New English Shell Tried Out

Yesterday afternoon a scrub crew tried out the new English shell, taking a 10 mile paddle up the river beyond the Watertown Arrenal. The members of the crew found difficulty in getting used to the thole-pin rowlocks and short slides which mark the rigging of an English as compared with an American boat. The shell rolled badly and the men failed to get together, so that the boat spaced poorly.

The new shell, which was presented to the University boat club by W. C. Baylies '84 was built by Sims, the well-known Putney boat-builder. It is 63 feet in length, 18 inches longer than the shell used at New London last June; and 24 1-2 inches in breadth in-board, one-half inch broader than last year's boat. The seats, according to the English custom, are placed alternately on either side of the centre, each being three inches from the middle line. This makes possible the use of shorter out-riggers, thus diminishing the amount of power lost by the play of the out-riggers. The riggers in use on the English shell are only 16 1-4 inches out-board, as compared with 20 inches on last year's boat. The use of thole-pins instead of swivel-rowlocks is supposed to give a firmer catch at the beginning of the stroke, afford the men a support to press against on the swing forward, and provide a means of telling when the members of the crew shoot their hands away in unison. The bottom of the boat is broader and flatter than the ordinary American shell.

The crew was made up as follows: stroke, Sargent; 7, Richardson; 6, E. C. Bacon; 5, Rackemann; 4, Lunt; 3, Coach Wray; 2, Waide; bow, Fall; cox., King