The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-02-02
NEW CUP Offender.

There has been a good deal of' specu-
lation regarding the new cup defender
that is now being built at Bristol by the
tion, that has leaked out from the shops
from time TO time. made public. but this
information is not OF a character that
would give any person much OF an idea
about the new craft.
The Herreshoffs say nothing. No one
save the most trusted employees sees the
plans for the work and while there are
many men who could give information re-
garding the progress OF the work and who
have, because of work on other defend
ers. some knowledge on which to base
comparison. no man is In possession OF
facts which will give the average reader.
or a clever yachtsman for that matter,
any definite information.
The general character of the boat is
known. She Is 10 be a 90-footer The
capacity OF the shops gives another fact
on which to base general dimensions SO
far. good. No man, with simply his
eye and memory OF work done two
years since, will make the assertion that
he can give the variance between the
new boat, which is only partly framed.
and the Constitution
on general principles Il has been fig
ured out that the new boat will be some
what different. Then guesses are made
as TO what the variance will be- First
OF all II was a much deeper draft boat
1t was estimated the new boat would
draw something like % feet OF water
Then IL was believed that the construc-
ton of the keel would be something diff
ferent. 1t was argued that the keel
would be somewhat the form of a wedge
with the thick end forward. on the
ground that the resistance would be less
The man who advanced that theory
evidently forgot that the pressure OF
water Is constant and the friction would
be the same, no matter what the form
OF the keel. provided the wetted surface
be of the same area. The resistance of
the blunt end OF the wedge shaped keel
would be more than would the friction
on the sides of a straight sharp ended
keel. as may be demonstrated to the sat
isfaction OF anybody by simple expert
ment.
All Of these theories have been given
to the people soberly. but without con-
sideraton. IL is probable that the yachts
men will find no radical changes in the
form Of the new boat She will be of the
standard length. and because the new
rules Of the New York Yacht club will
not apply she will have the long over
hangs that have been feature of the
recently built yachts. The principal de-
sideratum VIII be to increase the stabil-
ity of tho new boat. or To give her sta
bilty equal 10 that OF the Columbia and
Constitution. with less wetted surface
This can be accomplished by giving the
model harder turns at :he bilges by
nattening the floor and bringing the body
Of the boat higher, and by lowering the
lead. The experience with the recently
built craft, with long. fat overhangs.
which pound like n steam hammer in a
seaway. deadening the headway and
wracking the boat. to say nothing OF the
terrible strain on the rig has caused
some change in the form Of the fore
body.
Instead of a canoe shape bow the fore
body will have a sharper form. that will
pound less. will be forced through the
water easily, and which will be an effort
to remedy the strain which the long over
hang has created on any rig. The latter
floor and hard turned bilges will give
greater stability. The sharpening Of the
forebody will not increase the wetted
surface. and IL is estimated the new
boat will carry more sail than either the
Columbia or the Constitution.
Experiences with the other 90-footers
az 10 rig ought 20 give a substantial basis
for giving the new boat stronger rig
The collapse Of the hollow masts OF the
Columbia and the Constitution has
taught the necessity OF n substantial rig.
and TO give the strength. with the least
possible weight. Is an engineering prob
lem quite as essential as the form Of the
yacht.
IL has been stated that the boat will
have more beam and a lower freeboard
than the Columbia or the Constitution
The greater beam is an element OF sta
biity
The greater stability the less necessity