The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 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 See a Radical Departure
In Ysnht IIutdingwor ere Disappointed
New York, Sept 2S.-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 12 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. II 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, we're not used.
Every one had a fine look at the craft.
Before being docked the Shamrock's
crew was put to work scraping off the
green paint that covered her topsides,
exposing the true metal underneath.
Just what metal these two upper
streaks of plates are composed of is a
secret, but it looks much like a com
position OF aluminium and nickel, very
light and at the same time very strong.
r. t. hot ln Ghavarnp1r
will not have her upper body repainted,
for fear II may retard her speed. Cap
tain Wringe, when asked about tho
matter, said he did not know about the
paint, but If any was put on 1t would
be the true Irish green. At the time
Of the Shamrocks keel touched the
blocks there was about 21 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 a powerful craft,
with her greatest beam about where
the masthead runners fasten to the
deck. The underbody, which is of
bronze, was covered with a 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 radical departure from the
old type of English cutter. Shamrock
can be described as a vessel with a
Britannia body and a Defender fin
and lead, including the latter's rocker
keel, but with greater draft than
either. There Is nothing particularly
handsome about the cutters lines eK-
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 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
being short, increase the look of bulki-
ness. Then she is higher sided than
the cup defender. She has a 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 fair estimate, while the cur
defenders is about feet. The lead on
the keel weighs about Is tons less thai
Columbia's, or about 80 tons, but as il
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 thar
the Columbia. as her mast is stepped
about two feet further aft, giving hel
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 tC
the turn of the cardboard. Her bilgt
hardens greatly at the quarter just
opposite to the Columbias and give:
one the impression that it will retard
her progress in sailing.
Amidships, the Columbia has a 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 Il
was found to be unlike Columbia''
in that it is unprotected by bronze. Il
Is Ddlnltu Win SOIHe SOIl Vi ISu COIl
position to protect 1t from the actor
of the salt water. but the crew ha(
considerable work in cleaning off the
Shiny coating.
When the hull of the cutter had beer
well scrubbed the crew commenced
putting up a staging about the craft
and are using electric polishers on thu
metallic sides today.
Drydock No. 8, at the Brooklyn navy
yard, was made ready yesterday FOL
the reception of the yacht Columbia. the
navy department having given its con
sent for the yacht to be hauled ou
there, the Erie basin dock being occu
pied exclusively by the Shamrock Th'
Columbia left her moorings at New Ro
p chelle yesterday noon and was toweC
through He'll Gate and the East river
arriving at the navy yard before dark
She was put in the dock at O'CLOCK