APRn, 18, 1903.]' 
FOREST AND STREAM. 
811 
Reliance, the new yacht built for the defense of the 
America's Cup, was successfully launched from the 
Hcrreshoft's yard on Saturday afternoon, April 11. 
Bad weather had been predicted, but the day broke 
fine and clear and was ideal for the event. Mr. N. G. 
Herreshoff was on hand early in the morning, as was 
Captain Charlie Barr. Both had their men attending 
to the many things that turn up at the eleventh hour. 
Shortly after eight o'clock Sunbeam, Reliance's tender, 
dressed ship, and as the bunting went aloft it added a 
bit of life to the scene. Sunbeam was lying at the end 
of the south pier. Ljdng in the offing w^as Constitu- 
tion, the boat built by the Herreshoflfs two years ago. 
Constitution was launched on May 6, almost a month 
later than the day fixed for launching Reliance this 
year. 
Shortly before noon Mr. W. B. Leeds' new steam 
yacht Noma, flying Commodore Frederick G. Bourne's 
private signal, appeared on the scene. She came to 
anchor off the shops, and Commodore Bourne and his 
guests went over to the tender Sunbeam to call on Mr. 
Iselin, and then came ashore to see the new boat. With 
Commodore Bourne were ex-Commodore E. M. 
Brown, Mr. W. B. Leeds, Secretary George A. Cor- 
mack, Fleet Captain C. L. F. Robinson, Mr. Edward 
H. Wales. Mr. J. Frederic Tarns, Mr. Whitney War- 
ren and Mr. Arthur Kemp. Noma left New York on 
Friday afternoon, where Commodore Bourne and his 
guests joined her, and they had a delightful run through 
the Sound and up Narragansett Bay to Bristol. 
Early in the afternoon a special train brought a 
number of people from Providence, who were guests 
of Mr. C. Oliver Iselin, the managing owner of the 
new boat, and they went directly aboard the tender 
Sunbeam. As the day wore on trollej^ cars, carriages 
and automobiles brought many people to the town, and 
quiet Bristol presented a very busy appearance. Con- 
stitution's tender, vSatellite, was in the harbor with Mr. 
August Belmont and a large number of guests on board. 
A gun was fired from Constitution just before half- 
past three, and she went formally into commission. 
She dressed ship, and Mr. Belmont's colors went to 
the mast head. The torpedo boat Winslow, with a 
party of naval officers on board, came over from the 
Newport station during the afternoon. 
The launching was scheduled for half-past five. A 
limited number of tickets had been issued, and those 
holding them were admitted to the south shop, where 
Reliance was built. Many people were allowed on the 
piers, which extended into the water on the north and 
south sides of the shop, and were thus af¥orded a good 
opportunity to see the launching. 
Reliance rested in a cradle, which was built on a low 
car. The marine railway on which the car ran was 
specially strengthened and tested in order that there 
would be no accident. A wire cable was attached to 
the forward end of the car, which led to a windlass. In 
this way the yacht's speed could be regulated as she 
moved down the incline. 
The yacht's bottom had been burnished to a high de- 
gree of perfection, and the white topsides did not show 
the lines of the plating or the rivet heads. Festoons of 
laurel leaA^es and bunches of carnations decorated the 
bow of the yacht, and streamers of red and black, Mr. 
Iselin's colors, were in evidence. 
A gong sounded in the shop at 5:28, and Miss Nora 
Iselin broke the bottle of American champagne over 
the bows and named the yacht Reliance. The boat 
was only allowed to move slowly down the ways, and it 
was souTe twelve minutes before she was water borne. 
As Reliance moA^ed out of the shop, the American 
yacht ensign was hoisted over the taf¥rail, the "New 
York Y. C. flag was hoisted at the bow, and Mr. Ise- 
lin's private signal appeared on a staff amidships. 
As the boat took the water, there was quite a demon- 
stration, the crowd present being very enthusiastic, 
and while the attendant fleet of boats was small, it made 
up in enthusiasm what it lacked in numbers. Captain 
Barr and a number of his men were on board, as was 
Mr. "Nat" Herreshoff, when Reliance took the water. 
After the launching Reliance was warped over to the 
north pier under the big shears, so that her mast and 
other spars can be put in place without delay. 
Reliance is essentially a big craft, big even for a 90- 
footer, was the information gained by everybody who 
saw her launched on Saturday last. Her great breadth 
and remarkable over all length conveyed the idea of large 
proportion.s, for the boat quite filled the big shop where 
she was built. 
