The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1903-04-09
SHkMROCKS RACE
AT WEYMOUTH
Cup Challenger Shows Supe-
rior to Old Boat Running
On the Wind.

WEYMOUTH, Eng, April 8.-With
club topsails set in a good II to IA
knot breeze off shore, promising fast
racing and a thorough test both of
speed and gear, Shamrock Ill and
Shamrock l. started today off down the
wind for leeward and Windward trial.
Shamrock III. was a good length ahead
as the boats were sent off. She gath
cred way faster and was off with dou-
bic that lead before the older boat had
fairly started. Booms were run of
and Shamrock I. drew into the wake of
the cup challenger, getting between
her and the wind. This advantage en-
abled the old boat to draw up some
what but the blanketed did not last
and the challenger opened way fast
and ran In such fashion as helped to
dispel doubts as to her speed when
off the wind
When the boats were three-quarters
on the way to the Shambles lightship
the wind drew more westerly and
Shamrock III. had to run course con-
Siderably more to the westward
through her astern as they Iuffed for
the SHAMELESS. Shamrock 1 led round
the lightship.
The times were: Shamrock L,
1O:54:O2; Shamrock Ill, 1O:45:26.
Sheets were all home as they came
on the wind and the challenger gaining
fast and a trifle freer went right past
and to leeWard Of the older boat before
they had gone a mile to windward.
After holding this tack for twenty
minutes Shamrock III. came about and
passed wide across She bows of Sham
rock L. and taking a position ahead
and wide to wtndward, pointing higher
and sailing faster, she gained on every
mile.
The freshing wind caused some sea
as the boats beat back but the chal-
lenger stood up well to the wind and
took the seas easily. She again crossed
the bows of Shamrock l. as they beat
into the bay
The times as the yachts turned the
Erin at the finish of the first round
We're: Shamrock III, 11:46:14; Sham
rock 1, 11:47:5O.
The challenger gained exactly two
minutes on a seven-mile beat to wind
ward.
AS the two yachts rounded the Erie
spinnakers We're set for the next run
to the Shambles. Smarter work on
board Shamrock /. enabled her to
make up twenty seconds of lost ground.
They made fairly level racing down
the wind, the challenger not gaining
appreciably in the first couple of miles.
The wind held fresh and fairly
steady, allowing an honest trial q
speed. Both boats were equally served
by the wind and sailing practically in
the same water it took a little over
fifty minutes to run the seven miles,
The challenger gradually increased the
gap.
The yachts, trimmed in as close as
they could lie to a fine, steady breeze
and both made short work of the Jour-
ney, doing about twelve knots. Sham
rock III. pulled ahead the whole time
gaining fully three minutes from mark
to mark.
The yachts finished the second round
as follows: Shamrock Ill, 1885;
Shamrock L, 1888.
The boats were then sent off on an
other spinnaker. run seward. Sham
rock Ill, which had a short lead in
starting, widened the gap. About a
mile from the Shambles the spinna-
kers were taken in and the two boats
reached for the mark which was turn
ed as follows:
Shamrock III, 2:29:O5: Shamrock l.,
2:30:17.
This was a gain of about a minute
for the new yacht in the seven miles.
couple Of long tacks brought them
home. Jib topsails were set and the
challenger rapily opened out long
lead. seemingly being well suited for
the freshening winds. The times at
the finish of the days work were:
Shamrock Ill, 3:28:10; Shamrock L,
3:33:18.
The new boat had thus beaten Sham
rock 1. four minutes over the last sew
en- mile turn to Windward.
The trials were regarded by experts
as showing that Shamrock Ill is
markedly superior to the old boat in
fresher weather and in more open wa
ter. In running off the wind In a light
breeze Shamrock 1. was only some sec
onds mile slower, but on the wind
the challenger quite outclassed her,