^§6 
FOREIST AN£) STREAM. 
McGillvary, foreman of the docks, who has performed 
a similar ^ service for all the previous yachts, she was 
warped into place over the blocks, and after the caisson 
was replaced, the pumps were started shortly after noon 
and the water was lowered a couple of feet, until the 
yacht grounded on the Iceel blocks. A diver was then 
sent down to make sure (hat she was squarely on the 
blocks, and after he came up 'the pumps were started 
anew and kept at work for nearly two hours. Mr. Fife 
and Mr. Ratsey were present from early in the morning, 
and Sir Thomas Lipton came along in the afternoon. 
As the water fell the crew worked around the yacht in 
scows, sweeping the bottom with hard brushes. As the 
brushes were kept busy at and below the water, such 
dirt as there was on the liottora was largely removed be- 
fore it came into view above water, hui to all appearances 
there was merelj'- a soft scum adhering to the bronze 
plating; nothing very serious, though an item in very 
light winds. When it ca'mc to the lead keel, which is 
, not plated, but merely painted with a white enamel over 
red lead or a similar pink paint, a number of large 
barnacles were visible. 
It is safe to say that all who saAv the yacht as the water 
slowly fell and revealed her form were surprised; but in 
a very dif¥erent way from what was anticipated. After 
■all the efforts (and most strccessful they have been) to 
preserve absolute secrecy as to dimensions and model, it 
has been confidently expected that if shown at all to the 
vulgar eye Shamrock would disclose some new marvels 
in the way of naval architecture up to date. So far from 
this being the case, she is positively commonplace, an 
ordinary everyday Fife cutter, without a single novel 
feature about her. There was not a sign of a centerboard, 
a lifting fin, a plate fin, or any of the wonderful freak 
features that have been Avouched for in the most reckless 
manner. It needed but a glance to see that at least nine- 
tenths of the published descriptions and dimensions that 
have appeared on both sides of the Atlantic during the 
past nine months were lies out of the whole cloth; de- 
liberate impositions on a gullable and credulous public. 
The stories of 22, 23, 24 and 26ft. draft, with hundreds 
of others relating to other details, have been either rough 
guesses or deliberate lies, equally dishonest in either 
case. The alleged "lines" that have been so impudently 
vouched for are as utterly unlike Shamrock as they are 
tmlike all of Mr. Fife's known work. 
So far as the eye can judge of dimensions — and in % 
large yacht of this type it is not very far, much de- 
pending on the surroundings — the dimensions given re- 
cently in the London Times and printed in the Fouest 
AND Stre.am of Sept. 23, are possible, plausible and 
apparently nearly correct. According to the Times, the 
l.W.l. is 89ft. 2in., with a fore overhang of 17ft. 2in., and 
after overhang of 2rft. 5in., making 127ft. 9in. over all. 
The beam is given as 24ft. 6>4in. (the same aS in Lloyds' 
Yacht Register), the draft at 2oft. 3in., the area of mid- 
ship section at I30sq.ft., the lateral plane at 97osq.ft., and 
the displacement at 160 tons. 
As to one most important point, the draft, everything 
goes to show that it is very close to 20ft., probably a 
little over; the fact that the yacht grounded with 21ft. 
6in. showing on the scale on the caisson of the dock, 
which was assumed by some to indicate that she drew 
that much water, is of no account whatever, as there are 
the keel blocks and the rise of the bottom of the dock 
to be deducted. The beam of such a large boat is very 
deceptive, the appearance depending on the fullness of the 
deck line toward the ends, but it is apparently somewhat 
over 24ft. The great freeboard has the efifect of making 
. the j^acht look rather short as compared with the Her- 
reshof? boats, and here again the over all length as given 
above comes in, under 128ft. • 
As she stands, with her deck below the level of the 
ground at the top of the drydock, Shamrock Iboks small 
and compact, ' of full model and with short overhangs. 
Seen thus, and Columbia being- in a wider and deeper 
dock, the deck still more belOw the surrounding ground 
level, it is most difficult to compare the two fairly; and the 
chances are that all comparisons will be unfair to Sham- 
rock. With a higher freeboard, due to the necessity of 
the ocean voyage, and a bulwark added to this, she is 
deeper and bulkier in the topsides than Columbia. At 
the same time, probably from considerations of weight in 
the ends and high up, Mr. Fife has been very sparing 
in the amount of overhang which he has taken. The 
consequence is that Shamrock looks full, bulky and 
heavy, but at the same time rather small and compact in 
hull, the long boom and bowsprit naturally tending to 
decrease the apparent length of overhangs and hull. It 
would appear that Mr. Fife had considered it necessary 
to carry a liberal amount of freeboard, for the sea work, 
and that both for strength at sea and to save weight where 
lit tells he has cut the overhangs as short as he dared. 
