New-York tribune., 1901-08-18
THE SHAMROCK'S LINES.
HER DESIGNER SEEMS TO HAVE GONE
TO THE LIMIT TO AVOID DRAUGHT
OF WATER AFT


the Erie Basin yesterday about o'clock in the
morning and soon after o'clock the shapely YES
sci ready TO be tOwed out. Before the I'm was
immersed IT was seen that the bronze plating had
been FURNISHED and oiled and rubbed till the out
side surface was as smooth n mahogany dining
table II was Just the color of old gold ana II
Watson's early suggestion had been carried out
that the boat should have gold fin and platinum
ballast she would have looked any better from
the outside.
Although the sharp edges had been rounded OH
bv the patent wheels and the furnishing. 1t was
noticed that the bronze plating in the lower part
of the fin of peculiar thickness. and mat the
plates were Tapped. and not placed edge 10 euse'
This gives no doubt enormously increased strength
10 meet strains this region and, as near as cou
be Judged from the top of the basin. one OF these
out" plates seemed TO be fully a quarter OF an
inch thick. The increased weight of this, OF course
mattered nothing in part OF the boat so lar
below the waterline and goes a long way toward
explaining how the foreign craft came over the
ocean at the rate Of twelve knots an hour without
exhibiting any mementos of the strain
In spite of the fine drawn look which suggests
the word "fragility' when one is receiving his
first impressions of the craft, the immense strength
Of her fin becomes apparent I'm the first few min
utes Of the examination. and then the vessel be-
gins TO explain herself in extremely interest
ing way. The first glance reveals the truth that
this is a thoroughbred from the CANNON 10
the taffrai. She's lydy" with silk stockings 10
her neck And II is this Heightened sweetness
long drawn OUT that nj first gives the idea that
she must he fragile just receives the same
idea regarding some women and some celebrated
racehorses. But the game Of lawn tennis ana the
records Of the turf have sufficiently proved that
these refined creations. with their peculiar length
and grace OF limb are capable Of enduring eN-
traordinary and prolonged eXertions with apparent
ease and undeniable enjoyment
In other words the Shamrock seems 20 be
structural counterpart or suggestion OF what is
eHap se undo 60
mechanism which may do wonders if in the rtght
hands though a farmer a butcher on the boat
could do her much harm. II would be pleasure
20 see Charlie Barr tool the Shamrock 10 WIND
ward in changeable catspaws. when he could get
back 10 the tiIler he was born with and let the
boat tell him ir her pulses what she could do
A wheel on a thoroughbred like the Columbia is
like using an Arab bit and curb with Cresceus-
Watson wants muzzle on a creature that can
talk. and he has given this high strung thing
tller so that she may throb her messages TO her
master and be understood. Any yacht skipper or
experience would be delighted 10 steer the sham
rock for half an hour and get away from his dead
ening cog wheels take her close 10 him and feel
her talk.
HER BEAUTY AROUsEs INTEREST.
At the sO-footer racing at Larchmont yesterday
there was one topic Of conversation that never
ceased One caught dribIets OF IL in passing along
the club verandas: 1t present at the bows OF
the Judges steamer. and IL walked aft 10 the
Zee cream end OF the vessel II was there. too The
extreme beauty of she Upton boat was food
for the day. People have not got round yet 10
knowing or even guessing at her chances, hut IL
IS simple truth and duty say that Watson's
creation has delighted every American yachtsman
who has seen her
So far as yet heard. there has not been a single
unfavorabie criticism. though man said that
she was too lean in the bows. and while he greatly
admired the grace OF the entrance. he thought she
lacked lifting power forward. There may prove
to be some truth in that regards certain kinds
OF water but II is also true that II may turn out
10 be a pleasing change 10 watch craft that gets
down into the drink little more easily than some
racers which have been closely followed for months
Yachtsrnen have seeing the Constitution knock
water forty feet of both bows. They have seen
the Independence knock IL from the lightship 70
Brenton's Reef, and they have seen the other scow
FORM the Huguenot. whelt water all over Long
Island Sound.
Flying water assists the photographers, but
there is no clear proof assists the speed Of
the boats that spank II off the surface OF the
ocean In the rafting district OF Canada huge logs
are dropped off hat into the water They are
three feet each way in thickness. and they drop
fourteen feet but they don't splash water further
than the independence and the Constitution. Quail
ities which increase speed may demand a shape
which does tins spashing, but TO old fogy of an
earlier day il does not somehow, accord with his
ideas-perhaps antiquated-as to how a goodly ship
should travel, and IL the English boat should have
TO be content with elegance rather than speed, she
will always have a good word said for her II she
avoids some OF the modern peculiarites
A deal as been said about the extreme bow
being cut off the Shamrock and replaced with a
triangular piece but this IS very long and
row. and from a side view IT presents an outline
like that of the Herreshoff special thirties. the
bows Of which American yachtsnen have been ac-
custOmed TO for nine years. II also gives the idea
Of greater structural power I'm the forward ex-
freru md NJ If is hN me Ds
Objectionable
LENGTH OF HER sPARs.
Owing to the absence Of accurate information as
TO the length of the Shamrock's spars, certain
ties can be published regarding the probable sail
OF the craft; but looking the extreme
height Of the pole mast (Which includes the top
mast in one piece and also at the length of the
bsseline from the end OF the bowsprit to the end
of the main boom. it seems probable that the
Der Of square feet 70 come under the measurer's
tapeline will be 1900 than 1900. With a
waterne close To the limit of ninety feet and the
sail now suggested by the little that is known
Of the actual length OF the spars seems possible
that she will have to allow the Constitution in the
neighborhood Of half minute in a thirty mile
course. and the Columbia over d minute and a
half.
The extreme length of the mast is close to 100
feet and from the upper side of the main boom
the topsai halyard block Che perpendicular 10 be
measuredD will be close to 1fG feet. man who
asserted that he mad measured the main boom
when IL arrived In Brooklyn said IL taped at lO5
feet exclusive OF the goOseneck. but others assert
that this spar Is 1l2 feet long, which. with All al
legged fore triangle Of 75 feet in the base, would
suggest total sail area under measurement OF
over a. 700 square feet and racing length the
computation Of time allowance of something like
Jos 60 These figures are. OF course, only apprOxi-
mate this stage OF the game and this is a point
which Ir. Hysop. the official measurer, is the
only authentic source Of information