New-York tribune., 1903-06-17
SHAMROCK'S BIG SAILS.
Enperts Sag She WM Need No
Time 4llosCance.

Yachtsmen and IandsInen alike had an oppor-
tunity to feast their eyes on the two ShamrocKs
at the Erie Basin yesterday. The yachts lay
alongside one of the piers close to the big dry
dock into which both are be put. either this
afternoon early Thursday.
From the time the gates of the Robins ship
yard were opened until closing time last night
there was throng of visitors on the pier near
the yachts watching the active British sailor
men at work unpac1ng the racing gear or ooth
yachts and getting them ready to receive their
spars.
The first work done the unshipping or the
short bowsprits used on the ocean passage, then
the racing bowsprits were fitted, and the bob
stays and shrouds were set up. The bobstay OF
Shamrock III sets UP inside the yacht l'S
lower end passes through a hole in the stem a'
the water line, and is set up inboard Win q
turnbuckle. This saves the friction OF boostay
plate at the waterline, and at the same tlrne
makes a neat appearance. Besides the abun-
dance of wooden cleats about the deck, TO Which
sheets and halyards may be Delayed, there are
no less than thirty-f1ve sockets at dineren1
points near the rail on both sides, into which
blocks may be screwed, to alter the leao
of any of the head Sheets of the jibtopsan
and other sheets. Each socket is covered with
a neat removable brass screw. This is replaced
hooked in moment.
By noon the jurymasts of both yachts were
stripped and ready for the derrick Century TO
take them out 1t was put alongside shamrock
III at 345, and at 40 that yachts mast was
lifted out, and lowered onto the pier, The mast
of Shamrock l taken out an hour later
The crew of the latter yacht had meanwhile
fitted the rigging to her racing mast, and had
placed the topmast in position, but it was not
put in place yesterday.
Close beside the spars of Shamrock lay the
pole mast belonging to Shamrock Ill 1t Is a
wonderfully long SPAR made of half-inch steel
riveted to eight angle bars. AS estimated by
two experts, who paced It's length it was ITO
feet Allowing that it buries eight feet below
deck, that would give total length Of 162 feet
above the deck On the same basis the length
of the forward triangle from the bowsprit END
to the mast, measures 80 feet, and as the main
boom is said to be 112 feet long, that makes the
base of the triangle 202 feet. There Is every
reason to believe that this estimate is very near
Iy correct If it is so, it shows that the chal-
lenger is to have quite as large a sail spread as
the Reliance, so that the latter yacht may not
have to give her any time allowance, or. at least
not SO much as 1t has been estimated she WouId
II the reports cabled from the other side are
true after Shamrock III lost her mast in a
a new one five feet longer than the one cafrleo
away She was also to have longer main ooon
by some three feet. That mast and boom are now
on their wayto New-York on board the steamship
Columbia. expected here on saturday Inc yacne
is to be drydocked before the mast is stepped,
which will probably be some time on MONDAY
next The other mast now on the pier, IS 10 De
held in reserve for an emergency.
The steam yacht Erin was put IN a sectional
drydock at the Erie Basin yesterday, where
she is being cleaned and painted She is to be
fioated on Thursday. The tug Cruiser coaled at
Hoboken yesterday.
Colonel D. r NeiIl, of the Royal Clyde Yacht
Club, who is Sir Thomas Lipton's representative
superintended the fitting of the yachts YESTERDAY
He said that he hoped to have the entire fleet
at Tompkinsville by June "a. when Sir Thomas
is to arrive by the Oceanic. we sent a cable to
Sir Thomas to-day" said he, wishing him a
pleasant trip across. He sails tomorrow from
Liverpool"
Commodore Robert E. Tod of the Atlantic
Yacht Club received the following cable dispatch
yesterday from Sir Thomas Upton:
London, June 16, 1903.
Commodore Robert e. Tod. Atlantic Yacht Club.
New-York:
Sincere thanks compliment paid my yacht.
Much appreciat ted. LiPTON.