With this freeboard and the short overhangs, the bow 
buttock lines are necessarily round and hard aboA^e 
water, giving the appearance of much harder and coarser 
ends than in Columbia, with her low freeboard, no bul- 
wark and some feet more of overhang at each end. 
To jump at once from the topsides to the midship 
section, the bilge is materially deeper than in Columbia, 
which again tends to round and harden the buttock lines 
and diagonals, the result being that all comparisons of the 
two by the numerous experts are strongly in favor of 
Columbia. There is no question that she has the 
finer and easier form, with longer and easier fore 
and aft lines, and that she uses her ends more ef- 
fectively to gain length; her entire model ill fact is the 
better for liglit weather; but it is probable that a critical 
study of the two from the bottom of the dock amidships 
and at each end, showing the midship section, bottom 
and bilges clearly (as they cannot be seen from the top 
of the dock), would give a different idea of the relative 
merits of the two. Columbia's topsides are such as to 
show her entire model at its very best, while it is probable 
that Shamrock's bottom in its essentials is very much 
better than it looks' to be in connection with the high 
sides and short ends. 
There is one peculiarity of both boats as seen from 
above which is puzzHng. As one approaches Shamrock, 
lying bows on to the head of the yard, the most striking 
feature is the hard side abreast and just forward of the 
chainplates, from which point the bow runs away in 
almost straight lines, like a wedge. The middle body of 
the boat looks to be particularly full and round, while 
the bow is like a straight-sidded wedge, thinning away 
quickly inseady of carrying a curve in all of the level 
lines. Whether viewed from, amidships or forward, this 
hard place catches the eye, with the straight wedge of the 
bow joining it abruptly and unfairly. This point was 
commented on by all who saw the yacht on Wednesday 
as a marked defect. Strange to say, there is something 
of the same in Columbia, though to a lesser degree, the 
side showing hard at the chainplates and the bow looking: 
straight and flat, as compered with the side amidships. 
It is not to be supposed that such expert draftsmen as the 
two designers have produced lines which . are not per- 
fectly fair and true on the drafting board, and the mould 
loft floor, and the most reasonable explanation is that 
the eye is misled by the lines of the plate edg;s and 
other external features. 
With the topsides scraped bright and nothing to mark 
the forward point of measurement or the position of tlie' 
load waterline it is very difficult, especially from above, 
to judge of the form of the level lines below water. The 
stem has a decided curve near the head, and carries a 
moderate curve to the waterline, then running straight 
for a short distance, after which it reverses easily at first 
and then with a long radius curves into the straight line 
of the fore edge of the fin. This edge runs aft at an 
angle of about 40 degrees, then rounds with a long radius 
to join the upturned end of the keel. 
In the type to which both boats belong, although all 
the lines are continuous curves, and there is no break or 
angle between body and fin as in the extreme lin-keels, 
the two members, hull for displacement and fin for ballast 
and lateral plane, are sufUciently distinct to be identified 
individually. The "fin" of Shamrock is much longer 
than that of Columbia, apparently 6 or 7ft., the excess 
being on the forward end. In Columbia and Defender 
the mast is stepped almost over the point where the 
forward end of the fin joins the hull proper._ In Sham- 
rock the mast is stepped about over the middle of the 
straight part of the fore edge of the fin. This diflfer- 
ence is due in part to the mast being 3ft. further aft than 
in Columbia, but in addition the fin extends very much 
further forward, the lateral plane being much larger. 
Shamrock is a modern semi-fin cutter, of the same gen- 
eral type as Mr. Fife's later boats in the larger classes. 
The dimensions were of course specially selected to meet 
the conditions of the America Cup races, a waterline of 
90ft.. with a very light tax on sail and none on girth, 
displacement, draft or other vital factors of design. The 
hull above water is of the same type as Mr. Fife's linear 
rating rule boats, but modified as already described in 
the matter of freeboard and overhangs. The underwater 
portion of the hull is much the same as in the girth 
rule boats, the bilge is swept with a large radius and 
the floor, tangent to it, with a deadrise of nearly 25 
degrees, is carried well fore and aft. At its lower edge 
the floor turns into the fin with a radius much shorter 
than that of the bilge. The beam at the waterline and 
above it is very far aft, but the underwater body shows 
the strong rake to the midship section which is charac- 
teristic of Mr. Fife's work. With possibly ten tons more 
displacement than Columbia, the body looks much fuller 
below as well as above water, but the bulk is well dis- 
posed of, both designers probably following about the 
same curve of areas of sections, and the diagonal lines 
are all fair. As they turn up in the comparatively short, 
high ends, they become very much harder than in 
Columbia, and there is far less gain of effective length 
by heeling. It is evident, however, that while Columbia 
conforms to a certain extent to the modern theory of 
heeling easily and gaining length. Shamrock is designed 
after the regular method— to sail as nearly upright as 
possible, her deep bilge, added displacement and deeper 
and probably heavier lead keel all helping her. There is 
even yet a good deal of uncertainty as to the value of 
the new principle in large yachts, and the present trial 
cannot fail to be interesting and instructive. 
