New-York tribune., 1900-03-14
YACHTING.
Upton TO BRING TWO RACERS TO
AMERICA.
THE SHAMROCK TO BE PARTLY REBUILT
AND THE BETTER OF THE TWO TO
SAIL FOR THE CUP.

A Glasgow correspondent OF The Boston Herald
has a story which If true. is of great i'm
portance TO the yachtsmen In this country. 1t
seems that America is now TO experience the most
determined attack that has been made for
the challenge Cup The increase in the force to be
brought to bear is shown In the addition of Wat
sons powers to those of Fife. There will be George
L. Watson's design in boat and also IL
L. w. himself; and there will also be the rebuilt
Shamrock here. with Fife on board her TO do his
little best to push her through.
AS Sir Thomas Upton Will bring two boats. the
New-York Yacht Club will be asked to allow the
better of the two sail for the Cup. George l..
Watson will design one Of these himself. and she
will be called the Erin. Fife will rebuild forward
portion of the Shamrock in the belief that IL she
had shoulder she would steer better by the
wind
The challenge will be sent in the name of the
Watson boat Erin, and the New-York Yacht Cluo
will asked to allow the reconstructed Shamrock
sail for the Cup If she proves to be better than
the Erin. Sir Thomass plan is TO bring both yachts
to NewYork early in the spring of next year and
then try out both the Shamrock and the Erin
in continuous racing off Sandy Hook for many
weeks before the date fixed for the first race OF the
Cup series.
Watson has been ordered get out the lines of
the Erin soon possible. He is starting work
once. and when his craft has her trials off Sandy
Hook he VIII be board Captain Sycamore,
formerly in New-York Valkyrie III. with
Captain Cranfield, will command the Erin, with
Watson at his elbow. Captain Hogarth will prob
ably have command Of the Shamrock, with Fife
deck.
This is the strongest combination that has ever
been brought over or. indeed. thought of. The
estimated cost OF altering the fore body of the
Shamrock is $4,000 and Sir Thomas Upton Is fully
ready to eXpend this further sum In order to have
his first hope come nearer to realizing his eXpec-
tations 1t Is said that reason the Shamrock
did not lie close to the wind as the Columbia
was that the largest part OF her sail carrying
power in the hull considerably abaft the centre
of the boat, and that this made a drag aft that
was continually trying to pull her bow off, and that
she was thus proportionately too lean forward TO
have the assistance which lee bow and lee shoul-
der may afford in crowding the boats head closer
to the wind. Fife thinks this be remeded by
building out wider that part of the boat which is
to be easier than put in and smaller frames
in the after huh of the vessel The sail plan IS
also to be altered to make it stick out less in
front, the belief being that the yacht not only
carried too much headsail but also carried II out
too far and on too long horn.
When challenging. the Royal Ulster Yacht Club
will ask for the privilege that granted
TO Lord Dunraven. in being able sail the chal-
lenge races with the best available boat, and
other privilege will have to be asked for, namely,
to sail defeated boat second time for the Cup
within two years after her defeat. The last priv
iege will of course, only be asked for in the
of the rebuilt Shamrock proving better than the
boat named in the challenge, and in this case the
Shamrock could hardly be called the same boat
that sailed here before.