IS SHAMROCK STRAINED?

Evening Star, Issue 20591, 17 September 1930, Page 9

IS SHAMROCK STRAINED?

HARMFUL ATLANTIC CROSSING SAILS AS IF “DRAGGING GRAB POT " OCEAN VOYAGE DAMAGING TO CHALLENGERS For over seven decades English yachtsmen have persistently chaleneed for the America Cup, although the odds have been against The conditions of challenge specify that the contender must sail to America under her own cruising canvas. To weather the Atlantic, a crossing taking more than three weeks, extra strength and weight have had to be given to the challengers, while the Americans have built mere racing shells which have been useless tor anything but cup racing. The alterations this year to compel the yachts to be of 76ft rating by universal rule, built to Lloyd s scantlings, gave the English architects more hope of lifting the trophy. The new rules also made the boats serviceable for many years of racing and cruising. But it now transpires that Shamrock V. has lost the speed • which won her handsome victories against the cutters in English waters. The suggestion is made from a highly authoritative quarter that Shamrock suffered harmful effects on being • compelled to sail across the Atlantic. That Britain should be allowed to build a boat in Canada so as to obviate the wearying weeks of tuning up and the hazardous Atlantic crossing is now proposed. This is not the first time such a suggestion has been made. In the past the challengers have proposed that the contender should be towed across from Eng- , land, but the defending club has ro- . attained adamant. ...... , America crossed the Atlantic to win the cup, and the Americans maintain, with not a litle justification, that the challengers should also Erovo their seaworthiness. But Engines yachtsmen will not for ever continue to spend small fortunes in the quest for the cup unless the contests can he placed on a fairer basis. Freni Ainociation—By Telegraph—Copyright. NEW YORK, September 16. (Received September 17, at 9.5 a.m.) Advice from Newport states that heavy fog and lack of wind caused the postponement of the third race for the America Cup. The yachts did not leave their moorings. Nicholson (the designer) announced that 2,0001 b of ballast had been restored to Shamrock last night. Possibly other changes will be made. “ England is beginning to realise that she, can never lift the cup under present conditions, and probably will never try again,” declared Rear-com-modore Ralph Groveraines, of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club, who is aboard the steam yacht Erin. He believed that the strain of crossing the Atlantic under her own sail undoubtedly hurt Shamrock, which looked to be an entirely different boat in the trial races in British waters, giving confidence to England bbyond any other challenger Sir Thomas Lipton had produced. “ Now she sails as though dragging a crab pot,” he said. While in no way representing official opinion, Commodore Groveraines suggested that England should be allowed to build a boat in any section of the Empire, such as Canada, thus saving tl>e six precious weeks’ “ tuning up ” period and the strain and the possibilities of harm in crossing the ocean would be avoided.