The topsail shown is not so large as the American sloops of similar size carry. The usual shape of an American topsail is shown in Fig. 56, p. 243). It will be seen that the yard is "up and down" the mast and the foot, laced to a jack yard, extends far beyond the head of the main sail. This sail is known in America as a club topsail ; it can be only carried in light winds, and is not adapted for squally weather.
The sails of the yachts are made of duck, and are admirably contrived for flatness by the local sailmaker. The sloop rig, it has been proved by experience, is much the best for going to windward, and on the lake no difficulty is ever experienced in handling it.
The sail plan is shown in the sketch (Plate XVIII.), and it will be seen that the gear is very simple, all running through single blocks. The main halyard block is not shown in the sail plan. The upper block is hooked to an eye in the main rigging iron, about lft. bin. above the jaws of the gaff. The standing part of the halyard is fast to the upper block ; the other end is passed through a block on the jaws, then through the upper block.
The hulls are pumice-stoned outside, and then black leaded, very great attention being paid to the condition of smoothness of the bottom.
The sections are 2ft. apart, and No. 2 section is 2ft. from the fore side of the stem (Plate XVI.).
The water-lines are lft. apart. The timbers numbered at, 1, 2, 3, 4 on the sheer plan will be sawn 2in. sided, moulded 3in. at heels, and tapering to 1 lin. at heads. A steamed timber 14in. square between each pair of sawn timbers.
Stem 34in. sided ; 341n. moulded at head ; lft. 2in. at scarph with keel. Keel 1 lin. sided amidships, tapering to 34in. at its fore end, and 4in. at its after end. Uniform depth of keel 8in.
The keel of No. 3 design will be 8in. sided amidships, tapering at ends as in No. 1.
The under side of the keel at No. 2 section for No. 1 and No. 2 designs is 3ft. 34in. below the L.W.L, ; the underside of the keel at the sternpost is 4ft. Qin. below the L.W.L.
The draft forward of No. 3 design is less than the others. The depth to under-side of keel fore and aft will be found in the table for No. 3 design. In other respects the sheer plan accords with each design.
The sternpost is 4in. sided, and 7in. moulded at the heel, where it is tenoned into the keel.
Plank lin. Top strake lin.
The general plan of floor construction is shown by figure A, which represents the mid-section ; this plan will extend from No. 3 station forward to the sternpost. a a are the timbers or frames joggled on to the keel as shown ; k is the keel ; 1 lead keel; i stout iron knee floors ; d head of a yellow metal bolt passing through iron floor, keel and lead keel.
The rigidity of the counter aft will be maintained by angle iron stays, arranged something in the manner adopted in the construction of Jullanar. The counter keel, k, is 44in. sided and 5in. deep ; m is a stay of L iron or j. iron bolted to the counter keel and to a deck beam; there are two such stays as these, and from the counter keel they gradually spread out until where they are bolted to the deck beam they are 3ft. apart. Two other similar stays as n (shown) are fixed to the lower end of the keel, and held together at the back of the dead wood at the sternpost by a bolt. To ensure the keel and counter frame against being forced away from the sterupost a kind of yoke made of 1 iron is bolted to the keel and brought round each side of the stern post, where the ends are bolted to the timbers or frames that abut therefrom. The stretch D shows this yoke o bolted to the keel k and frames a a. The sternpost is shown by a, and the rudder post and trunk by x. In the sheer plan a section of the 1 iron yoke is shown at o.