The Plymouth Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1878-1901, 1901-05-23
TAKES HER FIRST SPIN
Defender Constitution Gets Out
for a Builders Trial of
Sails and Gear.
SHOWS HEB PAGES IN GOOD SHAPE
Tried on Every Course and Does Well
shamrock III Proves a Beat
en- Puzzle Again.

Bristol, r l., May 22-The COnsti-
tuition left her mOOrings at 10 a. m.
yesterday for builders trial, but the
wind was so light that for an hour and
half she did no more than drift
Early IN the afternoon, however, a
nice, rippling breeze came from the
southwest, and the Constitution start
ed OF with some life. Close-hauled on
the port tack with Duncan at the
wheel the yacht picked UP her heels
and ran down the bay at lively pace.
She was under full sail. and with the
wind constantly increasing she heeled
over under a good rap-full. Scarcely
bucketfui of foam showed up under
her bow.
No QuicAes In Stays Thsn Columbia
Three or four times she was thrown
about, filing away with little trouble.
although her Quickness IN stays was
not particularly noticeable; certainly
not any faster than in the case Of the
Columbia Once or twice she went
about In something like twenty sec
onts, but ordinarily II took twenty-five
o. thirty seconds ID get her Cf ON the
other tack Aftea half an hour ON the
wind Captain Duncan put the wheel
hard up, and for q minute or two every
wire, stay and shroud was showing
what it was made of. Not a strand
gave way, although the boat heeled
well down In the stiff breeze.
Sails Need Improvements
Then Captain Rhoads, her skipper,
took the wheel The breeze increased
10
below Pruden's island, or some eight
miles above Newport the boat was
headed up the bay for der moor
ings. A critical analysis Of the boat
Is that she is well balanced and well
rugged, but her sails need improve
ment AS to her speed. it is too early
to draw any conclusion She seemed
to do we'll at every point Of sailing.
Anothe er Puzzle Across the Pond.
Ryde, Isle of Wight, May 22.-The
trial of the Shamrock III and the Sham
rock 1 yesterday was. in many re-
spects, the most puzzlin2 that has yet
taken place. On the stretch from
Cowes to the Silkiker they had an
interesting struggle under full racing
canvass. with the shippers at the helm.
The Shamrock III was good half mile
to the leeward when they started. but
in the five miles between the anchor
age and the Silkiker she closed up the
whole of this big gap. Afr threaten
| ing to go through the weather the
| Shamrock III had to be thrown in the
wind and held all aback while Cap
| tain Wringe sailed the Shamrock
boldly across his bows in the wrong
! tack.
The keenness of the contest was
shown by the fact that Captain
! Wringe tried this bluff; for. had Cap
tain Sycamore held OH. there would
| probably have been a disastrous col
| lision.
On the official Trial
For the first five miles of the official
course the new yacht did equally well,
| opening out ON every board. and then
| suddenly falling off. instead Of gain
ing. The explanation given by those
on board is that the bObstay weakened
| and spilled the headsails and foresails.
The old boat turned the weather mark
nearly three minutes ahead and went
| off down the wind at a great pace.
Then came another surprise, for the
challenger closed up all the time. The
| opinion Of most of the experts who
witnessed the race was that had 1t
been desired that the Shamrock III
should win she could easily have done
| so.