New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-06-14
English Critics Are Not
Enthusiastic Over the
New Yacht.
IS SMART, HOWEVER,
IN HEAVY WEATHER
Challenger Shows to Greatest
Advantage in Windward Work
and in Reaching.
~ chile 70 The Tribune. J

GfT
~ urtinc the Americas Cup. and though
,ne Yacht has created favorable I'M
.r.ssion in it's preliminary spins, the eA-
,rts realize that she is by no means a
,orfect success. and there is probability
q inportant alterations In her sail plan.
contrary 10 Nicholson's expectations
Tho new Yacht has proved much better
boayv weather boat than In light vino
and as the prevailing winds at SANDY
1look around the racing dates are usually
nsbt il is felt here that unless there are
big alterations N the sail plan ShamtooN
" has little chance against the American
defender -,
Txperts admit the truth Of the Ameri-
ran contention that Nicholson stoie
march on the trainers Of the rules lot '"e
contest and has built more or less
freak boat which is an utter departure
q all lines from his previous creauohs'
The nojnt most noted is the bottom
,,bicb Is so constructed that the greatest
beam IS lust above the water line WINE
g., this point upward the sides OF the
,.ossol tumble home" the idea being
,bot the Yacht will sail in breeze with
practically dry decks instead OF with the
loo rail awash. At the same time the
enormous outriggers for shrouos give 'ne
mast wonderful stability.
,rain. the bow and counter are so cut
het when the yacht is upright she VIII
s,sn5 clear Of the water. and the water
uDo decreases to a minimum, but by the
a.,,,,hle home" sides the waterline is III
.roosoa nv several feet when sailing in a
heavy breeze
This e one OF the advantages Nicnol-
son is exultant at having gained over the
American yachts, and judging from the
trials # Is undoubted that the boat Will
d powerful in heavy or moderately heavy
Wind.
BEFORE the Yacht was launched Nichol-
son was afraid that when the mast ana
otber heavy spars were stepped the hull
would go below the line. This, OF course,
would have meant either decreasing the
weight in the big lead keel, dispensing
with the centreboard, which weighs two
tons or lessening the sail area.
ANY Of these courses would have been
fatal 10 the designers original idea. but
after she vas launched it was found that
the Yacht sits in the water with an Inch
and a half TO spare all around. The new
Plan is to take advantage Of this 10 in-
crease the sail area. by which II is hoped
To make the yacht better performer In
light winds.
The trials so far have not been in any
sense speed contests. the idea being 10
find out how far the present sail plan Will
SUR the vessel
Even when the winds are strongest the
slightest touch of the helm is sufficient TO
get the Yacht onto the wind, indicating
that despite the big sail area she is ex-
cedingl; easy TO handle. The first inten-
lion was TO carry only the big foresail in
heavy weather, and to replace that by the
balloon lib and jib topsail when the winds
were lighter. but as a result Of the trials
there is A probability that the present
bowsprit will be heightened, and instead OF
one sail there will be a jib and foresail.
The added length 10 the bowsprit, in ad-
diton to increasing the headsail area, VIII
also permit a stay from the masthead TO
the end Of the bowsprit, increasing Inc
stability Of the mast, which is now prac-
tically unprotected forward of the ratlines.
Il the gsff be heightened II will give
bigger spread at the highest point OF the
mainsal. and will also enable her TO carry
bigger backyard.
When the yacht was first sailed Nichol-
son thought he would have to take some
lead from the keel. but he has now decid-
&C against this, as he feels that the In
crease Of sail area will be bigger ad-
vantage than decrease Of displacement.
The biggest success in the trials so far
has been the wonderful work to windward
Of Shamrock " and her extraordinary
reaching powers. In one long beat in re-
cent trials from the Nab to Southampton
water the new boat gained fifteen minutes
on her competitor, despite the fact that
the wind was all the time increasing.
Before the wind her slovenliness in
coming about in short boards seems 10
be the yachts weakest point. but II Is
expected 20 remedy this by increasing the
area Of her head sail.
The boat acted much better when, as
An experiment. big balloon jib was
holsted. Under this she goes altogether
IN quicker and smarter manner. and
WITS Win Utmost Iie faculty VI " biA
meter boat. bat with only the foresail
she seems TO threaten to 90 into stays,
and practically stops dead before she
gets on the other tack.
This means that In a race where II is
aecessary 70 make a series OF short
boards a lot Of time will be lost against
boat quicker in turning. During the
matches 70 be sailed several important
experiments as regards the shape and
slls Of sails will be tried. but there is
1tile coubt that the yacht will carry a
much bigger spread Of canvas. both fore
ard aft. Indeed. It is understood that the
salimakers are already engaged on a
IRISH suit Of sails.
lhe experts here think that in heavy
VINO Shamrock ~ will stand up stiffer
u'sn either Of the three defenders. which.
NSin eabled descriptions. seem 70 be built
On me lines Of their predecessors. which
"vfe not heavy weather boatE, while the
fessed spread Of canvas is expected
elPaake the challenger much better
weather boat than she appears TO
present Perhaps the additional
p Nah and a slightly bigger rudder
~ee vii make her quicker In stays.
- tSinite decision as 10 changes will
made, however. until after the speed
aN's have been completed.