The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-05-12
SHAMROCKS IN FLUKY WIND.
NEW BOAT SHOWS SPEED WHEN
TIE BREEZE FRESHENS
Drifting Match In the Early Part or the
SpIn-Sha mr0ck III. Favored ny the
Conditions, Then Assumes Lead OF F0'ir
Miles Yachts Finish Close TOEcther'


Special Cabc Despatch 10 THE sun
GouRocK, May ll,-Sails we're hosted
on the Shamrock ILL., and the Shamrock l.
early this morning, The weather was
glorious. There was light northwesterIy
wind Mr. Fife, the designer. caHe up
to Gourock on the Erin.
Shortly after 10 o'clock the yachts lett
their moorings. carrying backyard toPsaiis
and small iibtopseils over their usual work
ing lower canvas The Shamrock j. was
the first to stand out OF the hay on the port
tack, heading to Kilcreggan. The Sham
rock III. sollowed,a dozen lengths or more
behind.
There was just enough wind to keep the
boats moving. but the challenger got pun.
pulled to windward and was in the mouth
of Loeb Long at 1045. Both yachts were
then straight up in dead calm Shortly
afterward they had sailing breeze and
were soon bowling along with free sheet
past Hunters Quay. The challenger had
cad of three or four lengths.
The wind again became very fuky and
the yachts were becamed Off Hunters
Quay. The challenger at that time was
quarter of a mile in front but there had
been no real racing
1t was little better than a drifting match
for several miles till after IL clock, when
southwesterly air was stirring. The chal-
lenger bore across the bows Of the Sham
rock I. and then around on her weather
as they laid off in full, light breeze, The
Shamrock l. at first stuck well under the
new boats lee, but later on was so ham
pered that she was forced to go about
1t was short board in toward land with
a difference of about 200 yards between
the boats, As they stood out again 1t
was seen that the challenger was beating
TO wilitward. and on the next tack the new
boat had a lead of nearly quarter OF
mile. The breeze was improving and the
yachts worked up speed Of eight knots
as they laid of on the longer board into the
channel.
Fetching across the breadth Of the chan
mel the yachts continued to beat on long
boards in constantly freshening winds.
The challenger was of Butte at O'Clock
with a lead OF nothing short Of a mile The
Shamrock l., which had been unlucky In
drifting into fuky streaks, fell 70 far astern
that the challenger was passing Tomont
End when the old boat was working out
from under Mount Stuart. four miles away.
The challenger luffed into Fairlie Roads
and fetched through for a short distance.
Chen she came before the wind, set her
spinnaker to starboard and ran out and up
the Firth in a lighter vein OF more southerly
wind, gybing of Skelmorlie. The Sham
rock l. kept on the Butte side, fetching
across Kilchattan Bay and reaching back
along the island shore.
By o'clock the challenger had lost the
wind. The old boat got a decent wind
across the entrance to Rothesay Bay. By
o'clock both were served with a sailing
breeze from the northwest and they set
of together, with Shamrock l. OF on the
challenger's weather bow. With rather
more wind in the channel. the challenger
soon raced up on the old boats lea and
was abeam Of her of Innellan, She then
drew past and went to the weather at great
speed on the reach, with sheets aboard.
or Coch she was minute ahead, and
after sailing seven miles the match was
closed off the Gourock Yacht Club house,
the challenger finishing at 4:54:l5 and
Shamrock I at $3.50.