The Irish standard., 1899-06-24
SHAMROCK AND COLUMBIA,
The Two Yachts To Contend For
The American Gun.

Inc Two YacntS 10 Contend For
The American Cup.
Perhaps no sporting event of the not
distant future is attracting such world
wide attention at present as the pro-
posed race for Americas cup between
the Shamrock and the Columbia. The
yachts are both being constructed, the
American boat by the Herreshoffs, at
Briston, r. l., and the Shamrock, un-
der the direction of Designer William
Fife, Jr., at Chiswick- the Thames. 1t
will thus be contest OF mechanical
skill between the two great branches of
the English-speaking race. 1t will DEM
onstrate whether the Yankee sailor still
has the cunning to design and manage
a craft that can show her heels to any
craft in the world.
The interest in the event has naturally
aroused a very live interest in the details
of construction OF the yachts which will
be opposed to each other. For obvious
reasons profound secrecy has been MAIN
tanned as to all of the material facts.
The enterprising journals of the world
have been trying to penetrate this secre-
cy. 1t is announced by the New York
Journal that it has secured the correct
figures for both the yachts. While the
Patent Record does not vouch for the
absolute correctness of the figures, it is
constrained to believe that they are sub
stantially correct, and therefore takes
this opportunity of placing them before
its readers.
The frames OF the Shamrock are OF
Krupp Steel They are light, and set
about IL inches apart. They are stayed
at intervals with cross-ties. The follow
ing are her chief measurements and the
details of her sail plan: Length on load
water line, 80 it. 6 in; length over all,
1872 IT,; beam, "a it. 4 in; draught, 20
it,; forward overhang, 20 IT,; after
overhang, 22 it,; tons of lead in keel,
80; displacement, 144.3 tons; freeboard
at bow, 7 it. 4 in; frecboard at stern,
S it,; freeboard amidships, 3 it. 10 in. !;
surface below water, 2,61o square feet;
working sail area, 1895 square feet;
height Of mast from deck to hounds, II
IT,; distance from deck to topmast, 123
it,; greatest circumference of mast, 60
in; length of boom, los it,; length Of
gaff, IS #. Her mainsail will be 1870
square feet; staysail, LOO; jib, 1850;
topsail, 1895, making total working
sail area of 1875 square feet The spin
maker will be 1000 square feet, the jib
topsai 1920, making grand total of
2o,o35 square feet.
The lead which forms the keel of the
Shamrock was poured into mould sur
rounding the skeleton keel, and became
fixed to ribs projecting from the sides Of
the skeleton. There area SO tons OF the
metal, and this is considered an i'm
proved way OF fixing it in place. The
keel is bullying in form and rounded at
the bottom.
The mainnast will measure no feet
over all. Its greatest girth, about 60
inches, is at the hounds, and just under
the cross-trees. 1t is the longest mast
ever stepped into racing yacht. The
spar is OF Oregon pine, and has iron fit
tings. The boom and gaff will be OF
hollow steel
The plates are of manganese brass.
The channel plates covering the lead
keel are cast in sections. The hull is 10
per cent lighter than that OF the VAL
llyrie The Shamrock will have gun
meta! deck 3-16 OF an inch in thickness,
over which will be laid pine flooring
The rudder will be sheathed in brass.
At either end the boat has air-tight
compartments OF manganese bronze.
They are one-third the length OF the
boat, and have no entrances. She has a
flat floor, carried we'll out to the ends,
giving long, straight line favorable to
extreme speed. She has less wetted stiff
face and less draught than the Valkyrie.
She should be we'll fitted for reaching.
The Shamrock will have stumpy top
n,asts, and these, with peculiarly
strong mainmast, will remove all danger
of breaking during the race. The boat
will be launched in petticoats about June
I. She will go to the Clyde for sail
tests, and will sail for America late in
July. The yacht will be sailed by Cap
tain Archie Hogarth. The skipper will
get 81, 500 if he wins. He will select his
own crew, some OF the men having been
with him in previous races.
The measurements OF the Columbia
are claimed to be as follows:
The Columbia, according to her plans,
has length over all OF 1871 feet 4 inches,
8 inches less than the Shamrock The
Columbia has "a feet 2H inches extreme
beam, one inch and half less than the
Shamrock. The Columbia draws 20 feet
3 inches, which is 3 inches more than
her rival Her forward overhang is IS
feet inches, inches less than the
Shamrock. Her after ovcrllang is 2,
feet, feet more than the Shamrock
She has 90 tons OF lead in her keel. &c
tons more than the Shamrock Her dis.
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