Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1915-08-05
NOT EVERY RICH
MAN CAN AFFORD
TO OWN A YACHT
Conservative Estimate Places
the Yearly Expense of Big
Ocean.Going Craft at
S72,267.


4 popular diversion with yachtsme.l
whose minds incline to figures is the reck-
ching Of the total sum OF money involved
in "A New York Yacht club cruising squad
ron. OF course. nothing exact II over adj
duced. writes Fair Play In the New York
Post. but men whose experience covers
n wide range of craft can evolve approx
innate figures that are interesting to con-
template 1t is the steam yacht contin-
gent that enters to prevent accuracy in
casting the financial aspect of the squad
ron which bears the red, white and blue
burgee.
The cost of sails. of spars. of overhaul.
Of officers and crew in the case of a
windjammer may be reckoned, but when
one comes to great steam yacht there
can be no possible basis for conclusions
OF definite nature, because the amount
OF money spent rests with the owner II
he is of hospita bic disposition he is never
satisfied to cruise alone. or with his fam
lily. but must have guests. And guests,
with all they involve IN the way of for
NAL dinners and entertainment Of various
sorts. cost a great deal OF money. Be-
sides, some yachts use a great deal of
coal, and some not: some are used In
extensive cruises and others remain in
home waters
DOESN'T DARE RECKON COST.
AS an owner of a great steam yacht.
New York Yacht club member said last
season, speaking Of his craft: Il don't
dare to look into the cost of the boat. |
just run her and pay the bills. | suppose
If l ever undertook to reckon up the to-
tai cost, I'd lose some of the enjoyment
! get out of her"
Take IL or Il Of the largest steam
yachts on the roster of the New York
Yacht club. and you will find their cost
ranging from $4,000 to s1o0O.00O. They
! have n gross tonnage Of more than 1000
and will be manned by crews averaging
GO men. Windjammers are apt to poke fun
, at the New York Yacht clubs steam
yacht element. but of them this may be
said: They have their moneys worth in
the way of pleasure and luxury.
a steam yacht has everything on board
that can be had in a house ashore
! usually more. since the craft, being out
of immediate touch with land. must carry
all the modern Conveniences and Injuries
that modern life has devised. The YES
sells are as stanch as ocean liners. can go
anywhere. and in model are beautiful to
behold
FITTINGS LAVISHLY ARTISTIC
Fittings aboard ]. p. Morgan's great
Corsair-next to Lysistrata the largest
| American steam Yacht-are simple, if
costly; the scheme Of decoration is plain,
and useless articles, either in the way of
furniture or decoration. are not in evil
dence. But generally YOU will find steam
yachts fitted in style lavishly artistic.
There Will be one suite of rooms finished
in the style of Louis XIV, the dining
room revealing the French Renaissance
influence, the music room Italian, the
smoking room early English or Flemish.
and so on. The sky to fall into the YER
nacular, is the limit Of expense for the
steam yacht owner: hut the following
figures will give an idea of what may be
termed the basic expense of Yacht
whose crew numbers 60:
Captain, $500 year chief engineer.
5000 year; first mate, $40 month.
second mate, 500 a month: third mate,
so" month; assistant engineer, $50 a
month; second assistant engineer 800 a
month; four oilers each 80 a month";,
$50 month 70 fremen (S35 month
EACH. $40, six uuarterma sters $50 a
month EACH, $500 month: two boat
swans 1885 month each), go a month
L seamen 1895 a month eachD $500. two
launchmen $40 a month EACH, $50 a
month; one steward, $3.50 a year, two
second stewards Gl0o a month each, $500
a month; bedroom steward, s75 a month:
chef, sl.sn a year; three cooks G75 A
month eachl, s@25 a month; two solutions
a.
walters, at $40 a month each, or $50 y
month for the four
EIGHT MONTHS COST So, 367
With tn" yacht in commission eight
months, the payroll amounts to s29,7sO
The food bill for the employees will be
sl1,7l2 The bill for uniforms will ex-
ceed $1,000 If yacht runs 10 hours a
day she will burn % tons of coa-a bout
s15 a day for fuel. The cost for oil, paints
cleaning, drydocking. overhauling anc
sundries may be placed at $4,000 for the
season. Thus we have an estimate OF
s72.267 which Is conservative, at least
And il must be borne i'm mind that the
} owners personal expenses. entertaining
dinners, wines and the like have not
been included.
In this connection an interesting story
is told of the late j, Perpont Morgan
II 10 related that IA young man who hac
made a good deal Of money and married
some more, came to Mr.. Morgan on one
occasion to ask his advice. When he
was ushered in he said that he desired
his advice as To whether he was rich
enough to own and run steam yacht
Ne stated the amount Of his means anC
; his income, but before he could get any
further the magnate said; MY youni
friend the fact that you ask such a ques
ton shows that you are not rich enough
The only man who can afford to run
big steam yacht Is the man who doesn