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1901
When Sir Thomas Lipton asks George Lennox Watson to draw him Shamrock II - the fourth and last challenger designed by the Scottish master - Watson decides to test models in a tank.
Shamrock II becomes the first ever America's Cup contender to be designed after tank testing. Watson completes his tanks tests 36 years before Olin J. Stephens' Ranger campaign.
He compares 12 models made of wax in the William Denny yard test tank at Dumbarton. He makes 60 modifications to the models before adopting the final hull form. He also spends time comparing the different models, including Shamrock I - he is criticised for not doing the same with a model of Columbia, the yacht that defeated Shamrock I.
After the failure of Shamrock II, when asked why his yacht was beaten, he replies: "Because Herreshoff did not carry out tank tests".
Five days after its launching on May 4, Shamrock II sails against Shamrock I. The gaff snaps on the first day of trials. On May 13, the 'old' challenger beats it by three minutes and 30 seconds and, a week later, on the May 20, in a fresh breeze, Shamrock II is beaten again. Two days later, its mast collapses, injuring Kind Edward VII, who is aboard at the time.
By August 11, 1901, Shamrock II is moored in New York.
The America's Cup
September 28 to October 4, 1901, off New York, United States.
Shamrock II races against Columbia in the best of five race series
There are three race course options
The first one is 15-nautical miles to leeward and return from Sandy Hook Lightship.
The second one is a 30-nautical mile equilateral triangle.
The third one is 20-nautical miles to leeward and return from Sandy Hook Lightship.
Results
- September 28, first race, 30 mile windward-leeward course: Columbia beats Shamrock II by 10 minutes and eight seconds on corrected time.
- October 3, second race, 30 mile triangular course: Columbia beats Shamrock II by three minutes and 45 seconds on corrected time.
- October 4, third race, 40 mile windward-leeward course: Columbia beats Shamrock II by 41 seconds on corrected time (Shamrock II had beaten Columbia by two seconds on elapsed time).
Columbia beats Shamrock II by three wins to nil.
The 'old' Columbia beats the brand new Shamrock II in spite of the Irish challenger's scientific approach to design.
The talent of Charlie Barr is considered the biggest factor in the successful defence. Sir Thomas Lipton concludes: "We have been beaten by a better boat". He should have said "by a better skipper".
After the Cup races Shamrock II is dry-docked in Erie basin, New York. It never returns to Great Britain and is broken up in November 1903 to the great pleasure of the Americans who consider it to be the most potent challenger so far.
Shamrock II
1901
J-Class
Great Britain
Yacht club: Royal Ulster Yacht Club, Ireland
Unsuccessful challenger for the 1901 America's Cup
Owner: Sir Thomas Lipton
Rating: 103.79
Designer: George Lennox Watson
Builder: William Denny & Brothers at Dumbarton on the Leven, Scotland.
Sailmaker: Ratsey, Cowes.
Tank test facilities: William Denny at Dumbarton yard.
Year of building: 1900-1901
Launched: April 30, 1901
Skipper: Captain Edward Isaac "Siccy" Sycamore, assisted by Captain Robert Wringe
Afterguard: George Lennox Watson.
New York Yacht Club observer aboard the challenger during the Cup races: W. Buttler Duncan, Jr.
Data
Construction
Construction: Metal
Frames: Steel
Hull: Plating immadium bronze
Mast: Steel
Topmast fitted upright the main mast: bois
Boom: Steel
Bowsprit: Wood
Ballast: Lead
Deck: Pine
Dimensions
Length overall (LOA): 41.01m
Length waterline (LWL): 27.27m
Beam: 7.31m
Draft: 6.32m
Displacement: 150.1 tonnes
Ballast: 83.250 tonnes
Sail area: 1262.43 m2
Mast: 30.30m
Boom: 31.69m
Bowsprit: 8.99m
Topmast: 13.50m
J.T./nc
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Year of building
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1901 |
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Launched
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30/4/1901 |
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Edition 11(1901)
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Crew
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Hull
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Steel |
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Mast
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Steel |
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L.O.A
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41.01 |
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L.W.L
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27.27 |
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Mast
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30.3 |
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Beam
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7.31 |
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Boom
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31.69 |
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Sail Area
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Displacament
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150.1 |
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Draft
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6.32 |
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Rating
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Ballast
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83.25 |
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