Columbia courier. [volume] (Kennewick, Wash.) 1902-1905, 1903-04-17
CUP DEFENDER LAUNCHED
~ cHRISTENTHEER RELIANCE AND
MAY GOD BLESS THEE"
The Words Of the Daughter of Man.
aging Owner lselin as the Latest
Wonder GIided In the Water-The
Constitution Was Near-Lines of the
Yacht-15,ooo Square Feet Canvas.

Bristol, R. l., April 13.-With an
American eagle at her bow, the cup
defender Reliance was launched at the
Herreshoff works just before shutdown
Saturday. ID.
Five hundred persons stood beside
the glistening underbody of the yacht
when, at 5:31 o'clock, Miss Cora Ise.
lin. daughter of c. Oliver Iselin, mau.
aging owner Of the boat, broke, with
a silver hammer. the traditional bot
tie Of champagne, saying at the time.
Il christen thee Reliance, and may God
bless thee"
The laurel wreaths and punches OF
pinks, tied with red and black ribbons,
the racing colors OF Mr.. Iselin, were
festooned forward, and as the yacht
slowly drew out of the shop the Amer.
lean yacht ensign was raised at the
stern, with Mr.. Iselin's private signal
amidships and the colors of the New
York Yacht club at the bow.
Three thousand persons, in steam
yachts, rowboats, on the two piers and
back on the street behind the shop,
greeted the plunge Of the Reliance
with lusty cheers, while bugler on q
torpedo boat played THE Star Span.
gled Banner"
Among the yachts anchored off the
works was the Constitution, the un,
successful candidate for cup honors
two years ago. and this year designed
to be one of the keenest rivals of the
Reliance.
7 The Reliance Is a decided departure
on the part of Herreshof from his
other cup defenders. and is an excel
lent example Of the American type OF
dat fioored. fin keeled boats. She Is
not such an extreme skimming keeled
dish as was the Independence, but she
nevertheless resembles the Crownin
shield boat more than she does any
Of her predecessors built here. Hel
ines are very easy, with few HARD
places, and graceful, sweeping curve
from the bilges into the garboards
Her stern is very fat, SO that she will
leave but little wake, while her bow,
although not quite SO broad and fiat as
that of the Independence, is still very
much different from the bow of either
The Constitution or the Columbia She
Inns long keel, but, owing to her good
beam, does not carry so much lead as
the other cup defenders. Her bow
toward the end is quite sharp, while
her taffrair measures scarcely eight
feet AT the water line forward she
is curved like the inside of saucer.
1t is believed that her strongest point
of sailing will be with started sheets
in a comparatively smooth sea. She
is also likely to go very fast down the
wind, her long keel holding her well
on her course. Her weakest point will
be on the wind and tiattened sheets, a
point on which the Shamrock III. Is
said to'be very fast.
The boat, with her easy lines and
her tremendous sails spread out over
$4,000 square feet, will be easily driv-
en-, as it seemed to Oe the unanimous
opinion of those yachtsmen who saw
her today that she would prove the
fastest vessel ever built.
49, Has Two Fast Rivals.
hS isSiiAhSS VIII oO IiiSu oul
never a cup boat was before for the
owner of the Columbia, jealous Of her
magnificent record OF two successful
defenses of the cup, will again be In
the field, while August Belmont, who
controls the Constitution, is keen to re-
trieve the honor lost to the Columbia
two years ago.
Although the Reliance, as in the case
of nearly all the cup defenders, has
been built in secret, it is known that
her under body is constructed of Tobin
bronze and her top sides of nick,
steel. 1t is known also that she is
about 140 feet over all; Just short of
80 feet on the water line and about
20 feet deep and "a feet beam.
Cloud Of Canvas.
When fully rugged she will be able
to spread $4,000 square feet of canvas
which is the largest amount ever hoist.
ed by any racing 80 foot sloop.
She was designed by N. G. Heres.
hoff and has been constructed under
mis- personal supervision.