YACHTS OF FIVE AND TEN TONS.
The deeds of these miniature creations of yacht builders which we know as " 5-tonners " excite almost as much interest among yachtsmen as do the deeds of larger yachts such as Formosa, Vol-au-vent, Kriemhilda, or Arrow ; and whilst the merits of the latter four are a moot point among connoisseurs, the merits of such little clippers as Vril, Freda, Lorelei, and Cyprus are no less matters of dispute. As in the larger craft, although all are of one type, there is a considerable variation in the model of each, and a glance at the designs of Freda and Lorelei (Plates XXVII. and XXVIII.) will show this.
The displacement of Lorelei and Freda is practically the same, and each has much about the same quantity of ballast; but inasmuch as the whole weight of ballast carried by Lorelei is on her keel, whilst not half of Freda's is so placed, the probability is that Lorelei is the stiffer boat.
The design which is given for a 5-tanner has more ballast on the keel than Freda, but less than Lorelei or Vril ; but then an increase of displacement has been provided so as to admit of an excess quantity of ballast being carried inside. There is not the smallest doubt that for sailing with the wind before the beam in comparatively smooth water advantages will accrue from having the whole of the lead ballast on the keel ; but there are two very serious objections to so much weight being placed outside. In the first place, owing to the major part of the weight of the yacht being concentrated some distance below the bulk of the displacement, an uneasy sea boat will be the consequence, and possibly one that will only perform indifferently well in a sea, from a racing point of view. This is saying nothing more nor less than that great stiffness, with a small weight, is incompatible with good sea going qualities ; or that great metacentric height and a small displacement (see Fig. 6, page 9) are antagonistic to certain qualities that are usually sought for in a yacht. It does not matter whether the ballast is inside the hull or outside the hull. There is no special virtue in having the ballast inside the hull ; if there was that virtue could be obtained by placing a casing of wood over the lead on the keel. The relative performances of yachts in a sea way are governed by their metacentric heights and the weight of their displacement, and the forms of their hull and their radii of gyration. In the design the object sought was a metacentric height equal to that of any other 5-tonner, and greater weight, to effect an improve ment if possible whilst performing in disturbed water. That a yacht built and ballasted according to the design would be much stiffer than Freda there is not the smallest doubt, and would be quite the equal of that famous craft in a disturbed sea. Also it can be concluded that the design would he
the equal of Lorelei in stiffness, and how the two would fare in a sea way if matched together would be an interesting experiment to see solved.
It might very well be argued that depth and weight of displacement were carried far enough in Freda, and that there could be no object in taking more. She has been successful in light weather and heavy weather, and has as much internal room as any one could desire ; and, moreover, one or two attempts to build a 5-tonner of heavier displacement did not result in a realisation of expectations. However, the design we give has very considerably larger displacement than Freda, is deeper and longer, and has more internal room ; yet it is expected that she would be a match for the southern crack. Practically, the design is of the same beam as Freda, and the additional length on load water-line was mainly obtained, not by a reduction in beam, but by virtue of the altered manner of obtaining length under the Y.R.A. rule.
The other objection to a yacht carrying a great weight of lead on her keel—equal, perhaps, to nearly two-thirds her total weight—is the enormous lateral strain it causes when the yacht is heeled. It is found almost impossible to keep a yacht tight that has a heavy lead keel ; her slight frames are certain to " straighten " a little, and the seams, from the garboards upwards to the bilge, are sure to open a trifle when she is heeled. However, this is regarded as an inevitable defect in a racing yacht, and few will forego the advantages of having a heavy lead keel merely because it may cause a yacht to leak a few gallons an hour in strong winds.
The design was made without any reference to Freda or Lorelei, and, except in the matter of beam, there is not much resemblance be tween the three. The midship sections of Freda and Lorelei are of much smaller area than that of the design, and the difference is entirely dne to the hollow they have in the garboards. The ends of the design and those of the Freda and Lorelei are nearly of the same relative fulness, and the difference in the displacement is thus almost entirely due to the greater depth given to the middle body of the design, the extra length being nearly all taken up in drawing out the fore body.
The longitudinal disposition of the displacement of the fore and after body of the design accordi exactly with the wave form ; but the bow end of both Freda and Lorelei is a trifle faller than the wave curve form. The displacement of the after body of Lorelei is so disposed as to agree exactly with the wave form.