But, if this snare is avoided, nothing
can beat the canoe. One day paddling among the lilies
perhaps in a stream too narrow for oars; on another
spreading white sails to the sea breeze, and safely
contending with the wave; now carried over obstacles, now
housed in boat-house or shed, in a room of the inn, or in
fact anywhere that there is room to swing the traditional
cat; and again at anchor in the tide or hauled up on
beach or grass, she is herself the nightly home of her
crew.
"But if canoeing has all these
virtues," one is often asked, how do you explain the fact
that it is less practised now than formerly?" I will
endeavour very shortly to answer this.
It is the fate of many pastimes to
"die of their own too much." Comparatively simple at
their first introduction, they are practised with success
by the numbers whom their novelty (2) attracts. After a
short time improvements, some real, some nominal only,
are introduced, which add to the difficulty, and often to
the expense, of the pursuit. This, occurring just as the
effect of novelty has died out, goes far to reduce the
numbers of those who practice the pastime in question to
a few enthusiasts, the old hands finding themselves left
behind by the "march of events," while outsiders are
deterred from "taking a hand in the game," by the
difficulties which have been introduced.
This has been to a very great extent
the case with canoeing in England. At its introduction
nothing was more simple. Even those who could not row
found that the management of a canoe was within their
power, and in it acquired at ease sufficient watermanship
for ordinary purposes.
Then improvements began; in a short
time it was found that sails would nearly double the
travelling power of a canoe, and enable her to accomplish
journeys in a day which would be hardly possible with the
paddle, except to a man of extraordinary strength and
endurance. For example, 120 miles have been travelled in
a day and a night by a canoe under sail, a distance which
few men would care to attempt "at a sitting" with a
paddle. Sailing races were the next step in the progress
of canoeing, and in a short time it was evident that
whatever canoes might have gained by the results of time
and experience, they were beginning to lose that
simplicity which was their chief advantage at
starting.
The three principal canoeing stations
in the Kingdom are at the Clyde, the Mersey, and the
Thames. On the Mersey, local circumstances, and the wise
regulations of the Club, have preserved the best
qualities of a canoe, in portability, economy, and
simplicity, though probably at some loss of efficiency
for sailing. On the Thames, the use of separate classes
for paddling and sailing, and lately, the removal of the
Club Sailing Races to waters where no amount of weight is
any disadvantage, have produced a paddling machine and a
sailing a machine, neither of which possesses the
"points" of a canoe. On the Clyde a balance appears to
have been struck between the other two (3) though perhaps
with some tendency to sacrifice general usefulness to
sailing.
At present the extraordinary skill of
some few canoeists, and the no less marvellous complexity
of the rigs in which they indulge, with impunity, through
their skill, and even with advantage for racing purposes,
have led most people to suppose that canoeing, except in
its most elementary form of paddling, is something quite
beyond the powers of ordinary human beings.
It is the object of the present writer
to show that canoeing is not, or at all events need not
be, so difficult an art, and to endeavour to select from
the numerous inventions of the time those which may
advantageously be adopted for general purposes, or by a
beginner in the art.
In the first place as to difficulty. I
cannot quite say, "There is none," but certainly there is
or need be, very little. Anyone can paddle a canoe at the
first attempt, and in two days can learn to paddle well
and neatly, though to paddle long or fast requires
practice. But for real canoe cruising, one must be able
to sail as well. "Surely a man must be a first rate
sailor before he can handle such a craft as a canoe under
sail?" "Not by any means," is the answer, and the proof
is that in several cases I have known people who had
never sailed any craft before, sail a canoe very fairly
indeed after half an hour's explanation on shore and a
couple of afternoons' coaching afloat.
Of course, the niceties of sailing can
not be appreciated in that time, but it is enough for a
man of ordinary activity, and not frightened of water, to
learn to handle a canoe sufficiently well to make one of
the party in a cruise, during which, of course, he will
be continually adding to his skill. I will even go so far
as to say, that the canoe is the best craft in which to
learn sailing. The "Una" boats, which are commonly used
for learning in, have the disadvantage that they will
sail a little when the sail is trimmed perfectly wrong,
while the canoe must be sailed rightly or not at all.
Also the main and mizen rig is much more instructive as
to the turning effect of sails than any one-sail rig. A
canoe has also the advantage, for this [4]
purpose, that if things go wrong, the paddle is always at
hand to extricate her from difficulties.
