The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1899-09-22
THE CONDITIONS THAT GOVERN
THE AMERICAS CUP RACES.

| Increasing interest I'm the information
| al races for the Americas cup makes
pertinent some little outline OF the con-
| ditions governing these contests for the
blue-rbbon trophy OF the seas.
Won by the old schooner yacht Amer
lea. i'm "A race against a whole fleet of
Britains best around the Isle OF
Wight August %, 1851, for nearly half
century the Queens cup, rechristened
the Americas cup, has been successful
ly defended against all comers by Yam
kee sailors and designers.
To the New York Yacht Club. as
Anne ricas foremost yachting organi-
zatiOn, fell the honor and responsibility
of defending the trophy, the cup having
been decided 10 that club "a a perpetu-
AL challenge cup by it's winners of 1871.
The deed Of gift now in force was
made October "a 1887, owing TO some
dissa abstraction with the conditions inn
posed by the old deed.
To IL the parties were the New York
Yacht club and G.. L. Schuyler, the sole
surviving owner OF the cup.
II provides in substance that the cup
shall be held by the New York Yacht
club as a perpetual challenge cup for
friendly competition between foreign
countries.
IL may be challenged for by any deep
sea Yacht club OF a foreign country.
the challenging craft 10 be a sailing
vessel built i'm the challenging country.
IL must be defended in series OF races
by some one yacht, which may not be
named, however untll the start vi lHe
first race.
Restrictions are made upon the size
of the craft which may challenge. II
having one mast. she must not De less
than 65 nor more than 90 feet load wa
ter line. II having more than one mast,
so and ll5 feet are the minimum ana
maximum lengths allowed.
Nh less than 10 months notice OF a
challenge must be given. and no races
may be sailed DetWeeh NoNeNp"Vt ""N
May l.
With the challenge must be stated the
r,roposed load water line. beam at lever
and draught. The name and rig OF the
challenger must also be given. Further.
the challengers custom house reg s'er
must be forwarded as soon as possible.
Centreboards and sliding keels are
especially allowed and exempted from
being included i'm the measurement.
THE New York Yacht club is bound
and must bind any foreign cluh
which may win the cup-to hold the
cup for this specific purposes.
Should a club holding the cup be dis
solved. the trophy would pass 20 some
other clubs or the same nationality
which would accept the conditions That
go with it; or In default OF this within
three months the cup would revert 10
the club last holding IL.
The club. and not the yacht or yacht
owner. holds the cup, 50 that II sham
rock should lift" the trophy, IL would
60. not to the Irish yacht. nor to Sir
Thomas Upton. but TO the ROYAL Ul-
ster Yacht club: and before the cup
could be handed over TO this club. IL
would have to bind itself To- assume the
role played by ~, New York Yacht
club for so long, i'm defending and
keeping for perpetual competition the
historic cup.
The actual race conditions are sim.
ple as outlined i'm the deed Of gift and
have been modified considerably under
"A clause which leaves details and some
things which cannot be called details
10 he settled upon by mutual agree
ment
A seven-hour time limit is placed on
the race by the deed Of gift. This has
been changed by agreement to five and
hours.
Beyond that one day must elapse be-
tween races. which must be sailed over
ocean courses. free from headands and
I'm water that gives vessels Of % feet
draught plenty Of room.
The first race must be 20 miles to
windward and return. The second must
be an eduilateral triangle of 30 miles.
the first leg Il windward These
courses are TO be saiied alternately un-
III result Is reached.
In accordaire vsth these conditions |
The races between Columbia and sham
rock are to be sailed October 2. =. T. 10 !
and H.