The Book of Sport Volume 2 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1903 edition. Excerpt: ...congratulated if his boat stays safely under him for the whole of her first season. This condition of affairs has gradually driven from the racing courses some of the best patrons of the sport; while it has operated at the same time to discourage the younger men of moderate means. The restricted and one-design classes have been introduced with the idea of limiting the first cost, of giving a yacht capable of general use other than racing, preventing the speedy out-building and increasing the sale_value. In the former class certain definite limits are set to the size, type, draft, method of construction, and the minimum amount of interior furnishing, the owner and designer being free to follow their own ideas as to details of dimensions, model, fittings, etc. In the one-design class, as its name indicates, no liberty of choice is left to individual owners after the founders of the class have once decided upon a standard design. In the organization of either a restricted or a one-design class the same method is usually followed, the initiative is taken by a few individuals who decide on the general character of boat which they wish to build, a prospectus is issued, other yachtsmen are invited to join, and meetings are held. If a restricted class is desired, certain restrictions of dimensions, construction, fittings, etc., are drawn up and accepted by all who propose to build for the class; in the case of a one-design class, designers are invited to submit designs conforming to certain general limitations decided on by the members of the class, one design is selected as a standard, and a contract is made with one builder, for a number of boats all identical in every respect. Since the racing machine has monopolized the racing to the...