For some time it had been said she would be something 
of the scow type, and would combine some of the features 
of Independence. To some extent this rumor has been 
borne out by the facts; not that we would hint that Mr. 
Herreshoff had copied or adopted a single feature of Mr. 
Crowninshield's boat. That Mr. Herreshoff is a creator 
and not an imitator is a well-known fact, and there is no 
question that the design of Reliance would have been 
iust exactly what it is now had Independence never been 
built. Rel iance onl}'' shows the natural development and 
expected improvement over Constitution as did this latter 
boat show these same points over Columbia, even though 
in the actual racing the progress was not demonstrated. 
But we think it but fair and just that we give Mr. Crown- 
inshield the credit of having been two years in advance of 
the Bristol designer, and had it not been that Inde- 
pendence was his very first experiment in designing big 
yachts, we believe she would have beaten Columbia had 
she been handled by as capable a skipper as Captain Barr. 
Reliance is not so pretty a craft as was Columbia; in 
fact, she reminds one more of the 70-footers, particularly 
in the forward part of the boat. Her forward overhang 
is much longer in proportirsn, and her bow sections are a 
little fuller. In Reliance it is very evident the designers 
have endeavored to turn out a boat that will combine, 
so far as it is possible to do so, all the speed elements of 
the scow, such as gaining length quickly when heeled 
and having great sail carrying capacity, and yet reducing 
to the minimum the disadvantages' of this type of craft 
Scows are not fast in light air, and their full bow is a 
great handicap when there is any sea on, and particularly 
when the wind is light. Reliance has a much flatter floor 
than Constitution, but yet has more deadrise than Inde- 
pendence; her bilge is also a bit harder than that of Con- 
stitution. Reliance is 25ft. Sin. wide, and although her 
over all length is not known exactly, it is said to be 140ft. 
The draft is put at 18ft. gin., somewhat less than Consti- 
tution's, but she is longer on the keel than the latter 
boat, and the lines of the lead are finer and drawn out 
more. There are practically one hundred tons of lead on 
the keel, a gain of something over seven tons in Constitu- 
tion. This increase was made by a material reduction 
in the freeboard and a saving of weight in the construc- 
tion, and will therefore give greatly increased sail-carry- 
ing power over the older boats. As Reliance heels 
she will gain power fast because of her form, and this 
fact, together with the advantage of the increased quantity 
of lead on the keel, should make her a wonderful sail 
carrier. She will swing, probably, in the neighborhood of 
15,000 square feet of sail, although we would not be sur- 
prised if it were even more than this. The rigging on 
the 70-footers stood the rack of hard racing without 
parting a single rope yarn, so that if the material 
put into the new boat is made proportionally as strong 
there will be little danger of breakdown or accident. 
The construction used throughout Reliance is prac- 
tically the same as tliat put into Constitution. Deep belt 
or web frames of nickel steel are spaced 6ft. Sin. apart, 
these being located at every fourth station. The hull is 
plated with Tobin bronze, with the exception of the top 
strake, which is of nickel steel. There are seven strakes 
of plating which are laid with flush joints. A series of 
T irons and bulb angles make up the longitudinal frames. 
The T irons are placed over the seams in the plating, the 
plating being riveted through them. The bulb angles 
serve mainly to stiffen the boat longitudinally. Web 
frames are strengthened by braces extending from the 
bilge up to the deck. The deck is covered with aluminum 
and under this are diagonal straps which will add to the 
general stiffness. 
Races took place between Shamrock III. and Shamrock 
I. almost every day last week off Weymouth. The new 
boat is sailing well and from the reports is getting into 
better shape daily. On Saturday last the two boats sailed 
a race over a thirty-four mile course, and Shamrock I. 
received ten minutes' time allowance from the new boat. 
The wind was light during the race, and the water was 
smooth. Shamrock III. beat the old boat six and one- 
half minutes, but lost the race on time allowance. Sham- 
rock I. was favored by better wind, and had it not been 
for this it is believed that the new boat would have saved 
her time and won the race. 
Columbia Y* C, Chicago. 
Captain Fred Pabst^ of Milwaukee, shows his fond- 
ness for the water still, although many 3^ears retired from 
active service thereon, by annually (through his com- 
pany) offering yachtsmen of Lake Michigan valuable 
trophies for competition. In 1900 he presented the Co- 
lumbia Y. C. with a magnificent silver water cooler, for 
competition in Class 2A. This trophy was won by Mr. 
