New-York tribune., 1901-05-21
NEW SHAMROCK WINS.
LIPTON'S YACHTS AGAIN RACE IN A
FRESH BREEZE OVER AN OPEN SEA.

FRESH BREEZE OVER AN OPEN SEA.
Ryde Isle OF Wight May 2O.-The two Sham
rocks started this morning for a race over an
open course, the first leg OF which a
beat from Calshot Castle to a mark outside the
Nab Lghtship. The wind was steady from the
east. and blowing clubtopsail breeze.
Shamrock II won by about minute.
Sir Thomas Lpton's steam yacht Erin towed
the yachts clear Of the Isle OF Wight and then
both set their big jackyardtopsals over all their
lower canvas. The challenger's new crosscut
mansail, though hosted fer the first time
seemed to set TO perfection better even than the
mainsail of Shamrock l. When the Erin gave
the signal to start the challenger. a usual. was
kept trife in hand. She followed Shamrock
about three lengths astern but length to
windward. In a fine. fresh breeze the boats
heeled well over to the press Of their enormous
sails. making great progress, The first tack
was starboard. and they fetched along ten or
fifteen minutes. both lying equally close to the
wind and apparently footing at about the same
speed. Shamrock l tackled and the challenger
also came round under her weather quarter
The challenger then pulled up and the yachts
fetched along, beam and beam. in n long. fast
leg toward the island shore. When they next
broke tack they were still close together but as
they hove about at different times, there was
considerable gap.
AS they stood off again in a northeasterly dl-
recton at this time. half an hour from the
start, the boats appeared to be practically on
the same footing as when they started. Neither
had secured an appreciable advantage.
Turning at the weather mark the boats started
sheets and reached along the wind for ISL
and shore breeze. Soon after the yachts gybed
around the Erin, still in close company but
Shamrock II leading. The booms went over
with sheets well out for broad and easy reach
for the line whence they started. The chal-
lenger held her lead on this point of sailing, and
was first to cross the line. The time at the
finish Of the triangular course was as follows;
shamF8sE Shamrock i :::::::::::::4 g
on this course they had fair test OF beating
to windward and reaching free on both tacks.
For the purpose of testing the yachts down
the wind. booms squared away and spin
makers were set for finishing trial before the
wind from the Nab Lightship to Southampton
Water Shamrock ii continued to hold the
lead hich she had gained the triangular
course The wind was fairly steady when they
started the running trial. and the new chal-
lenger drew away in excellent fashion. On the
short run from the Nab to the Warner Light
ship she gained more than a couple Of minutes
and passed the Warner leading by three min
utes and four seconds. From there home the
wind was soft and catchy and the gap was re-
peatedly closed and opened as they ran for their
moorngs.
The two Shamrocks have each won race in
two sailed to a finish thus far, not counting the
preliminary spins and informal trials. As is
usual in these trials the manGuvring and work
ing between marks We're much more instructive
than the timings taken at the turning points
Both boats were expected to come to the line
In perfect trim; but Mr.. WatSOn'S boat there
was difficulty in fitting the new gar, and she
sailed at least one-third the first long beat to
the windward before the proper trim for her
sheets was found. The breeze was good. and the
rate of travelling such would have covered
the Americas Cup course in about four hours.
All the sheets of Shamrock l were hard
checked, and she went along holding a better
q
they were busy nursing the mainsail into
shape, and before this work finished, she
had sailed two tackS. and the Shamrock l
bowling along wlde TO the weather ana about
two minutes ahead. The challenger was appre-
ciably slower in stays-an average of sixteen
seconds against eleven and half for the ex-
challenger. but she closed up steadily.
The wind was softening, and the challenger
seemed improving all the time, until after forty
five minutes of cross-tacking, in which they
made ten boards, she caught the Fife boat on
the wrong tack and should have put her round
Captain Wringe held on, and Mr.. Jameson
rather than risk anything. yielded and crossed
astern
The Shamrock I held the advantage thus
gained until they round the mark boat
fifteen minutes later. the Shamrock 1 in two
onds, and the Shamrock II in three hours and
sixteen seconds. The leader gibed on the round,
and the challenger was forced to follow suit
losing somewhat through unreadiness
They had spinnaker run then. and neither
boat got the advantage for three-fourths of the
distance. Then they found themselves to the
leeward of the mark. and after gliding the
sheets were in just trifie. and the challenger
walked past her opponent to weather in surpris-
ing fashion and led her home
From start to finish the race was without q
huke. The chaenger's loss in the beginning
was due 10 the fact that the sails were NOT
then sheeted home and the manner in which
she caught the ex-challenger in cross -tacling
suggests that she will probably come with even
more credit from future trials.
SIR THOMAS'S CONFIDENCE RESTORED
Sir Thomas Upton in the course of an inter
view after the race, admitted that he had felt
some disappointment In the early part of tba
contest, but said the manner in which Sham
rock IL gathered on the old boat after she got
into proper trim had quite restored his con-
fidence. oii
Mr. Jameson expressed himself as exceedingly