The Past-Live Long Enough to Love It 

by Prentice Cushing

1995 

Last spring we discussed some safety measures that we should all take while on the water. The column produced a response from John Wright, Offshore Director and staff executive for the Safety-at-Sea Committee of US Sailing, who expressed gratitude that DYS was helping to promote safety measures. He did question the graph's showing a possibility of fifty percent chance of survival for one hour in 30 degrees water. I agree with him, although the graph, which was based on studies conducted some years ago, actually showed a spread between ten minutes and one hour. In any case, the importance of getting back aboard cannot be overemphasized. Now comes, via the American Boat &Yacht Council, the results of a first test of unassisted re-boarding by "portly senior males" (count me in!), with and without life jackets, via a ladder with the bottom-rung depth varying between 10" and 24". The test showed the great effect of handholds on the ability to re-board. A.BYC Standard A1 8 presently requires a step immersion of at least IO" for re-boarding ladders (if you don't already know, ABYC is the standards writing organization for the marine industry and their standards are used by the Coast Guard); it was not changed, but future revisions will probably require adequate handholds. The next tests will involve senior women and variations in the ladder angle and handhold placement. Incidentally, as a member of ABYC I have a complete set of Standards; if any of you has a question about the requirements I will be glad to look up the answer.

ABYC frequently refers to "FRP" construction. As I assume we all know, there is no such thing as a "fiberglass" boat. Fiberglass is exactly what the 

name says, fibers made of glass, which make an excellent reinforcement for providing tensile strength to plastic, just as steel rods do for concrete. Some shoddy builders have been known to use polypropylene fibers instead of glass, but in any case the boat is really plastic. 'Me official name for a "fiberglass" boat is fiberglass-reinforced plastic, abbreviated FR-P. Now what is a boat-building material technically described as a "laminated reinforced plastic resin with unidirectional cellulose fiber reinforcement"? Read on for the answer.

The recent redecoration of the Manor Dock area resulted in uprooting the remains of the mast of SAPPHO, which was removed to the Manor Bam area for examination by a committee consisting of Lew Wemer, Dave Knickerbocker, and yours truly. We were asked to examine it and come up with a plan for preserving what was left (the bottom which had been unprotected and planted in the ground was well-rotted). A preliminary estimate was that we could save the upper portion, preserve and finish it, and relocate it, possibly sinking the lower part in wet concrete. 

Unfortunately and totally inexplicably, before action was taken, it was misplaced in a dumpster. Prompt action by Dave and Lew rescued what's left, and we hope to work on it during the winter so that it can once again grace our waterfront. There was even some hope that the original plaque (see next page), which was also vandalized (about thirty-five years ago), can be found; if not, a replacement will be made. It seems unfortunate that such a memento of our past, like so much else of our history, should have been allowed to slip away.

How accurate is the claim that this abused and neglected piece of wood was actually the SAPPHO 's mast? We know (see Vol.111. No. 2 of this publication) that she had her mast changed several times; there is no reason to doubt that Mr.Douglas planted one mainmast at his waterftont to serve as a flagpole.

From the former Douglaston Club publication Between Ourselves , Vol . No.9, August 1927: "Probably few of the residents are aware of the history that surrounds the big mast that is now on our shorefront near the pier and from which Old Glory flies to the breeze each morning and on which the green, white, and green of the Yacht Squadron mark our landing at night. The mainmast of the schooner SAPPHO stands there in good condition, taken from the schooner-rigged yacht that was owned and raced by William P. Douglas, then Vice-Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, who, as a country gentleman, filled the 188 acres that have become Douglas Manor." It is known that this mast/flagpole failed subsequently and was cut short as a valuable artifact when the present one was erected.

Nothing lasts forever, particularly when it is made of wood, but we can and should make an effort to preserve our heritage.

neglected piece of wood was actually the SAPPHO 's mast? We know (see Vol.111. No. 2 of this publication) that she had her mast changed several times; there is no reason to doubt that Mr.Douglas planted one mainmast at his waterftont to serve as a flagpole.

From the former Douglaston Club publication Between Ourselves, Vol . No.9, August 1927: "Probably few of the residents are aware of the history that surrounds the big mast that is now on our shorefront near the pier and from which Old Glory flies to the breeze each morning and on which the green, white, and green of the Yacht Squadron mark our landing at night. The mainmast of the schooner SAPPHO stands there in good condition, taken from the schooner-rigged yacht that was owned and raced by William P. Douglas, then Vice-Commodore of the New York Yacht Club, who, as a country gentleman, filled the 188 acres that have become Douglas Manor." It is known that this mast/flagpole failed subsequently and was cut short as a valuable artifact when the present one was erected.