The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1899-09-28
POLISHING THE RACERS.
Shamrock and Columbia Getting
Ready For the Great Races.
SHAMROCK BUILT ON OLD LINES.

No "Petticoats" Used to Hide the Cup
Challenger. and the ExpertsWho Had
Expected to Soc Radical Departure
In Yacht Buildinsw ere Disappointed
New York, Sept 28.-The Shamrock
was yesterday safely drydocked at the
Erie Basin. to be made ready for the
international races. which begin on
Tuesday next. Every precaution was
taken to prevent mishap to the big
cutter. and 20 minutes after she was
warped into position over the IL blocks
at the bottom Of the dock her keel was
resting securely In place. There was
no attempt to hide the lines Of the
yacht from view. The yard was open
to the public from morning until night.
and hundreds of yachtsmen stood for
hours while the water was being pump
ed out. that they might get look at
the under body and keel Of the chal-
lenger. It was too late in the day for
secrecy, and SO the "clouts" and pet
ticoats" that prevented the people from
seeing the Shamrock when she was
launched In England early this sum-
mer, and afterward when she was
docked at the Erie basin shortly after
reaching this country. were not used.
Every one had a fine look at the craft.
Before being locked the ShamrOck's
crew was put to { .rk scraping of the
green paint that covered her topsides,
exposing the true metal underneath.
Just what metal these two upper
n,kv lie of ~ fu 4,
secret, but 1t looks much like a COM
position of aluminium and nickel, very
light and at the same time very strong.
1t ia quite probable that the Shamrock
will not have her upper body reprinted.
for fear 1t may retard her speed. Cap
tain Wringe. when asked about the
matter, said he did not know about the
paint, but II any was put on it would
be the true Irish green. At the time
Of the Shamrock's keel touched the
blocks there was about 81 feet Of water
from the blocks to the surface. which
makes her draft about the same figures,
or an inch or two less. The crew was
at once put to work In two squads
scrubbing the hull with brushes.
The Shamrock is powerful craft,
with her greatest beam about where
the masthead runners fasten to the
deck. The underbody, which is Of
bronze, was covered with sort OF
slime, which came off readily with the
vigorous application Of salt water and
brushes, leaving the plates shiny and
smooth. When the hull and keel were
fully exposed there were expressions
of disappointment on all sides. The
experts expected to see something
new, and a radical departure from the
old type Of English cutter. Shamrock
can be described as vessel with a
Britannia body and Defender fin
and lead, including the latters rocker
keel. but with greater draft Than
either. There is nothing particularly
handsome about the cutters lines ex-
cept that they are all curves, there
being no straight ones except from the
turn of the guard boards to the lead.
In comparison with the Columbia the
Shamrock Is fuller bodied, especially
amidships, has about foot more beam
and a draft about ten inches greater.
Her overhangs are shorter, so that
the lines of her hull are not SO well
carried out as in the Columbia, and
heing short, increase the look of bulki-
ness. Then she is higher sided than
the cup defender. She has rocker
keel, like Defender--that is, her lead
keel is rounded up like that Of the
'95 champion, but little more at the
bow than the latter. Her lead keel
is about as thick as Columbia's, but
not nearly so deep. From AZ to
feet Is a fair estimate. while the cup
defenders Is about feet. The lead on
the keel weighs about Is tons less thai
Columbia's, or about so tons, but as it
is about five feet longer than the lat
ter's, about SO feet, and not nearly
SO deep, it puts the ballast lower. and
therefore gives the Shamrock fully as
much, If not greater stability.
The Shamrock carries more sail than
the Columbia. as her mast Is stepped
about two feet further aft, giving her
more headsail, while the mainsail is
also larger than the cup defenders The
Shamrock's amidships sections are con-
tinuous curves from the deck lines to
the turn of the cardboard. Her bilge
hardens greatly at the quarter, Just
opposite to the Columbia's, and gives
one the impression that 1t will retard
her progress in sailing.
Amidships, the Columbia has line
almost straight from the bilge to gar
board, giving her flatter floor. while
the Shamrock Is full and round.
When the lead keel was exposed 1t
was found to be unlike Columbia's
in that it is unprotected by bronze. 1t
is painted with some sort Of red COM
position to protect it from the action
of the salt water. but the crew had
considerable work in cleaning off the
Shiny coating.
When the hull of the cutter had been
well scrubbed the crew commenced
putting up staging about the craft,
and are using electric polishers on the
metallic sides today.
Drydock No. 8, at the Brooklyn navy
yard, was made ready yesterday for
the reception Of the yacht Columbia, the
navy department having given its con-
sent for the yacht to be hauled out
there, the Erie basin dock being occu-
pied exclusively by the Shamrock. The
Columbia left her moorings at New Ro-
chelle yesterday noon and was towed
through He'll Gate and the East river.
arriving at the navy yard before dark.
She was put in the dock at o'clock !
this morning and the work of cleaning |
twas at once begun,