THE SCHOONER YACHT LIVONIA.

Westport Times, Volume V, Issue 817, 27 May 1871, Page 3

THE SCHOONER YACHT LIVONIA.

The following will be read with pleasure by those of our readers who take an interest in yatchting : —ln Mr Ratsey's building yard at Cowes is the hull of a yacht unlike anything that has been previously constructed, and to all appearance the problem—" What does the water like ?" has at last been solved, and the answer is, "The schooner yacht Livonia." The Livonia may be justly termed an object of national importance, seeing that she will challenge the champion American yachts in their own waters during the ensuing autumn. Her dimensions are as follows : —Tonnage eld measurement, 2SO tons ; tonnage for racing, 264 tons; length between perpendiculars, 115 feet 2 inches ; beam, 23 feet 6 inches ; draught of water, 12 feet 6 inches. The rig of the vessel is a fore-and-aft schooner ; the length of the mainmast from hounds to deck is G8 feet, and that of the foremast 64 feet; the masts are about thirteen feet longer than those usually placed in men-of-war of 2,000 tons. A further proof of the vessel's stability may be adduced from the fact that her mizenmast will contain within a few yards as much canvas as in the main course of a vessel of 1500 tons ; and, further, the Livonia in proportion to her size, will carry nearly four times the area of canvas set by the ill-fated Captain when under all plain sail. The bow of the vessel is just sufficiently like those of the American vessels to deceive the unitiated, but a keen eye soon discovers that the Livonia carries her " bearing" further forward than is the custom in the American vessels \ indeed, every square inch of her hull appears to have its special duty to do as regards buoyancy. The fore-foot is very much rounded oif, and terminates in a gracefulcutwater, which will be surmounted by a graceful figurehead. The midship section, is something quite new, and is difficult to describe, but it appears to be a combination of the midship sections of the American yacht Sappho and the English yacht Cambria ; but wherever the designer obtained his idea he has hit upon a form which must prove a success. The run and stern of this vessel have their own peculiarities, and are, perhaps, the handsomest part of her. So beautifully are the lines blended that it is impossible to tell where the run commences. Having wrought iron floors, builders are enabled to put a 12-inch '• camber" in the keel without diminishing from the strength of the vessel, and thereby ensuring quickness in stays. The keel is very deep, and made unusually strong. The framing or timbers are best picked oak, the planking American elm to the lightwater line, then oak and teak. The bulwarks will be very low, and, indeed, the vessel herself will have much less freeboard than any English yacht of her tonnage afloat. The comforts of the owner and his friends have been carefully attended to in the internal arrangements, and the accommodation consists of a large main saloon, four state rooms, ladies' rooms, and wardrobes, all of which are fitted with polished red pine fittings, and will be tastefully decorated.