F. W. Morgan's Prairie of the Columbia Y. C. In 1901 
he presented the Columbia Y. C. with a sterling silver 
loving cup for Class 3B sloops and cutters. This cup 
was cotitested for on August 17 of that year, and w^as 
won in a heavy weather contest by Commodore J. F. 
McGime's Eleanor II., she handily defeating such cracks 
as Vixen, Wizard and Martha III., to the surprise of all 
the wise ones. This year Capt. Pabst has, through his 
company, presented the Columbia Y. C. a most exquisite 
and beautifully etched sterling silver loving cup for com- 
petition in Class lA sloops and cutters on July 4. 
The following Lake Michigan yachts are eligible to 
start for the Pabst cup the morning of July 4, next : 
A^encedor, the crack mahogam^ fin keel, owmed by ex- 
Commodore Fred A. Price. Vencedor was built in 1896 
as the first yacht from the United States to defend the 
Canada cup. She was designed by Pokel and built at 
Racine for the Messrs. Berriman Brothers, Mr. E. C. 
Berriman at that time being commodore of the old 
Lincoln Park Y. C. The first races for the Canada cup 
were sailed on Lake Erie off Toledo. The Canadian Y. 
C. won three straight races. Vencedor was unquestion- 
ably the best yacht, but was under construction before 
rules for races were adopted, and the Canadians pro- 
posed rules to sail under that defeated Vencedor, and re- 
fused to sail under any other conditions. 
Vencedor won several races from Siren in fall of 
1896, and won _ from Vanenna at Cleveland in 1896. 
Vanenna was given a race at Milwaukee July 4, 1896, on 
account of buoys drifting awaj'. In spring of 1897 
Vencedor was sold to Commodore Gillig, of the Larch- 
mont Y. C, of New York. She made a very creditable 
showing there. When Commodore Gillig retired from 
yachting in 1901 Mr. Fred. A. Price purchased her and 
brought her back home. Last year she was the flag 
ship of the Columbia Y. C, and won several big races, 
among them the Michigan City Cruising Race, July 4 
open regatta, cruising races to Waukegan, Holland, and 
South Haven, and one of the three match races with 
Vanenna. In match with Vanena more overconfidence 
was indulged in, the match being arranged as a flat event, 
no time allowance, and Vanenna, being much the larger, 
had a great advantage. However, this match resulted in 
bringing about two of the best yacht races ever seen on 
the Great Lakes, Vencedor winning the first race of the 
series by a few seconds. Vanenna won the second race, 
, sailing the course alone, Vencedor breaking down im- 
mediately after the start, and Vanenna won the third 
race quite easily, on the last leg of course, her lofty rig 
catching the high air and driving her in ahead with a 
couple of minutes to spare. 
Siren and Vanenna were from designs of Joseph Meyer, 
and were also built at Racine in 1896. They were built 
by Columbia Y. C. members to compete in trial races 
Avith Vencedor of the Lincoln Park Y. C. to see which 
should represent the United States in match with Cana- 
dians, but as Lincoln Park Y. C. decided to 3<;nd 
Vencedor without holding trial races, they did not have 
a chance at that time to show what they could do, and 
to date the three have never been in a race together, 
although they have raced two at a time on several occa- 
sions smce that time. Siren has demonstrated time and 
again that she is as good, if not better, than the others 
in light weather, but has never shown any great liking for 
heavy going. 
Vanenna claims the championship of the Great Lakes 
on scries sailed last September with Vencedor. Vanenna 
was originally built for W. R. Crawford, then of the 
Columbia Y. C, and was sold last season to Wm. 
Cameron, of the Chicago Y. C. 
Siren was originally built for a syndicate composed of 
Ildo Ramsdell, Judge Loren Collins, Robert Hayes, and 
Mr. Dyrenforth, all of the Columbia Y. C. ; was after- 
ward sold to Geo. R. Peare, of the Columbia Y. C, and 
by him to her present owner, Mr. Frank J. Canty, of the 
Columbia Y, C. 
