THE AMERICA'S CUP

Evening Post, Volume CX, Issue 11, 12 July 1930, Page 11

THE AMERICA'S CUP

EARLY CHALLENGEIiS

END OF SCHOONER RACING

(By "Speedwell")

' The failure of Mr. James Ashbury's schooner Cambria, the first challenger for the America's Cup, to get nearer than eighth place against the 14 defending boats, detailed.in our last article on Cup matters, did not deter this aggressive Britisher from challenging next year. He lost no time after getting back, and placed au order for a new boat with Katsey, of Cowes, who built the uchoi.iuer Livonia. Ou lier trials she proved to be veiy little faster than Cambria, but Mr. Ashburj' was determined to send her across to uphold his second challenge. Livonia was more niter the type of the American boats than the British. Slue had a long, tine bow, a round midship section, avid a fuller counter than most British boats of her time. She was 127 feet overall, 100 feet, waterline; 23.feet 7 inches beam and was very heavily .sparred and canvassed, carrying .18,153 square feet of .sail, ,mado .of American cotton duck. It is on record that this sail area is the greatest ever carried-on .any challenger for the Cup. No uneasiness was felt amongst American, yachtsmen by the building ot the new schooner, and no special boat was built to meet her. Before the new schooner actually sailed for America, a lot of correspondence tool; place between Mi-. Ashbury aud the NewYork Yacht Club. Some of the letters were' very bitter, and stirred up strife, but by sticking to his guns Mr. Ashbury had the satisfaction of seeing the conditions modified in his favour. His chief objection was having to race one boat against a fleet. This was such a big issii. and so strenuously combated by Mr. j Ashbuvy that the New York Yacht Club | tipxeed lv refer the point to-Mr.' <.!. U- 1 Sckuyler, the sole surviving owner oi the | Cup. Mr. Scbuyler, having in mind tin; very same point which the owners oi America had taken exception to when they had to race against a fleet or the British boats, decided, very fairly,' that no such conditions should apply in any future contests. The New York Yacht Club accepted this interpretation of the "Deed of Gift" and resolved: "That we sail one ov more representative vessels j against the same number of foreign cnal-j leugcrs." ■ Even after this decision a lot ot correspondence passed between Mr. Ashbury and the New York Yacht Club. The first' point was a request to waive the six months' notice. This was agreed to, and the challenge was accepted in the name of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club. Mr. Ashbury next wished to compete as the representative of twelve clubs for each of which he proposed to race in rotation. Tliis gave place: to a lot more correspondence, but before anything was settled Livonia sailed for New York. • The committee at first agreed to hold twelve races, but later decided that the challenger could only represent one club, and that a series of seven races be held, three inside and four outside Sandy Hook Lightship, and Mr. Ashbury accepted this ultimatum. The New York Yacht Club reserved four schooners to compete against Livonia, which raised another protest from Mr. Ashbury, but to avoid-having to go home .without a race, this was agreed to. Columbia, Dauntless, Sappho, and Palmer were named as defenders. The first race was sailed on 16th October, 1871, in, a lin-lit breeze, Livonia meeting Columbia. Columbia led from the start, and won by 25min 18sec. In the next race Columbia was again chosen to race against Livonia. Columbia won again, but' Mr. Ashbury entered a protest on the grounds that Columbia1 rounded the outer mark contrary to instructions. After more spirited protest, the club held that no definite instructions were given for turning this mark.' In England it was a rule when no instructions were given, to leave all marks to starboard, but a-"turn as you please" was held to be the custom m the Now York Club, and the protest was dismissed. In this race Columbia, won by Smin llscc. It was proposed to send one of the Other boats out for the third race, but none were, ready, so Columbia had to sail again. ~.,,„ In this race the British challenger won, a feat only beaten by Sir Thomas Lip ton's Shamrock IV., when she won the first two heats in the last contest, sailed in 1020. Livonia led from the start, and won by lumin lOsec. For the fourth race Sappho was chosen to sail aaginst Livonia, and Sappho won by 30min 21sec. The fifth and final race was won by Sappho, by a margin of 25min. Mr. Ashbury, on his return to England, had a lot to say about the unsportsmanlike actions of the New York Yacht Club, but it only caused more ill-feel ing. However, as the Americans admitted, ho had done some good by showiug the injustice of sailing- more than one boat against a challenger, and lie was the cause of this rule being finally deleted. TWO CANADIAN CHALLENGERS. The coolness engendered by Mr. Ashbury's experience lasted for some years, and (he next challenge tame from Canada. In 1876, Major Charles Gifford, of the Royal Canadian Yacht Club of Toronto, sent a challenge with the schooner Countess of Dufferin. This vessel was 221 tons register, 107 feet overall, 24 feet beam, and only 6 feet 6 inches draught. Her sail area was 12,000 feet. Three races were agreed to be held, but to settle the point of how many boats lie would bo required to meet, Major Gifford asked ll the club would sail one yacht only against his challenger, or one out of four, as in Mr. Ashbury's case, or would the race rbe open to all the yachts in the New York Yacht Club. The club replied: "A yacht would be at the starting point each day to sail the match." This left the question open, but. at a later mcrtins the club agreed to name their defeudms yacht in advance, and to stick to that, one throughout the contest. This was n most important decision, and one that iris been held to ever since. The dates set for the races were 101 n, 12th, and 14th July,, but. were later changed to 11th August. When the challenger arrived at New York her condition was j adversely criticised. She had been rush- ■ ed through without time for "tuning up, , and by some unkind critics her sails were said to "set like v purser's shirt on, a handspike," while her hull was described as being "as rough as a nutmeg grater. Before the ruce, the boat was hauled up and her bottom planed off, and then given a coat of pot-lead, while her sails were altered and improved. The sclioonor Marioline was named to compete with the Canadian boat, being about the same dimensions as the challenger, viz., 107 feet overall, 95 feet waterline, 24 feet beam, aud 7 feet draught. Madeline was_ in fine nick, the copper on her bottom being burnished until it shone like gold. The two schooners met in a moderate breeze outside Sandy Hook, and there was a bifi .following of steamers and other cratt to watch the race. Madeline went ahead sooir after the start, and won by Omm 58sec. The second and deciding, race was held-nest day, the American boat again winning, this time by 26 minutes. American comment was to the effect that although they were not successful, the bearing of the challengers was marked by straightforwardness and courtesy. THE FIRST OF THE CUTTERS. Vive years later, in 1881, Captain Cully bert again challenged for the Cup, this time with Atlanta, a cutter yacht, ot his own design, and built and sailing under the flag of the Yacht Club of Ontario. This contest is noticeable for several things which still continue throughout contests. One was that cutter or "sloop rigged craft were used for the first time, secondly, the custom of building boats specially to defend the Cup, and the third was. the New York Yacht Club's decision to so interpret the •"Deed of Gift that it was required to name the defending boat before the start of the contest, and to adhere to her throughout. A new boat was ordered by a syndicate of the New York Yacht Club. She was 72 feet overall, 65 feet waterline, ami 21 feat 6 inches beam, with a draught ot 7 feet. On her trials she proved tn be slower than several existing cratt ot the cutter type. Mischief was named as defender in spite of the fact that her owner wag an Englishman. Mischief, an iron boat, was the first to be built ol metal for these contests. This boat_ was also the first defender to be scientifically designed, all the'others having been built from models cut in wood. Misehiut was rather less beam than the usual fypc with I'lft lOin, and she drew lutt, with her centreboard down. Before, the race 1 her bottom was sand papered, holystoned, varnished, and pot-loaded.

