The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-09-06
SIZE OF THE YACHTS
UNOFFICIAL MEAsUREMENTs OF DE-
FENDER AND vALKYRIE HI.
Latter Is Longer at the Water Line
and Carries More Sail than the
American-Tfme Allowance.

NEW YORK, Sept 5.-The most interest
ing topic of conversation among yachtSmen
to-day, in fact the one that absorbed about
all their attention, concerned the measure
ments of the Defender and Valkyrie III.
There have been several estimates made
on guess figures. and they grant TO the
Defender time allowance of anywhere
from one minute to two. Just what IL is
will not be made known until tomorrow.
when Mr.. John Hyslop Will take the meas
ure of both boats. The Evening Post says:
1T was learned this afternoon that the
measurements of the Defender, which were
made just before the trial races, and have
been carefully guarded by the committee
ever since they were taken, are as fol-
lows: Load water line length, ss.s5 feet;
sail area, 12,1S0 square feet; racing length,
l00.l0 feet. The syndicate owning the boat
was not satisfied. and concluded to make
her lighter, as she was apparently stiff
as a house in heavy blow. The new
mast was therefore shipped and steel
boom fitted In the place of the wooden one.
which had been in use up TO the time of
the first Of the trial races. IT was
generally n believed that the reason
ing or the old one, and that the new one
was mucn heavier and stronger. AS a
matter mat err of fact. It is lighter by zoo pounds.
The change in the boom was for the same
reason, as the yacht was thereby lightened
SIX hundred pounds Besides this, the
water tank, waste tank. doors, bulkheads
and some flooring Will be taken out to
tighten her still further. and it is conf
IDENTIFY expected that her racing measure
ments T on Saturday will be as follows:
12.190 square feet; racing length, 1886 feet.
Defenders stripping has, as stated, about
been completed, but the work on Valkyrie
unnecessary floor have been taken out, and
when she Is fioated for Mr.. Hyslop's work
ounce upon her. Even her bow and stern
have been planed down 10 bring her within
the ninety feet. Estimates of her meas
urement have been made, based on all the
figures at hand, and the same estimates
on Defender were but fraction of an inch
out, the following may be assumed TO be
30 feet; sail area, 1850 square feet; racing
length, 10000 feet.
The time allowance given one one yacn. over
what is called the racing length over the
same dimension of the other. The racing
length is.obtained by adding to the square
root of the sail area the length of a yachts
load water line and dividing the result by
two. The quotient is the racing length
To obtain the load water line, which Is
the distance between the points of the bow
and stern Exclusive of the rudder post)
level with the water, everything but what
ashore. Then. with the crew which it is
to carry assembled amidships, the measurer
drops plumb line from the bow TO the
where the line strikes the water. and the
intersection of the yachts forefoot with
the water is then accurately measured
stern. The distances obtained are then
marked off on the deck, the first being
measured back & from 2 the bow ana bs fhe
between these two points is the load water
line of the yacht 1t Is measured on the
course, makes 1t impossible to get a straight
line from bow to stern on the water.
The obtaining OF sail area Is more
difficult matter: 1t is determined by the
dimensions Of the spars and the length of
the jib topsail stay. Were it not for the
length of the gaff there would be triangle
formed oy the base line the STAY and and the the
would be easily calculated The pro-
lection of the gaff, however, spoils the
triangle. The first thing the measurer does
OF the boom to the forward side of the
mast From that point he measures to
point on the bowsprit intermediate between
the jbstay and the jib topsail stay.
These added together give the actual
base line. The height of the mast is then
The length Of the gaff is next ascertained,
and from this is subtracted eight-tenths
of the height of the topmast: The differ
ence between these is added 10 the actual
base line, the result giving what is called
the corrected base line. This addition. it
has been found. offsets accurately the num-
Der of square feet of sail lying between a
straight line drawn from the end of the
boom to the sheave of the topsail halyards,
and, considering that line as a base, the
two legs of the triangle extending from
the end of the boom to the peak Of the
gaff and from the peak of the gaff to the
topmast.
Then the length of the corrected base line
Is multiplied by the height of the mast
measured from the deck TO the sheave of
the topmast, and the result divided by two.
The result is the sail area After obtain
ing these measurements the formula above
given is applied and the racing length is
thereby obtained.