Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1903-07-03
The Shamrocks.

Highlands of Navesink, n. j., July 3.
Wind and weather conditions were
perfect today for successful trial be-
tween the two Shamrocks. The wind,
which is from the northwest, was about
nine knots, with sparkling sea. AT
10 O'Clock the two yachts slipped their
mornings and headed under sail for the
point of the Hook The tug Cruiser
followed the yachts, the Erin waiting
for the return of a launch from the
Atlantic Highlands with guests of the
baronet. At 1923 o'clock while in the
ship channel the old boat began to gain
on Shamrock III. and at 1927 Sham
rock |. was leading by about 10 lengths.
The old Shamrock simply walked clear
away from the challenger and at 1925
was more than quarter of mile ahead
of the new yacht.
At 1875 Shamrock |. passed the
Sandy Hook lightship and five minutes
later the Shamrock III. passed. In
running before the wind, the challenger
is scarcely match for the old boat,
which continued to widen the stretch of
water between them. The new boat at
1850 had drawn up little on the old
challenger but a few moments later there
had apparently been no change of
position and the Shamrock |. was still
calamity holding her lead. Shamrock
I. at noon had lost none of her lead.
At12:l0 Shamrock III. began to close
up the gap between herself and Sham
rock |. and at 1915 it was calculated
that the challenger had gained about a
minute and a half of the five minutes
handicap.
The new yacht made a plucky fight
and in the broad reach seemed to do
better than she did with the wind
astern. She footed it beautifully and
came up on the old boat like torpedo
boat. At 1917 they were mast to mast,
and at 1890 Shamrock III. went clear
through the old boats lee. At 1852
there was 80 feet of water between
Shamrock III. and the old boat. The
old boat, however, was fighting for every
inch of water and making game and
interesting race of it.
At 1888 the old Shamrock caught a
gust of freshening wind and came up on
the new boat with a rush. At 1855
the old Shamrock was abeam and at ]
O'Clock had pulled through the wind
ward blanketing the new boat in the
act. Two minutes later her stern had
cleared the new boats bowsprit.
Whatever the new boats capabilities
are in windward work, the experts al
lege that her sailing with the wind any
where abaft the beam was not at all
satisfactory.
At LILO the new boat had pulled up
to within striking distance of the old
Shamrock, her bowsprit overlapping the
stern of the old boat. 1t looked q:
though there was to be resumption o.
the seesaw game, which characterized
the race thus far. At Ill the new boat
had secured an overlap on Shamrock |.
The new boat again drew up under the
old boats lee and took the lead at l:12
At l:20 Shamrock III wore around the
leeward mark and housed her racing jit
sending up a baby jib for the beat home.
Two minutes later the old boat jbed
around the mark. Both yachts were
close hauled on the port tack. Al
40 they were still holding on the port
tack, with the Shamrock III nicely to
windward of the old yacht.
In the fetch home the yachts were
obscured by the haze off shore and whe 7
they were seen again, the old ShamrOc
was leading. The old boat shot past
the Sandy Hook lightship at 2;29 and
the new challenger at 2;29;3O.