MODEL ROOM OF NEW YORK YACHT CLUB.
(From Photograph sent by J. V. S. Oddie.)
The formation of the New York Yacht Club was followed by a rapid augmentation of the yachting fleet, and general interest seemed to be suddenly awakened in the sport. The attention of designers and builders became centred on pleasure craft, so that in the first five years of the life of the club several new builders and designers came into public notice. Foremost among them was George Steers, who showed marked ability in designing; indeed, it is not too much to say that his ideas in naval architecture and construction were a guide in the art for many years. Some of his best known yachts of this period were 'La Coquille,' schooner, 1842, length 44 ft. 6 in.; 'Cygnet,' schooner, 53 ft. 2 in., 1844; 'Cornelia,' schooner, 1847, length over all 74 ft.; 'Gimcrack,' before mentioned.
In 1846 Winde & Clinckard, of New York, built 'Coquette,' schooner, length 66 ft.; she made the passage from Boston to New York in 29 hrs., and returned in 28 hrs. 'Brenda,' schooner, was turned out by the same builders in 1845; she was 48 ft. over all. She visited Bermuda in May 1849, and on the 14th of that month sailed there a match with 'Pearl,' beating her 55 secs., this being the first international race found in any American record.
The schooner 'Spray,' was built by Brown & Bell, of New York, in 1844; her length was 49 ft. 8 in. over all.
Commodore Stevens contented himself with 'Gimcrack' for three years, during which time he was evidently accumulating strength for a great stroke in yachting, which in the autumn of 1847 culminated in his last and by far the most famous yacht, the sloop 'Maria,' the largest pleasure craft of her class ever built in this or any country. George Steers assisted the Commodore in designing, and during the winter of 1847 and 1848 she was built by William Capes in Hoboken. Sloop 'Maria' was originally 92 ft. long on water-line, she had the full round entrance and gradually tapering after body, a style popularly known as the 'cod head and mackerel tail,' a form that prevailed generally in all vessels up to about this date. After two years Commodore Stevens became tired of the full round bow of 'Maria,' and in 1850 she was lengthened forward, so that she became 110 ft. on water-line, and 116 ft. on deck.
'Maria' was such a departure from accepted rules, and became so well known in all yachting circles, that a full description of her is deemed worthy of record in these pages.
Her beam was 26 ft. 6 in., 8 ft. 3 in. depth of hold, 5 ft. 2 in., draught of water at stern, and 8 in. forward. She had two centreboards, a small one near the stern to aid in steering, and the large board 24 ft. long in the usual position; this main board was of iron and lead, weighing over seven tons. When first launched 'Maria's' centreboard was not pivoted, but worked in a vertical line, both ends being dropped to the same depth.
The great weight of this board was partly balanced by two large spiral springs, one at either end, which were extended when the board was lowered. Length of mast 92 ft., 2 ft. 8 in. in diameter at deck, and 1 ft. 11 in. at hounds; it was a hollow spar, being bored out, for the first 20 ft. having a hole 12 in. in diameter; for the next 20 ft. 10 in., and above that the bore was 7 in. Her main boom was 95 ft. long, 2 ft. 7 in. in diameter and 2 ft. 4 in. at the slings; it was built up with staves like a barrel, inside it was a system of truss-work with long tension-rods reaching nearly to the ends. Length of main gaff 61 ft., with a diameter of 2 ft. 2 in. Her bowsprit had an extreme length of 38 ft., with a diameter of 2 ft.; it entered the hull of the yacht below deck, leaving the deck space above all free and clear; there was also a jibboom which materially lengthened the bowsprit, so that the point where the jib-stay was attached was 70 ft. from the mast. Area of mainsail, 5,790 sq. ft.; the cloths of this were placed parallel to the boom, the bighting running fore and aft instead of vertically as usual. It was thought by the Commodore and his brothers Robert and Edward, who were equally interested with him in the ownership of the yacht, that a sail thus constructed offered less opposition to the passage of wind than a sail made in the usual style; but the plan was open to objections, so that it never became popular. Her jib presented 2,100 ft. of surface, leach 69 ft.; its foot, 70 ft.; foot of mainsail, 94 ft.; hoist, 66 ft.; head, 60 ft.; and leach, 110 ft. 'Maria' had a working topsail, but it was rarely set.
