New-York tribune., 1901-09-19
SHAMROCK STILL IN DOCK.
THE COLUMBIA MEANWHILE TUNING UP
ON THE SOUND.

The Shamrock is still being prepared Tor her COM
ing racing of the drydocks in the Erie Basin
| The men were work yesterday covering the port
side of the rudder with sheets Of copper, and IL
was thought that this part of the work Wouio De
finished last night or this morning. The boat VIII
remain in drydock till next Tuesday Tnis is a
change of plan from that previously scheouieo
When the Columbia off the drydock on Iues-
day evening it learned that she would return
for a further docking next Monday, and there was
some talk about the Shamrock not pelng aoie to
get further docking before the races IN case she
came out Of the Erie Basin this morning, accord
ing to the first plan. Now il has been arranged
that the challenger shall retain her present position
in the dock till Tuesday morning. The dock nao
been engaged months ahead. and was 10 receive 'he
New-York of the American Line, for some re-
pairs tomorrow. Sir Thomas was Informed that
if the Shamrock left the dock to-day there would
be no further of her getting back again. as
the New-York would hold possession for the follow
ing thirty days, and that the only thing Tor MIN
to do was to remain where he was. He therefore
decided let the challenger remain where she lay.
Owing to the huge winds that have been pre-
vailng it has been found necessary to supplement-
the snoring up of the Irish racer. as some or the
side timbers buckling from the strain. The
original plan was, that after being docked, the
Shamrock should again be taken to Sandy Hook
and tested in the ocean before she entered ner
first race but the death of President Mckinney
caused such change of the dates and arrange
ments that this further sailing, except on next
Wednesday. has become impossible.
The Columbia in the time. is at Glen cove
where she towed yesterday morning from the
Morse Iron Works. at South Brooklyn, and she Is
thus able have four days of final tuning up pc
fore entering her first
There has been much dispute as to the special
kind OF weather in which the Shamrock Will nave
her best chance of winning. The officers OF the
Columbia confident of winning In heavy WINDS
and in their opinion the excess of canvas area in
the Shamrock may make it a much nearer thing
for her when the breezes are moderate rms Is
not the view generally held board the green
boat and one of those closely interested in
Sir Thomas Liptons success said yesterday
1 think that our best chance with the Columbia
will be when we get wind enough to outpoWer her
Every one has admitted that our BOAT IS nucn
crew think they have an advantage in being able
10 house their topmast, but we can carry small an
thirty miles an hour. and perhaps gooa deal
higher though have not tested il above thirty
But let us suppose that the Columbia starts WIN IN
her topmast housed. Then she probably VIII ne
unable to send it up m sae he o1mns fit @
closely that the smallest curve of the lower mast
jams the inside stick and prevents IL Dehg hosted
In windward work. while coming to the outer
mark in say, a thirty-five mile wind, she would
certainly have a heavy strain on the lower mast,
and the only way she could get her topmast aloft
would be to come up. all shaking in the wind. And
what would the Shamrock be doing In the mean
pretty one ana has been in the minds of yachts
ever since YACHTS eve We're sailed d but w gaye II
when we found its real faults IN actual praclcei;
weight aoft in any ordinary sailing. while in the
Columbia there is doubling of the steels as far lar
the topmaSt sits inside the masthead, which
has been said TO be about seven feet.
1t has be considered that in all the racing for
the Americas Cup there never has been time
when the English boat had occasion 10 house her
topmast and Mr. Watson fully considered that
fact when he ordered the upper stick to be made
as a continuation of the lower one, and all in one
piece There have been ffty-two races sailed for
the cup, and Of all the English chalengers Her the
present Shamrock is the stfest craft for carrying
canvas so that the records suggest that there
may be perhaps about chance in hundred
of our being compelled to wish that we were able
house topmast. All the rest of the time we
viii be using it, and don't how the advantage
of the Columbia this point properly be re-
garded worth mentioning.
The Columbia sails We're taken off the spars
when she in drydock at the Morse Iron Works.
and in her four days of preliminary sailing in the
Sound near Glen Cove she will be sailed under the
mainsail which has been prepared by the
Herreshoffs. The wisdom of her changing her old
and well tried mainsail for one just before
the final has been considerably doubted. It
may be pointed out that the Columbia's old
mainsail got worse to look at as the season pro
gresSed the speed of the boat increased until she
able TO beat the Constitution in the light
airs in which at first the Constitution always
fla to dara har