Charlevoix county herald., 1912-07-27

laugh at you; but after little
while It 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 singlehander Is
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 can do her tustice-and then
sharing her with hireling!! Wouldn't you rath.
er wait even another season, IL 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 on those two points, be-
cause no two singe-handers think alike.
But although sngle-hander ever 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 a yacht OF any kind without first of all SUBJ
hitting her to the examination OF an independent
pert Later on you will become an expert your
SELF but as you intend to trust your yacht witt:
your life 1t would be an unseamanllke 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 yacht
or the racing type. You are going to live on board
your yacht. possibly for weeks at time. You
need yacht that will be dry and warm and IN
Portable. You want headroom down below. and
room to cook and stow your stores and spare sails
And a large water tank Is an absolute necessity
yacht of the cruiser type Is what you must look
out for Whatever her rig. she must have long
straight keel, that she will heave to. and stay
hove to, and take the ground. when necessary or
In case OF accident, on an eTen bottom
One more rule must be emphatically laid down
Tor 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 single handler.
Knowing what you know now OF seamanship.
you can cross the Atlantic II 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 on dry land and has yet to
taste his freedom, and the feeling of unmitigated
bliss that belongs only to the singlehander!
But be must be selfish man. this single-hand-
er, this hermit OF the deep who Keeps to himself
on his little yacht! Is re? Ask the other fellows.
the men that know. The sea does not breed self
ish men. The sngle-hander has looked alone at
the broad Atlantic, racing foam-topped before a
shrieking wind. and laughed in the teeth OF It.
His heart Is too bold for meannesses Out on the
sea there he has learned to know himself and he
nesses Of others. The only thing that could make
single-hander mean would be to take his yacht
away!
Go. then. and be singe-hander You will
never forget II 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 new adventure every day
you live. Show me single-hander and 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 II. and will set out,
with matches battened down and sails double
reefed and with proper and seamanlike caution. to
find II.
He's not what you would call spectacular On
board his yacht he usually wears sweater that
once clean, and an old pair OF flannel trousers.
His feet, which usually bare. unhandsome
from hard and and salt water. He is
much unlike the fashionable yachtsman any
you could imagine. And he doesn't talk much.
But he is a man who has formed habit OF get
ting there and though the place be wants to get
to Ia seldom much good from business point OF
view. he Is none the worse citizen for that It's
the getting there In the teeth OF the weather that
counts, not the reward at the other end
Go and be a singlehander!