It may be of interest to describe the
means by which a man may so quickly acquire the first
elements of sailing a canoe, and having instructed
several people, including one or two ladies, I think my
method cannot be far wrong. First, of course, the
beginner should learn to paddle the canoe, with double
and with single paddle, and to steer with footgear or
lines, preferably the former. The next thing is to
explain the general principle of the thing, how the
sheets must he eased off before the wind, and hauled flat
when close-hauled etc., which may well be done by a
sketch or two, or with the sails of a model. The next
thing is to go on board, and in as steady a wind as may
be, to start on a reach. The mizen should be small so as
to be safely neglected in a puff, or in altering the
course, and if the canoe carries centreboards, they
should be made fixtures of for the time.
The instructor should sail or paddle
alongside to leeward, and explain the management of the
sheet, and how it may be eased in a puff. Then luff a
little, and as the sails shake haul them flat, and notice
that if they shake after that the helm must be put up a
trifle. As soon as a clean full-and-by is attained, it is
time to try staying, for which the usual instructions
should be given. Then take the wind a little free or
quartering. The sheet can no longer be eased for puffs,
so the use of the downhaul should be shown. If there is
any strength in the wind this point of sailing should not
be attempted the first day. The next and hardest lesson
is running before the wind, and to do this without a jibe
often takes as much learning as all the rest of sailing.
Perhaps in this the use of a vane or burgee might be
allowed, but generally speaking, in learning to sail, no
such aid should be permitted especially when closehauled,
or it will lead to a habit of depending on the flag,
which is fatal to good sailing, and will be found very
objectionable when night sailing is attempted.
NOTES TO CHAPTER I.
ROYAL CANOE
CLUB.
DEFINITION. - The definition of a
canoe is, "a vessel with or without sails capable of
being propelled with a paddle or paddles by one or more
persons, who face forwards according to the number that
it is intended to carry." Each canoe shall contain one
man only, unless the notice of any race otherwise
provides.
CLASSES FOR PADDLING.
- 1st Class. - Any canoe.
- 2nd Class (Ringleader). -
Clincher-built, of any material, decked with wood;
greatest length not more than 18 feet, greatest beam
not less than 24 inches.
- 3rd Class (Rob Roy). -
Clincher-built, of any material, decked with wood;
greatest length not more than 15 feet, greatest beam
not less than 26 inches.
CLASSES FOR SAILING.
- 1st Class. - Any material and
build ; greatest length over all, from stem to stern
post, not more than 20 feet, with a limit beam of 2
feet; but the beam may be increased by 1-1/2 inches
for each whole foot of length decreased; greatest
depth at fore end of well under the centre of the deck
to the garboards, not more than 16 inches. Fixed keel
of wood, not more than 2 inches deep, including metal
band, which must not exceed one-half of an inch
deep.
NOTE - A competitor is allowed to use either a drop or
deep keel.
The greatest depth allowed in drop or deep keels is 18
inches beyond the fixed keel; but when hauled up they
must be complete housed within the canoe. Centreboards
not to exceed 5/8 inch in thickness. All ballast,
except centre-boards, shiftable during a race, shall
be carried within the canoe, and no fixed ballast
shall be carried below the keel-band: all ballast on
board at starting shall be carried during the
race.
- 2nd Class CRUISING CANOES. -
Canoes in this class shall not exceed the following
limits, namely: beam, 30 inches; depth from underside
of deck to garboard streak, 16 inches; keels and
centre-boards as in 1st Class. Weight of canoe,
including all spars, gear, fittings, and ballast, not
over 150 lbs. (This Class is not used in racing.)
- In neither Class is there any
restriction as to material or mode of building, or as
to nature of ballast. rig, sails, or
rudder.
CLYDE CANOE
CLUB.
Definition.- 'A canoe shall be a
decked boat containing 1 man only.'
CLASSIFICATION - Sailing canoes shall
not exceed 17 feet 6 inches length, x 36 inches beam, x
18 inches depth (inside), nor be less than 28 inches
beam, x 10 inches depth.
- Cruising canoes, maximum 17 feet 6
inches, x 32 inches, x 13 inches; minimum 27 inches, x
5 inches.
- Paddling canoes, maximum 17 feet 6
inches, x 32 inches, x 12 inches; minimum 22 inches x
6 inches.
- (Thus allowing a canoe 17 feet 6
inches, or less, x 12 inches, x 12 inches, to compete
on fair terms in all classes.) Keels limited to 24
inches. No centre-boards allowed.
MERSEY CANOE
CLUB.
DEFINITION. - "A decked boat not
exceeding 20 feet in length, or 10 inches in beam. Means
of propulsion, paddle or sails only. No centre-boards.
Keel 2 inches."
- 1st Class. - Clincher or carvel
built, of wood, decked with wood, greatest length not
more than 18 feet, maximum beam 27 inches, minimum 26
inches.
- 2nd Class. - Maximum beam, 30 in.;
minimum, 27 in.; otherwise same as Class 1.
(These Classes are for paddling and
sailing. The 1st Class is the most used.)
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