YACHTING RECORDS.
Our earliestyachting records take us back to 1801 when Capt. George Crowninshield of Salem, Mass., got Christopher Turner of that town to build him The Jefferson, a 22-ton sloop yacht. This craft in 1812 became a privateer, then for many years a fisherman. George's brother, Benjamin, then Secretary of the Navy, under President Madison, had the Cleopatra's Barge, with a 93-foot waterline, of nearly 192 tons, 11 feet 5 inches depth of hold, built at a cost of $50,000. In this pleasure craft Captain Crowninshield made, in 1817, a cruise to Euro pean waters, returning same year. Between 1830 and 1840 we find numerous pleasure craft in New York and Boston, with John C. Stevens (owner of Hoboken Island on the Hudson), George Crowninshield and R. B. Forbes leaders in the sport; but it was chiefly with ship mining families. George Steers, son of an English shipwright, modeled the schooner yacht La Coquina, 44 feet in length, and (in 1847) modeled and built the schooner Cornelia (74 feet). Then were constructed by him the schooner Signet (53 feet, 2 inches) and the sloop Una (64 feet). This was probably the commencement of designing boats on special lines as pleasure craft. This °boom° in yacht building started the New York Yacht Club in 1844, and Stevens and Steers are considered the fathers of American yachting. In 1849 Steers modeled the Mary Taylor as a pilot boat on radically novel lines so successfully that others followed on his new plans. On 17 July 1845, two days after the New York Yacht Club built its (wooden) clubhouse at Castle Point, Hoboken, the first regatta was sailed (Robbins-Reef to a Bay Ridge mark, past a Stapleton mark, around Southwest Spit buoy and return) with eight entries and Cygnet win ning in 5:23:15. Regattas continued annually. The Southern Yacht Club of New Orleans was organized in 1849; North Carolina Yacht Club in 1854; Brooklyn Yacht Club in 1857, and Jersey City Yacht Club the following year. Between 1866 and 1872 yachting had become so popular that general clubs were formed all along the Atlantic Coast. In 1851 George Steers designed and a °syndicate° had built an ocean-going $30,000 yacht in pilot-boat style, 101 feet long over all, drawing 11 feet, to enter a yacht race around the Isle of Wight, England, following an invitation from the British. The yacht was christened America, and sailed to Havre in 21 days. The story of America's vic tories belongs elsewhere, but Commodore Ste vens and associates brought the Royal Yacht Squadron's Cup to New York, where it has resided ever since. The America's model and sails established a new departure, followed by British as well as American yachts, and the old blunt noses gave way to keen prows (John Scott Russell, British designer, had first advo cated these revolutionary changes before the America's construction, and Steers had studied the suggestions). But centre-boards prevailed over keel boats for these shallow waters. The cat-boat was a favorite small craft in the 50's of last century, and Capt. Bob Fish designed many for Europe (where they were called °Una° boats) besides large yachts later (Ger trude, Undine etc.). In the 60's John B. Herreshoff and family made Bristol, R. I., noted with his small and larger yachts, then launches and steamers. And James G. Bennett with his Rebecca (sloop) racing the Julia (recently named Nirvana), the centre-board sloop, Bos ton also became a favorite yachting centre. The
great schooner yachts came into vogue after the Civil War (Fleetwood, Phantom, Palmer, Josephine, Idler, etc.). And in 1866 Pierre Lorillard had his 201-ton Vesta built. Then came the ocean race (winter of 1866) from Sandy Hook to Isle of Wight, Henrietta (of J. G. Bennett), Fleetwing and Vesta contesting (times, respectively, 13d. 21h. 55m.; 14d. 6h: 10m.; and 14d. bh. 15m.) over the 3,000 and odd miles course. The 274-ton Sappho (keel schooner), built • by Poillon Brothers and launched in 1867, was a failure at Cowes races till W. P. Douglas had her altered and made the run to Queenstown in 12d. 9h., a record, and beat Ashbury's Cambria. By 1870 schooner racing was the vogue but the °skimming dish* type was coming into its own, with its light draught. The Mohawk disaster (costing the lives of owner and family) hurt the large schooner type. The °America Cup* races fol lowing do not belong here. In 1871 the Sea wanhaka Yacht Club was organized and yacht owners began to take a pride in knowing the technique of the craft, not leaving, as before, everything to the professional designer. Then the English °cutter* type was started in the Vindex (1871), and other seaworthy yachts fol lowed, with Petrel (1876), Votante (lead keel), etc., proved successes; and °Corinthian)) prin ciples ruled. The lead keel brought in the narrow type such as Muriel (1878). Mischief (°compromise sloop))) of 1892 was cutter type with centre-board. Next came racing by classes (all entered one race), and schooner and sloop entered separate classes. The latter, in the late 70's divided into 70 footers and 50 footers. Hulls of metal started with Mischief. In 1881 came Valkyr, wider and with less draught, lead keel, centre-board, cutter rigged. Madge (10 toner, lead keel) came from Glasgow (1879) as victor in England and Scotland, and, with her great club-topsail, took on a speed that won all New York Harbor events, only to be beaten by Shadow (Herreshoff) at Newport. But six victories in seven races hurt the reputation of centre-board sloops and cutter type looked up. Will Fife, Jr.'s, 62-foot Clara, narrow cutter, came from Scotland in 1885 and (under Capt.
John Burr) defeated everything competing. Burgess was the popular designer now (Amer ica Cup defenders 1885, 1886, 1887), and yachting was the most popular sport, the races being prolific in classes: 90 feet, 70 feet, 53 feet. Forty-foot waterline boats became the rage (Baboon, Nymph, etc.), and the 40-foot Minerva came over from Scotland (1888), beat ing Liris. Burgess produced Gossoon (keel) and they tied in 10 races. After 1890 the 90-foot class was superseded by the 46-foot waterline craft. Herreshoff's Gloriana now be came the furor with its abnormal projection of shallow bow, the °forefoot)) cut away; then he produced the °fin* keel (1892). Space does not permit discussion of the °small yachting)) types (mosquito), half-raters, ((knockabouts,* etc.
On account of the World War yacht-racing had to fall into disuse after the Shamrock IV, contestants, Vanitie and Resolute had made trial speeds in 1915, but Sir Thomas Lipton renewed his challenge in 1919 and his chal lenger is expected to he taken from her Erie Basin dock for her next year's race.