Los Angeles herald., 1906-06-10
OCEAN SKINNER
IS LAUNCHED
HERRESHOFF'S NEW CRAFT
DAINTY SAILOR
Rules Regarding Cup Events Have
Been chanqed-slr Thomas
Upton Has Ordered
Shamrock "

The most important feature in con-
nection with the international yacht
race which will occur as q result of
Sir Thomas Lipton's challenge for an
other contest was the launching of
Herreshoffs ninety-footer, Queen, at
Rhode Island last week.
The new boat is the first cup craft
turned out by the Herreshoff's since
they built the Reliance.
The Queen is for ]. Rodgers Max
we'll Of New York, and was not built
for defender, but her Importance in
connection with the worlds most
famous yachting trophy is that she will
demonstrate whether the cup is still
safe or not
Since the Reliance slipped away from
Shamrock III eoff Sandy Hook the
racing rules have changed all over the
world. The rule under which the last
cup contests were sailed has become
almost obsolete, and one that calls for
far different type of boat Is now in
use by nearly every American club, in
cluding the New York yacht club, the
custodian of the cup.
Sir Thomas Liptons orders to Alfred
Mylne for a set of plans for Sham
rock ~ are known to be under the
new rule, and with such q challenge
coming in October, as Sir Thomas has
tntimated there has been a feeling of
uncertainty as to the mug" being as
safe as it was should the challenge be
accepted.
Foreigners Confident
Under this new rule British and even
German designers believe they have a
far better chance of winning, but the
Queen will prove or dsprove their the
ory before October by demonstrating
what the great nautical brain of Capt.
Nat Herreshoff can do.
So, Sir Thomas Lipton's dream of an
honest boat" has been partially real
ized but he should be prepared for a
sad awakening. The Bristol boat
builder, who has frustrated all his other
attempts at cup lifting, thinks very
highly of his new creation, and says
she is better looking than any of the
old defenders, not excepting the Reli-
ance and as he said it his far-famed
Yankee genius suppressed a grin of
satisfaction that penetrated his brown
beard.
The strictest secrecy has been main
tained in building the new yacht, not
even Mr. Maxwell. her purchaser,
knowing anything about her but her
price.
The most noticeable thing about her
is the short overhangs and the next
her apparent lack of a great displace-
ment that all the sharps have been ex-
pecting. That feature is most extra
ordinary
1t was expected that the bow and
stern would be shorter than those of
her sisters of recent years. but dis
placement was one of the things the
new rule was made for, and here in
his first attempt Herreshoff has fooled
them all.
The yacht is to race at the top of the
90-foot class, but she looks fit for the
foc Of twin oil 1I,1 I, ,oe,
not been officially measured, but she
is 1876 feet long from the tip of her bow
to the end of her stern, 90 feet inches
on the water line, rs feet beam and
IA feet inches draught with her CEN
terboard up.
Queen Has Board
In connection with her being equip
ped with board, it is notable that the
last Herreshoff 90-footer with a board
was the Vigilant. The Defender, Col
umbia and Reliance all had fin kees.
A comparison with the Reliance and
F. F. Brewster's Elmira, built by A.
Cary Smith under the new rule, shows
that the Queen has even less over
hanging and less draught than the
Elmira while the Reilance's extremes
are apparent. The latter would have
to pay dearly for her overhang under
the present rule and be wholly unable
to give the time allowance boat built
under the changed measurement form
ula would demand of her.
The new yacht is looked upon as be-
ing the most important step toward the
abolishment of the Reliance type Of
scow racer. The Queens hull instead
of being a shallow dish extends fairly
well into the water and she will not
depend upon tons of weight in a fin
keel to make her stand up under cam
vas. Besides she will not be so tender
that excessive overhangs are necessary
for support when heeling under a fresh
breeze.