THE AMERICA'S CUP

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22860, 15 October 1937, Page 17

THE AMERICA'S CUP

TESTING SMALL MODEL HULLS ; , - . 'ft AUCKLAND YACHTSMAN'S IMPRESSIONS

t By SPINDRIFT

Details of tests made with small model hulls of sailing yachts, including Mr. Harold S. Vands vbilt's cup winner Ranger, in a specially-built towing tank, were supplied by Mr. E. J- Kelly, of Auckland, who returned by the Monterey after an extended tour of the United States cf America. "The tank method of testing- has been reduced to an eSact science in the last few years," said Mr. Kelly. "The model hulls not only are drawn along in a vertical position, but are towed with heel and leeway in agitated water under, conditions as near as possible to those prevailing when "-jailing on the wind." - W. Starling Burgess and Oliver Stephens, designers of Ranger, Mr. Kelly said, made preliminary tests at Stevens of models of Weetamoe and Rainbow before going ahead with their plans, for the 1937 defender. Later, i live different proposed hull designs for ! Ranger were tested in the tank before one finally was found to be acceptable. Then only were the designers ready to turn their plans over to tho builders. Much of the credit for the development of these methods of testing hull 'resistance belonged to Professor Kenneth S. M. Davidson, director of the | Stevens towing tank. The tank is 100 [ feet iu length and can test heel angles up to 45 degrees and leewavs up to 10 per cent. Cup Races Described Mr. Kelly was unable to obtain accommodation at Newport, Rhode Island, in time to witness the first race for the America's Cup, but succeeded in securing quarters for the remaining three races. Through the courtesy of Mr. W. Crosby, editor of the Rudder, ho received a permit to go aboard the press boat Schilan, a 2000-ton vessel belonging to tho United States Coast Guard fleet._ She was the chief patrol boat and in addition to having 150 pressmen 011 board also carried movie camera men. This particular craft was the only vessel allowed to approach within a reasonable distance of the competitors and Mr. Kelly therefore had an excellent view of the races. Describing the cup series Mr. Kelly said in the first race there was very little wind, and the breaks in the streaky air were about even. After the start Ranger gradually worked out in J front which was due to Mr. Vanderbilt bearing her off with inch by inch turn - of her wheel until ho had her sails full,

out. When Mr. Vanderbilt was notified of this he had Ranger brought to the same yards and hauled out. The examination proved th&t Endeavour 11. was perfect from the water line to the keel, but Ranger's under-water section showed several blisters on the bronze paint which necessitated quite a lot of rubbing down. While 011 the slip Mr. Sopwith had two and a-half tons of ballast taken out of the Endeavour 11. Roth yachts were launched the same evening, and towed from Bristol to Brenton Cove for the night. The race took place off Brenton's Reef on Wednesday, August 4, over a windward and leeward course to 15 miles to windward and 15 miles to leeward. The day was fine with a breeze that started at 11J miles per hour. The boats crossed the starting line together at 12h. 39m. oos. (The time of starting the races was 12.40 p.m.), Endeavour 11. holding the windward position. Both boats broke tacks shortly after the start and tor a time Endeavour 11. sailed much better than she had done in the two previous races. When they met again on the same tack, however, Ranger had a lead of about a-quarter of a mile. Ranger misjudged the mark and had to put in a small board to get round, her time being 2h. 43m. 15s. p.m. Endeavour 11. judged the mark nicely, rounding "it at 2h. 47m. 205., or 4tn. ss. behind Ranger. It was now a flat run to the finishing line, and both boats were a little slow in setting their huge spinnakers. At this period the wind dropped and the yachts were sailing different courses. Within one mile of the finishing line Ranger lowered her spinnaker and jibed, setting her leading jib which was drawing well. She crossed the finishing line at 4h. 34m. 30s. p.m. Endeavour 11. was by this time about half a mile away to leeward and she also had to jibe and set a leading jib. Her finishing time was 4h. 38m. 575., leaving Ranger a winner by 4m. 275. Advantage to Ranger In the fourth and final race which was decided over a triangular course, the wind increased from ten to twelve miles an hour just before the start. Eight minutes before gunfire the two yachts kept close to the starting line. Endeavour 11. secured the weather berth, crossing the line a length in I front of Ranger. Unfortunately En- !

