MODEL YACHTS
AND MODEL YACHT SAILING.
_HOW TO BUILD, RIG, AND SAIL
A SELF-ACTING MODEL YACHT._
BY
JAMES E. WALTON, V.M.Y.C.
ILLUSTRATED WITH FIFTY-EIGHT ENGRAVINGS.
[Illustration]
GRIFFITH AND FARRAN,
SUCCESSORS TO NEWBERY AND HARRIS,
WEST CORNER OF ST. PAUL’S CHURCHYARD, LONDON.
E. P. DUTTON AND CO., NEW YORK.
MDCCCLXXX.
_The rights of Translation and of Reproduction are reserved._
[Illustration:
LATERAL VIEW OF 3 FT. YACHT (⅔ inch to the foot).
_a a_ mainsail. _b b_ topsail. _c c_ foresail. _d d_ jib. _a_ mainmast.
_b_ topmast. _c_ bowsprit. _d_ main boom. _e_ gaff. _f_ foresail boom.
_g_ jib boom. _h_ bobstay. _i_ mainrigging (port or left side). _j_
hull. _k_ false keel. _l_ lead keel. _m_ counter. _n_ sternpost. _o_
stem. _p_ self-acting rudder, only used when running.
_For deck outline and measurement of this Model “Diana” Cutter, see
diagram 8, p. 19._]
CONTENTS.
PREFACE 11
INTRODUCTION 15
I. PRINCIPLES OF SELF-ACTING MODEL YACHT BUILDING 21
II. HOW TO MAKE THE HULL 31
III. HOW TO MAKE DECK FITTINGS, RUDDER, &C. 47
IV. HOW TO FIT MASTS, STANDING AND RUNNING GEAR, &C. 57
V. HOW TO MAKE THE SAILS AND SET THEM 73
VI. HOW TO SAIL AND STEER A MODEL YACHT 85
MATERIALS FOR MODEL SHIPS 97
GLOSSARY 100
MODEL YACHT CONTESTS ON THE SEA 102
TABLES OF MODEL YACHT REGATTAS 103
WATERS IN LONDON FOR MODEL YACHT SAILING 104
PREFACE.
There are not many open-air amusements which afford more genuine
enjoyment to old and young than Model Yacht Sailing; if practised in a
properly scientific manner it resembles a game of croquet, in which the
water is the lawn, the wind the mallet, and the ships the balls; and
the most skilful yachtsman is as certain of winning his match as is the
most skilful croquet player.
Very few English boys can be found who have not taken, or do not take
an interest in model ships, and it is very remarkable, as well as
no little disgrace to us as a maritime nation, to note the utterly
purposeless way in which nearly all boys or men sail their model
vessels; whereas with the requisite knowledge, a self-acting model
yacht is as much under the control of the manager as if he were
actually on board: further still, matches can be sailed in which the
results are as certain as are those of the matches of ordinary yachts,
as may be seen in the tables of actual races at the end of this work
(see p. 103).
A sailor who thoroughly understands the management of a ship or
boat, _when he is on board_, _steers with a rudder_, and _reduces_,
_augments_, or _disposes_ the sails at his will, would find this
knowledge of very secondary importance if he applied it, _without
great modifications_, to sail a model yacht. To give one instance
only, _model yachts require no fixed rudder_, in fact, a fixed rudder
is such an incumbrance, and so great a bar to perfect action, that it
must be dispensed with altogether. This quite upsets the old adage of
a “ship without a rudder,” and reverses it; our model ships need no
rudder--steer better without, save in one way.
A rudder is used at times on model yachts, as will be shown in its
place, but it must be removed when it has done its work.
The sails and hulls of model yachts are also very different to those
of full-sized yachts. They are constructed with the _view to being
self-acting_, and as a model yacht _must steer itself_, this result can
only be obtained by using the sails both for _propelling and steering_.
Model yachts, as usually made, may be very beautiful to look at,
but, alas! they will not sail, or will not sail well, they are not
self-acting in any sense, they are generally actual reproductions in
miniature of celebrated large yachts, and as these latter are sailed
and steered by men on board, it is very certain their miniature copies
will not sail without similar guidance.
I have made these remarks to show that model self-acting yachts cannot
be made and sailed without the requisite knowledge and experience,
and as there is no book to be got which gives full particulars on the
subject, it is believed that this, which contains the result of many
years’ model yacht making and sailing, will supply an almost national
want, and enable any ordinarily intelligent boy to construct, rig, and
sail a model yacht with perfect success.
