Omaha daily bee., 1903-04-01
NEW SHAMROCK is FASTER
Beat, Old Challenger as it Never Was
Beaten Before.
TURNS WITH EXTRAORDINARY RAPlDTY
First Trial Given I'm Light Breeze
Amply Vindicates Changes Made
in Design and short
Keel.

GoURoCK, Scotland. March sl.-sham-
rock III had a trial spin today and showed
itself superior to Shamrock l on all the
points Of sailing on which 1t was tested.
The yachts we're out Eve hours and experts
expressed the opinion that the new boat
demonstrated that In fine weather II is by
far the fastest challenger yet sent out.
The trial was entirely in light winds and
smooth water, but under these conditions
the challenger beat Shamrock / as the lat
ter never before was beaten on either side
Of the Atlantic.
Out OF the bay the wind was so light
that the motion was more drifting than
sailing. Shamrock III slipped through the
water without leaving a ripple and carried
its head we'll up. The first time the chal-
lenger broke tack It was apparent that by
shortening It's fin Designer Fife had pro-
duced a boat which was fast on the keel,
even compared with cup racers.
The yacht carried its way right through
turning and was off on the new course
while the older boats would have been still
looking at It, thus showing itself free from
the greatest weakness OF Shamrock II.
New Old boat.
The wind fell of early in the afternoon
as the yachts reached out Of Rothesay bay
and along the Butte. Shamrock 1 was
nearer holding the challenger than on any
other point Of sailing. Shamrock III, how
ever, still proved the better boat and gained
a little.
The yachts then squared away and ran
across the Firth for the Cambrae shore
with little difference in their relative posi-
lions. on Cambrae, the boats, by arrange
ment, rejoined each other and started
afresh on a long turn to windward and back
toward the Rothesay shore. This was con-
sidered a crucial test and II would have
been more satisfactory II there had been
more wind. But as 1t was, Shamrock III
behaved excellently, going faster and al
ways holding the better wind than the older
boat.
On the conclusion of the windward work
a turn was made south Of Rothesay bay.
Shamrock / was again allowed to go ahead
half a dozen lengths, after which the chal-
lenger started in pursuit, and with the
boats reaching free in the same water and
with the wind practically affording them
level conditions, not only rapidly over
hauled It's opponent, but passed wide to
w%indward and in an easy reach Of about
five miles gained a lead of quite a quarter
of a mile.
Under the mountainous Cowal peninsula
the land breeze came true and fairly fresh
and the yachts went down channel on what
looked like real racing tests. in which
Shamrock HIS greater speed was demon
strated. Sailing in the same water and no
better wind, the challenger pulled up on
It's rival like hauling In a rope, as the
boats fetched down channel. During this
eight miles it closed on Shamrock l by
fully a mile and at the same time had
edged quite a quarter Of a mile further to
~windward. Experts consider this perform
ance alone sufficient to stamp Shamrock III
as being, under the conditions prevailing
today, by far the fastest racer built on this
side OF the Atlantic to compete for. the
Americas cup.