Florida is more the home of the steam yacht than of the sailing craft; you may ascend St. John's River for a distance of 260 miles in a steam yacht; at a few places where this beautiful stream swells into a lake boating may be pursued with no small degree of satisfaction. In the Bay of St. Augustine one finds many small yachts and a very agreeable place to sail them, a yacht club, and many evidences of civilisation in the way of opportunities for sport and pleasure-seeking.

There is also in Florida an extended system of inland navigation, which at present is but partly developed; soon, however, the entire length from north to south may be traversed in a vessel of moderate draught. Of course steam-yachting in such situations is by far the most satisfactory. The Gulf Coast in general does not present a very favourable field for yachting except under steam; in summer it is too hot, and in winter the winds are not steady nor well suited to the taste of the average yachtsman.

There is a deal of semi-protected water along the sh.o.r.es of Mississippi and Louisiana, and also some at widely separated bays in Texas, so that, with a few exceptions, yachting has not been established; at New Orleans, however, there is a yacht club that has for its field some of the large inland lakes where yachts of moderate size can be used with satisfaction.

The Pacific coast is not well designed for yachting on account of the extreme infrequency of harbours, and the generally rough sea found off the coast from Puget's Sound as far south as Point Conception. Puget's Sound is said to be a most favourable place for all marine sports, fishing and shooting as well as yachting; it is surely large enough, and also there is no lack of depth of water, but some time must elapse before the dwellers along its sh.o.r.es will find sufficient time and money to indulge in any pastime. The Bay of San Francisco is well adapted for yachting with vessels of moderate size, the winds are mostly from seaward and are strong, even more so in summer than in winter. There is a yacht club in San Francisco with a large membership and a goodly number of yachts, but most of their sailing is done inside. The scarcity of coal, and consequent large cost, seems to hinder the introduction of steam yachts, but a large number of naphtha launches are used with evident satisfaction.

South of Point Conception the conditions are far more favourable for yachting than in the north; but the want of good harbours, well distributed, will always serve as a block to the sport. It is true that, owing to the wonderfully quiet waters, a shelter is not essential, for a gale of dangerous force is a rarity from a direction that would render anchorage unsafe; but it is the unceasing swell of the ocean that renders landing difficult, and makes felt the absence of a harbour over at least two-thirds of the coast from Santa Barbara to San Diego.

Santa Barbara channel is a charming expanse of water which in summer is admirably calculated to afford great pleasure to the lover of yachting. Fogs are rare, winds steady and moderate in force from S.S.W.; but in winter there is such an entire absence of wind that sailing is wholly impracticable.

On the islands that form the southerly limit of Santa Barbara channel may be found several pretty harbours with most interesting surroundings in scenery, as well as fine fishing and shooting. Forty miles eastward of the Santa Barbara Islands lies the beautiful island of Santa Katalina, where there is a fine harbour for small yachts; and as this island is somewhat removed from the influences of the ocean it may become, in the near future, a favourite centre for all aquatic sports. San Pedro, the port of Los Angeles, has what pa.s.ses for a harbour, in which may be seen a few yachts and smaller pleasure craft, the embryo squadron of the Los Angeles Yacht Club. San Diego boasts of the finest harbour in South California, and, taken in connection with the neighbouring islands, it is truly a very attractive spot for yachting, which, as yet, has not made much advancement; but by the recent organisation of a yacht club it is hoped that the sport will become well established, and afford pleasure to the many tourists who flock to that blessed climate, where sun and air invite one to spend one's days in comfort and in love with all nature. It will be years, however, before yachting on the Pacific coast will have reached anything like the proportion that it has a.s.sumed in the east.

It will be easily seen that the Atlantic coast of the United States and British Provinces offers the greatest facilities for both boating and yachting. In almost every situation there can be found large areas of sheltered and semi-sheltered water specially suitable for small yachts and boats; and it is at once seen that all these expanses of protected water are easily accessible from the open ocean, where those disposed and properly provided may find as large a range of sailing or cruising as their fancy or means will admit. The very favourable distribution of wind, the infrequency of fogs, and the rarity of storms during the yachting season, all combine to make the conditions for general yachting as advantageous as possible--in fact, nothing more perfect could be found even if we search the world over.

