AQUATICS

New Zealand Illustrated Sporting & Dramatic Review, Volume IX, Issue 693, 18 June 1903, Page 9

AQUATICS

(By

“The Reefer.”)

The Reliance has been built by a syndicate of nine members of the New York Yacht Club. They are: Judge E. H. Garry, one of the directors of the United States Steel Company ; Clement A. Griscom, of Philadelphia, president of the International Mercantile Marine Company ; Henry Walters, of Baltimore, president of the Atlantic Coast Line ;• Cornelius Vanderbilt, of New York ; P. A. Widener, of Philadelphia ; William Rockefeller, of New York, vice-president of the Standard Oil Company ; James J. Hill, of St. Paul, g resident of the Great Northern Railroad ompany ; Norman B. Ream, of Chicago ; and W. B. Leeds, of Pittsburg.

Many widely divergent statements have j been made as to the cost of a cutter such ; as Shamrock or Columbia, and we have seen it mentioned (says the London “ Field ”) that one of these large cutters cannot be built for less than £50,000. This is, of course, a considerable exaggeration, but there is no doubt that owners do pay very extravagant prices for racing yachts. According to “ Bell s Life,” in 1829, the 127-ton cutter Lulworth cost Mr Weld £14,000, or as much as £llO per ton, and we doubt if this price has ever been exceeded. Lord Belfast und Mr Weld in the first half of the century entered into keen competition for racing honours, and each spent no less than £3o’ooo in the construction of yachts during their years of rivalry, which, as. Mr Montague Guest recalls in his ‘‘ Memorials Of the Royal Yacht Squadron,” were'closed bv the building of Louisa and Alarm. In 1901 the cutter Independence was built in America for the purpose of defending the America Cup, and cost approximately £lOO per ton. This is a very fair estimate of the complete costof the latest type of Cup challenger and defender. Their tonnage by yacht measurement varies from about 260 to 270 tons, and the cost varies slightly, according to the meterials used in construction and the dimensions. The yacht Independence was a very expensively built vessel; and the cost of hull, etc., was certainly not less than the average for the other America Cup yachts. The original contract for the vessel, rigged, was £15,000 ; extra work on hull, rigging, and spars £B5OO ; sails, including two mainsails at £6OO each, wire rope, etc., £OOOO ; general equipment, including a working steam launch, £2OOO • outfitting, clothes for crew, etc., £l5OO ; and sundries, inclusive of commission to the designer, £2ooo—total £26,000. The cost of running the yacht for the season, maintenance, repairs, stowage, wages, racing money, provisions, and general expenses was £15,000. Thus, if we say that the complete cost of building a Cup challenger is £lOO per ton, and the expense of running her is another £6O per ton, we shall have an idea of the expenditure required to bring a Vessel to the starting line in a race for the America Cup.

The annual eight-oar race between the Universities of Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide took place on the Parramatta River on Saturday week. There was a desperate struggle for two miles, the Sydney and Melbourne crews rowing almost level for a long way. Then, however, Sydney gradually edged away, and won rather easily by five lengths, Adelaide being beaten off. Sydney has now won nine times, Melbourne on five occasions, and Adelaide twice.

A cable received during the week? states that the x America Cup challenger, Shamrock 111., arrived at New; York on Monday. She made the trip across in seventeen days, which is under the average. No doubt Shamrock was towed by Sir Thomas, Lipton’s steam yacht Erin for part of the trip, the new regulations allowing this to be done. As the race does not eventuate ti‘l August 20, the Britisher will have two months before her to get thoroughly tuned up. The result of her ti-ials with Shamrock 11. will be awaited with interest.