The fin of Shamrock, as already stated, is much longer 
than that of Columbia, as well as some 6in. or more deep- 
er. The excess of length is m.ainly on the fore end; the 
after end has a sternpost of certainly not quite 45 de- 
crees, a very moderate rake for a Fife boat. The rudder 
fs wide and carries its breadth well down. The fin is 
cut very thin below the garboards, but it widens to at 
least 3ft. through the thickest part of the bulb, which 
is of course well forward and low down. With probably 
more lead, dependent on her construction, as yet un- 
known, the center of gravity of the lead is brought lower 
through the added length of keel than in Columbia. The 
afterbody is carried out to a handsome Fife counter, with 
a curved archboard set at the usual angle. 
The topsides carry two strakes of aluminum plating, 
extending some 6in. or more above the deck by way 
of bulwi^vks. The rest of the plating is of a bronze alloy, 
probably manganese bronze, all in-and-out plated. The 
plating is bcautifullv worked, and the exterior surface of 
the yacht is nearly perfect. The garboards extend some 
15 to iBin. down "on the lead, the bronze sternpost run- 
ning down and protecting the after end of the lead. 
The deck is of aluminum, covered with linoleum of 
a similar fabric. It has the usual companions and sky- 
lio-hts a capstan forward and large bronze and teak 
kevels for the main sheet. The bowsprit is stepped in a 
short section of tube at the stemhead, and another some 
dozen feet inboard. The mast is of metal, probably 
nickel steel, flush-plated, a handsome piece of work. At 
about three-fourths of the way from deck to hounds, well 
below the jaws of the gaff, two spreaders are fitted to 
bracr a ma.s);head shroud on each side, and also a small 
platform, apparently a metal casting, in place of the A- 
strut This platform, with a circular opening for the 
heel of the topmast when housed, carries on each of its 
forward corners a leader for one of the parts of . the jib 
halyards, the halyards, when the jib is set, serving as the 
jumper stay on the fore side of the mast. When the 
mainsail is sent tip a man stands on the platform to 
clear the gafi' jaws as they pass the struts, and to malje 
fast the parrel after the jaws are above these obstructions,- 
the reverse maneuver being necessary when the gaff . -is 
lowered With a complete outfit of metal spars, including 
duplicate masts, booms and gaffs, the topmast and bow- 
sprit are of Oregon pine, and an extra topmast and gaff 
of the same wood were finished at the Erie Basm dry- 
dock while the yacht was in the dock. . , , 
The bowsprit is fitted with the conventional forged 
cranse-iron, with lugs for the bobstay and shrouds and 
the jib tack. There is also a short pole outside the 
cranse, as in American yachts, the topmast stay leading 
to the end and not to the same point as the jib tack. 
The bobstay is of wire rope, but after the mishap of last 
week two will be fitted, They will be set up with a turn- 
buckle in the usual way, with a strut from the stemhead* 
The rigging of Shamrock has been criticised on this 
side as rough and clumsy, but however it may compare 
with that of Columbia, it is by no means bad work. The 
wire is probably the best made, the blocks look very 
small and light, and the parts are Avell arranged. The 
throat hal3'^ards reeve through two single blocks shackled 
TO lugs riveted one on each side of the masthead, the 
gaff block traveling freely in the bight thus formed. The 
masthead pendants are fitted with a span aloft, one end 
fast at the upper cap, the other in the usual place, at 
the masthead, the pendant proper traveling on this span 
and distributing the strain along the entire masthead. 
As soon as the dock was dry on Wednesday the yard 
men brought in long spruce timbers and built a strong- 
staging all around the yacht, on which electric wires were, 
yuickly strung, so that work might go on by night. O ' 
Thursday morning three small dynamos were mountt^ 
on deck, and by means of flexible shafting and erne.- 
wheels the topsides were polished, the rivet heads and 
plate edges receiving special attention. The bottom 
plating, which was apparently fully finished in the shop, 
was polished by hand, the crew using some polishing 
composition and steel wool. The lead keel was coppered 
with the sheathing copper used on wooden yachts. All 
the time that the Lipton fleet was at the Basin a large 
gang of sailmakers was at work on the barge and on 
the deck of Shamrock:. While a very large number of 
people visited the yard, it did not seem at any one time 
on several days that there were as many present as when 
Valkyrie III. was docked. As it happened, the Dewey 
celebration reached its climax just at the time that both 
yachts were docked, and it was naturally the more attract- 
ive to the general public. 
