Shamrock V

Observations

Shamrock V in hull form was much the same as the American Js but in all four of the Cup races she never looked like winning. Ian Deer in his book Enterprise to Endeavour explains that ,Although Harold Vanderbilt attributed her loss to the lack of variety and number of light sails, fewer winches for adjusting the tension of headstays or shrouds and no tack on the boom goose neck or tackle to tack down the mainsail as the sail and the halyard stretched. Charles Nicholson her designer pointed out that in England there was a strong predjudice against innovation and originality with a strong preference for tradition. Indeed it took most of her crew to take in the mainsheet. Winches were looked upon as unseamanlike

Unlike in America where each and every post on the yacht was filled by the most qualified people regardless of rank or wealth and whose opinion was welcomed,  Shamrock was crewed by paid hands who knew there place and run by Gentlemen. She was a boat of a passing era.