14 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[July 6, 1895. 



Seawanhaka Corinthian T. C. 



The officers of tbe Seawanhaka Corinthian Y. C, including the race 

 committee, have been particularly active this season in planning that 

 the club may do its full share in the Sound racing, the opening races 

 of the club covering practically the ten days up to July 4. The date 

 of the annual regatta was set for June 24, the fleet sailing next day for 

 Morris Cove and on Wednesday for Sew London, the time for the two 

 runs being cumulative. On Thursday, June 27, the fleet was invited 

 to take part in the regatta of the Pequot Casino Association, while on 

 Friday the yachtsmen could w itness the Harvard- Yale boat race. The 

 return programme was to be decided on at New London, one or two 

 days' racing, allowing time for the fleet to reach Oyster Bay on Mon- 

 day. July ij and on the following day a special race was arranged from 

 Oyster Bay to Larchmont, the course being from off the mouth of 

 Oyster Bay Harbor around the easterly buoy of the Larchmont 

 courses, then around the Prospect Point buoy, again around the east- 

 erly buoy and in to a finish off Larchmont Harbor, 22 miles. Tbe race 

 to be open to yachts of the American, Atlantic. Brooklyn, Corinthian, 

 Eastern, Larcbmont, New York and Pavonia Clubs and the clubs of 

 the Yacht Racing Union of Long Island Sound; each rig, schooner, 

 cutter and cat, to sail as a separate class,with a first prize in each and 

 a second prize if four or more start. The prizes for the New London 

 races were to be, for the race to New London: 



For Schooners— First, prize offered by the commodore, value $150; 

 second prize offered by the rear-commodore, value $50. 



For Cutters — First prize offered by the vice-commodore, value $150; 

 second prize offered by the rear- commodore, value $50. 



For the race from New London: 



For Schooners— First prize offered by the rear-commodore, value 

 $150; second prize offered by the vice-commodore, value $50. 



For Cutters— First prize offered by the commodore, value $100; 

 second prize offered by the vice-commodore, value $50. 



A special prize of $100 for all schooners, and one of the same 

 amount for all cutters over 43ft. 



On Monday, June 24, there was a large fleet at anchor off the station, 

 the flagship Oneida, Com. E C. Benedict; the schooner Iroquois, Vice- 

 Corn. H. C. Rouse; the sloop Indolent, Rear Com. S. V. R Cruger; the 

 st^am yachts Sapphire II., formerly Cleopatra, Vision, Allegra, Reverie, 

 Clermont, Alcedo, Nada, and Nirvana; the schooners Emerald, Alcaea, 

 Ramona, Mon Reve Clate Thetis) ; and the cutters Uvira, Queen Mab, 

 "Wasp, Gossoon, Norota, Infanta, Katrina and Hildegard. Among the 

 many smaller craft were the new 34-f ooters Dragoon, Adele and Vorant 

 IL ; the 21-f ooters Celia and Houri, the 1 raters Wave and Shrimp, the 

 15-f ooter Trust Me, and the Senorita, Indolent, Maud, Feydeh, Beatrix, 

 Mary, Nameless, Dove, Lurline, Oconee, Kittie, Ethel and others. 

 Most of those present were bent on racing, the starters numbering 32, 

 a very good fleet as regattas go to-day. Unfortunately this fleet was 

 distributed among 16 different classes, so that several yachts were 

 obliged to sail over, the full prize being given, however. In no case 

 were there more than the necessary three starters, so no second prize 

 was given. The Leland Challenge cup was this year given in the 

 85ft. schooner class, but failed to bring out more than one entry. 



The starting line and finish was off the mouth of the harbor, the 

 courses being, for the larger yachts, down to the 43ft. class of single- 

 stickers, two rounds of the ''Sound triangular course," five miles N. 

 W. by W. to a mark buoy off Greenwich Point; five miles E. y 2 N. to a 

 second buoy off Long Neck Point, and five miles home; the 21-footers 

 sailing one round of the same course. For the 36, 30, 25 and 34ft. 

 special classes the "Sbippan course" was sailed twice, five miles N. 

 around the Cows Buoy, 2 miles E. V6 S. around the Long Neck Point 

 mark and home over the last leg of the "Sound" course, 24 miles in 

 all. The 20 and 15ft. classes sailed one round of the "Shippan course." 



There was a light northerly wind when the fleet left Seawanhaka 

 Harbor just before noon for the starting line, the tide being ebb. A 

 special class was made of Ramona and the steel schooner Alccea, 

 under charter for the season to Mr. James Ross, of Montreal, a mem- 

 ber of the club. Iroquois was swinging a new and wonderful main- 

 sail, an experimental sail lately made by Wilson & Griffin, on the plan 

 devised by Mr. Gilbert L. Wilson, the seams running from the leach 

 inward, but at all angles, no two cloths being parallel. She, as well as 

 the new Norota and Vorant II., carriedjibs cut after the same system, 

 but less peculiar in appearance, the cloths being wider and less 

 divergent. Norota in particular had a very fine jib and staysail. The 

 34ft. class for the first time this season showed more than one starter, 

 there being present besides the victorious Dragoon the new McGiehan 

 boat Adele and the new Olmstead boat Vorant. The little Wave sailed 

 with her English rig, but her sister boat, Shrimp, was under a new 

 and larger sail plan. The fleet was started in two divisions, all above 

 the 60ft. singlestick class in the first, the smaller craft in the second; 

 the starting interval being five minutes to cross, the handicap signal 

 for the first division marking the start of the second. A very fine 

 start was made, though the line was well inside the mouth of the 

 harbor, leaving little room for maneuvering such deep yachts as 

 Ramona, Alcasa and Wasp in the middle of a lot of small fry. In spite 

 of this the yachts crossed very promptly and without mishap, the 

 times being: 



