2^6 
FOHESf AND STREAM, 
[Oct. 12, igbt. 
was nsarlji-s o'clock when Shamrock tacked and Coh.imbia 
immediately followed. Both boats were not on the star- 
board tack, headed for the lightship. Columbia was to 
windward and ahead. In an effort to catch Columbia 
sheets were eased on Shamrock, and although she picked 
up a little, Columbia's sheets were also eased and the 
boats were coming down to the finish line at a high rate 
of speed, with Columbia well in the lead. She crossed 
the finish line close to the judges' boat, and luffed sharpl}'. 
It was a magnificent race, and sightseers of the differ- 
ent steamers cheered themselves hoarse. Columbia crossed 
at 2:15:05, and Shamrock was timed at 2:16:23. Colum- 
bia started im. and 34s. behind Shamrock, and passed 
her and finished im. and i8s. ahead. In actual sailing, 
Shamrock had been beaten 2m. and 52s., and the 43s. 
time allowance made Columbia the winner by 3m, and 35s. 
Third Leg— Beat— Ten Miles. 
Second Mark. Finish. Elapsed. 
Shamrock 12 45 57 . 2 16 23 1 30 26 
Columbia 12 46 39 2 15 05 1 28 26 
Columbia on this leg of the course had gained 2m. 
The summary follows: 
Start. 
Columbia 11 01 47 
Shamrock 11 00 13 
Finish. Elapsed. Corrected. 
2 15 05 3 13 IS 3 12 35 
2 16 23 3 16 10 3 16 10 
Columbia had beaten Shamrock 2m. 52s. elapsed time, 
3m. 35s. corrected time. 
Fifth Race— Windward and Leeward. 
FIFTH DAY — FRIDAY^ OCT. 4. 
Columbia wins by 41s. 
Those who saw the first two races hetween Columbia 
and Shamrock Avere satisfied that they would never wit- 
ness closer or more interesting contests than the races 
sailed by the big fellows on Saturday and Thursday, but 
the race of Friday eclipsed everything in the history of 
America's Cup. It was really Shamrock's race, and it 
was lost through apparent errors in judgment on the part 
of her skipper and partly through the fickle N.W. wmd. 
At the time the judges' boat Navigator arrived at the 
lightship the "wind was N.N.W.. and had a strength of 
seven or eight knots an hour. The sea was veiy smooth. 
Navigator took her position W.S.W. of the hghtship. and 
soon after signals w^ere hoisted, showing that the course 
was to be S.S.T:. fifteen miles and return. _ The pre- 
paratorv signal was given at 10:45. At this time the 
yachts were maneuvering around the starting line with 
mainsails, club topsails, jibs and staysails set and jib 
topsails in stops on the stays. As it was a down-the-wmd 
start, it was evident that each skipper was willing that 
the other should start first, for under such conditions the 
rear boat generally has the advantage, being able to run 
doAvn with clear wind and to blanket the opponent. Both 
boats used up their 2m. handicap in their anxiety to cross 
last. 
When the warning gun was fired, both boats were on 
the weather side of the lightship, with Columbia ahead. 
Both boats w-ere working to windward on the port tack. 
Columbia went on the starboard tack, while Shamrock 
took the port tack. Columbia came back on the port tack 
2m. before the starting signal, while Shamrock again went 
on the port tack. Shamrock was now on Columbia's star- 
board beam. Shamrock filled off on the starboard tack 
and Columbia followed, the latter boat being ahead. As 
the starting gun was fired, the yachts were sailing a 
course parallel to the line, but some distance to windward, 
with the defender in the lead. Both boats bore off as 
they heard the gun, and Columbia was on Shamrock's 
weather bow. The boom on Shamrock was eased off to 
port, w^hile her spinnaker pole was lowered to starboard, 
and her balloon jib topsail was broken out. Columbia's 
spinnaker pole w^as lowered to starboard : spinnakers were 
hauled out on both boats, Columbia breaking out her bal- 
loon jib topsail just as the handicap gun was fired, and 
her spinnaker was also broken out. Shamrock's was also 
drawing when she crossed the line. Columbia crossed ' 
17s. ahead of Shamrock. The times at the start were: 
Columbia 11 02 12 Shamrock 11 02 29 
The yachts were timed of?icially as having started at 
11:02:00. This is in accordance with the agreement on 
this point. The boats are given 2m. in which to cross 
the line, but in the event of the boats crossing after the 
2m. signal, they were to be handicapped the time they took 
to cross after the gun! So, in this case, Columbia was 
handicapped 12s. and Shamrock 29s. Columbia was on. 
