The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1913-09-29
OLDEST YACHT
 IN THE SOUND
 SOLD RECENTLY

yacht Nereid which has been one of the features of Southport harbor for over forty years has been sold and in a few days will sail for New York where she will he placed in cornrnis- sion for her new owner. The Nereid is the oldest yacht on Long Island Sound and also the oldest member of the New York Yacht club afloat. She is a relic of the days when yachts were something besides racing ma chimes and were able to furnish com fortable quarters for those who loved the believing sails and rolling bill lows.
 The Nereid was the Vesta when she was designed and built at Gowanna Creek by Whitman, then the most fam ous builder of yachts in the coun- try. She was designed to beat the Yacht club. She was completed in 1867 and sailed the race which was to decide her fate the next season at the races of the New York Yacht club. She failed to fulfil the desires and in tentions of her builder and was sold in 1869 to Frederick Bulk1ey, then an enthusiastic yachtsnnan living in Southport. MT. BulkIey was a mem Der of the New York Yacht club and the Nereid took part in many suc- cessive annual cruises. She always made a good showing and was then regarded, as one of the crackboats of the fleet. When MT. BuIkIey died the brother, George Bulkley, who main tained the yacht in the same style and cruised about the Sound and often outside for the Nereid was and is still an able sea boat and was safe for rough work. When George Bu1kley died the boat was passed on to his brother-in-law, A. O. Jennings who ar af al n n Capt. Wakeman B. Meeker was com
 nissioned to do the work and he turn ed the old yacht off the ways as good as ever. This was in 1890 and since that time she has carried out merry parties and has traversed every foot of the Sound visiting every nook and corner. MT. Jennings was en- thusiastfc yachtsman and he kept the yacht on the roll of the New York Yacht club taking part in the annual cruises always with a large and merry party aboard. There was no change in her dimensions when Capt. Meeker was done with her. The original measurements were: Water line length, 3 3 feet; over all, Al feet; beam, IS feet; draft, 3 feet. Her boom was 34 feet long and her gaff 24. Capt. Meeker produced the finest sets of spars ever stepped in a yacht in this country. They are hollow and the shape has been copied in many of the cup defenders where strength and lightness are sought eagerly.
 Several years ago MT. Jennings gave up yachting and the Nereid was moor ed in Southport harbor straining at her cables when the fleets of the club to which she belonged passed up the Sound. She had always given a good account of herself in these cruises. She was a beamy comfortable boat and the newer models could sail much closer to the wind but with the breeze well behind her she could hold her own with the leaders of the fleet when long past the half-century mark in her existence In 1895 MT. Jennings installed a, gasoline meter to insure an early home coming when calmS de- 1ayed. This innovation seemed to sadden the old lady and she fell off in her paces
 After the Nereid was rebuilt she made her first cruise on Sept. 6, 1890. Since that time an interesting log of every cruise has been kept. In it are the names of ladies noted for their wit and beauty, men prominent in politics, letters and finance, some of which are now household words. The accounts of the cruises are inter- spersed with verses from pens wield- ed with more than ordinary talent. Some are gems of thought.
 The most gracious hospitality was the rule on the Nereid from the mo- ment she came to the old harbor in Southport. When MT. Bu1k1ey bought the yacht he found engraved over her companion way the words: Welcome ever Smiles, and Farewell goes out sighing" He never allowed a guest to depart who did not offer a sigh of re- gret when the parting came. The suc- cessive owners have not departed a whit from this rule and the deck of the old yacht has been the scene of successive gatherings of friends which will never be forgotten by the partici- pants.
 For the last three years the Nereid has lain on the ways at white rocks longing to be free. Recently she was sold to Charles Schmidt of New York. Last week she was launched by Capt. Rufus Sherwood and Patrick Russell who are putting the old yacht again into commission. Her hull is still sound and spars trustworthy. She will be used as a pleasure boat by her new owner who is an enthusiastic who passes much time on the waters of the Sound. In few days the old Nereid will sail out of the harbor and every yacht lover in the town will be on the shore to bid her the Farewell which goes out