From June 1 to the middle of September only one storm of any importance may be expected; it is from the north-east, lasting two days, and occurs about August 20. About the middle of September a gale from the south-east is expected, but it is short in duration, not over eight hours, and if other storms come from the east or north-east, they are always foretold two or more days in advance by the Weather Bureau, prompt notice of them being published in every daily paper in the section threatened; north-east, east, north-west storms are always heralded by the same office; the south-east storms are the only ones that come unforetold. Thunderstorms and sudden squalls are becoming more and more infrequent on the northern and middle Atlantic coast.

It is thought that the settling of the country, with its network of railways and telephonic wires, exerts a dispersing influence on all local electrical storms; but, be that as it may, they are now little felt where once they were of almost daily occurrence in the height of summer.

The generally quiet character of the water available for yachting, and the prevailing pleasant weather with moderate winds, combined to influence the form and rig of boats and yachts in use for the first half of this century, and if one carefully examines the situation, it will be found that the style of pleasure craft chiefly in vogue was well adapted to the requirements of the then yachtsman; but as years pa.s.sed, new influences were at work and new requirements sought for, so that to-day the build and rig of boats and yachts used by our ancestry seem likely to disappear, save perhaps in certain localities where the shoal draught must be considered, as along the south sh.o.r.e of Long Island, the coast of New Jersey, and in much of the waters of the Southern States.

In ill.u.s.tration of the effect that winds and waters have on the form and rig of yachts, one need only compare the yachts in England with those in America. The conditions of weather and sea are as different in the two countries as are their vessels; but it must also be admitted that the rules of time allowance arranged to equalise yachts of different size in racing has also had large influence in separating so widely the form of yachts in the two countries, a difference which, under the newest order of rules and intercourse, is rapidly disappearing.

The history of yachting in America begins with the brilliant career of the Stevens brothers, notably the elder of the three, John C., whose life and labour seem to have been devoted to the development of the best type of vessel for pleasure. He may justly be called the father of yachting. The Stevenses lived in Hoboken, and in the early years of this century to cross the Hudson to New York by the established ferry boat was slow and uncertain, so naturally the Stevens brothers had each his own boat, and crossed the river by his own skill, either by sail or oar. Through ferrying themselves over the river, they became very skilful in the management of boats, and the love and talent thus awakened were held by them all their lives.

The first craft of any importance owned by John C. Stevens was 'Diver,' built in 1809, but of her there exists no record, save the fact of her being 20 ft. long. He built 'Trouble,' in 1816; she was a pirogue, a style of vessel much in vogue in those days, 56 ft. long, two masts, one in the extreme bow, the other a little aft of amidships, with no bowsprit or jib. Her mid-section is here shown; she was wide and flat, with a round, full bow, and was said to be very fast for that cla.s.s of craft; she has the honour of being the first yacht in America, and without doubt was a comfortable seaworthy vessel, but was soon put aside by her progressive master, who in the following fifteen years built and owned several craft of various sizes and rig.

[Ill.u.s.tration: A Pirogue built about 1816. Mast stepped close to bow.

Length on W.L. 56 Ft.

'Trouble,' midship section.]

It seems to have been a pa.s.sion of Mr. Stevens to experiment. Indeed, this striving for something better was the key-note of his life, and a boon to yachting, since the science of naval architecture made very rapid progress during his career; for he died having carried the form of vessels from their rude model in early times to the vastly improved 'Maria,' which famous yacht stands as a monument to his skill and determination to improve.

One of the fancies of Mr. Stevens was a catamaran, or a boat with two hulls. She was built in 1820 and named 'Double Trouble.' The sides of the hulls toward the centre were parallel. But the old 'Trouble' beat her easily, and she was laid aside to make room for something new and better. In 1832 Mr. Stevens built the schooner 'Wave'; she was 65 ft.

water-line and proved to be fast. She visited Boston in 1835 and 1836, and beat all yachts she found there.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'Maria,' sloop, 1846, midship section.]

'Wave' was sold to the United States Government in 1838, and used in the Revenue Marine Service. Her section is here given.

About this same date other yachts began to appear. The schooner 'Dream' was built in New York by Webb & Allen; her length was 47 ft.

over all, and she was a well-known yacht, until 1855, when she was lost near Bridgeport, Connecticut. The schooner 'Sylph' was built in Boston in 1833 by Wetmore & Holbrook, for John P. Cushing, and finally sold to R. B. Forbes. After he sold 'Wave,' Mr. Stevens brought out 'Onkahya,' a schooner, in 1839; her tonnage was 250, length on water-line 91 ft.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Built by Bell & Brown 1832. Foot Houston St East River, Length on W.L. 65 Ft.

