The name "Huff" appears in at least four different contexts in the early years of the Rochester Canoe Club, but its true origin and meaning is a mystery. Each use appears to have its own unique application, but there is no direct explanation of the name from those early years, though one anecdote has surfaced of more recent origin. Taken by itself, the word huff could have referred to anger, provocation, wind, breathing, or perhaps even a person.

Huff first appeared as a boat name entered in the opening day races of the first clubhouse on June 19, 1884, in two races skippered by Charles H. Moody and George W. Gray, one paddling and one sailing. A picture from that time period shows a cruising type decked sailing canoe with the name "HUFF!" on it its bow. With the exclamation point, perhaps that implied exertion, or heavy breathing, or a plea for wind on the sails. Moody was known for his athletic feats, and was in a swimming race that day across the bay and back for a prize of $50. He lost.

The most remarkable use of Huff is in the fifty page story, "The Cruise of the Huff, an Unofficial Log of the Voyage of the Rochester Canoe Club Around the World." It is attributed to James Matthias Angle, in 1885. Angle was a lawyer, a reporter for a Chicago newspaper, and librarian of the Powers Law Library. He also organized the local NYS Naval Militia, and was a descendant of pioneer Matthias L. Angle through his father James Lansing Angle, a NYS Supreme Court judge. He was the club's first secretary-treasurer in 1882, purser in 1884, and captain in 1885. The story is a humorous satire about how the club members, having become very wealthy in their various endeavors to the extent of more than $19 million, decide to buy a suitable yacht for a cruise around the world starting from New York City. They find a steel cruiser rigged as a 3 masted schooner, 175 feet long, 705 tons displacement, with 800 horsepower steam engines, and carrying 18,000 square feet of sail. Twenty-five club members are mentioned in the story, with a personal item about many, though nine others are not mentioned who were known members in 1884. They bring their canoes, and have many adventures around the world. However, no reason is given why the ship is named "Huff".

Around 1891, a 30 feet war canoe was built by Ruggles for the club based on a similar craft at the Toronto Canoe Club. This one was 50 inches wide and carried 16 paddlers, a bowman and helmsman, plus passengers. An old news photo shows the canoe with colorful sails and the name "HUFF" on its bow. According to an anecdote passed on by Dwight Bliss, Ruggles' grand-nephew, the first outing of the war canoe led to much huffing and puffing of the paddlers; hence the name, "Huff". This doesn't explain the earlier uses of the name.

The last item with Huff on it is the large silver plated bowl and frog donated by Ruggles which you see filled with punch each spring and fall at the club. The first name on it is W.H.Martin, who won it in 1891 in Massawippi. It is now used (since 1967) as the Thistle Challenge Series first place award. That is all we know so far about the mysterious Huff.

Leo Balandis, November 21, 1996