Evening star., 1901-09-07
He Calls the New Model "a Poor
Excuse for Ship"
CUP RACING CONDITIONS
The Ninety-Footers Have Degen-
Grated Into Mere Machines.
DANGEROUS TO HANDLE

written Inc Evening star L. jenkins IiaiHS
Sir Thomas Upton is not only sports
man. He has a very clear idea of what
constitutes a good vessel, and his gro
tesque models, the Shamrocks. give him
as much concern as they do sailor men
and marine architects. In discussing the
matter Of build based on the absurd and
arbitrary rules governing the races for
the cup he spoke feelingly upon the SUBJ
ject.
There is not day." said he, that I do
not feel thankful there are no accidents
These huge, light spars Of the single-stick-
ers, together with their absurd build have
made the handling of these machines one
Of considerable danger. They are no
longer yachts and can be used for nothing
but the purpose for which they are built
If we could only get to using legitimate
models there would be much more sport
and safety, and the vessels would be
yachts. They would stand for something.
AS It is they mean nothing at all.
Mr.. Butler Duncan told me he had
many of his best men leave him because Of
the danger of handling gear aloft The
Hghtest squall or puff may cause the car
rying away Of some line or block, and then
the man is very apt to lose his hold and
go plunging down from a height of over
100 feet. l myself was knocked senseless
for many minutes during the accident that
occurred while the king was aboard the
Shamrock II. Many thousand yards of
canvas and my mast are still lying there
on the bottom and it was almost miracle
some one was not killed outright We
nave TO tune the boats up to too high
pitch on these curtailed lines, and it is
great pity
What Sir Thomas says is what many
sailors know. But no one has suggested a
remedy for it. There has been no concert
ed action taken to bring the sport back to
legitimate and comprehensive lines The
whole game now is to stick to the rules
and keep the other fellow from lifting
the cup.
1T is your fault entirely" said Sir
Thomas, meaning the other side, "for l
must abide by the rules. 1 would, how
ever, only too willingly agree to some new
might get down to real yachting-that is
use vessels that stand for something in the
way or a sailing yacht, as the Erin does
TOT those or steam Then the affair would
take ON less professional aspect and be
more IN keeping with true sport"
This shows that Sir Thomas is not actu-
ated by selfish motives and that the good
of the entire maritime community is
taken into his consideration as well as his
desire to succeed in attaining his end.
Let everything be taken into considera-
tlon,' continued Sir Thomas, "and do not
narrow the sport down to the caprices that
now obtain in it,
He is Not Kicking.
Sir Thomas did not outline any particular
plan of reform. This, of course, he would
not think of doing under present condi
tions, as it might be construed as kick
ing when the game does not suit. What
ever happens, he will doubtless accent
everything in the same spirit that has
characterized his actions in the matter
from the beginning, and this is beyond
criticism.
What the baronet does not know about
small vessels world hp !, ard
man of intelligence who has constructed
several craft as studiously as he has would
have little left to learn in marine archi-
lecture, and Sir Thomas is rather keen and
discerning by nature. Therefore, his views
on the question of build should not be over
looked for his argument of the matter
showed that he was not simply the mill
licnaire ship owner, but an able advocate
OF the legitimate builder. By this it is not
meant for moment to cast reflection upon
the work of one or two yacht designers
for they simply have to follow certain lines.
They would probably be only too glad to
conform to models that their patrons could
make use Of. There are few ADLER vessels
OF the same tonnage than the old America
today, and for a-race across the Atlantic
there would be a large majority of sailor
men putting their hopes in such a model
and if this all-around useful type should
return to favor many non-owning members
of prominent clubs would be tempted to
build themselves boats which should be at
once pleasure craft and racers where they
would not think of building a mere racing
ma chine, worthless when the race is over.
Sir Thomas does not appear to think there
is any less interest abroad over the inter-
races than here. Only of course
here we have the affair before US. This is
a mistake, for the leading jour
nails in England do not regard the matter
as seriously as we do, viewing it entirely
from the standpoint Of the sportsman who
horse race. Among the MEM
bers of the yacht club the interest is in
tense, but less marked among the ordinary
The stolid Briton could never be
persuaded to adopt or even consider such
lines for building as are developed by the
Shamrocks.
1.-The amount of money 1 have expended
on these boats, said Sir Thomas will
never be fully realized even by yachtsmen.
The new metal, immadium has been enor-
expensive and their entire con-
struction has involved more care than that
of any vessel afloat. Yet when 1 am
with them they are of no further
value
Not a Stingy Man.
Now, Sir Thomas is not penurious. A more
yachtsman never lived, and his
regret is not for the loss of money, but the