THE AMERICA CUP

Dominion, Volume 23, Issue 80, 28 December 1929, Page 25

THE AMERICA CUP

HISTORY OF A GREAT RACE

FIRST CONTEST RECALLED

(By

Proteus.)

Within the next nine months, all going well, another effort —the fourteenth will be made by a British yachtsman to regain, iu United States waters, the trophy kuowu as "The America Cup.” For the information of those unacquainted with the "why and wherefore’ —- the genesis— of matters relating to the Cup—it is necessary to go back, roundly, 80 years. In 1850 an Englishman residing in the United States suggested to some Americans fond of yachting the idea of competing at the English Yachting Squadron’s Regatta, at Cowes, in August, 1851 —the year of the great Exhibition in the Crystal Pallace, London. It was pointed out that a cup valued at £lOO was given as “the prize” in the chief yacht race, an open event. The suggestion was acted upon by a syndicate, with Commodore J. C. Stevens at the head, and at its instigation the America was built by the son of an English shipwright, rigged as a fore-and-aft schooner, and sailed across the Atlantic to. England. Her rig, rakishness, and general appearance created much interest, with a good deal of admiration, but, of course, some disparagement. She was a good-sized vessel, as a yacht, her measurement being 170 tons. August 21 was set down as the date for the race. The course, generally, was understood to be from Cowes “round the Isle of Wight.” But, unfortunately, two different sets of sailing instructions were issued. One said, simply, round the island, the other that the yachts should “go round the Nab,” as Fifteen yachts of various sizes (without any time allowance), all British-own-ed, except the America, started in the race, with a light westerly wind blowing. America was one of the contestants to get off rather badly. With, however, better than half distance covered, she had worked into fifth place, having passed two-thirds of the other yachts. At the Noman she was some two minutes astern of the Volant, then leading all but the Arrow, an old 84-ton cutter, sailing well. When off Ventnor, on the south-east side of the island, with about two-thirds of the race accomplished, Arrow “came to grief,” either through an error of judgment on the part of her skipper, his over-confidence, br ill-luck, Arrow, ran hard-a-fast on the rocks, being well in the lead at the time. Alarm, one of the competitors, stood by to help Arrow if necessary. It was not until the Noman was passed that the differences in the sailing directions was discovered. The mistake completely spoilt the race. The America’s instructions made no mention of “round the Nab,” and she, with some others, kept on the inner course, the shortening of which put America, and the yachts near her in the lead, and to wind’ard of those sailing “round the Nab.” AU chance of a good race vanished when this occurred. Added to the grounding of Arrow, an accidental collision between Volant (second in the lead at the time) and another yacht, by which Volant’s bowsprit was badly damaged, putting her out of the race, capsized, as it were to aggrevate the difference in course directions. Yachts, however, are not immune from mishaps. The America had the good fortune to escape them, and went on to beat the nearest of the tardy British yachts my 21 minutes. It may here be noted that she was subsequently defeated. She, however, had made history, and “got away with the cup.” For some time after the race the America’s rig became the vogue with a number of yachtsmen, but eventually the cutterrig for racing purposes met with practically general acceptance, and. has so continued for the major part. Arrow, by the way, was an 84-ton cutter, built-in 1821, so that she was 31 years old when pitted against the America, a then new yacht. I The America syndicate presented the cup to Commodore Stevens, who died in 1856—47 years after the race. He, by “Deed of Gift,” set the cup apart as a “perpetual challenge for friendly rivalry between foreign countries." The trophy has thus become to be regarded as the emblem of the yachting supremacy of the sea.

