The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-02-22
BUILDING TWO MASTS
FOR COCHRAN YACHT
Work Already Started on Them
One Steel and Other
Of Wood.
TO BE BIGGEST DEFENDER
Probably Will Have to Allow
Much Time to Other
Two Vessels.

Two masts are being built for the cup
defender building at Lawley's for Alex
ander s. Cochran which has been de-
signed by William Gardner. One is q
steel spar and the other 10 of wood THE
SUN told last Sunday that each defender
probably would have two masts. one Of
wood and one of steel, each OF which
would be tried, and last week Lawley
yacht building at his yard. These spars
I are to be 10 feet long. which gives some
idea Of the sail spread the defender will
have.
The Independence, built In 1901 as a
possible cup defender. was Ss.1S feet on
the water line. This II 14.16 feet longer
on that point Of measurement than the
Cochran defender Is to be. She carried
1886 square feet OF canvas. The base
line for measurement, that IL the meas
urement from the end Of her bowsprit to
the end of her boom, was 176 feet and
the height from the upper side OF her
boom to the topsail ballard block was
1876 feet
As compared with these dimensions Il
has been figured that the base line Of the
sail spread OF the new yacht will be about
1875 feet. This Is considerably less than
pared with the older yacht her sail plan
will be much more lofty. The mast Of
the independence was lis feet long. II
was buried In the step about seven feet
below the deck. From the deck TO the
upper side OF the boom was about fve
feet. Tho topmast, which was OF wood
was 81 feet long. but % feet Of this
was used in the doublings on where the
topmast laps on the lower mast.
Assuming that the topmast OF the new
yacht is SO feet long and that the bury
below deck. the height from the boom
Il.
80 feet the height for measurement from
the boom to the topsail ballard block will
be about 1870 feet. which will indicate
that the new yacht will spread In the
neighborhood of 10000 square feet OF
canvas.
From the water to the top OF the top
mast will measure about 40 feet and
when the club topsail is set that piece
OF canvas will tower about 30 feet higher,
so that when in racing condition the dis
lance from the water to the highest point
on the yacht will be about 10 feet. Just
how high this Is can he understood by
comparing 1t with the Brooklyn Bridge
The centre OF the span OF that bridge is
! 1886 Get above high water.
II is thought generally that the Gard
! ner designed cup defender will b. the
+. largest Of the trio and with a sail spread
Of 10000 square feet II will require fort,
: men to handle the yacht Alexander s
Cochran will manage the yacht himself
5 He probably will have as an associate
! Frederick NJ. Davies. who sailed with
: him on board the Westward when tha
yacht defeated the Elena and won th'
. Aston and Commodore cups. Former
Commodore F. d. Morgan also sale,
with Mr.. Cochran on the Westward ant
II has been rumored that MIR Morgan viii
assist on the defender. Mr.. Morgan ha'
had much experience In yacht racing
The famous 4s footer Gloriana was bull
| o. tx..
aged the Columbia when that yacht sue
cessfuly defended the Americas Cui
4 against Shamrock H. In 1901 II wa
n that year the Independence was built
c and Columbia, under Mr. Morgans man
0 agement. defeated the Independence ii
4 every race Capt. william Dennis viii
n be sailing master OF the Cochran zach
n and he will be assisted by Capt. Harr!
i Ham a son OF the late Capt, Hank Han
b who sailed several OF the big yachts. /
d there are four amateurs on board. whicl
;. is about the usual number. the profes
x sionals will be thirty-six in number. Ac
3 cordng 10 the rule. one man is allowed
for each $50 square feet of sail
The steel spar which has been starte'
at Lawley's yard will be 81 inches II
: diameter from the heel to near tn
n hounds. whore II will taper to about /
y inches In diameter The plating will b
. flush and the plates will be riveted 4
. whole strengthened by diaphragm plates
: The spar probably will weigh about 800
) pounds 1t will be stayed with stee
u wire shrouds, which will lead over tubu
lar steel spreaders.
II is very probable that steel boom
will be built for each defender and II
addition each will have a wooden boom
Steel booms have been used on big yachts
notably the Reliance. Constitution and tn
= Shamrocks. Some have done well, bu
+, sometimes these have been too light an
!, In strong Winds have buckled so tina
!, | the sails have not set properly. Tn
n first Shamrock had steel boom an
: when the last race for the cup was sale
% the wind was strong. Shamrock's boor
| | buckled no badly that the sails could no
n be made to set as they should and tn
a yacht was beaten badly. II always wa
= thought that this Shamrock would b
:. at her best In a strong wind and man,
!. figured that the light boom was tn
cause OF her defeat With a heavier an
sitter boom she certainly did better 4
her second season.
d At Herreshoffs the work OF plating tn
y Half Moon Is progressing fast and tn
. hull Is beginning TO show It's form. Thi
u yacht Is not unlike the so footers q
D. model, but has longer ends and Is large
4, in every way. The general impressio
grows that Herreshor has decided I
have a yacht OF moderate size and tina
the Garuner yaCnt Will nave 10 allO'
:. much time TO the Half Moon. In dom
.r this Herreshon simply has profited b
= the experience OF the last few years @
,r racing Under average American weathe
h conditions the smaller yacht general
m has won. When the wind is fresh An
/. strong the larger yacht is able to leav
- the smaller one through her excess G
"A power and so save the time she has I
II allow. but In weather below the averag
,l the small powered yacht can sail almos
"A as fast AZ the larger one and 10 alwa y
IL within her time
4 At the Bath Iron Works the Defianc
Ia Is almost In frame and soon the tw
= chicknesses OF wooden piankng will
a put on. The planking will be mahogan
end very fine Job will be done by tn
builders Much care Is being taken I
keep all information about this zach
from getting out of the yard. c. n
4 Pynchon. who IL the managing director
: has said that the. yacht will be SUI
n prise to every one and that she will b
n just the opposite OF what was expected
3 Many yachtsmen think this means this
1 she, too, will be yacht Of small dh
d placement with comparatively small dri,
|. Ing power
CPfCke tePn Hold Animal nauw..