MODEL YACHTING. The pastime of sail ing model yachts. In England it is known as 'mini ature yachting; under which name it was first generally practiced in America. The boats used were either exact models to scale of well-known large yachts, or of such perfection as to be capa ble of being built full size from the models— thus considerably improving the sailing capacity of the models. The model department is one of the most important branches of modern shipbuild ing yards. owing to the practice of 'trying out' important yu•hts in the shape of models before proeeeding with full size construetion. In this manner, faults in design are diseovered and reme• died. The yachts are rigged with careful accu racy, and are mechanically self-steering. There is a variety of devices for this purpose. Some have wire springs Nvhiell. when the pressure of the wind has been removed. return the rudder to
its original fixed angle: hut a traveler about three-quarters of an inch aft of the tiller head, threaded with t WO screws, will, in the hands of an operator who knows his business and the prevail ing winds, be sufficient. :Models steered with this device may frequently jibe back and forth. but they will, at the end of a mile run. invariably arrive within a very short distanee from the exact spot for which they were started. The use of 'spinnakers has never been successful. The prineipal races are those between the boats of the Miniature Yacht Club. the Wave Crest, and the American Model Yacht Club of New York. diagrams. and full instructions for build ing and sailing will be found in a series of arti cles published in Outing for February and March, 1393 and 1896, by Franklyn Bassford.