cruising aside
from plotting courses, taking bearings to
determine position and the ability to read
a chart correctly?
Very little aside from these three things.
which, instead Of being written upon at
great length every Sunday, will be work
ed in with another plan for encouraging
deep water trips. Mr.. "One of EN-" and
doubtlessly a good many other motor
boatists and yachtsmen with years OF
experience on the water, will admit that
chart doesn't clearly explain very much
to a novice, so as often as the space allot-
ted to Boat Club Gossip will permit. which
may be every Sunday, small portion or
the chart Of the lower river and the
greater part of Chesapeake bay will be
published, with explanatory notes dealing
with Typographical signs and various
situations. Information similar to that
given on the. cruisers chart published
last spring. will accompany each nsertlol
Of the charts of the bay, and revised
Potomac chart will probably be dis
tributed after the season opens
Neither the river nor harbor looks very
"boaty' at present. but it is rather con-
soling to remember that Old Sol crossed
the line way back in D sS ner;ns ana
ATTITUDES again. There are few
boats to be seen at their moor
.ngs now, but those craft that have been
left to their own destruction or to prob
as easily boarded by pedestrians as
though they were taxicabs standing In
front of hotel. The yawls Stranger and
Seabelle and the houseboat Grise1da OF
the Capital Yacht Club are frozen in
tight on the opposite side of the harbor.
and some fear has been expressed by
members of the club that they may be
either cut through or carried on down
stream by the ice as soon IS the first
thaw comes and a good stiff nor'wester
sets the big cakes in motion
The fifty-foot power boat Eolis, owned
by John B. Henderson. jr., is laid up Tor
the winter at Annapolis.
* X
The CAPITAL Yacht Club has taken
necessary steps to secure the Annapolis
station for the coming season. The idea
of building a branch clubhouse at An
napolis has been practically abandoned
for the reason that it is not desired to
discourage members who prefer to re-
main on the Potomac in season and out
This the building Of a clubhouse OF any
size at Annapolis would do, as the ma
jority would eventually be in favor of
transferring everything to Crabtown
The present unpretentious club station
officially known as No. 2. provides all
that the cruising yachtsmen actually
need SO long as the boats are well looked
after and protected from thieves.
A. S. Pattfson, owner of the power
yacht Lady Maud, will substitute forty
horsepower engine this sIring in place
Of the smaller machine which has here
tofore driven the craft. and it is expected
that at least three or four miles additional
speed per hour will be the result of the
change. The Maud should be an easy
boat to drive If her stern can be kept
SCENES ON THE ICT