then heading her up against the wind again. By doing that he got Ranger going and with her remarkablo pointing ability he was able eventually to place her in front of Endeavour 11. which had crossed the starting line a length ahead of the defender. At the mark out against the wind Ranger was so far ahead the only recourse Mr. Sopwith had was experimentation with wind and fate. Chasing Ranger home would have been futile, so he resorted to tacking down wind, hoping to got a blast of stirring air on one hand or the other with which to reach faster than Ranger could run. There was no blast, so the experiment was costl}* as far as time over the complete course went. Running home, Ranger set a parachute, belonging to Yankee. She used tho No. 1 mainsail of Enterprise, defender of tho cup in 1930. It is more than seven years old and according to Mr. Vanderbilt it is tho best sail ho had ever seen. Ranger finished at 4h. 41m. 15s. and Endeavour 11. at 4h. 08111 20s.—a win for Ranger by 17m. ss. Light Weather Conditions Tho wind at the start of the second race was very light with an ocean swell and a jobble caused by hundreds of fast motor-boats churning up tho water. The first leg was a beat to windward, and at gunfire Endeavour 11. crossed first slightly ahead on starboard tack, then followed Ranger'on port tack. Theso positions were maintained for fifteen minutes when Ranger changed to starboard tack. It was then seen that Endeavour 11. had gained aquarter of a mile lead 011 her rival. The positions remained unaltered for about four miles, when Ranger came on port tack again. Endeavour 11. carried on for another half mile, than within five niimitos, changed tacks twice. This manoeuvre cost her a lot of ! ground and gave Ranger a fairly com-

deavour 11. beat the gun and. lost lm. 15s. in recrossing. This gave Ranger a decided advantage. Both boats stood on port tack and Ranger gradually worked to windward of Endeavour 11. Then commenced a tacking match between the yachts, each vessel making four tacks in 15 minutes. The wind was gradually increasing and the harder it blew, tho better it suited Endeavour 11. Both skippers showed good judgment in reaching for the first mark, neither having to short tack to round it. The times making the turn were Ranger lh. 57m. 555., Endeavour 11. 2h, 2m. The second leg of the course was a lead and Endeavour 11. improved her position on this ten-mile stretch. The times of rounding the second mark were Ranger 2h. 55m. 25., Endeavour 11. 2h. 58m. 38s. The last leg was a broad lead to the finishing lino and the wind had now increased to sixteen miles per hour. The times of crossing the finishing line were: Ranger 3h. 47m. 495., Endeavour 11. 3h. 51m. 26a. Ranger thus won the fourth race by 3m. 375. This left Ranger the winner of the cup, having won four straight races 011 end. In this race Ranger beat the record for the race over the triangle course, the previous best being held by Endeavour 1. Ranger's time for the course was 3h. 7m. 395. Endeavour I's. time three years ago was 3h. 9m. Is. A pleasing feature, Mr. Kelly said, was that after each race Endeavour 11. was sailed toward Ranger with her crew lined up 011 deck calling three cheers for tho winner. He also stated that 1500 boats fallowed the races each day and oil the fourth day no fewer than 2500 boats lay at anchor at Brenton Cove for the night. Thirty-one coast guard boats patrolled the course and made an excellent job of it.

manding lead which she increased as tho first mark showed up. Ranger rounded the mark at 2h. 27m. 155., followed by Endeavour 11. at 2h. 37ni 40s. (i«.fter having had to put in a short board to round the mark). Tho second log was a close lead and Ranger was then a long way ahead of Endeavour 11. lhmger at this period was sailing well 111 the light wind and increasing her lead rounded the second mark at 3h. 27m. 355., being then 5370 yards ahead of Endeavour 11., which rounded tho mark at 3h. 43m. 50s. The last leg was a broad lead to the finish and at this period tho wind freshened somewhat and Ranger still increasing her lead crossed the finishing line at 4h. 21m. 335. Endeavour 11. at this period could hardly be seen. She crossed the finishing line at 4h. 40m. 55., and left Ranger a winner by 18m. 325., the largest margin in tho history of the America's Cup races. The third race was postponed from Tuesday to Wednesday on the application of Mr. Sopwith. He bad ordered a new quadrilaterial jib, the same as Ranger's, and also wanted to examine the under-water section of Endeavbur If. Immediately after Monday's race Endeavour 11. was taken to the yards of Herreshoff, boatbuilders, and hauled