'Wave,' midship section.]

'Onkahya' was a departure from other craft in many respects, some of which may be seen in her mid-section here shown. Her keel was of iron, which gave her unusual stability, and her bow was long and fine to a degree. She was but a moderate success as a racer, but was a very good cruiser, having made a voyage to the West Indies. She was sold to the United States Government in 1843.

After five years' service under the Revenue Marine flag, 'Onkahya' was lost on the Caicos Reefs, West Indies.

Mr. Stevens next appeared on board 'Gimcrack,' a schooner built in June, 1844, by William Capes, of Hoboken, and designed by George Steers. She was about 51 ft. extreme length, and 49 ft. on water-line, 13 ft. 6 in. beam, 5 ft. 2 in. deep, and drew 7-1/2 ft. of water. Her chief peculiarity was a sort of fixed centreboard of heavy plate-iron--in short, like the fin-keel of to-day, only without being loaded with lead at the lower edge. This fin was 4 ft. wide, and 12 ft. or 15 ft. long.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'Onkahya,' midship section.]

'Gimcrack' was not wholly satisfactory to her owner, but served for three years; several years later she was broken up at Oyster Bay, Long Island. No model or drawings of her now exist.

The little cabin of 'Gimcrack' has the honour of being the birthplace of the New York Yacht Club, an organisation that has done vastly more than anything else to foster a love of yachting, and to promote progress in naval architecture. On its roll is entered the name of every noted yachtsman in America, and every important yacht has at one time or another been the property of one or more of its members. The story of the formation of the New York Yacht Club is best told by reading the minutes of the first important meeting, and as it has such a direct bearing on the progress of yachting, it is here given in full:--

MINUTES OF THE NEW YORK YACHT CLUB

On board of the 'Gimcrack,' off the Battery (New York Harbour), July 30, 1844, 5.30 P.M.

According to previous notice, the following gentlemen a.s.sembled for the purpose of organising a Yacht Club, viz.: John C. Stevens, Hamilton Wilkes, William Edgar, John C.

Jay, George L. Schuyler, Louis A. Depaw, George B. Rollins, James M. Waterbury, James Rogers, and on motion it was resolved to form a Yacht Club. On motion it was resolved that the t.i.tle of the club be The New York Yacht Club. On motion it was resolved that the gentlemen present be the original members of the club. On motion it was resolved that John C. Stevens be the Commodore of the club. On motion it was resolved that a committee of five be appointed by the Commodore to report rules and regulations for the government of the club. The following gentlemen were appointed, viz.: John C. Stevens, George L. Schuyler, John C. Jay, Hamilton Wilkes, and Captain Rogers. On motion it was resolved that the club make a cruise to Newport, Rhode Island, under command of the Commodore. The following yachts were represented at this meeting, viz.: 'Gimcrack,' John C.

Stevens; 'Spray,' Hamilton Wilkes; 'Cygnet,' William Edgar; 'La Coquille,' John C. Jay; 'Dream,' George L. Schuyler; 'Mist,' Louis A. Depaw; 'Minna,' George B. Rollins; 'Adda,'

Captain Rogers. After appointing Friday, August 2, at 9 A.M., the time for sailing on the cruise, the meeting adjourned.

JOHN C. JAY, Recording Secretary.

The New York Yacht Club soon showed vitality, energy, and power, as the following reports of the first matches will clearly show what amateur and Corinthian crews could do in those days. 'None but members to sail and handle their yachts' was the rule, and Commodore Stevens's big sloop 'Maria,' a winner in 1848, was 160 tons.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'Gimcrack.'

_Mr. J. Stevens_, 1844.]

FIRST AMATEUR CORINTHIAN REGATTA

OF THE

NEW YORK YACHT CLUB

OCTOBER 6, 1846

For a Cup subscribed for by members of the New York Yacht Club. None but members to sail and handle their yachts. The allowance of time on this occasion was reduced to 45 seconds per ton Custom House measurement.

The course was from a stake boat (the 'Gimcrack') anch.o.r.ed off the Club House, Elysian Fields; thence to and around a stake boat anch.o.r.ed off Fort Washington Point; thence to and around a stake boat anch.o.r.ed in the Narrows (off Fort Hamilton), turning it from the eastward and return to the place of starting. Whole distance 40 miles.

SECOND AMATEUR CORINTHIAN REGATTA

OF THE

NEW YORK YACHT CLUB

OCTOBER 12, 1847