Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-06-15
fAssociated Pressl

1Ass0eiated PreSSi 49,
NEW YORK, June 14.--With the
three Americas cup defense yachts.
Resolute, Vanitie and Defiance, en-
gagged In almost daily test races AMI
Sir Thomas Lipton's challenger Sham.
rock Nv. preparing to sail for America,
interest in the coming international
races for the famous yacht trophy is
increasing rapidly The status and
racing ability CT the three America
sloops are fairly well established but
the fun possibilities bf The Nicholson
75-footer will net be known until she
can be seen In practice off Sandy
Hook. Her description. as ca
bIed from England, points to a
yacht which departs. from many OF
the orthodox eanons Ct slcop building.
Many yachtsHien believe that designer
Nicholson with his radical innovations
has produced boat that will prove
extremely formidable This belief in
creases the interest with which Sham
rock nv. is awaited on this side of
the Atlantic, and raises the question
again as to whether the cup commit
tee Will permit the challenger to be
tcwed at any time during the long
ocean voyage which Is to be soon un-
dertaken. :.
The same question is agitating Eng
"lish Yachting circles and there Is much
discussion in both clubs and public
prints, regarding this important angle
or the cup contest. The impression
prevails abroad that the New York
Yacht club committee is opposed to-
granting permission to tow and while
the matter is under discussion neither
the challenging or defending clubs
viii state their official attitude In. the
matter. Basing their opinions on the
assumption that such permission will
be granted reluctantly, IL at all. the
English yaehtsman and writer holds
that the restriction is one that handf-
caps the challenger. That there are
two sides TO the controversy however.
is shown in the following article by
q well known English yachting an-
thority: 4
1T is very evident that considerable
misccnceptiOn exists I'M many quarters
in regard To the efficacy of towing.
During the time that the matter was
In doubt comment clearly showed that
there existed a widespread belief that
the handicap which vessel incurs
in CROSSING the Atlantic would be very
materially reduced II allowed to tow.
This Is altogether wrong The one
of towing is that. in casesof
light winds. and Gains, the time oceu.
pied On the passage is shortened 1t
is quite erroneous to suppose that the
permission 10 tow enables vessel
to be more lightly constructed To
begin with, the permission only APP
plies to calm weather and no one re-
spoRsible for the vessel would desire
to tow when there is anything of a
breeze Under certain conditions
vessel of light construction is submit
ted to greater strain in towing than
In sailing, and 1t is by no means a
comfortable means of progression en-
cepting In fine weather.
THE reason for this is that in tow
ing II Is not one continuous strain. 1t
is absolutely necessary to have a very
long towline, otherwise there would
be the probability of the vessel in
towing running un on the tug. Pro-.
gress then is nothing more than a
series Of jerks. When the hawser
tautens the vessel receives a sudden
impetus which carries her along fast
er than her tug is travelling. The
hawser then slackens until the yes
sci loses her momentum, when ii
tautens again and another jerk gives
the vessel a plunge forward again.
and so the towing proceeds. With
the slightest swell on matters are
made much worse. and to attempt to
tow a vessel against a head sea is
10 submit her to a much more serious
Duffeting than she would receive in
sailing.
Mr.. Nicholson, speaking on the
subject, said the question of towing
bad not troubled him at all. Any yes.
sci so weakly constructed as to be
unable to. make the passage under,
sail would stand a poor chance of ar. :
irving on the other side, in tow" }
Another feature of the cup rules
which does not appeal to the average
is that which permits the
defender to increase her Waterline
but does not extend the same privi-,
eye to the challenger On this point
another writer states: |
Apart from the troublesome delay
md attendant risk Of crossing the
under sail there is a further
point in the conditions of the race