THE CLOSE OF THE YACHTING SEASON.
THE season of the year is now with us when the yachts comprising the American pleasure fleets go out of commission. With topmasts housed, sails unbent, and running gear coiled away below, they will lie up in winter berths until May, 1889.
Now, therefore, is the time to ask: “What has the season of 1888 done for yachting in America?” and OUTING answers, “Much.” True, we have had no international race, but what of that? When our friends in England are ready to challenge, we are ready to build, and meanwhile the interval has been profitably spent on both sides of the Atlantic. The Englishmen have been building boats to beat their previous productions. And so have Americans, with very satisfactory results. Our keel boats have done well, but the centreboards have done better. It has been a lively season, with more events and better racing and cruising than any previous. New boats have broken old records, and two important features have been developed, i. e., schooner racing, and “class racing.” At no time in the past ten years has there been such interest in the former class of sport, while the results of the latter were shown in the recent races off Larchmont. There half a dozen boats of almost equal dimensions—Pappoose, Baboon, Nymph, etc.—contested, and the results proved that it is not only more interesting to the spectator, but also very satisfactory to the yachtsmen whose boat has too often been hampered by being compelled to sail in annual races in a class with others nearly double her length. Class racing should be encouraged in New York waters, as it is in Boston and on the Lakes.
There has been much said this season about a summer club-house down the bay for the New York Yacht Club, but nothing definite has been done toward securing one as yet. It appears very necessary that the premier club of America should have an anchorage and house somewhere near the point from which their races are started. The club that has shown the most enterprise this year is the Larchmont. They have not only provided themselves with what may be justly termed the most perfectly appointed club-house in the country, but by inaugurating the class-racing spoken of, and encouraging the sailing of small boats by Corinthian crews, they have made themselves deservedly popular among all classes of yachtsmen. Boston, Marblehead, Hull, Beverley and Dorchester as usual wind up the season with the longest roll of events to their credit. It seems curious that our New York yachtsmen do not join and organize a Yacht Racing Association, by which the time allowances, and other racing details, might be governed. The Eastern Association, that meets in Boston, have all the principal clubs on their roll, and they have done much good work since they started.
J. C. SUMMERS.
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THE EXPENSES OF THE KENNEL.
FEW but those who are intimately acquainted with the minutest details of keeping and training thoroughbred dogs can estimate the vast amount of time, labor and money expended nowadays on the canine race. This time, labor and money all go for the improvement and elevation of the dog, for scientific breeding, and preparation for shows and field trials.
With the daily increase of bench shows, we witness quickly growing extravagance in the prices paid for high-class dogs, and see money spent with a freer hand for dog furnishings and kennel accommodations. Dog furnishings alone, including such articles as collars of all grades, blankets, muzzles, leads, chains, snaps, swivels, couplings, etc., etc., and kennel fixtures, from dog-houses and porcelain-lined food-pans down to brushes, combs, dog-soap, and multitudinous patent medicines for every ailment, employ hundreds and hundreds of people of both sexes throughout the year, and these industries are undoubtedly on the increase.