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


NEW YORK, June 14.--With the
three Americas cup defense yachts,
Resolute, Vanitie and Defiance. en-
gagged In almost daily test races and
Sir Thomas Lipton's challenger sham
rock ". preparing to sail for America.
interest in the coming international
races for the famous yacht trophy is
increasing rapidly The status and
racing ability of the three America
sleeps are fairly well established but
the full possibilities of the Nicholson
75-footer will not be known until she
can be seen in practice off Sandy
Hook. Her description. as ca
bled from England, points to a
yacht which departs from many Of
the orthodox canons Of sloop building.
Many yachtsmen believe that designer
Nicholson with his radical innovations
has produced boat that viii prove
|extremelv 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 commits
tee will permit the challenger to be
towed at any time during the long
ocean voyage which is to be soon UNI
Hdertaken.
The same question is agitating Eng
lish yachting circles and there is much
discussion in both clubs and public
prints regarding this important angle
.of 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, II at all. the
English yaehtsman and writer holds
that the restriction is one that handi-
caps the challenger That there are
two sides to the controversy, however.
is shown in the following article by
a well known English yachting au-
thority: = 50.
at is very eViient. that considerable
misconceptions exists In many quarters
in regard to the efficacy of towing.
During the time that the matter was
in doubt comment clearly showed that
there existed widespread belief that
the handicap which a vessel incurs
In crossing the Atlantic would be very
materially reduced IL allowed to tow.
This is altogether wrong The one
OF towing Is that, in case of
light winds, and Gains, the time oceu.
pied on the passage is shortened. tt
Is quite erroneous to suppose that the
permission to tow enables a vessel
to be more lightly constructed To
begin with, the permission only ap.
plies to calm weather and no one re-
sponsible for the vessel would desire
to tow when there is anything of a |
breeze. Under certain conditions a |
vessel of light construction is submit |
ted to greater strain in towing than
In sailing, and it Is by no means a !
comfortable means Of progression en-
cepting in fine weather.
The reason for this is that in fowl
ing it is not one continuous strain. It |
Is absolutely necessary to have a very
ong towline, otherwise there would
be the probability of the vessel ini
towing running up on the tug. Pro-
gress then is nothing more than a.
series Of jerks. When the hawser
.autens the vessel receives sudden
impetus which carries her along fast
er than her tug is travelling. The !,
lawser then slackens until the YES
sci loses her momentum, when it j
.autens again and another jerk gives
he vessel a plunge forward again,
md so the towing proceeds. With !,
The slightest swell on matters are
made much worse, and to attempt to !
.ow vessel against a head sea is .
% submit her to a much more serious ;,
,uffeting than she would receive in
Ealing.
mr.. Nicholson, speaking on the
subject, said the question Of towing
lad not troubled him at all. Amy YES
'el so weakly constructed as to be
lnable to make the passage under
all would stand poor chance of ar.
living on the other side in tow" i
Another feature of the cup rules
which does not appeal to the average !,
1nglishman is that which permits the
defender to increase her waterline 8
tut does not extend the same privi-
eye to the challenger. On this point
mother writer states: u
Apart from the troublesome delay /
nd attendant risk of crossing the
atlantic under sail there is a further
Mint in tho conditions of tha ,pooo