Shamrock's starboard bow. Jibs and staysails were 
hoisted in stops on both boats. Shamrock's large ng 
now showed up to advantage, and it was soon seen that 
she was crawling up on Columbia. Columbia's spinnaker 
had been slacked well forAvard, and her mainsail seemed 
to be just a trifle flatter than Shamrock's. Columbia s 
crew was fairly well aft on the starboard side, while 
Shamrock's men were away aft as far as they could get 
on the counter. Shamrock pulled up on Columb a slowly, 
until she was just abeam of her. Here she stayed for a 
moment, and then she began to draw away from the 
defender, and in a few moments there was open w^ater 
between them. Shamrock apparently runs better in a. 
strong breeze, for she showed her ability to beat Columbia 
in thfs race, while in the race on Saturday, in a lighter 
breeze, Columbia got away from the challenger. Co- 
lumbia was worked into Shamrock's wake, apparently 
with the hope of cutting off the challenger's wind, but 
she was unsuccessful in this m.ove, and at noon Sham- 
rock was still drawing away and was about a quarter of a 
mile ahead. The flukiness of the N.W. breeze now made 
=tself felt, for Shamrock ran into a soft spot, and her 
ii<Tht <;ails' hung flat. When the breeze came up again it 
reliched Cokmbia first, and she carried the fresh breeze 
down with her and materially closed up the gap between 
her and Shamrock, but as soon as the breeze reached the 
challenger she drew away again. Shamrock continued 
to increase her lead slowly and surely, and when the 
weather mark was about a quarter of a mile away, the 
challenger's balloon topsail was taken in and the jib and 
staysail were broken out. Some of the stops on the 
latter sail would not break out. and a man was sent down 
the stav to remedy the trouble. The baby jib topsail was 
set in stoos as soon as the ballooner was out of the way. 
Shamrock's crew is a smart one, and it seems as though 
her sails were always taken in a long time too soon, par- 
ticularly where a mark is to be rounded, Shamrock 
lost a great deal by dousing her ballooner so soon, and 
Columbia overhauled her at a rate that gave promise of 
passing her. Mainsails had been flattened _and spin- 
nakers had been eased a little on both boats, and some 
8m. after Shamrock had taken in hers Columbia took in 
her balloon jib topsail. The gain she had made by hold- 
ing on to her ballooner was a material one. 
When Columbia's balloon jib was being lowered it 
stuck about a third of the way down the stay, and when 
the spinnaker pole was slacked forward the spinnaker 
got against the jib topsail stay and one of the snap hooks 
caught in the spiiinaker. A man was sent down the stay 
to clear things, and when this was done both the big 
sails came doAvn on the run. The spinnaker, fortunately, 
fell on deck, but part of the ballooner got in the water, 
and some time was lost in getting it aboard again. While 
Columbia was having difficulty with her light sails, ^Sham- 
rock was rapidly approaching the mark. Her spinnaker 
pole was allowed to run forward, and that sail was taken 
inboard rapidly. As Shamrock rounded the mark she 
luffed and her sheets were well flattened down, and she 
stood o^ff in the port tack. Columbia on rounding the 
mark tacked and she stood away on the starboard tack, 
her sheets having been flattened down as she came about. 
Shamrock was timed at 12:48:46, and Columbia at 
12 -.49 :35. 
First Leg — ^Run — Fifteen Miles. 
Start. Turn. Elapsed. 
Shamrock ......ai 02 00 12 48 46 1 46 46 
Columbia 11 02 00 12 49 35 1 47 35 
On this leg Shamrock 6eat Columbia 49s. 
After rounding the mark Shamrock took in the jib top- 
sail that she had set in stops before rounding. The wind 
had freshened, and, as Columbia did not set a jib header 
those on Shamrock thought they would be better off with 
theirs on deck. A few minutes after rounding Columbia's 
headsails were flattened down more, and she was put on 
the starboard tack after Shamrock. Just after i o'clock 
the wind, which now had a strength of fully ten knots, 
began to head Shamrock, and she was put about on the 
port tack. The boats were now drawing toward one an- 
other on opposite tacks, Columbia haA'ing the right of 
waj', being on the starboard tack. Shamrock crossed 
the defender's bow easily, and continued on the port 
tack. It w-as here that it was thought that a bad error of 
judgment was made, for Shamrock, instead of holding 
her course, could have come about in a place where she 
•would have backwinded Columbia, but she did not tack 
imtil she was well clear of Columbia, and the American 
boat had perfectly clear wind. Columbia now ran into a 
favoring breeze of considerable strength, and being heeled 
well down was footing fast, while Shamrock was rapidly 
dropping into her wake. Shamrock soon tacked, and ran 
out of the breeze that was giving Columbia such a lift. 
