|
Page 2 of 2 The P.A. Fraleigh I found, and presume it’s the same fellow, was appointed an Assistant Professor of Mathematics at the University of Vermont in 1927, having just come from Cornell University in New York. UV is located in Burlington, on Lake Champlain, about 70 miles from Newport by today’s highway. If it’s the same Fraleigh, one can only speculate as to what took him to Newport after Burlington. The several views of the boat provide us some great perspectives into its construction and rigging. Benson tells me he bought the whole rig in Portland, Maine a few years ago and that the 55 square foot lateen sail was probably added in the 1950s or -60s. Well, I’m sure you agree that whoever rigged it did a fine job. The mast is stepped through a forward seat thwart that’s been modified to receive it and act as a mast partner. The leeboard bracket is adjustable and appears to fit almost anywhere on the hull. One can see the bronze adjusting nuts that tighten the clamps that hold it to the gunnel, and those that tighten the traditional-shaped leeboards.
 The rudder is controlled by a rope tiller that runs from one tiller horn, forward through a turning pulley, athwartship to another, and back to the horn. This is a nice setup that allows for control almost anywhere in the boat, and, if snug enough, keeps the rudder somewhat steady, making it easier to steer the boat by playing the sheet. This is an absolutely gorgeous example of its type, and one can only imagine what a regatta looked like back in the heyday of open sailing canoes.
<< Start < Prev 1 2 Next > End >> |