Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-05-21
FOUR THOUSAND YEARS OLD.
Builders of Mondern Cup Defenders
Initiating Racing Crafts of Ancents.


For some years the designers Of
fast yachts have been unconsciously
initiating the racing craft which was
in use 1000 years ago. 1t is possible
that the lines OF our newest cup chal-
lengers and defenders are even older.
The Hereshoff model, in other words,
was not improDably popular with boat
men more than twenty centuries be-
fore Christ.
The boating enthusiasts of ancient
Egypt probably enjoyed races on the
Nile between boats resembling our
modern racers while the pyramids
were being built.
The lines OF the ancient pleasure
boats are preserved in remarkable
model which has been resurrected re-
Gently from an Egyptian tomb. The
model which has been preserved for
SO many centuries is little more than a
toy, yet there can be little doubt that
it followed very closely the lines pop
ular among yachtsmen in that distant
day.
The model which is illustrated here
with, is obviously that of a pleasure
craft Like the modern racers, the
hull has been cut down for the sake
of speed until it is quite impracticable
for commercial use. Even this crude
model clearly indicates a remarkable
skill in the boat builders art. Com
pared with the best modern shells, the
lines of this ancient craft appear very
fast.
The most surprising thing about the
1000 B. G.. model is the depth of it's
keel. For rowboat this dimension is
extraordinary. The latest models
used in the great regattas both in
America and England seem shallow
and slow by comparison. This depth
of keel in fact approaches that OF the
very latest International cup race
yachts and almost duplicates the de-
signs of the fastest yachts OF few
years since. Twenty years ago and
less the fastest yachts built on either
side of the Atlantic bore striking re-
semblance to the 1000 B. c. model.
1t would seem beyond all question
that this is the origin of the fin keel
| There has been some controversy as
| to whether this form originated In
England or America. Both countries
are evidently copiers, and all the dis
| cussion as to the merits OF such
model is probably mere rehash of a
discussion which was decided centur
| les ago.
The overhang of the 1000 B. G. mod
ell, it will be seen, was considerably
forward. thus anticipating the tastes
models of today. The ancient Egyp
tians must have realized the increased
constituencies of the boat to the tlllel
| in such construction. The crew are
seated far forward, thus throwing thu
weight considerably past the center
After some centuries of experience thu
| designers of modern boats have mad
| the same discovery and adopted a SIM
| lar method The center of gravity
4 indeed, in the ancient craft must com
very near the point at which the mas
/ is stepped on modern racer.
The line OF the prov of the 1000 3
G. model has never been approaches
1 in boat building until within a few
years. Even the cup challengers an,
cup defenders of twenty years ag
I showed no such lines. The ancien
boat with such prov, no matter wha
! might have been her other defects
could scarcely have helped being YER
fast.
4 The stern is not so fast as in OH
best modern yachts, yet it is similar t
those of the speediest ocean liners.
would also appear that the Egyptia
boat carried its lookout much the sam
as any modern boat. In the steerin
4 gear, if the model Is to be trusted
there has been considerable improve
ment.-New York Herald.