As a proof of the pains that have been taken to ascertain the best
hull and rig for a self-acting yacht, I may say that five yachts have
been made, all of the same length, but each of different beam, rig,
&c., commencing with very narrow beam, and increasing beam, &c., with
each model, till the best proportion between length and beam became
known,--necessarily with each increase of beam _more sail could be
carried_, and also more _ballast in lead keel_ could be used,--and in
order that the experiments should be crucial and decisive, a final
vessel was constructed of the same measurement as the best of those
before mentioned, and their sails were made interchangeable, thus
deciding beyond doubt which vessel was best, after many trials on the
open sea with a true wind.
It is doubtful if such experiments were ever made before (tables of
them will be seen at p. 102), and the author, therefore, feels assured
that his readers may have every confidence in the instruction here
given.
INTRODUCTION.
The first thing necessary for non-nautical yachtsmen is to know the
names of the different sails, parts of the vessel, &c., &c., and for
this purpose the diagram forming the frontispiece will be useful; a
glossary, also, is added at the end of the work.
The frontispiece is an exact outline drawing of a model self-acting
yacht, of 3-feet water-line, and 39 in. over all; the diagram is drawn
in the proportion of ⅔ in. to the foot, and if any reader desires to
make a smaller boat, say 30 in., all that need be done is to make
everything ⅙ smaller, and for a 2 ft. boat ⅓ smaller; as the keel,
however, would have to be calculated by weight, and the above rule
would not apply, I give the weight in lbs.; a 3 ft. boat requires 20
lbs., a 2 ft. 6 in. boat 10 or 11 lbs., and a 24 in. boat 6 lbs. or
nearly.
I will note here that it is better to make a vessel scooped out, &c.,
from the solid block, than to build one of small planks; 1st, it is
easier (it takes a good carpenter to make one of planks), it can be
altered outside if not scooped out too thin at first, it never _leaks_,
and it never comes to pieces; and, lastly, it does not take half the
time to repaint, &c., &c.
[Illustration]
[Illustration]
CHAPTER I.
PRINCIPLES OF MODEL YACHT BUILDING.
In order to ascertain the best lines, _i.e._ shape, for progression
through the water, Nature herself may, without hesitation, be taken as
the best teacher, and amongst fast-moving fishes a mackerel is one of
the fastest and most graceful.
I procured a mackerel, carefully measured and drew it to scale (see p.
17, diagrams 1 and 2), first taking the shape back upwards, and next
sideways, and in harmony with these lines all the vessels mentioned in
this work are constructed.
On looking at the diagram of the mackerel it is at once apparent that
a clean run is more important than a sharp entrance, for the drawing
shows the fish to be much fuller in the fore than in the after part;
bearing this in mind, and having drawn the mackerel in divisions of
inches, I took the forward eleven divisions as a model for the deck and
general lines of my vessels--first, so far as regards “_going through
the water_;” secondly, because I should thus get “_the widest part
or beam amidships_,” and as near the centre of motion and gravity as
possible.
With these ideas in my mind I constructed “Seashell” (see diagram 3, p.
17), with the actual measurements there stated (as is the case on all
the drawings). I rigged her as a schooner; thus--
[Illustration]
She sailed well and steadily, and could be made to go in any direction
in a light breeze, but her _narrow beam and lightness_, with only 3
lbs. keel, rendered her useless in a stiff breeze, except when she was
running away from it.
I next built “Mermaid” (see diagram 4), with nearly 2 in. more beam,
and exactly to the measurement of the mackerel sideways, simply
increasing each line in proportion as the ship was larger than the
fish; all the lines of the hull being of course in harmony with the
increased beam, she had 5 lbs. lead keel, and was rigged as a cutter
(see “Diana” for cutter rig, frontispiece), schooner, or lugger at
pleasure. I found she beat “Seashell” considerably in any wind, but
especially in strong winds, sailing under any of the above-mentioned
sails.
