Chapter I: 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.