The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-27
CHALLENGER'S SPARS IN.
THEY MAKE A PROFOUND IMPRESSION
ON THE ERIE BASIN CROWD.

| crew worked like beavers all day yesterday
| and by sunset had her mast stepped. her top
| mast set up. her bowsprit cupboard and her
boom slung. The size OF these different spars
! made those who were near the basin open
their eyes and the stock OF the Shamrock went
up point or two. 1t was o'clock in the
morning when the Reliance. the big derrick
which took the spars out OF the German
American Store House on Friday afternoon.
steamed into the slip in which the Shamrock
was moored. As the Reliance steamed in tho
yacht was pushed outand the derrick took po-
sition next to the pier. The Shamrock was
moored to her port side. The crew at once
went to work on the spars and very soon
stripped the canvas covering Off and had them
ready to put on board the yacht. Thon break
fast was announced and for an hour there was
nothing doing.
After breakfast the men prepared to put the
bowsprit In position. This spar is about forty
feet in length. The sings on the Reliance
were fastened to the spar and when all was
ready tho derrick slowly hoisted it from the
deck. 1t was sung over to the Shamrock and
placed in position. 1t only took few min
utes to slip 1t through the CANNON iron and
fix 1t in the step. The bowsprt Is wooden
spar and when in place was Just thirty-three
feet outboard. This makes it about six feet
longer than the bowsprit OF the Colum bia and
will greatly add to the base OF the forward tri-
angle.
The next spar to be moved was tho steel
mast. 1t Is called steel. but 1t is thought to be
made OF the same metal with which tn, hull OF
the yacht is constructed. which is said to be
nickel steel. an alloy OF steel and nickel.
which is very strong and very light. The mast
is huge spar. It measured from end to end
Ill feet, which is 3 feet 9 inches longer than
hn 81 In, ha al t,>o N
reports. The sings were made fast to the
mast. which was raised from the deck OF the
Reliance. and then the crew put on the
sprsader and attached the ballard blocks
and the standing rigging which was to hold
the spar In place when It was in posi-
ton. This all took some time. and it was
after IL O'Clock whom the signal was given to
hoist. Guys were attached to each end OF tho
mast in order to keep it from swinging too
much and to guide it into place. When it was
swung over the Shamrock the crew took pull
on the lower end and gradually brought the
foot over the step. At IL 80 the order was
given to lower away and very slowly it was let
down. Inch by inch it slipped into the place
made for it. and by noon the sings were cast or
The mast buries 10 feot in the yacht. and
there are % feet In the masthead. Tho dis
lance from neck to hounds is 70 feet The
mast is 5 feet inches in crcumf ference and %
inches in diameter. This Is a little larger than
the mast OF the Columbia. and it ia also
heavier spar. Tho spreaders are very light.
They stretch 20 feet 8 inches from end to
end and are strengthened around the mast by
pieces OF steel ON the forward side of the mast.
The mast 10 stayed by six shrouds on each side.
Three shrouds on each side lead from the
masthead. two from the spreaders. and one
from the masthead stretches over the spreader.
no tnpp nat oh oxt-ill ola ha
end OF the spreader when that spar is set on
end. Only three OF the shrouds on each side
were set up. The forestry was set up and
reaches from the m sthead to the stem.
The topmast was next taken Off the Reliance
and sent up but 1t was not set on end and Is
now resting on a strut at the forward side OF
the mast. the top reaching few feet above the
masthead. This spar is OF wood and seems to
be very light and thin. 1t is go feet inches in
length and when set on end will reach As feet
above the water or 141 feet above the deck
When the club topsail 10 set the top OF the sail
will be about IT'S feet above the water and the
yacht could not pass under the Brooklyn Bridge
with this piece OF canvas set.
The boom was the next spar to be lifted on
the yacht. The gooseneck was attached to one
steel band that went around the mast and the
spar was then placed In a crutch. 1t is exactly
Ill feet in length. the same length as the mast
and the total distance from the tlpo the bow
spirit to the end Of the boom is 1914 feet.
This ended the work on the yacht for the day
and then the crew rested. They had done a
good days work under the superintendent OF
Mr.. Crawford. OF Fsirlie. The work of rigging
the yacht will be continued on Monday
and it is possible that she will be able
to take her first sail in American waters
during the week If Capt. Hogarth
SO desires. The spars greatly improve
the looks OF the yacht and she appears every
inch racer with immense power and an
enormous sail spread to drive her Old sailors
in the basin shook their heads when they
noticed the size OF the spars and ono said III
she can carry sails on them sticks and not lose
anything she will give the Columbia all the
racing she wants" What excited the most
comment was the size Of her head rig. The
mast is stepped so far back that it is eighty
two feet from the tip OF the bowsprit to tho
forward side OF the mast and the balloon jib
topsail. or bowsprit spnnaker as the English
call it, will be an enormous piece OF canvas
which will help wonderfully when reaching.
The spinnaker will also be very large sail
and the Shamrock should be wonderfully fast
when sailing by or of the wind Some who
noticed this large head rig thought that it
would hurt when turning to windward but all
connected with the yacht claim that she points
hlgh ana footS tast at the same time.
Now that the Shamrock has her spars on
board and some o. their dimensions are known
a com parison can be made with this sail spread
OF the Columbia. The two yachts are about
tho same length on the water line. 80 feet
They must not exceed that length and are
probably a few inches under that length Over
all tho Columbia is feet longer than the
Shamrock. Herreshoff has carried out the
lines OF the yacht to a hne- ending than Fife.
The bia has 20 feet overhang forward. a
foot moro than the Shamrock and she has %
feet aft or 2 feet more than tho challenging
yacht. The draught OF the Colum ba Is 10 feet
10 inches and that OF the Shamrock can be set
down as % feet; it Is rather over than underth
figure At the bottom OF her keel the Columbia
carries % tons OF lead. The Shamr rock makes a
big gain on tho Columbia here. Her lead only
weighs 80 tons. 1t 10 less than % feet long on
the bottom, is feet 9 inches deep at the for
ward end and only two feet deep at the heel.
II these reports are true-and they come from
a reliable souree-the Shamrock carries 10 tons
OF lead less than the Columbia and has this
lead considerably lower so that she gets sta
bility from the depth which the lead Ia placed
rather than from the weight itself In beam
the Columbia gains an advantage. Her beam