The keel blocks for Columbia were laid in the new 
timber drydock of the Brooklyn Navy Yard on Sept. 
27, under the direction of Naval Constructor Franc I ; 
T. Bowles, the head of the yard. The short keel a^ 
great depth and length of the yacht made lier ve(( 
difficult to handle, compared with the vessels usuau^ 
docked at the yard, with long straight keels ind often 
with auxiliary docking keels as well, and every precaution 
was taken against accident. Columbia reached the yard 
about 8 o'clock on Thursday morning, being towed from 
New Rochelle, and she was warped into the dock and 
the gate closed. There was 26ft. of water in the dock at 
the start, and this was pumped down several feet before* 
the yacht touched the keel blocks. A diver was sent down 
to make certain that she rested squarely on the blocks, 
and then the pumps were started anew just before noon, 
and by 2 P; M. the hull was bare. As the water fell the 
bottom was cleaned by the crew from floats, the bronze 
being coated with scum. The paint staging was quickly 
put in place and the crew set to work to polish 
the entire bottom. All the previous docking having 
taken place at Bristol, and the yacl^jt then being hauler 
only partly out of water, the hull has been seen by con 
paratively few, but still its general form has been so frc 
quently described that there was no such mystery aboi, 
it as attended Shamrock. On the same waterline, botn. 
being designed just to come safely within the 90ft. limit, 
Columbia has a longer overhang at each end than 
Shamrock, decidedly less freeboard to the deck and no 
bulwark, about 4in. less extreme beam and probably about 
6in. less draft, or a few inches less than 20ft. The angle 
of the sternpost is, if anything, a little greater, the bot- 
tom of the keel is nearly straight and much shorter, and 
the whole fin is shorter on the fore end, barely reach- 
ing to the mast. 
The midship section shows a fairly straight tobside, 
widest at the deck, but with little flare, a rather hard 
turn to the bilge and a moderate deadrise to the floor, 
with a quick turn of the garboards into the fin. Com- 
pared with Shamrock, Columbia has apparently some ten 
tons less displacement, the topsides flare less, t>e bilge 
turns more sharply and is not so deep, the floor is a little 
flatter and the round from floor to fin is sharper. The 
section of Shamrock is nearer to a fair and continuous S 
curve, while Columbia shows more of a straight flat 
floor, with a quick turn of bilge above it and of garboard 
•below it. 
With the lessened displacement, shoaler bilge and 
section generally, longer ends and lower freeboard, the 
mere running of fair fore and aft lines as practiced by 
all designers to-d'ciy gives to the huU of Columbia above 
and below water the smart clean-cut look of the small 
racing yachts in vogue several years ago, before the in- 
troduction of the scow type here. Bow and stern ah ke 
are long and clean-hned, and appeal to the latest ideals 
of what a racing yacht should be, while the freeboard, 
bulwarks and short ends of Shamrock suggest the fa"-;" 
cruiser rather than the extreme fin dc sieclc Cup racer. 
From every point of view Columbia should and prob- 
ably is the more perfect boat of the two. While Sham- 
rock is based rather on the wide experience of her de- 
signer in all classes than on special experience in the 
goft. class, Columbia, apart from Mr. Herreshoff's ex^ 
perience in Navahoe, Colonia and Vigilant, is but a re- 
modeled Defender, the most perfect 90-footer ever pro- 
duced. Every detail of dimensions, form and construc- 
tion is derived directly from a similar detail of Defender, 
modified if experience has shown that a change was de- 
sirable. In addition to this, Mr. Herreshoff has within 
the past four years experimented extensively on the 
effects of small changes of form in the 21ft. knockabout 
and raceabout classes, keel boats of the general type of 
Defender. In Shamrock the first question to be faced 
was the ocean passage, imposing limitations on the de- 
signer both in model and construction. The appearance 
'o.r Shamrock indicates that, whether rightly or wrongly, 
her designer has conceded to the possible demands 0 
■Father Neptune a good deal in the way of freeboara 
and extent of overhang. So little is known of Shamrock's ; 
construction that it is impossible to say how much has .v 
been sacrificed to the sea voyage; but the general idea is.^ 
that the necessary strength has been obtained by a system, " 
of secondary bracing, removed after the yacht reached 
New York, so that she suffers nothing in this respect. In 
general construction the two boats are closely on an 
eqhaUty. The various known defects of Defender h?vc 