Learning by this that increased beam and weight meant more power, more
sail, and greater speed, I then made “Silver Spray” (see diagram 5),
with 8 lbs. keel, and nearly 2 in. more beam than “Mermaid,” and in
this vessel I reached about the proportional beam that most model yacht
builders have adopted, viz. 3½ beams to the length. I rigged her as a
cutter only, and she easily beat “Mermaid” every way. I also discovered
that cutter rig was best, the boats under this rig sailing faster and
truer, and are more quickly and expeditiously managed; at the same time
I discarded fixed rudders for reasons stated before.
With this model, “Silver Spray,” I had reached a point at which I stuck
for some time; I could hardly think still increased beam or depth would
be an advantage, yet I wished to progress, and try something I would.
I thought the matter over carefully, and at last arrived at the
following conclusions: A fish goes _through the water only, but a ship
goes through and over_. Now a duck goes over the water; how would a
vessel built upon a combination of fish and duck succeed?
I got a duck, took a plaster cast of his under side, noticed the way
ducks got over the water, the resistance of the water and the ripples
and wake caused by the duck’s motion over the water, and I decided
to make a ship to go _over the water rather than through it_; the
top of the _water is alive_, and easily displaced in any direction
save downwards, the deeper one goes the stiller it is, and the more
difficult to displace. I considered, therefore, if I built a vessel of
greater beam, very light draught of water, with a lead keel well below
the bottom, I should get greatly increased power and speed, for I felt
satisfied that the light draught and larger sails more than compensated
for a wider beam.
It stands also to reason that a vessel of a wide beam does _not heel
over to leeward_ so much as one of a narrower beam, and it results
from that--1st, the sails being more perpendicular to the wind, have
more power to propel; and 2nd, the keel being also more “up and down,”
prevents her making so much leeway.
No doubt there is a limit to breadth of beam, and although I have
not yet fully experimented, I am inclined to think that the limit is
reached in “Diana,” of three beams to the length.
On this I built “Golden Crest” (see diagram 6, p. 19), with these
qualities, beam 10⅓ in., or ⅓ her length exactly, and only a bare 4
in. depth, and 10 lbs. lead keel; I fitted her with sails as a cutter,
making them larger than those of “Silver Spray,” in proportion to her
increased beam and ballast (in lead keel), and she more than fulfilled
my utmost expectations, for she beat all the three former models out
and out, both in speed and steadiness.
Still, however, I had not quite finished my experiments, for I remarked
that in strong winds “Golden Crest,” on account of her low freeboard
(_i.e._ little height out of the water), was sometimes overpowered
sooner than I thought she ought to be, and I determined to build
another vessel on the same lines and of the same size exactly, but
with 1 in. deeper hold; this I did in “Storm Along” (see diagram 7, p.
19), the only difference between this and “Golden Crest” being the 1
in. extra depth of hold; lead keel, sails, masts, &c., &c., all were
exactly the same.
Now, when Greek meets Greek, then comes the tug of war. So it was here,
and it was only after numberless trials in all winds, and finally by
actually interchanging their sails, that “Storm Along” proved the
winner; the reason this was difficult to establish was that at first
I only sailed _each with its own sails_; when the wind was moderate
and sea smooth, “Golden Crest” won a little; on the other hand, with
strong breezes and sea on, “Storm Along” won. I interchanged their
sails, and “Storm Along” won considerably always. I then found out that
I had happened to lace the feet of the sails of “Storm Along” to their
booms, but it never struck me such a trifle would interfere much with
the sailing of a model: I was mistaken, however, for I found whichever
had the laced sails was sure to lose, and “Golden Crest” lost most;
mind, all these experiments were conducted on the open sea for hours,
with true winds and true sea (the most perfect test). I cut the sails
loose, and at once and ever after, “Storm Along” proved invariably the
victor; in light winds by very, very little, but in strong winds the
greater buoyancy, and therefore lateral power, of “Storm Along” always
carried the day.
With all these ships there are _no bulwarks_, no ornaments, or
projections of any kind, nothing but the gear, &c., necessary to set
the sails and work them; everything else is not only useless, but
mischievous lumber.
It may be remarked that the whole of those boats when running before
the wind, with self-acting lead rudders, run at very nearly the _same
speed_, length to a great extent governing speed; but on turning to
windward, each falls into its place, as assigned to it in the foregoing
pages.
I have not yet tried whether greater beam still than ⅓ the length is an
improvement; I am resting on my oars awhile, and perhaps some one else
may undertake the experiment.
Particulars of the races between “Golden Crest” and “Storm Along” are
noted on p. 102.