The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-09-30

STATEMENT MADE BY CAPTAIN HAFF.
Says The Limit Ras Been Reached In Yacht Con-
sJucton-s Shamrock Strained In Trip
Across or In Trial Spins

New York, Sept. 30.-The latest re-
port about the Shamrock is that her
hull is not quite true. and that her
stern is at least three inches out Of
plumb.
The authority for the statement Is
Capt. Hank" Haff. the skipper of the
Defender in '95. and now close OBJ
server OF the Shamrock and Columbia
since they have been in dry docks.
lie is positive in his statement, and
saws that this accounts for the differ
ence in speed noted i'm the Shamrock s
sailing ON different tacks.
Close observers OF the Shamrocks
trial spins have repeatedly said that
she seemed 10 sail faster on the star
board than on the port tack. and that
her work on the latter tack was less
even and with more disturbed water
than on the former. They noted IL par
ticularly in her fine reaching perform
ance few days ago when she is said
TO have made over IL knots on the star
board tack and something less on the
port tack under apparently the same
conditions.
Capt. Haff's belief as TO her hull not
being true might account for the diff
ference.
THE LIMIT REACHED.
Over his own signature Capt. Han
saws:
There is limit to all things, even
in yacht construction. Unless all signs
fail, the designers and bvslders OF the
Columbia and Shomrack have tied down
the safety valve and are trusting 20
luck to carry their productions through
the coming series OF cup races. \
The accidents to the Columbia's s.
steel mast and the Shamrock's alumi-
mum gaff are but forerunners OF a gen
eral break down In case the yachts en-
counter good sized blow off the Hook.
Now. ON TOP OF the various mishaps
comes the announcement that the
Shamrock's hull. I'm spite OF all the skill.
OF her designer and the genius OF the
Thornycrofts. is not true, and her
hull is at least three inches out OF
plumb. Sir Thomas Upton and De-
signer Fife VIII probably deny that this
Is so, but IT is true just the same. as
Supt Dickey and any Of the mechan-
les who had charge OF the docking OF
the cup challenger will admit III they
are allowed to talk
1T very often happens that a mer-
chant ship or coasting vessel will sail
better on one de than on the other: in
1act most coasting vessels have their
favorite tack To make the statement
that yacht, especially a yacht like
the Shamrock. sails better on one tack
1han the other seems almost absurd.
yet such is the case.
STERN is TWISTED.
1T was noticed when the Shamrock
was being docked ar the Erie basin
"wednesday, and the dockmaster had |
cons derable trouble getting her in po- |
sition over the keel blocks The dock
master. after hauling the yacht I'm the /
centre OF the dock, endeavorei to strike /
the centre of the keel blocks by hanging !
plumb bob over the stern, but try as 1
he would he could not strike the centre |
OF the blocks by this method. and he /
finally came To the conclusion that the /
Shamrock's stern was out OF true.
a plumb line dropped from the centre |
of the yachts stern would show that |
the stern had twisted about two and |
half inches TO ~'arhcard and by stand
ing on the dock. far astern OF the
yacht, and looking at the turn of the |
rail- one can detect a slight fullness in
the starboard side that is not apparent
TO port.
"Of course this Is no fault OF the
builders; there is no doubt but what
the Thornycrofts have built the boat
true to the design, but il is evidently
the case that the yacht has been so
lightly constructed that either in the
trip across the Atlantic or in the trial
spins she has been strained out OF
shape.
'If she has been twisted so much al
ready. how much will she give and
bend IL caught IN half a gale IN one OF
the cup races?"
If Cant. Han - correct in his state
ment. the challenger will race under a
serious hendicsn since there Is now no
way OF putting her in her orig nal shape
II she has been strained out OF u.
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