PILGRIM : SPECIFICATIONS AND LINES

Category: PILGRIM

PilgrimFTVHOW THE PILGRIM WILL LOOK

LogoNYT WILMINGTON, Dek, May 8, 1893.- The mantle of secrecy has been quite as carefully thrown around the Boston syndicate cup defender Pilgrim, now building at the yard or Pusey & Jones, at this place, as around any of the Herreshoff productions, and really very little has been known about her except that she was a fin keel of extreme draught.

Now, however, THE TIMES's correspondent has been able to partially lift that veil and, from a personal observation of the boat, tell dimensions and appearance with reasonable accuracy...

PilgrimDock... Her great draught, the greatest ever put on a racing yacht, would alone stamp her as a remarkable production, but when many other things in the design are taken into consideration, it is not far out of the way to say that the performance of no single one of the cup-defense fleet will be watched with more interest by yachtsmen and yacht designers on both sides of the ocean.

In designing the boat Messrs. Stewart & Binney have evidently sought to secure the greatest possible power on the least possible displacement, and so far as the writer can judge they have succeeded, for the boat while carrying a sail plan considerably larger than that on the old Volunteer, has many tons less displacement and has, consequently, just so much less weight to be carried through the water.

The object has been attained by carrying the lead at the lowest possible point and thus taking a much less amount of it to give the stability required. When it is stated that the new boat will carry less than 20 tons or lead in place of the 55 carried by the Volunteer and the 70 carried by the Herreshoff boats, the proposition just advanced becomes apparent, but the result is a racing machine which will have to stay in deep water and which will be barred from many places accessible to the three others. But this is not an obstacle which will count in the races, and it is evident that the Boston syndicate is out for the honor of cup defense at whatever cost.PilgrimCouplesS Racing and not cruising conditions have governed the design.

In model the boat shows a very easy midship section, a floor with considerable dead rise, and a body which, in its clean lines both forward and aft, promises speed in all sorts or water, from the ease with which it can be driven through the water. There is not a hollow in her lines anywhere, and the overhangs are simply extended enough to properly carry out the body.

The bilge is an easy one and turns cleanly from the straight floor to the flaring topside. The extreme beam of the boat is at the deck, and the water-line beam must be more than two feet less. The water lines appear almost straight forward and are moderately full aft.

The whole effect of the model is that of a boat with a small and fine under-water body, a good side to sail on when she is heeled, and an exceedingly easy body to drive through the water. The body is also one which should be easy in a sea way, for there is no suspicion of flatness in the bow. “A fine model to look at." was the comment of one or the builders. And in this connection it may be said, that the boat is thought exceedingly well of at the Bristol yard and is considered to be right in the fight.

Her fin will be a steel plate, and will be firmly screwed to the keel by bolts and angle irons. It will not be put on at the Wilmington yard, but the boat will be docked in New-York for the work. The bulb of lead will be bolted on either side the fin in the usual way.

PilgrimLinesDS2One marked peculiarity of the boat's model is the carrying of a metal centreboard forward of the fin to secure the necessary lateral resistance forward in windward work. This board will be about seven feet long and will drop in the usual way.

In construction the boat is of steel through-out with a bit heavier frames than some of the boats, but with fully as light plating. Extra strength is given where extra strain is brought and the deck will be strapped in the most approved fashion. The steel plates will be treated with muriatic acid before they are put on and smoothness about equal to Tobin bronze will thereby be obtained.

Pilgrim3DThe plating will be lapped and not matched. This form is easier to apply, and also saves weight in butt straps. No reduction in speed is expected from the lap plating, for the lines of the laps follow very closely the lines in which the water will make its way under and around the boat. The firm say that from her shape and the absence of all hollows the boat will be a very easy one to plate.

As to the rig which she will carry, it can be said that, while it will be larger than that or the old Volunteer, it will be the smallest of the four cup defenders. The spars are now being made at Lawley's. Comparing the Pilgrim with the other big single-stickers, it will be found that she has the least displacement, the easiest form to drive, and the best rig to handle. Those who are most interested in her and who know much about her, see no reason why she should not be a very fast and able craft. Hopes of her success are quoted as high.

Her interior accommodations will be no more than is necessary to make her habitable. There will be a small cabin, two staterooms, a galley, and a big forecastle for the crew. The interior fittings are very light and many of them will come out on racing days. Hatchway combings on deck are low and light and all skylights will be replaced by racing hatches when the boat is out for business.

PILGRIM : DATA TABLE
 Designer   George A. Steward & Arthur Binney
 Builder   Pusey & Jones
 Owner   Syndicate with Bayard Thayer, Wiliam Amory Gardner and general Chase H. Taylor
 Club   
 Cup   1893
 Skipper   Charles Francis Adams
 Afterguard   Capt. Edward Sherlock
 Launching   June 12, 1893
 Type   fin keel sloop
 Hull material   steel
 Mast material   
 L.O.A.   121' 10
 L.W.L.   85'
 Beam   22' 10
 Draft   22'
 Mainmast   75,12'
 Mainboom   93,84'
 Bowsprit   
 Maintopmast   47,68'
 Maingaff   54,55'
 Displacement   90 T
 Sail area   10,261 sq ft
 Rating   93,31
 End of life   June 30, 1935: Pilgrim listed as abandoned.

 

Download DELFTSHIP LINES : Delftship file to finish and background images

 

USEFUL LINKS