New-York tribune., 1901-08-08
CHOICE OF A DEFENDER PERPLExING.
TERED IN THE TRIAL RACES


Members Of the New-York Yacht Club ad-
nit that the choice Of yacht to defend the
Americas Cup is not becoming easier through
fleet in the field. the selection more quickly
made This year the issue has become more OBJ
scured the number Of races increased. Mr. Dun
can makes no excuses for the Constitution, and
his disappointment when the boat failed to win the
Astor Cup shared by many OF his club He is
giving the Constitution a spar with longer
masthead. which will supply better lead to the
peak halyards and hold the mainsail up to It's
work better. while tending to keep the upper part
of II from sagging off Neither of the mainsails
this craft has been as promising for windward
work as the Columbia's, ard the gaff swings away
much II did Shamrock I. apparently help
ing TO produce similar results in leeward sail
ing. Still. some yachtsmen doubtful whether
the coming alterations will do much for the boat.
and they inclined 10 think that the eeward
sailing OF the Constitution will not be made right
through any alteration OF rig, but that il is due
TO having the beam carried 700 far aft. thus
making slight drag the leeward side which
creates tho small difference which counts for much
AZ the present juncture.
The final decision In the trial races may be rem
dered stlll difficult by the entry OF the In
dependence in an improved condition. In spite Of
all the correspondence and discussion, a prominent
official Of the New York Yacht Club saws that
everything is IN trim for the transfer of the In
dependence TO a member of the club who is friend
pi MT Lawson ana personally interested IN the
sailing OF the boat. He adds that the last race Of
the Independence. when she gave the Columbia the
hardest OF her life and finished only forty sec
onds behind decided tho matter with Mr. Lawson.
The general query in the Yachting world now
therefore Is: What the chances Of the Inde-
pendence9 And II Is said that the answer which is
fatrest 70 The boat should be taken from those
races I'm which she sailed fun Of water through
leakage, and when she oyerwelghted with bal
last, but from her record she has been bene-
hted by discovery Of her faults through contest and
defeat, An owner Of large Boston schooner puts
it this way:
She VAS designed by A man who never shaped
racer longer than nifty feet she was built by
company that mad never constructed a craft at all
resembling her. and she was Tivetted by men in a
shipyard who had never done ine work OF the kind
required, she was launched unknown GUAM
tity and commanded by who had no pos
sieillty of knowing how she would act as she was
the hrst OF her kind. But she copied from the
little raceabout class in which her designer had
produced the fastest known boats OF their racing
length II has seemed reasonable 10 suppose that
might be less due TO physical disability than 10
lack Of comprehension on the part OF those who
handled her.
This was not intended 10 suggest that the Inde
pendence would win In the trial races but only 10
protect a good sporting experiment from miscon-
ception and prejudged condemnation. Those in
charge Of her DO not pretend say that thev know
all about her. and II would he strange IL outsiders
should properly condemu her when those who sail
her every day still possess keen hope