The old schooner, America, is now permanently docked in the Dewey Basin, Annapolis, and preserved with the reverence due to so illustrious a ship. For nearly a fifth of a century British yachtsmen remained quiescent so far as actual effort was made to wrest the cup from America. Mr. James Ashbury was the first to make trial, with the Cambria, in 1870. His adoption of the Latin name of Wales was said to be in hopes of making American yachtsmen “eat the leek.” He, however, had, metaphorically, to do so. and, also, again the following year with Livonia. In 1876 Canadian yachtsmen, with the Countess of Dufferin, and, later, with another vessel, made unsuccessful efforts to capture the trophy. Lord Dunrayen had no better fortune with three Valkyries; there was a bit of “sharp practice” in one contest foreign to good sportsmanship, and he, thereafter, relinquished the quest. A Scottish syndicate, with Mr. James Bell, of Glasgow, at its head, made trial with the aptly named Thistle, but only to add one more to previous British failures. Since then the “trying” has been the persistent effort of Sir Thomas Lipton. His tenacity has won the admiration of sportsmen throughout the world, including many Americans. The first of his four unrewarded attempts was made in 1898, with Shamrock 1., followed by Shamrocks 11., 111., and IV.; the last-named won two heats, but the Defender won three out of five heats and held the cup. Now Sir Thomas Lipton is making further preparations, after over thirty years of trying, with another challenger, to be called Shamrock V. She is to be built by the designer, Mr. O. E. Nicholson, who is highly esteemed in his profession, and difficult though his task be, with the odds against him, it is regarded that his hands are the best Britain possesses for the job. One of the disadvantages the owner of the challenger labours under is that he has to give ten months notice of the dimensions of his ship, and her man. No similar condition is imposed on the defender, all that is required being compliance with Lloyds and New York Yacht Club rules and the arrangements made governing the contest. # , ” American yachting enthusiasts are not leaving anything to chance, if that ran be avoided, evidently anticipating that, possibly, some day a British-owned yacht will happen along and prove too good for the defenders. Already three yachts are under construction to the order of syndicates of members of the flew York yacht Club, and one for a Boston syndicate. That for the last named is designed by the famous Herreshoff (designer of a number of successful defenders), and is to be built of steel alloy known as KA2. She will, it is stated, cost, roughly, £lOO,OOO when completely ready. (Bronze is to be used in the construction of one or two of the American yachts and composition” in others as, also, in that ot Shamrock V.) All the boats, challenger and those being built for the syndicates, are to be constructed according to “Lloyds,” and the New York Yacht Club rules. As all the America yachts are being built for trial purposes, from which to select the eventual defender, the New York Yacht Club-will have, initially, four chances to one against the challenger. But America’s advantage does not even end there. Builders of prospective defenders can select the length and type of ship best suited to the weather conditions probably obtaining in mid-Septem-ber, 1930. Thus, in effect, there is “gambling” on the weather, with advantage to the defender. Another point in favour of America is that the. choice of the defending boat is, practically, an “eleventh hour” decision, after try-outs and tuning up. This occurred on one occasion (1901) when the Columbia (the winner in 1899 against Shamrock I) was requisitioned a second time, she having, in trials, proved superior to the vessel originally intended as the defender. This change in defence only took place within a few hours of the start of the race. Some marked alterations —regarded as essential—have been'made in the condi-

tions of the contest as compared with those of ten years ago. Instead of yachts being built to a load water-line limit and rated for the purpose of time allowance, by the New York Yacht Club’s rules, they will be built to a rating limit by the club’s formula, and there will not be any time allowance. The yachts will be built to Lloyd’s “A” class scantlings instead of being of as light construction as possible. Four hundred gallons of water must be in the tanks when the yachts are “sighted” afloat and this must be carried during the race, but the L.W.L. length will be taken without the crew aboard.

The races are to be held off Newport, Rhode Island, instead of Sandy Hook, and will be started from a mark anchored nine miles, to the S.E. of Brenton Reef lighthouse. The first race is set down for September 13 (Saturday), and racing will be continued on succeeding days (Sundays excepted) until one or other of the boats wins four races. The first and third, and, if uecessary, the fifth and seventh races, will be over a course of either 15 miles to wind’ard and return or 15 miles to lee’ard and return. The second and fourth races, and, if necessary, the sixth, will be over a triangular course, with 10-mile “legs,” the first “leg” being, if possible, to wind’ard. By mutual consent both the challenger and the defender are to be single masted and rigged with a Bermudian (“leg of mutton”) mainsail. Hollow masts are allowed Maximum draught of water without penalty is 16 per cent, of the length of the L.W.L., plus Ift. 9in.; the displacement in cubic feet, up to which a premium is given, by rule, is the cube of 20 per cent, of the L.W.L., plus 6, and the height of sail plan above the deck without penalty is 1.7 times the square root of. the sail area, plus sft. Whatever length of L.W.L. the designer may decide upon the sail area for a given rating under N.Y.Y.C.’s rule is approximately the same.

There are rules governing the length of L.W.L., accidents to yachts, repairs, wind and weather conditions, etc. Weather permitting, the start on each day will be at 10.30 a.m. Should the wind be considered too light by the sailing committee to assure chance of completion within a given time, start may be delayed, but not later than 12.30 p.m.. Seven races are to be sailed if necessary, instead of five in previous contests during late years.