Columbia followed the challenger a little later, but the 
breeze seemed to favor the defender a little, and she 
was working well out to Avindward. Both boats noAV had 
a lighter air, and Columbia set her baby jib topsail and 
broke it out. Shamrock's Avas broken out just less than 
a minute later. Columbia had a slightly stronger breeze 
than Shamrock, and AA'as pointing higher and footing 
faster. Shamrock made her best gains to Avindward, when 
on the port tack, while Columbia did better Avhen on 
the starboard taclc Shamrock noAV began to draAV aAvay 
from Columbia, and the latter boat began to drop astern 
a little, as the English boat was footing faster and point- 
ing higher. Just after 2 o'clock Columbia Avas put on 
the starboard tack, and Shamrock follow^ed at once. After 
about 12m. Columbia was put on the port tack, and the 
two yachts Avere draAving together again, Avith Shamrock 
on the starboard tack, and she crossed Columbia's boAvs 
with plenty of room to spare. Shamrock was again in 
the lead, and her skipper, instead of coming about at 
once and having Columbia under his lee, held on .some 
distance and then came about on the port tack. A little 
over a minute after Shamrock had taken the port tack, Co- 
lumbia Avas sAVung on to the starboard tack, and she 
.^crossed through the challenger's Avake. The breeze Avas 
.slowly losing strength, and was variable and shifty, and 
it Avas noAV necessary for the skippers of both boats to 
keep their respective charges in the place Avhere there 
was the best breeze. Columbia, after getting headed, was 
put on the port tack, and Shamrock Avas soon afterward 
put on the starboard tack, and again the boats drcAV 
together on opposite tacks, but before coming very near 
each other the challenger tacked, and Columbia aiaout a 
mhiute later Avas put on the starboard tack, and the 
boats AA^ere now headed aAvay from one another, Columbia 
standing to the AvestAvard, Avhere the breeze was stronger 
and more favorable to her. Columbia tacked to port, and 
3m. later Avas put back on the starboard tack. Shamrock 
Avas noAv headed W., following Columbia, but the Amer- 
ican boat had the best of the breeze, and Avas holding 
higher and moving faster. It was still any one's race, and 
it Avas to be a desperate fight all through. Columbia Avas 
pitt about on the port tack and the boats Avere headed 
toAvard each other. It was very hard to tell Avhich boat 
AA'as ahead, but Shamrock had the right of Avay. The 
challenger proved to be ahead, and the defender Avas 
forced about. EA^ery effort Avas made to get Columbia out 
of Shamrock's lee. but she did not get clear wind until 
Shamrock Avas put on the port tack. Tavo and one-half 
mitiutes later Columbia took the port tack. The tack 
was a short one, and Columbia Avas soon back on the 
starboard tack, and .Shamrock folloAved. The Columbia 
skipper got all there was out of a faA-oring breeze AA'hile on 
the starboard tack, and she Avas then put on the port tack, 
Avith Shamrock folloAving at once. Shamrock Avorked 
some favoring puff Avhile on the port tack, and then she 
took the starboard tack and Avith the right of way again 
she approached Columbia. It looked for a time as though 
Columbia Avould cross the challenger's boAV, but she Avas 
finally forced to take the starboard tack. Shamrock, after 
forcing Columbia about, split tacks again, and Columbia 
Avas put about in chase of Shamrock. The breeze Avas 
noAv so light that the crews on both boats Avere kept to 
lecAvard, and the boats Avere making little headway against 
the head tide. The Avind began to head Shamrock and 
favor Columbia, and from this time on she was never far 
enough aAvay from the American boat to save her time. 
Both boats AA^ere now heading tOAvard the end of the 
finish line, Avhere the lightship was located. Columbia 
Avas given a good full, and kept off in an effort to get 
headway enough on to cross the line before Shamrock. 
Columbia could not tack, for Shamrock was on the star- 
board tack and would have been right on top of her. 
Shamrock was kept going until she Had just cleared the 
lightship, and then she AVas brought sharply into the wind 
and shot across the line 2s. ahead of Columbia. As Sham- 
rock crossed Columbia tacked and Avent over. Sham- 
rock Avas timed at 3 ;35 :38, and Columbia at 3 :35 :40. 
Second Leg— Beat — Fifteen Miles. ^ 
Turn. Finish. Elapsed. 
Shamrock 12 48 46 3 35 38 2 46 52 
Columbia 12 49 35 3 35 40 2 46 05 
On this leg o£ the course Columbia gained 47s. The 
table : 
Start. Finish. Elapsed. Corrected. 
Columbia 11 02 00 3 35 40 4 33 40 4 32 57 
Shamrock 11 02 00 3 35 38 4 33 38 4 33 38 
On corrected time Columbia beat Shamrock 41s. On 
actual time Shamrock beat Columbia 2s. 
Our Boston Letter. 
Comments on the Ctip Races. 
