AMERICA CUP

Evening Post, Volume CIX, Issue 51, 1 March 1930, Page 10

AMERICA CUP

THIS YEAE'S CONTEST

BOATS ON MORE EVEN TERMS

According to Colonel Duncan Neill, sailing adviser to the veteran yaehtsma"n, Sir Thomas Lipton, the chances of the America Cup being wrested from the holders this year are brighter than ever before. Colonel Neill had some interesting comment to make on tho conditions under which the races will be sailed, when he was interviewed by a "Post" reporter to-day, prior to his departure by the Rangitane for Home.

The Shamrock V., the latest of, Sir Thomas Liptou's challengers, is being built at Gosport by the famous designer, Charles Nicholson. " This year she will have a Bermuda rig, which will necessitate a very high mast, about 160 ft long. The conditions'for the races'have been somewhat radically altered, and the boats will accordingly be racing on more even terms than hitherto. They must be of a 76ft rating, and must bo built to Lloyds' scantlings, which will make the weight, of both boats the same. Previously the Americans have been able to build a much lighter boat than Sir Thomas, and this has been a decided advantage. The only thing now in their favour is that they will be able to select the best boat out of four which arc being built to defend the trophy. Sir Thomas Lipton has to rely on one, "but," remarked". Colonel Neill, "he himself thinks that with the altered conditions he has a better chance this time."

The Shamrock will probably bo put into the water about the end of April, and be sailed in a number of trial races before crossing the Atlantic. She leaves the Clyde about the middle of July. This year's races are to be held off Newport, one of the alterations in the conditions being that the cup will be taken by the boat winning the best T>ut of seven races. Formerly it was the best out of three, and latterly the best out of five. The contest commences on 13th September, and races will be held on every successive day, Sundays excluded, unless for some reason or other a spell is desired by the competing yachtsmen.

Sir Thomas Lipton has been trying to win the America Cup for England since 1898, and if he succeeds this year he will earn the gratitude of English yachting enthusiasts the world over.

Colonel Neill, who has been making a short tour of the North Island, is accompanied by his brother, Mr. R. G. Neill, who is also a keeii yachtsman. He considers that Wellington possesses a splendid harbour, equal in berthing facilities and protection for steamers to anything in the world. Even Rio de Janeiro harbour, beautiful though it is, does not conic up to Port Nicholson, in his opinion. Both he and his brother are convinced that New Zealand is a line country, but, as Colonel Neill remarked, "there are too few people in it. In another couple of hundred years it will be all right."