Page:EB1911 - Volume 28.djvu/924

Rh with three very costly and extreme vessels, “Shamrock I.,” “Shamrock II.” and “Shamrock III.” No. I. and No. III. were designed by W. Fife, and No. II. by G. L. Watson. In 1899 “Shamrock I.” was rather easily defeated by “Columbia.” In 1901 the Americans were not especially successful in building the vessel which they had prepared to defend the cup, and in the trial races the old 1899 yacht “Columbia,” sailed by Captain Charles Barr—a half-brother of the skipper of the Scottish yacht “Thistle”—defeated the new vessel “Constitution,” which had been built for the defence of the trophy for 1901; consequently the New York Yacht Club again selected the “Columbia” to defend the cup against “Shamrock II.” After very close racing the “Columbia”—which was the better handled boat—retained the prize.

The next contest for the cup was in 1903. On this occasion Herreshoff turned out in “Reliance” a wonderful example of a large fin-keeled boat with full pram-bow and light skimming-dish hull. She was of the lightest possible construction (bronze with steel web frames), 90 ft. length L.W.L., 144 ft. length over all, with 16,160 sq. ft. of sail area, 25 ft. 10 in. beam, and a draught of 19 ft. 9 in. “Reliance” was a far more extreme vessel than “Shamrock III.” The latter had a deeper body and a less prammed overhang forward. With the same water-line as “Reliance,” the English yacht had rather over a foot less beam. The chief difference in dimensions, however, was in the sail area; “Shamrock III.” carried 14,337 sq. ft., or 1823 sq. ft. less than “Reliance.” The result was a very easy victory for the “Reliance.”