Atlanta, the Canadian .boat, was launched at Ontario, and arrived at New York via the Erie Canal, being towed through by mule-power. This led to a clause being inserted in the "Deed of Gift" making it necessary that all future challengers should come under sail to New York.

The first race was sailed in a hard breeze, and the, American boat won easily by 28 minutes. The deciding race next day was also sailed in a hard breeze, and Mischief again won by 38 minutes. . The American Press of that day waxed sarcastic about the challenger's form, saying that the "well-fitted, fully manned, and magnificently handled Mischief easily defeated Atlanta, anew, hastily-built yacht, miserably equipped with sails, which was bungled round the course by an alleged crew, which would have been overmatched in trying to handle a canal boat in a fog."

Tin's ended the first epoch in the Cup's history. Mistakes were many, but definite progress whs made towards boiler conditions, for future contests. To ensurea now ruling oh several points, the Cup was returned to Mi-. Scluiylcr, the only survivor of the original owners, who rucunvuyed it to .the club with a few alterations in the '"Deed of Gift." One condition provided that competing vessels must proceed under sail on their own bottoms to tlie port where the contest was to take place. Another made it clear that a challenger would be required to sail against only -one defender, and that any arrangements' could be made by mutual consent as to date, course, time allowance, number of races; -rules and sailing regulations, and all Other conditions of the match. The challenger had to name his vessel and send her dimensions, register, and a Customs House .certificate of tonnage. The new conditions made it clear tlint the Cup was the property of the nation, and the New York Yacht.'Club was only named' 'aS its keeper. The attempts of Mr. Ashbury and the Canadians to "lift" the Cup aroused a strong national spirit, and the Americans came to regard the trophy as. their own.- . Upon acceptance by the club, the new condi; tions wete sent to every Yacht Club of standing in the world, inviting friendly I'ontPKts.