Boston, Oct. 7. — In the light of that recent great 
event the successful defense of the America's Cup by 
that phenomenon of yacht-designing skill, Columbia, 
Avhich has twice cesponded to the same call, I must ask 
the readers of Forest and Stream to ease sheets and 
bear away from Eastern yachting, for a time, while we 
look at the cause and effect. For Ave of the East, al- 
though treated b.v Columbia to a taste of the same medi- 
cine she administered to Shamrock II., have been inter- 
ested in that trophy, not only through patriotic rea- 
sons, but also through a profound respect for Columbia's 
abilities. 
It must be truly said that Columbia is a wonder, but, 
on the other hand, there should be no underrating of 
the prowess of the yacht from across the seas. She is 
the nearest approach to a successful challenger that has 
ever been sent in quest of the cup, but she fell short, 
and it must be admitted that our designers are still a 
little farther advanced in the art of producing speed 
than their contemporaries in Great Britain. 
Shamrock is a beautiful boat to look upon. She is 
a symphony of curves from stem to stern, and from 
planksheer to the bottom of her keel. It Avas this 
abundance of cui"ves, shoAVn when she was first seen in 
the dry dock, that led me to believe that she would not 
be successful in her undertaking. They may not have 
had the effect of making her sloAver than Columbia, but 
the methods employed by British and American design- 
ers in seeking speed have been diametrically opposite in 
this direction, and the question of which is the better 
principle will probably never be definitely settled to the 
satisfaction of all. The tAvo most eminent designers in 
the Avorld — both of the same school — disagree on this 
feature, and each can probably shoAV good reasons for 
his belief. 
Shamrock II. is a yacht that might reasonably be 
calculated to beat Columbia. She is longer on top, and 
carries infinitely more sail, but it has been shown that 
these things are not all that is required. She had a 
greater draft, thus getting her own lead down lower 
than Columbia's, and this feature should be calculated 
to make her stand up well in a breeze. But the combi- 
nation Avas in some way misproportioned, for the whole 
thing Avas not in harmony. It Avould seem that she was 
too stiff, or, rather, that she did not have sufficient life. 
She is a yacht Avh'ich requires one breeze and one condi- 
tion. In a breeze of from 8 to 10 knots, in a smooth sea, 
she showed at her best. This was Avhere her greater 
sail plan got in its work. In a breeze of less than 6 
knots, she was too stiff to move with Columbia, this 
undoubtedly because her lead Avas so low. In the same 
proportion, when the breeze reached 12 to 15 knots, her 
great sail plan became a detriment, and she could not 
take the puffs and sail through them with Columbia, 
When she did Jay out, she Avas sIoav to recover. In a 
steady breeze she Avould probably have shown up better, 
for, liaAdng got her bearings, and staying there, she 
Avould be able to move. It seems that her great draft 
Avas responsible for her lack of life, for she Avas certainly 
easy enough in her lines to take a heel very quickly. 
In the first race to be finished she beat Columbia to 
the Aveather mark. This leg AA'^as for the most part under 
conditions that were afterAvard shown to be her* best. 
She had the best of Columbia at the start, but the Avhite 
boat made a good fight to get the better position. Three 
times Columbia split tacks to try and cross her bow, and 
each time fell short, but she came so close that it Avas 
certain there Avas little difference in the sailing of the 
yachts in that kind of a chance. It was then, also, that 
it Av=as shown that either Columbia was faster on the 
starboard tack than she was on the port, or Shamrock 
Avas faster on the port tack than she was on the star- 
board. It is reasonable to belicA'c that the difference 
was in Shamrock, for such a thing has never been shoAvn 
before in Columbia, and it is also more likely that Sham- 
rock, Avith her many curves, should be the one that was 
not fair. 
The result of that AvindAvard leg went long to form the 
opinion that, in that kind of a chance. Shamrock Avould 
not be able to give Columbia 43s, time allowance. The 
manner in Avhich Columbia held Shamrock on the beat 
also convinced me that had she started first, in the 
Aveather berth, she Avould have been first at the Aveather 
ra.irk. Exactly tlie same features Avere shoAvn in races 
between Columbia and Constitution, Avhere the one 
Avhich went over the line -in the weather position and_ 
in the lead would turn the windAvard mark first. 
There was another revelation to be made Avhen that 
windward mark had been turned. It had been said that 
Shamrock Avould shoAv great things at reaching, and 
there Avere some aa'Iio said, unhestitatingly, that she Avould 
beat Columbia on this point of saihng. It Avas inevitable, 
Avhen they had turned the mark so closely, that a luffing 
match should folloAV. They both hauled after they had 
turned the mark, and this brought them to a point where 
both Avere reaching. From the manner in which Colum- 
bia at once hauled Shamrock, it Avas only reasonable to 
believe that when they should be obliged to sail in this 
fashion, Columbia Avould be able to show the same speed 
again. The jockeying at this point showed Barr to be 
crafty, indeed, for he employed a trick that is seldom 
