BOOKS events, the varied culture that grew up along the river. An essentially memorable tale, and one to return to for refreshment. Philip Van Cortlandt was a product of that cu lture at a particular point in time. Hard and decisive in uncertain, troubled times - the Revolution in the Hudson Valley , recognized by both sides as the critical theater, was no parade to inevitable victory - his self-confidence verges on vanity when he recites his role at Saratoga, or gloats over the desperate British at Yorktown (he was there, too). But the same quality in the man becomes touching, even moving, in other lightsin his wholehearted love of an ideal America , his unswerving loyalty to Washington, his strong attachment to family and the fami ly ho use at Crotonon-Hudson, which lay in No Man 's Land through most of the conflict. And regardless of how you take him how he !il'es in his writing! There is no substitute for what a man has to say for himself, and when that man is this Van Cortlandt, you feel his presence, see what he sees, cannot help but feel what he feels, and after an immersion in his world , strange to us in many ways, but strangest because it is not all that strange, you would not be surprised I think if, hearing a firm footstep behind you , you looked round from the book to see the man himself. He was young when the events of the book took place , but old when he wrote it. (The memoir may have been inspired by the visit of Lafayette to New York and Croton , in 1824). Philip's branch of the family lived like landed gentry, earlier generations havin g used their citybred wealth to acquire vast upland holdings. Further volumes in this admirable series will develop that story. PS
Yacht Designs, by William Garden (Camden, Me, International Marine Publishing, 1977. 216 pp ., illu s., S 17 .50). "Her design is a compromise, which in this case was influenced by a friend giving me the fin from a Thunderbird. The hull size about matched a pile of o ld growth planking that we had stacked away in the shop, and we needed a roomy responsive day sailor and fast cruising boat. " The above is a small part of Mr. Garden's description of the exqu isite little schooner yacht shown on the dust jacket of this very nicely produced book. It states a very basic aspect of the yacht designer's craft. Almost every boat design may be called a com promise since
SEA HISTORY , SUMMER 1977
it takes place within a set of parameters including approximate size and cost, intended purpose , owner preferences, practicality and good seakeeping qualities and sometimes an arbitrary measurement rule. Most good designs will satisfy all these considerations but not too many prompt the boatman to say: "That may not be the kind of boat I want or need but I sure do like it. Dammit that is well designed. " Almost all the designs presented in this book , however, drew such response from this casual boat watcher! In all 37 designs are in cluded , most done during the last 30 years (if one exempts the Viking fishing boat and 19th-century cutters used to illustrate the origins of particular boats). The 21 sai lboats range from an 18' 6" canoe yawl through small cutters, tabloid cruisers, a sai ling scow a nd double ended cruisers to a 60' topsail schooner. The only measurement rule app lied here is a full measure of good sensible design within the parameters laid down. The power boat section begins with a pair of delicate 17- and 18-footers inte nded for "ash breeze" propulsion. The largest vessel is a motor yacht 104' overall and in between it and the pulling boats, trawler type cru isers receive equal consideration with fast commuters and st urdy launches. Of particular interest is a 40' LOA express cruiser featuring a unique arrangement plan and very fine superstructure details. Several of the designs show variations of rig and arrangement plan based on a given hull. Others show custom designs that evolved into limited production sem i-custom yachts. Much of the material in the book will give the aspiri ng small craft designer some insight into the versatility, ingenuity and good humor of a naval architect of Mr. Garden 's calibre. Also included is a system for making accurate perspective drawings of hulls from the lines plan. Mr. Garden lives near Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (on his own island , I believe) and has been in private practice si nce at least the end of World War TI. If the drawings in this book are any indication, he must e njoy his work very much as they abound in ge ntle embellishment and detailing that make them a delight to read. The comments on each design are in much the same vein . Not too many of Mr. Garden's designs and very little of his writing have appeared in the popular periodicals in recent years. This book makes one hope for a Yacht Designs, Volume II. Don Meisner
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