The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-09-28
SHAMROCK IN DRY DOCK.
TIE CHALLENGERs UNDERBoDY AT
last ELPosED TO VIEW.

Designer Fife Seems to Have shown Moth
Inc startling and Yachtsmen Were
Di,sppointed - Thought to BE Lighter
Thap tho Columbia by Several Tons.
The Shamrock was foated into tho big dry
tocs at Erie Basin Yesterday morning. The
rater was pumped out during the afternoon
and for the first time the public had look at
thsunderbody OF the yacht. She was as Sir
Thomss Upton said only yacht" and many
thought homely one at that. Tho challen-
ver's underbody was q surprise to many who
thought that she would have a small I'm and be
Getaway much more than the Columbia. She
h.da ln but 1t was bigger than the Columbias
and the lead at the bottom was Dubbed much
more than that OF the American boat
As tho water was pumped out OF the dock the
crev went to work In noats to wash of tho
,eum that had collected on the yachts bottom.
II wa. thick. too. and the men had to rub hard
sttlmes to get 1t off. At hrst the metal was
dark brown color. but after the dirt had been
removed It shone like brass. 1t was generally
' thought that the material was manganese
bronze but different from that used on either
the Columbia or Defender. The topsdes had
been cleaned OF the paint and they looked to
be OF aluminium plates but probably were an
alloy in which there 10 large part OF alumni
NUM- When the water got down to the bottom
Of the keel and tho lead was exposed there was
a surprise. The lead was not covered with
bronze. but with reddish coored cement.
on this thu dirt had accumulated thickly and
there were also lots OF barnaoles. They were
soon cleaned of. and by sunset the boat was
quite neat underneath. To-day the work Of
furnishing the yacht will begin and by the
time the work 10 done the underbody will be as
smooth az glass.
Mr. Fife said yesterday that the topsides OF
the yacht will be painted as they were before
the paint was scraped of. He said he had
seen what Prof. Thurston had said about paint
retarding a yacht. but thought that 1t did not
make the difference OF three or four minutes
a, figured by him The barge Ulster was
lowed into the basin during the day and every
thing that will be wanted to get the yacht In
shape 10 now on hand.
When the water was all out OF the dock
there was chance to have good look at the
yacht. Everyone who looked at her from the
forward end was struck with her close re-
semblancs to the Defender. But aft she differs
greatly from the '95 champion. Her quarters
are full. the stern turns UP sharply and Mr.
o1erh han as Mr. Her: Sshoff' The shsmro K IL
bigger. midship section than the Colum-
ba and naturally more displacement. The en-
but full under the chain plates She is a fuller
bodied boat all over than the Columbia but 10
The keel is rocksred and those experts who
declared i W1s nat were very much ,S disap.
rise is about % inches in IA feet. From that
curve to point dlrsc.ly andsr The mast step.
and then in straight line 1t runs to the bow
where there is the sharp curve up to The deck.
that carried by the Coumb ia. 1t 10 Dubbed and
il thiekn:ss e about 50 inches: This t6lot
The Column bias lead is straight on the bottom
tSf tSR ~ Ho ons
p% n.
tons altogether. II this 10 eorrsc. Il would
make the, challenger a lighter boat than the
ave degrees. The rudder is. OF bronze and is
the boat steers and her quic kness in stays.
1t was rather an easy matter to get approxl-
sSe q Ss sSs
lee: o ws b Ss the %
Sunped out, Than diver H ~ Won't down to see
that The keel vas directly over the blocks and n{I
yacht a touched on ,ishe ~! blocks md
81 the dock .hoWsd thas th sr s ssqs
tvsnty.ons feet six inches OF water
draft Of the Yacht. The paint had been
and the rivets showed plainly whore each
plate was bolted to the frames. There were
seventy-six OF those lines Of rivsts. and allow
Ing that they were spaced twenty inches apart
1928 feet 1 inches. The mast lie stepped be-
tween the twenty eighth and twenty ninth. SO
that the distance from the forward side OF the
mast to the stem head 10 48 feet 4 inches
This 10 also thirty feet aft OF the forward end
OF tho water line and makes the base OF the
forward triangle ~ feet. the bowsprit being
"a feet cupboard.
There are many yachtsmsn in tho Erie Basin
tR.ir ' o OPT <. Cary smith. the dssIsaer
did not think much Of her. Judging by his
actions. He would not critIcise her to be
quoted except that she was good tin boat
in yacht building on the other side. He said
has gone him one better"
William Gardner scanned the yacht from al
figured her drauRht nearer ~ than 81 feet.
Thomas Fleming Day liked the boat when
looking at her forward. but, said she was a
disappoIntmsnt AFT He said: We have seer
those full quarters would not Indicate that che
would be q wonder think she is a remark
ably light boat. very much lighter than the Co
Among the others In the yard were W Bute
Duncan. Jr.. Herbert c. Leeds. Capt Woodbury.
Kane. DIR. J. c. Barron. F. Bowre Jones an(
Clinton u. Crane Dir Thomas Upton. Chsva
the work OF cleaning for while and then wen
back to the Erin. The Shamrock will remain
In the dry dock until Sunday night. when sh,
llw WA rAH hv Inhn