How a Yacht Is Sailed

(B. H.-S.) R. Sullivan and others, Yachting, 2 vols. (Bad minton Library, 1895) ; V. J. English, Navigation for Yachtsmen (1896) ; L. Moissenet, Yachts et Yachting, Voilure, Navigation et manoeuvre du yacht (1897) C. J. Jemmett and R. A. B. Preston, A Treatise on the Law relating to Pleasure Yachts (1903) ; A. H. Clark, The History of Yachting, 1600-1815 (N.Y., 1904) ; F. B. Cooke, Seamanship for Yachtsmen (1923) ; W. D. Bowman, Yachting and Yachtsmen (1927) ; A. E. Bullen and G. Prout, Yachting; how to sail and manage a small modern yacht (Glasgow, 5927) ; C. Worth, Cruising for Amateurs (6th ed., 1928) ; B. H. Smith and H. du Boulay, The Complete Yachtsman (5th ed., 1928). See also The Cruising Ass. Libr. Cat.: A collection of books for Seamen and Students of Nautical Literature, collected by H. I. Hanson (1927).

Early History.

Organized yachting and yacht-racing in America began about 1840 with the formation of the first yacht or boat clubs for the promotion of pleasure-boating and the racing of yachts for sport. While a number of boats had been built in the United States and used solely for pleasure-sailing previous to that date, and hence could be classed as yachts, they were few in number, and in type they were more or less similar to the com mercial or fishing craft of the same size in the locality in which they were to be used. The country, at that time, was too new and the people along the seaboard too busy in developing the trade and commerce of the newly formed States, and in opening up the land, to allow either the leisure or the means for the development of pleasure-boating.

Yachts had been used in both Great Britain and Holland since the 17th century, and in the history of the Dutch Colony of New Amsterdam, which later became the English Colony of New York, there is mention of a yacht, or boat built for pleasure-boating, named the "Onrust" (Restless), which is claimed to be the first decked vessel built in America. She was about 44ft. in length and followed the characteristics and proportions of the Dutch boats used in Holland. It is probable that this craft was used also for commercial purposes when not used for pleasure-sailing. While the "Onrust" was spoken of as a yacht, there is no authentic data relating to other yachts, or to the sport of racing boats, before the beginning of the 19th century. Except for the "Onrust," the earliest mention of a boat used exclusively for pleasure in New York waters was of a 2o-ft. sail-boat owned by John C. Stevens, named the "Diver," and built some time prior to 1809. The name of Stevens js one intimately connected with the development of yachting in America for many years.

On the New England coast, where the population was largely seafaring, there was built in 180i, for Captain George Crownin shield, a wealthy shipowner and merchant, a large sloop of 2 2 tons called the "Jefferson," which her owner used largely as a yacht until the War of 1812, when she was fitted out as a privateer and took several prizes. Later she was sold into the fisheries. Follow

ing this venture, Crowninshield had built in 1816 a vessel called "Cleopatra's Barge," intended solely for pleasure-cruising, and so luxuriously fitted and furnished as to entitle her to rank as a yacht even according to present standards. The builder of this boat was Retire Becket, a well-known ship-builder of Salem, Mass. In her, Crowninshield made a pleasure-voyage to the Mediter ranean and back in 1816-17, probably the first American yacht to go abroad. "Cleopatra's Barge" was 83ft. long on the water, 23ft. breadth of beam, and her tonnage was 195 tons.

It was in New York harbour, however, that most of the early yachting was done, and the first comprehensive attempt made to develop boats for pleasure-sailing and for racing. In this develop ment the Stevens family, of which John C. Stevens was one of four brothers, played a leading part. Inheriting a love of the sea and mechanical tastes, they did much experimenting, and built successively larger yachts, following the "Diver" and the "Trouble." From 1830-40, sailing and racing boats for pleasure became common among men of means, and a good sized, though mixed, fleet of boats was to be found in New York waters.

Organized Yachting.--It

was not until yacht clubs were or ganized, bringing together those who were interested in the sport, that yachting and racing began to develop along lines that tended to make it a popular pastime, or that yacht design began to show much improvement. As early as 1811 the Knickerbocker Boat Club of New York was formed, but it died the following year. After several other clubs, both in New York and Boston, had been formed and had died, the New York Yacht Club was organized on July 3o, 1844, aboard John C. Stevens' new schooner-yacht "Gimcrack," anchored off the Battery. Among its original mem bers were most of the leading yachtsmen of New York, and it was the first club that survived. Today it is, in point of age and pres tige, the foremost yacht club in America, and much of the develop ment of yachting can be traced to the influence of the club itself. or its members. Five years later the Southern Yacht Club, of New Orleans, was organized, followed in 1854 by the North Carolina Yacht Club, and in 1857 by the Brooklyn Yacht Club, but for 20 years the New York Yacht Club was representative of American yachting and was the forerunner of the many yacht clubs that sprang up after the Civil War (1861-65) in all parts of the coun try wherever there was pleasure-sailing, until in 1937 there were over 700 organized yacht clubs in the United States and Canada.