THE AMERICA’S CUP

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22366, 13 September 1934, Page 10

THE AMERICA’S CUP

DEFENDER DESCRIBED FEATURES OF THE RAINBOW. The announcement by the New York Yacht Club of the selection of the Rainbow as the defender of the America’s Cup in the forthcoming races with the new British challenger, Endeavour, is another triumph for Mr William Starling Burgess, a naval architect, and Mr Harold S. Vanderbilt, the head of a syndicate of prominent yachtsmen who were responsible for America retaining the cup in 1930. ; - The Rainbow, like the Enterprise, the previous successful defender of the trophy, is a “mechanical ship,” with metallic spars, powerful winches and aeronautical rigging. There is a considerable amount of sentiment in

America against making the sport of yachting a mechanical competition dependent on large expenditures of money, and many yachtsmen hoped that the Yankee, which is more in accord with the traditions of the old clippers and the “ days of iron men and wooden ships,” would win the trials. When the Sopwith challenge finally eventuated, what was believed to be the better of two models became that of the Rainbow. Her construction and rig was worked out with characteristic Burgess regard for minute detail, and the-completed vessel is longer, narrower, heavier- and has proved much less ex-

pensive than the Enterprise. Rainbow’s principal dimensions are a close mean between those of Weetamoe and Enterprise, due, not to mathematical calculations or the drafting hoard, but the

results of tank experiments. She has a graceful liow similar to that of the Yankee before her alterations this season, but her bilges are somewhat fuller and her topsides have a decided tumble home. The underbody of the Rainbow is of bronze plates bolted to steel frames, while her topsides are made of steel,' which is an economy in both weight and money, A unique feature of the Rainbow is an unusually spacious sail locker riitfniug nearly the whole length of the salonri floor. When in racing trim the floorboards, tables and other fittings are removed, and the sails can be delivered on the deck in about half the usual l ime.

The mast of the Rainbow, with a height of 154 ft, is made of duralumin, a particularly strong aluminium alloy, and weighs 1831 b more than the required minimum of 55001 b. It is oval in shape with cross section dimensions of 30in by 18in. This new material and streamlined shape are considered to have given the spar at least 50 per cent, more strength than the old one on the Enterprise. Another innovation in the Rainbow is the use of solid metal shrouds of chrome nickel steel which under test showed an elasticity equal to that of wire rope. Being (if smaller diameter, they offer considerably less wind resistance. Quite a lot of the Enterprise’s equipment,

such as her centreboard, winches, mast

spreaders, and deck rails, have been • utilised on the Rainbow to save expense, and during the first trials she carried several of the Enterprise’s mainsails recut. Her wheel bears the inscription

“Enterprise, 1030. Rainbow, 1934.” The new defender lias white topsides with a broad black boot top, and her name in bloob letters of gold on the stern. Most of the Rainbow’s crew served on the Enterprise under Mr Vanderbilt, and from ber very first sailing trial on May IS they have been carefully training. The perfect organisation demanded hy C Air Vanderbilt, who is both skipper and manager, w#s an important factor in the success of the Enterprise four years ago. '