The sun., 1899-06-29

Spread-Opiniona as to Her Model Below
the Water Line--Secrecy still DaintR aimed.
Ss,etdt Gable Depatch to THE Sun.
LONDON. June 28.-Tho impression Is gain
ing ground here that Fifo. In design
ing the Shamrock. has taken. as far as
he thought practical. the ninety-foot skim
ming-dish typo OF yacht and hung from
it deep fin .and bulb keel Tho beam
OF the Shamrock. together with the lines of
her counter. indicate this and several remarks
made by sailors who saw her launched seem to
corroborato 1t. For instance. one man re-
markcd:
"She Is all atop OF the water except that long
fn." Another said She is n dish-like thing.
with a big bulb hung,down. heaven knows how
far"
That she is OF great draught can hardly be
doubted In view OF this fact 1t is not 80 re-
markablo that she has a tremendous sail
spread. for she looks able to carry any amount
OF canvas.
American yachtsmen may rely on the dimen-
sions Of the Shamrock's spars cabled to THE
Sun yesterday The dimensions OF the mast
bowsprit and main boom are absolutely
correct and 1t Is comparatively easy to
calculate the measurements OF the gaff.
topmast and spinnaker boom by reason
OF their positions. The fore side OF tho mast is
thirty feet from the forward end Of the water
line. and allowing about two feet for the
diameter OF the mast and then subtracting
thirteen feet. the distance from the end
OF thegafH to the tafrrail leaves sixty-six
feet for tho length OF the gaff. The
topmast was housed. but it Ia simple to find
the centre OF the mainmast and then calculate
tho distance between tho centre and the
heel OF tho topmast. Adding half the
length OF the mast to this distance
gives ftty-flve feet for tho topmast. Tho
height OF the spreaders being known. and the
spinnaker boom being end on deck. 1t fol-
lows that the spinnaker boom is eighty-fve
feet long.
These dimension will enable the American
yachtsman to calculate pretty nearly the
shamrock's sail spread. The only matter in
doubt is the topmast. 1t is more than likely
that Fife will favor a longer topmast. in which
case she will surpass the sail spread
Of the Columbia quite comfortably. The
comparisons with the Columbia cabed
yesterday were based on the early figures Of
the Columbia's spar plan published in Amer
lea. 1t hardly seems to yachtsmen here
that the figures regarding the Columbia
are correct. II they are accurate tho Sham
rock Is certainly longer from the tip Of
her bowsprit to the end Of the main boom. and
when she gets new topmast she will reach
quito as high into the air as the Colum ba
The latter's measurements received here are
confusing. so many conflicting estimates hav-
ing been made. According to some the Sham
rock. with a 55-foot topmast. already has the
advantage in sail spread. while according to
others the Colum bia has 300 feet the best OF It,
All reports from America agree substantially
that the Columbia has a comparatively short
bowsprit aud that her mast is placed well for
ward. 1t follows from the Shamrock's 8 measure
ments that she will have considerably more
measurements OF the Columbia which English
yachtsmen would like to know definitely are
the length OF the gafT. masthead. topmast and
spinnaker boom and the length OF the bowsprit
outboard. The mea surements which seem to be
known here are those OF the main BOOM the
hoist Of the mansai and the position OF the
mast. II the length OF the forward overhang
were known it would also assist In comparison.
What Fife is most anxious to avoid is the
publication OF the details Of the Shamrock's 8
hull below the water. Both he and Sir Thomas
Upton are criticised by EnGlishmen for their
secrecy at this late day. Any facts Of
interest to yachtsmen given out now can
not determine the result of the contest
In view OF the desire for secrecy. there is
some hesitation in writing about the special
details that Fife or Sir Thomas wish with
held. Still. it is violation OF conf
dence to say that the skmming-dish
theory OF the Shamrock. with long fin
and deep short bulb keel may be
accepted. Bearing In mind that it is necessary
to have enough body to a boat under water to
carry weight. this general principle. together
with the facts already cabled to THE Sun. will
enable yachtsmen to calculate closely what the
Columbia will meet In October. As an ideal type
ofthe fin keel the Shamrock is disappointm mt
when judged from the Herreshof standard.
She is too much Of q brute" with too full
run. to compare favorably in looks with the
Herreshoff model. and when going to windward
in a sea her nose will do great smashing.
especially when driven by her tremendous
mainsail and powerful after body. She will
take the water with splash and leave it be-
hind like grease. but all in all she ought to
make more fuss over her work than the
Columbia.