The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-10-03
COST OF THE YACHTS.
100000 Spent on and $685.
O ON Shamrock.

New York World.
An International yacht race is the cost
Hest sport i'm the world to the parties i'm
mediately interested. The mere cost-value
Of one Of these challengers, though great,
is but a small part of the actual expense
Of competing in one of the great races. 1t
has been estimated that 1t will cost a mil
lion TO prepare the great spectacle which
so many thousands are now gathering to
witness. 1t is at first difficult to realize
how such a fortune can be expended upon
craft which appear to be so simply con-
structed. The Shamrock cost about $125 900
and the Columbia $15O,O0.
The steel mast of the Columbia alone
cost $1,000, the boom 81, 300, the gaff 81 100,
the bowsprit s600-a total of $4,000. The rig
ging cost $1,000 and the joiner work alone
$1,000. The bronze, nickel and steel used cost
$4,000, the castings, bolts and screws 5000.
The entire country was searched to provide
fawless pieces of timber and the best ma
chine shops were put in competition with
each other TO supply metal fittings as per-
feet in their way, as pieces of jewelry., Sew
eral men were brought from a distance
merely to do the r~iveting-men who were
artists in their speciality.
The sails of these racing yachts are worth
in themselves as much as an ordinary sail
ing yacht. The sails of the Columbia cost
$1,000: In the case of the Shamrock the cost
mas oeen even greater, LOT the sails were
woven to order from Egyptian and Sea
island cotton mixed with silk, and in con-
sequence her blk expanse of canvas cost 81
a square yard. In addition to this the yachts
carry a ~spinnaker and other light sails of
pure silk which cost from 81 to "a a yard.
1t is because of this great mass of cam
vas that so large a crew is required. An
ordinary commercial vessel three times as
large as the Columbia would require less
than half the crew carried on the cup de-
fender. The expense of maintaining this
crew Is surprisingly high. The skipper of
the Columbia Is reported to receive 5000 a
year for his services and In the event or
his beating the Shamrock he will doubtless
of the mate. is 800 a month. the second
mate gets $40 a month, and the four quar-
termasters $35 each. Every man Of the crew,
which consists of thirty-two able-bodied
sailors. receives $50 a month. The food con-
sumed costs about $500 a month additional.
Besides. each of the yachts Is accompanied
by a tender, and this costs about 1900
extra for the season. II Is estimated that
dockage, repairs. alterations. towage and
similar expenses cost about 5000.
But in the case of the Shamrock the ex-
penses are even greater. The Shamrock had
to be specially fitted up for the voyage
across the Atlantic, and many additional
expenses were thus incurred. Mr.. Upton,
own premises throughout his stay in
America, has brought with him his palatial
yacht the Erin. which cost him $375,0O0.
The actual racing OF the Shamrock, apart
from all preparations, will cost him. 1t is
said. in the neighborhood of $4,000. but the
expense of entertaining his friends and
other incidentals will considerably swell the
amount. The regatta committee of the New
York Yacht Club has appropriated some
$4,000 for defraying expenses on the days
aires who are interested In the great con-
test Will greatly exceed this figure.