Neva is a Lake Erie product, and was undisputed 
champion there, but has never duplicated her perform- 
ances here, although she has been a strong factor in all 
races in smooth water, but the most of the time her spin- 
naker and spinnaker boom and big club topsail have been 
left ashore and over half the races she has been in have 
been sailed with small cruising mainsail instead of her 
big racing mainsail, her owners and crew being particu- 
larly fond of comfort. Such cries as "Ease her sheets, 
so can cook," and captain yelling at crew to "Jibe over 
as wind has shifted," and crew telling captain to "Wait 
awhile until card or crap game we are playing is over," 
being frequent occurrence during races. Just try to im- 
agine a winner under such circumstances. This year she 
will be placed in pink of condition and raced hard. She 
is now owned by Messrs. C. T. Bailey and F. Palmer, of 
the Columbia Y. C, who claim her to be the most com- 
fortable ever as a cruiser. If the weather on the 
morning of July 4 next happens to be light, these four 
ychts should make a magnificent struggle for this 
elegant trophy, and it is nearly a toss up as to which 
would win. If there is heavy weather, race should be be- 
tween Vencedor and Vanenna, with yaclit with best crew 
given preference. Ex-Commodore Price announces that 
he has engaged the services of one of the crack eastern 
skippers for the season, and that he intends doing all he 
possibly can to capture the time prizes for A Classes and 
prizes for Class Ai. 
Vencedor, with new hollow mast, boom and gaff and 
new racing mainsail, will undoubtedly be in front at the 
finish on most occasions. Commodore Price being particu- 
larly anxious to regain championship of Lake Michigan 
— in fact of the Great Lakes — the coming season. 
It is hoped by all yachtsmen that these four are brought 
together in the Columbia Y. C.'s eleventh annual Michi- 
g-'u City race, to be held June 13 next. Such a race 
would indeed be a rare treat for the spectators. 
It is hardly probable that any Lake Erie or Lake 
Ontario yachts of this class will be here to compete on 
this date, as it is too early in the season to entice them 
this far from home. 
These are the giant sloops and cutters of the Great 
Lakes, being the largest fresh water craft of this style 
or rig in the world, and embracing some of the finest 
yachts of the world in the class, all four being cham- 
pions of the class in different years. Neva of Lake Erie; 
Vencedor of the Great Lakes in 1896 and 1901 ; Siren in 
1898 and 1899, and Vanenna in 1897 and 1902, the three 
latter having defeated one another on several occasions. 
This lends enchantment to the coming season's contests. 
Vencedor is being fitted with complete sets of hollow- 
spars and new suit racing canvas. 
Siren, not to be outdone, will have new racing suit and 
entire rebuild, and be placed in best possible condition. 
Owners are already selecting crew, and expect to have 
her in her old time form for season's contests. 
E. T. B. 
EncJwfance Races foi* Motor Latinches. 
Arrangements are being made by the Narragansett 
Bay Y. R. A. to hold endurance races for power boats. 
The idea is a good one, and should prove a real and 
valuable test of the motors and the boats themselves. The 
plan has much to recommend it. 
"There_ are so many possibilities of mishap to motors 
in the sailing of launches that a straight race is of little 
value in determining the relative merits of the various 
boats and their engines. Even a fairly well behaved boat 
is apt to become stalled in the midst of a race by a minute 
or two of crankiness on the part of the motor, and no- 
toriously uncertain motors have been known to work to 
a charm in a most unexpected way and win out without 
trouble. 
Under the arrangements planned for the proposed en- 
durance race, all these uneven conditions will be taken 
into account, and the running qualities of the engines will 
be scored as well as the speed attained and the time made 
in reaching the finish. Each launch Avill have a scorer 
aboard to keep tally on the amount of attention required 
by the motor and a limit of three minutes will be allowed 
as the total time that an engine may be stopped during 
the race. 
The start will be made some distance above the start- 
ing line to give opportunity to warm up the engines. As 
the launches come to this point a gun will be fired and all 
engines will be stopped. The starting gun will be fired 
a minute or so later and the scoring will then begin. 
The run will be of about an hour's duration, "and any 
boat whose engine is stopped for more than three minutes 
during that time will be disqualified. This will count the 
same, whether the time lost is in one stop or in two or 
three, the total time of which amounts to more than three 
minutes. A one minute stop will count one point against 
the boat; two minutes, two points, and three minutes, 
three points. 
The boats will be classified according to size and power, 
and everything being equal, the first boat in will win! 
There will be a time limit on the race, however, so ar- 
ranged that the motors will have to be pushed to a fair 
speed, and no wily skipper can loaf along in order to 
coax an uncertain engine into a semblance of good be- 
havior, and thus dodge the possibility of sgoring the los- 
ing points on account of time stopped." 
