The year 1905 was indeed remarkable on the great lakes. Not alone for boldness of design exhibited in ship construction; not alone for the enormous trade handled; but also for the extraordinary character of the elements themselves. No such furious storms have ever visited the great lakes as those which marked the fall months of 1905. There were three storms of great violence, one in September, one in October, and the third in November, but the greatest of these was the November storm. tainly not since steel has been used as a material for ship construction has there been such a storm on the lakes. The great steamers were blown about like cockle shells. So terrific were the combined forces of wind and water that steamers whose engines were driving full speed ahead with valves wide open and every pound of steam on, nevertheless went steadily astern for hours. For economy's sake the modern bulk freighter is equipped with engines of low power, which proved utterly inadequate to hold them against a storm of such extraordinary violence. Nearly a score of modern steel craft were blown against the north shore of Lake Superior, though they fought for hours against that disaster. The vessel losses through the elements during the season are estimated at $4,000,000, of which $2,183,000 is credited to the great November storm.

Pleasure Boating on the Great Lakes

in 1905

BY ROBERT E. POWER

EDITOR OF BOATING

LEASURE boating on the Great Lakes today stands foremost in the list of aquatic recreation. Yachting organizations of considerable size and influence in every lake port of any size from Duluth to Kingston present the clearest evidence of its popularity. Many of the larger cities claim plural organizations of great wealth and excellent fleets of pleasure vessels of no uncertain value. These clubs without exception are made up of the better class of citizens who take up this recreation as the cleanest and most healthful form of sport.

As an enterprise, fresh water yachting has advanced within a comparatively short time from a position of doubtful support to one of great importance and extent. The encouragement which has caused this growth has come from various sources. The great commercial activity of the past decade has helped materially through the widening and deepening of connecting waterways, the staking of treacherous channels, the buoying and lighting of shoals and bars and, more especially, the construction of protecting breakwaters along our city fronts. Municipalities have granted special privileges and have assisted in the erection of club houses for the yachtsmen on lake front property, and the United States Government in a few instances have furnished almost perpetual leaseholds of beach land and riparian rights and has built new piers and repaired old ones in order to provide suitable anchorages for the pleasure fleet. To say that commerce and yachting go hand in hand is too broad an assertion and probably not true, but the latter follows close behind in taking advantage of the former's work. Modern design and development and a more genial knowledge of it has caused the sport to reach out tremendously and in the right direction.

The advent of the internal combustion marine motor has been recent and its perfection rapid. The reliable qualities of this power in the propulsion of small vessels and the speed which they attain and maintain with ease has brought the motor boat into universal favor as a pleasure vessel.

There seems to be no limit to the possibilities of this form of recreation, taking into consideration that its use has just become known, and the future growth of yachting to a great extent lies therein. Sailing yachts will ever

be popular just as they are now and as they have been for centuries, but the motor boat bids fair to take their place for all but racing purposes. Speed contests occupy an important place in pleasure boating and a yachting organization is usually judged by the size and quality of its racing fleet. It is this opportunity for chance and the love of well-earned victory, secured by honest and intelligent effort that brings men of energy and capability into yachting and holds them there like a lodestone.

Looking over the 1905 season of pleasure boating on the great lakes, the important events are racing ones. Power boat racing on the great lakes is in its infancy, most of the new vessels being built for comfort and cruising. Up on Lake Superior, the Duluth Yacht Club held many sail and power boat races and enjoyed a most successful year despite its isolated position and the absence of inter-club features. The Lipton Cup race for 21-footers at Chicago, and the long-distance sail yacht contest from Chicago to Mackinac, were the most prominent events on Lake Michigan. Mention should also be made of the long race of the cruising power boats for the Rudder Cup which took the contestants from the Windy City to the Straits.

THE IROQUOIS, CANADA'S CUP DEFENDER, 1905.

On Lake Huron the annual Tawas Beach regatta, August 9-12, brought together a fine fleet of yachts from Lakes Erie, Huron and St. Clair to contest for the handsome and valuable prizes that are offered each year to the winners in the several classes. Lake St. Clair was the battle-ground for the 21-footers in the early part of September, when the Country Club of Detroit came up for annual competition. A few days later the great sweepstakes race of the Detroit Yacht Club witnessed a stirring battle for many well-known trophies.

Lake Erie was stirred to its shallow depths throughout the summer with racing of all kinds in every port. Toledo, Cleveland and Buffalo held active campaigns and their large individual fleets bespeak the interest