Gilpin observer., 1912-07-04

laugh at you; but after little
while 1t Will dawn on you that the only opinion in
the world that really matters is that of other
singlehanders, and even then only to the extent
that 1t agrees with your own. A single-hander ia
always an opinionated man; and before you have
been year at the game you will be as opinion
ated the rest of them.
Fancy working hard for two seasons In an open
boat and dreaming all the while as YOU will be
dreaming, of the little yacht you mean to have
when you can trust yourself to handle her and feel
that at last you do her justice-and then
sharing her with a hireling!! Wouldn't you rath.
er wait even another season, If necessary and
have her all to yourself? One more seasons care
full planning will do your prospects no harm There
Will be thousands of things to think of-not least
of them is the rig and the tonnage of your yacht
No one can advise you those two points, be-
cause no two singe-handers think alike
But although no snglehander took any
ones advice regarding the type or size of yacht
that he should purchase, there certain broad
rules that may be laid down for the guidance of
the beginner. And the first of them is: Never
buy yacht of any kind without first of all sub
mftting her to the examination of an independent
expert Later on you will become an expert your.
self. but as you intend to trust your yacht with
your life it would be unseamanlike and lub
berly thing to do to buy without taking every
reasonable and possible precaution.
The next thing to bear in mind is that the last
thing that you want for your purpose is a yacht
OF the racing type. You going to live on board
your yacht, possibly for weeks at time You
need a yacht that will be dry and warm and com.
Portable. You want head-room down below and
room to cook and stow your stores and spare sails
And large water tank is an absolute necessity.
A yacht of the cruiser type is what you must look
out for Whatever her rig. she must have a long
straight Keel so that she will heave to. and stay
move to. and take the ground. when necessary or
In case of accident. bottom
one more rule must be emphatically laid down
for the beginners guidance and that is that pow.
er In any shape or form. electricity, petroleum.
steam gasoline, Is something belonging to the
devil. to be dabbled with perhaps by yachtsmen,
but to be eschewed-along with all other con.
trivances of the devil-by the sngle-hander
Knowing what you know now of seamanship,
you can cross the Atlantic If you want to- and
pick up the Bishops Rock Light on the other
side some fine morning. Doesn't that appeal to
you? Never forget you lie there in the bosom
OF the sea, to pray for the unhappy landsman who
has to make his bed dry land and has yet to
taste his freedom. and the feeling of unmitgated
bliss that belongs only to the singe-hander!
But he must be a selfish man. this single-hand.
er, this hermit OF the deep who keeps to himself
on his little yacht! Is he? Ask the other fellows.
the men that know The does not breed self
ish men The single handler has looked alone at
the broad Atlantic. racing foam-topped before a
shrieking wind, and laughed in the teeth of II.
His heart Is too bold for meannesses. Out on the
sea there he has learned to know himself and he
knows how to look over and beyond the weak.
nesses of others The only thing that could make
singe-hander mean would be to take his yacht
away!
Go. then and be a single-hander! You will
never forget 1t as long you live. In health and
strength and peace Of mind, and everything that
counts for happiness you will be better OF; and
you will meet with some adventure every day
you live. Show me single handler and I will
show you good citizen one that will fight for his
country II need be. man who. when the horizon
looks gray and ugly, will know that there is blue
water somewhere out beyond It. and will set out.
with matches battened down and sails double
reefed and with proper and seamanlike caution to
find It.
He's not what you would call spectacular. On
board his yacht he usually wears a sweater that
once was clean, and an old pair of flannel trousers
His feet, which are usually bare are unhandsome
from hard use and sun and salt water. He is
as much unlike the fashionable yachtsman any
one you could imagine. And he doesn't talk much
But he is n man who has formed habit of get
ting there. and though the place he wants to get
to Is seldom much good from a business point Of
view. he is none the worse citizen for that Its
the getting there in the teeth of the weather that
counts, not the reward at the other end
Go and be a sngle-hander!