The New York herald., 1921-01-23
NICHOLSON MAKES
PLEA FOR SANITY
IN YACHTING RULE
Designer Of the Shamrock
". Wants Freaks
Abandoned.
CITES A MODEL CRAFT
A. $ COchran's Schooner
Westward His Idea of
Proper Racing Boat.

Making a strong plea for the aban-
donment of the present measuring
rule and the freak sloop which is good
for nothing but the junk pile after the
races are over c. T.. Nicholson con-
tributes rather an interesting article
in regard 20 the Americas Cup races
in current issue of an English yacht
ing Journal. Nicholson. it will he
remembered. designed the freakish
Shamrock ~. which was beaten by
the Resolute last summer.
Nicholson admits that he brought
a freak here, but he adds that he had
TO design freak to beat freak, and
goes on TO say that the present rule is
a joke and a detriment to the well
fare Of the sport and TO international
Yachting. His article follows in part:
"The fasco Of July "a when the deli
cate machines were not thought fit to
race in fresh wind. and the consequent
worldwide criticism Of the useless freaks.
added to the sporting influence many OF
the younger members of the New York
Yacht Club and other American yachts
men must. in due time, bring change.
so that the large racing yachts may
again be seaworthy craft like our own.
"Americans need no better proof OF
sound construction than the beautifully
modelled American schooner Westward,
which Alexander Smith Cochran insisted
should be built to Lloyd's highest class.
Built in 1907. she crossed the Atlantic
three times with her racing masts; she
has been raced here. on the Continent
and in America and is still sound as
when new.
Asks for Contrast.
Contrast her with the cup challengers
and defenders OF the past thirty years
They were useless for any other purpose
than that for which they were designed
and soon became mere junk. When the
New York Yacht Club adopts scantling
rules for large yachts, If they are still
satisfied with their rule OF measurement
which can be further improved--and
If they then still hold the blue ribbon OF
yacht racing. 1t will be for us to adopt
their rule, should we desire TO equalize
conditions for the cup races as nearly as
possible and so encourage the develop
ment Of friendly Anglo-American racing
with large yachts. While they continue
to encourage himsy. freak construction
we cannot come together under the Ideal
of true universal rule.
"Sir Thomas Upton is indeed a plucky
man. When he intrusted me with his
order and the original challenge with
the Shamrock ", sent on my advice.
under the old length and sail area rule
OF the previous contests, IL was turned
down because OF the custom 10 race un-.
DER the rules in force at the time oe The
challenge.
II told him that apparently ae 9eel
n dogs chance. as Il seemed norelsss %
compete with American designers WHO
had nine years experience with tfsclr
rule OF measuremcnt. whsle The sham
rock " was the frFt Yacht er5r built
here to the American rule. But he only
replied, Garry on and 40 your best
agreeing that against such odds an eX-
treme type seemed our best chance In
addition 20 the disadvantage of inexpe-
rience with The rule Of measurement. cli
mate and local conditions give the de-
tenders n further advantage.
Advantage Rests Here.
Finally. they can tune up their de
fender more perfectly by trial races.
while the challenger crosses the Atlantic
and refits To overcome these disad-
vantages a challenger appreciably faster
than The defender must be built IL she is
10 win the cup.
Il believe that some Of the older mem
DetS OF tnt New Ork aCnt CLUB nave
refused our two invitations 10 send dele
gates 60 the international measurement
conferences and have objected to the
adoption az scantling regulations for
their larger yachts. because II both coun-
tries build under the same rules and the
yachts are or substantial construction
the defence Of the Americas Cup would
not be- so easy
This ls fallacN however as regards
construction. although many on both
sides consider that the challenger. hav-
ing 10 cross the Atlantic. must be
stronger built for that reason. Should
the designer OF a challenger think he,
must build a heavier hui on this ac-
count. and il he does not recognize that
the strains OF racing In open waters IN
a fresh wind are greater than crossing
the Atlantic under jury rig and fears
60 run the risk. he had better leave the
job alone
"Thc Shamrock ~. was apprecably
lighter in hun than either Of the ce-
tenders Consequently. even in view pf
the best defence of the cup. our friends
on the other side may proceed with
scantling regulations FOR the better en-
couragement Of the sport. both national
and International by providing for rae
ing IN large yachts of sound construc-
tion instead OF In useless machines which
are interesting only 10 yacht designers.