New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-08-02

"HE other day a photographer appeared III
the Office with a bundle Of pictures OF
miniature yachts resting in their cradles
or "kiting' about over the rippled sur
face of a small lake with bellyng sails, spray
dashing I'D at the PROV and a boiling wake astern.
They revived boyhood scenes. What sport it was
10 attempt TO sail crude model Of sloop a
homemade production the dam-also prod
act of youthful energy and invention-ln the
& brook behind the house. How the mouth watered,
20 to speak at a sight of those pictures. One felt
#that possession Of Of the trim craft, vessel
that would steer a straight course and equipped
with pulley blocks that would actually work as
hey do on big yachts, must be like drinking Of
Ponce de Icons fountain Of perpetual youth
"Those pictures look rather interesting" some
one remarked. "They almost persuade one that
model yachting is a real sport"
The remark seemed rather tame and to border
on the utra-conservative TO the writer, recalling
the youthful joys Of the brook. He determined
10 renew those same joys, if that were possible
so he set forth in quest Of the sport. What fun
Il would be to sail a tiny reproduction of one Of
the Gardiner creations.
There were several clubs devoted to the sport it
turned out-three in Brooklyn and one at Hunts
Point The Brooklyn Model and Yankee Yacht
clubs with a membership Of. thirty-fve or forty
each, and a combined feet Of about one hundred
vessels, had for home waters the southern end Of
the lake in Prospect Park. Here they held their
club and interclub and challenge cup regattas
and on Saturday afternoons and Sunday mornings
white wings. like giant butterflies, filtered over
the straightaway or triangular courses, which
have been duly charted with much mathemat
zeal pains as If the Resolute and Vanitie to
B sail them.
81 ]. B. Ketcham, secretary Of the Brooklyn
WModel Yacht Club and real estate man,
warmed up Immediately when the subject Of
model sailing and racing was preached.
SAILING MODEL YACHT NOT so EASY A
TASK AS 1T LOOKS.
"Its = good deal harder to sail model yacht
than Il is an ordinary boat" he declared. That
seemed strange. He elucidated: "You may think
!. hard 20 sail boat yourself, but when you
s,a in II YOU can get the feel Of the tiller.
70. cant get even that with a model yacht.
Won have 70 understand your boat and the
wind so we'll that you can set the sails and tller
accordingly. The sails should be so balanced
vaer sailing on the wind that the tller is not
called into service When you are sailing OF
tho wind YOU have 10 adjust your sheets so that
tlrev will react or the tiller just right TO Keep
the beat on its So you see that the VIC
tory IN the race goes TO the boat whose owner
has made the best estimate Of the wind and
other conditions before the starts Every
zine he touches his boat after the race is on he
IL penal;zed ten seconds You see that il
.akes more skill TO sail Of these small boats
t5an il does larger one which you are steer
his yourself"
THAT was new view Of model yachting. Close
contact with a thing always reveals unexpected
modifying facts about il. It surely was hard
enough getting the small boat Of those youthful
DAYS 20 sail where IL wanted to 60. Some
thing was always occurring to break the CONT
nuity Of its course toward the desired haven. IL
had croehets.
chose boats go pretty fast" continued the
secretary. eve have q time limit on the differ
ent classes. There are four classes, those under
- inches wate-liue, those between az and As,
those between as and "a aud special class OF
boats over Is inches. There are also schooners
The time limit on the fret class is ~ minutes
for a mile A man who accompanies his yacht
in n row5oat sometimes IS clean tuekered out at
tae finish line; be has had 20 row so fast ana
he lust lets his yacht 30 TO thunder
Each yacht is accompanied By its owner IN
a iigbt. stable rowboat. so that he can take care
Of the sailing o. his little pet, On each Sstur"