Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-07-17


greater sail area, seconds are more pre-
cious than gold to the British Corin-
THAN.
The wind gauge at Sandy Hook was
barely doing three knots an hour and
the faint breeze failed to ruffe the Jer-
sey ground swell that was running OFF
shore. Weather indications promised a
slow race, although beach combers SAID
the wind probably would haul into the
southeast by the time the sloops reach
ed the starting line, A southeast hreeze
would give the yachts a beat to wind
ward on the first leg of the triangular
race, a broad reach for the second and
close reach home for the third leg.
Haze Hangs Over Sea.
A slight haze lay over the sea that
shimmered in the sun. which burned
brightly in the clear sky.
Canvas covers were stripped from
the booms on both yachts early today
and the crews tailed on the mainshee'
in lusty and lively fashion. Every
man jack of them is sailor by in
stinct and training. and they work al
the arduous duties of hosting the
heavy cloths with the same zest thai
they show during hot race.
Shamrock was the first TO get hef
mainsail up. 1t tapped idly Tor a
time, in the light air. The challenger
crew also sent up headsalls IN stops.
Shamrock and ResOlute tuggeo
lightly at their mornings. Allow ano
aloft on both racers minor weak
nesses di sclosed in Thursdays strug-
gle have been corrected. and their
shippers hoped fairer test of sailing
ability would be had on Sandy Hook
racing lanes today than was had in
Thursdays fiukey breezes.
Nicholson Jacket Discarded.
Shamrock will not carry in today s
races the Nicholson jacket, desi gned
to prevent backwi ndage from the
mai nmast. The cup committee in
formed Capt. Burton that if Shamrock
carried the jacket in future races she
would have to be remeasured
Rather than take the trouble of an
intricate remeasurement and the pos
sibility of adding a few seconds to
Resolute's already large time allowance
of six minutes and forty seconds, Capt
Burton advised the removal of the
Jacket, which now is slowed away in
the hold of the tender Killarney.
Capt. Burton and Designer Nicholson
said this morning that five races was
not an adequate test for the America S
cup.
I'VE have had one race: we won ii
in an accident" said Capt. Burton to
an Associated Press correspondent
land still I'm looking to today's race
to obtain some idea in the respective
sailing points of the two contenders.
The first race was sailed in f1ukey
conditions and was no test. l have
sailed forty-five races in England on
one boat and still am in doubt as to
the best craft. Here, after months OF
preparation, we endeavor to show
which is the better sloop in Il short
series of five races"
Capt. Burton admits in sailorman
fashion that in lumpy sea with faint
airs the Herreshoff sloop foots faster
than the Nicholson craft.
Skipper Burton said that in the
early stage of Thursdays race, Sham
rock had outfooted Resolute and was
in position to have crossed her bow
when she was struck by squall and
wendell off. so that when the weather
cleared and the wind hauled Resolute
found herself well to weather and
ahead. Capt. Burton showed two pho
tographs taken from an airplane just
after the start to show that the chal-
lenger was leading.
Squall Spoiled Calculations.
Claude Hickman. navigator of
Shamrock ~. said the criticisms OF
ShamrOck's start in the first race was
justified in appearance. but that the
plan VI tHc was CdTT1eu out
a calculation that would have shown
it's advantages had not everything
been spoiled by the squall
Designer Nicholson said that the
great reception given Shamrock as
she made her appearance at the start
and when she passed Ambrose light
vessel winner, had caused him to
tell Sir Thomas that even if you lose
you have won"
Sir Thomas is said to have told
friends here that he will challenge
again if Shamrock " fails to lift the
cup.
Seaworthiness may win or lose the
AMERICAS cup. DeSigner Nicholson
admitted that the two sloops had beer
cut down fine in hull. spar and rig
ging to gain every advantage under
the racing rule.
Every second counts in yacht
race" said Mr.. Nicholson, and to
gain it we have to cut things pretty
nne in yacht construction.
"Resolute had an accident Thurs
day We had one, too, but were more
fortunate. We may have one today
But under the conditions of an Amer
lean cup race. construction counts
as much as sailing ability"
I'm not the least unhappy" said
Robert w. Emmons, I'd. managing
owner of Resolute. as he watched the
crew take the cloths off the mainsa IL
II have seen nothing to change my
opinion that we have the better boat
We will be at the line within a short
time now with no worry over the fact
that the other fellow has won a race