The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-18
MEASURING DAY FOR YACHTS.
CHARLES I'D. MOWERS TAPE WILL
DECIDE TINE ALLOW ANCE.
Reliance and Shamrock iii. VIII he Warped
Into the same Observation-Disclosures
the Defenders Rudder - Yachting
Esperts Give Opinions OF the Rivals.

Reliance and shamrock III. Will Dc W1Tpes'
Into the same Basin -stralghteni ling
the Defenders Rudder - Yachting
EXPERTS Give Opinions OF the Rivals
Charles d. Mower. measurer of the New
York Yacht Club. will be the centre OF at
traction at Erie Basin to-day. and the visitors
who Journey down to Red Hook will forget
for the time being even the Irish Bnronet
who has brought Shamrock III. more than
5000 miles in quest Of the Americas cup.
The Official announcement that the rival
oO-footers would be passed under the steel
tape line day will bring nm increased crowd
Of spectators but II was stated at the Basin
yestrrday that no restrictions. even In the
matter Of photographers. would be enforced.
At high water the Reliance. which has
occupied the more westerly and smaller dock.
will be fioated out in the open. The sluices
Of the big Boston dock will be opened at the
same time and when the challenger is water
borne. the pontoon will be swung outward
and the Reliance warped In the same basin
astern Of the challenger. The bridge Will
then be closed and Mr. Mower will begin his
important task. The computations made
by him will be at once sent to the committee
of the New York Yacht Club and by them
made public. The mensurer will begin with
the Reliance and in less than twenty-four
hours the mootcd question az to the relative
racing lengths of the two racers will be de-
cidrd
1t has been variously stated that the al
lowancc for the challenger is from one to
three minutes. but the work of MIR. Mower
will decide that important point. unless
change in trim of either craft makes n
new measurement necessary. Both boats
will be measured with crews and with the
amateur and yacht club representatives
who will sail on them assembled amidships.
which will accurately represent the trim Of
the racers.
The waterline length will be taken first.
This will be done by measuring the overall
length of the yachts and subtracting from
it the length of the overhangs This is found
by floating Il batten up 10 the waterline
forward and aft and measuring the distance
from il to a plumb bob dropped respectively
from the forward end of the overall measure
ment and the after end Of the overhang.
Then the perpendicular height OF the mast
from the lower side of the sheaye of the top
ssl ballard block to the upper part Of the
boom on the saddle. or goossneck, and the
base line of the two triangles from the end
Of the bow3prit to the forward side Of the
mast and from the after side OF the mast
TO the end of the boom will be measured, and
from them the sail area will be computed
The square root Of the sail area added to the
length OF the load waterline. which latter
must not exceed ninety linear feet. will be
the sailing length upon which the time
allowance is computed
Yesterday was one Of the busiest for both
crews that they have experienced. and the Anal
polishing OF the underbodies of challenger
and defender was practically completed by
nj ghtfall
throughout the dav wOrkmen were busy
completing the repairs on the rudder OF the
Reliance. The strain which bent the outer
edge OF this important factor at about eight
feet from its heel was said 70 have been re-
cevrd some time before the New York Yacht
Club cruise. It was discovered that the rud-
der was little ont OF true when the Herreshof
boat was hoated in Erie Basin preparatory
TO the cruise, and clamps were adjusted at
that time and left on for several hours in an
endeavor to straighten the part.
A Strengthening frame OF angle steel was
placed inside the rudder yesterday where the
structural weakness was discovered and TO
this the bronze plating has been securely
riveted The hanger on the lower part OF
the ruddcr post has also been strengthened
and late Yesterday afternoon IL was pro-
During the day the big Ratsey mainsail
which the challenger will wear during the
first race was bent on and covered with
sible rain. il was also learned offically that
Capt Charles Bevis would sail on the chal-
lenger in an advisory capacity on invlta th
"
Lem Miller would be on the Reliance to
handle the sails for Capt. Barr. The en-;
gasement of Capt Miller will be OF unusual
in the country in handling sails and getting
the greatest benefit from them,
Many women were visitors at the docks
during the day, and the crowd was the largest
that has made the journey to see the two
9O-footers. Among those who compared
the lines OF the yachts were many weil-known
yachtsmen Henry J, GieIow the naval
architect S1l0
" The shamrock III, is by far the most
dangerous yacht that has ever crossed the
s ten knots or under she may win, especially
if there ia big sea: but, on the other hand,
the Reliance is equally the most Formidable
craft that has ever been built on this side
Both are the best boats of their respective
types hut these types are vastly dinerent
From my point OF view me races will be the
result will he 10 some extent dependent on
tho weather.
Lemtenan e commander Sears, u; S. n. the
expert on torpedoes, said: There have never
been two boats sailing for the Cup that class
higher as racing machines the best yacht
from Great Britain against the sw l, that
and the races will he worth vOyaging miles
TO see"
lanes NJ. Hill remarked The Reliance
will win: | have watc he'd the work of both,
and while know that line on either craft
as compared TO The other is diff1cult. think
he sea, power shown in The The design OF the
=
The sailors Of the Upton fleet are conf
dent Of victory. despite the satements made
10 the contrary. Capt. Mcdonald. navig3t-
ing officer Of the Shamrock III. said: Put
q bet on tho Shamrock il you want to win a
bit Of money. Mess there Ia half a gale. We
will boat the Reliance, and more than half Of
our men have placed what money they can
spare on the result of the series.
SIR Thomas Upton is expected at the basin
to-day 10 watch the boats being measured, |
and afterward both craft will be towed down !
to Sandy Hook Bay, Tomorrow Re-
short spins outside the Hook, but II is safe
to predict that miles Of green water will
separat" them II the trials are made at the
same hour
Messrs Tiffany Co have placed the
Americas Cup on exhibition in their Union
square, New York, establishment and will
keep il on view until the conclusion Of the
yacht races
still FayOrite at Odds or z to !.
The generally ruling odds in Wall Street