YACHTING.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 813, 30 September 1887, Page 14

YACHTING.

We clip from the Field the following interesting letter from the owner of the Galatea. It speaks for itself. The Galatea in America. Sir, — I suppose you have seen the accounts of our last race with Mayflower. lam now quits satisfied that Mayflower can beat us in any weather, from a light air to a whole sail breeze. After making all allowance for Galatea not being wound up quite as well as she was last year, owingfto having a numerically weaker crew, andtier bottom being in a somewhat rough condition, the icc last winter having cut away a good deal of the cement with which it is coated, and also for the time which we lost through striking a calm spot while Mayflower had> a strong breeze, Ijam of opinion that Mayflower is ten minutes faster than Galatea over a forty mile course, in such weather as the last race was sailed in j in light weather, if Galatea was canvassed to the extent she can carry since the lead keel was put right, the difference might not be so much. The ballast being wrong the first year undoubtedly misled us as to her sail carrying capacities ; then she could not carry the original sail plan, and we reduced her all round. The second season the origiual sail plan was restored, and it might have been augmented considerably, at all events for sailing in these waters. I have been sailing her this year with tvvo tons of ballast less, and she is still as stiff as a church. The New York races were all more or less flukey, and flukes did not come our way. When the breeze was true and had weight she did well enough with Atlantic aDd Priscilla, both of which are supposed to be improved since last year. During the New York |Yacht Club race the fleet encountered a smart squall. Priscilla and Atlantic had to douse topsails and lower fore, sails to it, and then were rail under. We hung on to our jack-yarder, and were just down to the covering board, no more. The squall only lasted half an hour, but in that time we improved our position from No. 19 to No. 4 in the race, and the sloop advocates had to allow that the narrow cutter stood up better than Atlantic or Priscilla. Both these vessels are, I think, faster than Mayflower off the wind, but cannot look at her to windward. On a broad reach they can pass us as if we were anchored ; on a close reach we are slightly better than they are, and we can stick pretty close to them on a dead run, and to windward, if there is any sea, we can beat them. I think the Americans are still ahead of us in the matter of sails, and I am not sure if the material-they use has not something to do with it. I have had a look at ths new Volunteer, and, as far as I can judge (for she i 3 not yet down to her load line), she ought to be a very powerful and fast vessel.. She i 3 narrower on dock than Mayflower, but of the same beam on water-line ; her sides tumble home a trifle more, her stern post rakes more, her keel is cambered, and she has about 70 tons of Jead run in and loose ; spars are much ahout the same as Mayflower’s, boom 2ft. longer (82ft.). She appears to be very lightly built, and the plating is very smooth and fair. She is also deeper than Mayflower, and I think will be faster, and will therefore give the Thistle a good race. I don t think I shall race Galatea any more. I only! wanted to have a good square race •with Mayflower for my own satisfaction, and I have had it, and am satisfied. We will wait out and see Thistle through, and then up stick and home again some time in October. ■ The modern Yankee Bloop (?) is to all intents and purposes a beamy cutter with a board ; the rig, even to the smallest details, i 3 cutter. Housing bowsprits and longer topmasts are coming into fashion, and heavy lead keels are atl the rage. There is a little keel sloop (?) lying close to us called Pappoose, Burgess’s latest—3B W-L. xl2 ; Bft. draught, with 12 tons on the keel. She has Only sailed one race as yet. On that occasion she beat the hitherto invincible C.B. sloop Shadow ten minutes. Pappoose is a beamy cutter pure and simplo, and a pretty boat too. The days of the old death-trap skimming-dish are over in America, and moderate beam and depth have won the day. I hope Thistle will do the trick ;*she appears to be a marvel in light weather, but do you think she will be as good a sea boat as Irex and Co., carrying such canvas, and the freight of a timber ship aloft ? We are now with the Eastern Yacht Club Squadron on its annual cruise up the coast of Maine, and we shall probably look into Halifax (Nova Scotia) before we return to New York to see the trial races. These should prove interesting. Mayflower has been sold. I hope her new owner will do her justice, for she is a grand vessel of her type, an! Volunteer will be a good one if she can beat her much. _ William Henn. Galatea, Rockland Harbour, Maine, U.S.A.