The Daily bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Hawaii]) 1882-1895, 1889-04-20
A NEW YACHT.
THE LATEST CHALLENGER FOR THE
AMERICAS CUP.

following account of an interview he
had March Doth with Lord Dun
raven in regard to his lordship's
proposed challenge for the Americas
cup:
When was your challenge posted?
| asked
Last Thursday, March 21st, Lord
Dunraven replied. 1t should reach
New York tomorrow. 1t is address
ed to the Secretary of the New York
Yacht Club. 1t was drawn up by
the Royal Yacht Squadron, who
proffer the challenge on my behalf.
1t was couched in the customary
terms and, of course, gave the
necessary particulars of the yacht.
But, besides this, wrote privately
to the club, making certain sugges-
tons as to the details of races. To
begin with, | propose that the win
ming average should be the best
three out of five, instead of two out
of three, and the sailing date of the
first race l suggested as Sept. 80.
If three races are agreed upon, the
second and third races will follow
on Oct. 2 and 4. The six months
notice required gives American
builders an opportunity of turning
out special boats, in the construction
of which they would naturally be
guided somewhat by the data fur
nished in my challenge. l also want
the races to be sailed outside, start
ing from Scotland or Sandy Hook
lightship. 1 consider the inside
course too crowded.
Can you give me the dimensions
of your boat?
Here they are. But don't run
away with the idea that L have had
a new boat constructed specially for
the Americas cup. want to use
it for racing over here in place of
the Petronilla, which carried off ten
or eleven flags last year. There is
nothing very special in the construc-
ton of the Valkyrie, for that is the
name the cutter is TO be christened
when she leaves Fay's yard on the
21st of next month. Mr.. Watson
designed her and she is fitted with q
place for centreboard, but | do
not think one will be used. The
registered dimensions are as follows:
Length, So feet BEAM. 1873 feet
depth, 11.6 feet; tonnage, 5G.76.
The length on the load-water line is
just under seventy feet, so as to
come within the second, or seventy
foot class of American yachts. The
keel was cast Feb. s.. / cannot,
with sufficient accuracy, give you
the other dimensions, as l am
troubled with somewhat defective
memory and might make mistakes
which would be misleading.
shall take twelve or fourteen
men, continued the earl, after a
pause, and l intend to run over to
the States for the matches, but l
shall not go out on my yacht. My
time is so fully occupied over here
that I have leisure only for flying
visits. If | had an opportunity, l
should very much like to go in for a
seasons racing all round the Am
erican coast; and by the way, 1
wish some of the American yacht
owners would come here and try
conclusions with us on our own
ground.
So understand, the Valkyrie is
being built on conventional English
lines, narrow and heavy, as oppos-
ed to the American plan of plenty
of beam!
We think a comparatively heavy,
deep body TO be the type best suited
to the conditions mentioned, and, as
have stated, the Valkyrie is in
tended for racing here.
1t may interest you to learn, his
lordship continued, that an Ameri-
can syndicate proposes to start an
other international contest, on some
what similar lines to those that form
the basis of the America cup races.
Mr.. j. Beaver Webb of New York
has addressed letter to me on the
subject. The cup is to take its
name from the first winner, and is
to be confined to yachts not exceed
ing seventy feet on the load-water
line. The first race is to be sailed
over the Newport course, and re-
suits are to be based on the best
two races out of three, or the best
three out of five, the races being
completed before Oct. 80. Doubt,
less this is circular letter, and has
been addressed to other yacht own
ers besides myself. / have written
that, subject to agreement as 10 the
conditions, and the match not inter
fering with races for the Americas
cup, would enter the Valkyrie.
have also suggested that the time
allowance should be based on the
mean of the two systems adopted
respectively by the New York Yach
Club and the English Racing Asso
citation.
Do you think that there is any
thing unfair in the six months no
tice2
No, think it perfectly fair. Ii
all cases, the party challenged hai
the right TO certain advantages, bu
it is injudicious if the object of in
ternational racing is TO arrive at tn
best tyDe and model of vessels,