New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-09-26
YACHTING.
A BATTLE OF THE CONSTRUCTORS.
HOW THE ADVANCE IN THIS SCIENCE is
SHOWN IN THE COLUMBIA AND
THE SHAMROCK.

THE SHAMROCK.
The announcement authoritativey made in Eng
land that the displacement Of the Shamrock Is lt0
tons as compared with AS tons in the Columbia. Is
one that will be interesting to those who are sizing
up the chances The deductions TO be made from
the simple figures may be extensive. The amount
Of the Shamrock's displacement is correct, but the
statement Of the Columba's may have come from
an expert guessar who has been peculiarly correct
in some OF his "aforehand calculations At all
events the information deemed suihclently
near 70 right for its publication In The London
Times" If correct, Il means that there IL htteen
tons difference IN tho displacement Of the boats
There was the same difference between the De-
fender and Vakyre III. where the formers dis
placement was 142 tons and the latter's was l5s
tons
As TO the alleged difference some facts create
doubts The keel OF the Shamrock weighs only
eighty tons and the casting for the Columbia was
confidently stated by one who is intimate with the
Herreshoffs TO be between nlnety-two and ninety
six There IS a possible sixteen tons differ
IN this region alone, and besides. the sham
rock is undoubtedly Of lighter construction than
the Columbia, her top sides being OF aluminium
while the Coumbias are Of bronze; the Sham
rocks decks also Of aluminium and the Column
bias are OF wood. As the hollow steel masts
and spars on both vessels will probably weigh
much the same II is difficult to where the al
legged extra displacement OF the Shamrock comes
III, except IN the FOUR inCneS OF extra Dtdii-
The area Of the Shamrock's midshlp section is
$50 square feet In the Columbia this is placed
100 IS square feet But the Shamrock has consld-
erably more freeboard than the American boat,
and the difference in the area may not be In the
water The wetted surface Of the Shamrock Is
9l6 square feet and in the Columbia It IS said 70 he
ESQ. The foregoing figures in regard to the Sham
rock are said TO he official but It Is not certain
that the HerreshoHs have allowed anybody 70 tape
lire their boat. or that they have given out exact
information as 70 mdshp sections and wetted sur
faces.
NEW NECESSITIES NOW PRESENT
In the present day Of advanced metaliurgical
science the designing Of yacht is not 50 eXclu-
sively a question Of form as IT used to be There
are two methods Of obtaining the stability which
is needed 10 enable a vessel 10 stand ~ under a
big spread Of canvas. One Is by form or shape and
the other Is by the disposition Of weights. Twenty
years ago or more the great distinction between
the yachts Of America and England was that the
former depended more generally on stability or
form. or natural stability as T. used 70 he called
while the British yachts were enabled n show a
big spread OF canvas. owing TO the ballast being
carried low down on a deep bodied hull These
were the TWO extremes OF design In America the
broad shallow vessel with little ballast and cen
treboard was called by hostile critics "skimmng
dish" while the long. narrow. deep British
yacht was called "A plank edge" and Il would
NOT float upright without the heavy lead keel
Both types had their advantages in the waters in
which they had sail The hCh' displacement
craft Of America carried an enormous spread OF
canvas on 2 small 1iaught ~ water and we're
sutab for the summer sailing in the calm. land
locked hays and sounds that Inc the Atlantic
Coast but such vessels would be unified 10 cope
with the strong winds ard heavy tide rips Of the
Channel the Thames estuary and the west coast
OF Scotland Moreover. the British haroors admit
deeper draught craft and there was not the same
inducement as IN America ~ curtan depth OF body.
The narrow. deep craft always had one advantage
that She was practically uncapsizable. She had
her ma xnunl righting moment when absolutely on
her beam ends while the shallow. fat foored boat
was generally a "goner" when she got into this po-
sition
The Shamrock IS SO Ike both these types that II
would be difficult 70 say which she most resembles.
She has the broad and omewhat shallow body.
and also the lead keel weighing in this case eighty
tons carried al great depth below the surface Of
the water IN this way the advantages OF both
systems have largely been combined in one desen.
and the result has been increase in speed truly
surprising The sail area OF the Shamrock was
calculated before she left England at $3.50 square
feet but since she came 10 Sandy Hook she has
taken on a new gaf and boom. which set sail
perhaps seven feet longer the boom and
about five feet more on the gaf so that the
will probably have 70 eiNe pretty Ntllaulc uine
allowance 70 the Columbia when sac comes 20 me
rrdI races. ne lJtl~NQfE Niffil --of' square
feet. and Valkyrie III showed g. o25 The Coium-
has area Is bout 10 be good deal altered by ne
bigger sails which she Is now receiving, and any
outside statement 20 her sail plan IL the race
could now only be guess. Since she FIRST came
out there have been economics OF upper weights
which enable her 10 add moro ballast in her IN
terror without bringing her beyond tho limit Of
the water line. While she has also been abe 20
IKE on an increased sail area II is confidently
stated by men who have watched the Columbia
ever since she came out that she IS now I'VE
minutes faster over thirty mile course than she
was at first.
HERREsHOFFs AND THORNYCROFTs