New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-08-19
CHALLENGER A MIXTURE.
THE sHAMRoCK's POINTS AS VIEWED
BY AN EXPERT.
SHE HAS SOME OF THE PECUL1ARrT1Es OF
FAST BOATS. But is NOT AS GRACE
F1-L AS THE COLUMBIA.


Full AS THE COLUMBIA.
Beyond the information already given by photo
graphs and descriptions close inspection OF the
Shamrock tells nparatively little. when one i
searching for those points which 60 70 Indicate
speed the reverse. Yesterday the cnaHeheeT
viewed while al her moorings of TompklnS
Vile. and beyond that general resemblance 10 me
Columbia which guarantees a large amount VI
speed II is impossible 10 suggest what the boat Is
worth for her present task. The spectator can
easily imagine the little yawl rig exchanged fcr
the huge racing spsrs that will soon he placed IN
her but his Imagination is wholly blocked "hen
he tries 10 understand the shape and speed merits
Of her underbody.
The visible portion OF the hull tells that the Co.
lumbia will probably get hard race. but IN oo'h
boats II IL the portion under the water that Is 20
ing 70 do the business" Consequently. the pres
ent examination Of the Shamrock is a good deal
Ike Judging a racehorse that is banketed except
for his head
Still there was good deal 20 be seen.
The Shamrock. Ter II be stated now. did not
come over as announced. under the ketch rig but
under the yawl rig. and with small mizzen at
that The ketch rig which carried by the
Vslkyrie III. has = large and able mzzenmast
that is sufficient 10 90 its part when re"ted IN
heaving 70 In the worst gales. The little SICK
now standing up the stern OF the Shamrock Is
hardly more than fsgpole. and was evidently
not counted much in any way. and us uttie
shrouds which reach out TO the gunwales OF me
yacht look peculiarly widespread. As at present
seen the Shamrock looks like an under rigged
sloop. with hagpole al the stern
On this nizzen carried the blue ensign OF
England. This blue ensign belongs to the Royal
Naval Reserve. and in English waters II cannot he
shown by any craft or club unless its use be per-
mitted by royal warrant. This was made clear
when detachment from II. NJ 5 Heron landed at
the house Of the Royal Canadian Yacht club at
49, rbt
Reserve flag UP over the clubhouse. Inc
royal warrant was shown. and that made II all
right. The Shamrock carries this flag by virtue OF
being enrolled in the hoyal Ulster Hacht 'iuo'
which possesses a similar warrant.
IN spite Of the smallness OF the mizzen. the
Shamrock was evidently able TO spread a fairly
large quantity OF canvas and quite sufficient Tor
long ocean cruising The mainmast has eood
length and the topmast. which. OF course "oulu
be housed or struck during bad weather, is long
and could a large sail. The whole SUI VI
cruising canvas is not. however. Of suhcient dl-
mansions 20 lead one 10 expect long ocean pas
sage 70 be taken quickly under IT, and the fact that
many hundreds OF miles were passed through WINE
under tow from the steam yacht Erin would go
without saying. even if the skipper Of the Erin
did not canddly show his log and admit the us
lance that the Shamrock was lowed.
The fast time made ny the Shamrock is a spien-
did advertisement for those who made the engines
OF the Erin.
CONFUSION LIKELY TO BE CAUSED.
The light green paint on the challenger is show
ing the effects OF the ocean passage, and In some
patches is almost removed The boat Will ioHo"
the Erin into the Erie Basin, where this green
paint will be scraped of. after which she VIII oe
nainted white Ike the Columbia This will make
T. extremely difficult 10 distinguish the boats when
IN the races they are some distance on Oh course
the differently shaped bows will help 20 distinguish
them when those be seen. and the difference
On the upward reach OF the club topsails will also
helm. but unless s,r Thomas follows the lea1 or
the ,vo Valkyries and most other English yachts
IN paintng his boat black there will be good deal
OF confusion at the time OF the races espec'aIS
when the boats crossing tacks
50 far as can be seen OF the Shamrock there
seems 10 be little 10 choose between her ana me
Columbia IN regard 10 the shaping OF the upper
body The Shamrock has more freeDoard' sl's
higher out OF the water han the Columbia and
does not look any better for IT, She IL also more
bulkv IN the build between the midship section
and the stern Consequently she IL not as TRIM
looking model the American boat whether TINS
Is A gain or a fault only trial Will tell For Iohs
time yachts have been pared away ar doI 10 20 ber
rail But the latest nigh speed racers Oh pS ~
In other words they prefer 70 have something 10
lie down on rather than TO study how to Keep 'heiI
lines nne and leave the water ceanly. -.,.ubi,
While therefore il is certain that the CoiuilDIe
g.
follows that her superior grace means greater
There is good deal Of the brute" about The
shamrock PROFESSIONALLY. she can carry canvas
longer and more OF H. than the columbia J. me
bai7ast power Of both boats is about the same
The Shamrock will be dragging some water Nnen
She is hard pressed over nut sne WI. pc yr .1
down on 4 good support that will be powerful
aid carrying on
VALKYRIE III AN EXAMPLE
on the other hand this brute" power does not
ALWAYS win Valkyre III had heaps OF il more
than the Defender, and It never once was called
into play She never had wind enough 10 make
her huge extra beam anything more than drag.
The slim Defender. with more than TWO feet less
beam slid way from her like a phantom
best beam for a - tooter does NOT come IN a.
between the Shamrock and Columbia because the
ton seems to have exactly the same beam as the
home boat This Of course. Is only eye measure
ment and speaking from the memory OF no" the
Columbia looked when she was mere IN July.
There is nothing bout the Shamrock above water
70 suggest she r. hatter on the floor than ne
Columbia. or tnat she Is slaNoNer IN hrr uiuyL
body apart from the nm. The overhangs Of the
Shamrock seem 70 be shorter than those of the
Column bia and this tends 10 give them the appear
srre ~ shaping down the water more abruptly
This Is more apparent ar the stern A. The bow
the boats differ a good deal The Shamrocks bow
boNeorft and afterward r. rounds away and the
lines iaper gradually 10 where the water line begins
II is A better boV for support IN the pitching OF
a sea way than the Columbia because 1t extends
out. lying closer 10 the water As soon the
line length Of hundred feet
Her bow l. Ike the Dragons. and this was the
tastest 81 footer in these waters until she went 10
Savannah last spring
In a word the Shamrock has the p4culiarities Of
some 81 the fastest and uziest boats ahoat and
Cor telling OF the virtues % these the day Is yet
young