New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1920-05-18
Shamrock ~
: Launching Put
Off Five Days
Challenger Requires More
Changes; VIII Not Take
the Wafer Till Saturday
By lack Lawrence

Many yachting fans made the long
and circuitous journey to tho foot Of
Pilot Street, City Island, yesterday in
hope of witnessing a double marine
spectacle in the launching of Sir
Thomas Lipton's Shamrock " and the
departure for New Haven of the
bronze Vanitic, possible defender OF
the Americas Cup.
Instead of double spectacle they
got a double disappointment, for they
found both racers on the ways with
their crews still at work on t:iem. The
Shamrock's launching was postponed
at the order of Charles Nicholson, her
designer, who arrived in this country
on Sunday on the Mauretania While
Mr.. Nicholson told the writer yester-
day that he was we'll pleased with the
alterations in the yachts hull, all Of
which have been carried out through
instructions cabled here from Eng
land, he stated that there are a num-
Der of things that must be done to the
boat that can be more easily accom-
plished while she is in drydock.
The present indications are that the
challenger for the most historic of all
international trophies will not hit the
water before Saturday afternoon. The
mast and 86-foot boom of the English
boat are being put in shape and the
rigging work will start Monday.
Vanitic Nearly Ready
The Gardner designed Vanitie was
hauled out of the water early yesterday
morning and is receiving final polish
ing up before starting for New Haven
to engage the Herreshotf sloop, Reso-
lutte, in the first Of series of trial
races that will decide which of the two
shall defend the Americas Cup.
uuder the personal supervision OF
Rear Commodore George Nichols, Of
the New York Yacht Club, who will be
her skipper, the Vanitie will slide over
board at 3 o'clock Thursday morning
and in tow of her mother ship. the
steam yacht Xarifa, will start immedi-
ately for New Haven.
The first Vanitie -Resoluto race is
scheduled to be sailed Friday. The
starting gun will be fired shortly after
IL O'Clock. The bronze beauty has
already had a number of sail stretch
ing spins off City Island These de-
veloped certain minor weaknesses in
her rigging and the work of rectifving
these is now going on. She Will carry
thirty-two men in her crew when ~she
goes to the starting line Friday. The
Resolute will carry about the same
number.
Hub Sportsmen Back ResoIute
While both the Resolute and Vanitie
will fly the colors of the New York
Yacht Club in their coming duel, the
bronze sloop will carry the hopes and
money Of New Workers.. The Resolute,
built in Briston, R. l., and manned by
New Englanders, is looked upon as a
Boston boat and most of her backing
is coming from that citv
In spite of the great faith he has in
the crafts ability to develop speed. he
believes he has built tee fastest boat
ever sent to this country from England.
Mr.. Nicholson has keen eye for taking
every step possible that viii diminish
the handicap the challenger will have
to give the American defender. At
City Island the Vanitie is lying about
twenty-five feet directly astern of the
Shamrock, and some one remarked to
Mr.. Nicholson yesterday that if he
finished that far ahead Of the Amer
lcan boat in the cup race off Sandy
Hook next July ne ought to be salts
fed
THAT wouldn't dc US any good re-
piled the Shamrock's designer. eve
VIII have to finish in front by a much
greater margin than that if we are
70 overc ONE the handicap that the de-
tender Will enjoy"
Bow is "Grafted" On
In showing the writer about the
Shamrock yesterday Mr.. Nicholson
revealed for The first time that in the
alterations effected on the boats bow
the workmen in the Robert Jacob plant
rad successfully accomplished one of
the most remarkable feats in marine
surgery ever recorded.
The designer stated that the present
bow Of the Shamrock was entirely new
and had been built in England curing
the last year and shipped to this cou,l-
try. Although he hadn t seen the green
challenger Tor nearly six years. Mr..
\ Nicholson designed and built the new
bow in England from blue print meas
urements and took chance on It bcir..
a good fiji. When the bow rcached
City Island the old bow was removed
and the new one "grafted' on. 1t
met the measured requirements to the
thousandth part of an inch.
Mr.. Nicholson said that the 23-metrc