WaBp 12 50 52 Houri 12 56 49 



Queen Mab 12 51 10 Vorant II 12 56 58 



Ramona 12 52 12 Dove. 12 57 03 



Hildegard 12 52 19 Feydeh 12 57 04 



Alca-a 12 52 40 Mary 12 57 27 



Iroquois 12 53 02 Dragoon 12 57 33 



Emerald 12 53 03 Kittie 12.57 41 



Wave 12 55 35 Shrimp 12 57 50 



Nameless 12 55 51 Infanta 12 57 51 



Dodo 12 55 55 Ethel 12 57 58 



Beatrix , 12 56 03 Oconee 12 58 53 



Indolent 12 56 05 Senorita 12 58 41 



Maud 12 56 10 Adele 12 59 04 



Norota 12 50 21 Gossoon 12 59 19 



Celia 12 56 35 Trust Me 12 59 53 



Lurline 12 56 42 Uvira 1 0000 



The larger yachts had a reach to the first mark, but the smaller had 

 to make a tack, some doing so shortly after crossing, getting a lift 

 under the shore of Lloyd's Neck. Wasp set the pace, followed by 

 Queen Mab; and Alcsea, crossing to windward, but a little astern of 

 Ramona, soon ran by her. Iroquois started ahead of Emerald and up 

 to windward of the fleet, a very pretty race resulting before the lat- 

 ter got by after a little luffing. Wasp and Queen Mab overstood the 

 mark and sailed more water than necessary, but it made little matter, 

 the former sailing alone and the latter being well ahead of Hildegard 

 and steadily gaining. The times at the Greenwich Point mark were: 

 Wasp 1:39:47, Emerald 1:40:33, Queen Mab 1:42:17, Iroquois 1:43:17, 

 Alcsea 1:44:17, Bamona 1:45:15, Norota 1:46:48, Hildegard l:48:37,Uvir a 

 1:48:50, Gossoon 1:49:34. 



Alcaja had no balloon main topmaststay sail aboard, and when 

 Ramona set hers she ran up very fast on tbe smaller boat. Dragoon 

 set the pace for the Shippan division, sailing vpry fast indeed. 



Just after the schooners rounded the first mark, the wind went to 

 the eastward and made a beat to the second and a reach home. The 

 first round was timed: — 



Emerald 3 18 20 Uvira 3 42 42 



Dragoon 3 26 12 Ramona 3 43 44 



Wasp 3 27 38 Indolent 3 44 36 



Queen Mab 8 29 39 Gossoon , 3 46 30 



Senorita 3 32 15 Kittie , 3 47 44 



Iroquois 3 32 30 Dodo 3 47 45 



Infanta 3 33 00 Ethel 3 51 30 



Vorant H 8 34 40 Norota 3 52 16 



Alcaja 3 36 11 Feydeh .3 54 56 



Mary 3 39 40 Shrimp 4 00 06 



Adele 3 41 09 Nameless 4 00 38 



Beatrix 4 01 15 Dove 4 19 25 



Maud 4 06 45 Wave 4 19 54 



Lurline 4 18 48 Houri 4 26 01 



Trust Me 4 82 05 



The first leg of the second round was sailed quickly, but then the 

 wind fell and the fleet drifted for a time in the middle of the Sound. 

 Ramona was in hard luck for a time, being becalmed while the other 

 boats held a little breeze. Just as the greater part of the fleet was 

 approaching the finish the sky blackened ominously and a very hard 

 squall swept over the Sound. Fortunately it was of short duration, 

 though much rain fell in a little time. Topsails were struck on the 

 larger yachts and the smaller ones doused everything, while their 

 crews sat aud took the deluge as best they could. Gossoon went 

 through it bravely, tearing along under three lower sails, and the little 

 fin-keel Feydeh fairly flew along. The wind soon dropped to a mod- 

 erate breeze that brought all in safely. The official times were: 



SCHOONERS — CLASS I. 



Start. Finish. Elapsed. Corrected. 



Ramona 12 52 12 6 38 17 5 46 05 5 46 05 



Alcasa 12 52 40 6 31 10 5 38 29 5 32 12 



SCHOONERS— 95FT. CLASS. 



Emerald 12 53 03 6 07 18 5 14 15 5 05 C6 



SCHOONERS— 85FT. CLASS. 



Iroquois 12 53 02 6 19 49 5 26 47 5 IS 4J 



CUTTERS — 70Fr. CLASS. 



Hildegard 12 52 19 Withdrew. 



Queen Mab 12 51 10 6 17 00 5 25 50 5 23 35 



COTTERS — 60FT. CLASS. 



Wasp 12 50 52 6 16 32 5 25 40 5 13 35 



34ft. special class. 



Dragoon 12 57 33 5 58 36 5 01 03 5 01 03 



Adele 12 59 04 6 24 25 5 25 21 5 25 21 



Vorant H 12 56 58 Withdrew. 



50FT. CLASS— COTTERS. 



Uvira 1 00 00 6 32 45 6 32 45 5 08 56 



Gossoon 12 59 19 6 38 59 5 38 40 5 17 00 



36ft. class— cotters. 



Senorita 12 58 41 Withdrew. . ,„ 



Indolent 12 56 05 6 21 23 5 25 18 5 25 18 



Infanta 12 57 59 6 19 54 5 21 43 5 14 02 



30ft. class— cotters. 



Beatrix 12 56 03 6 57 23 6 01 20 5 55 57 



Maud 12 56 10 Withdrew. 



Feydeh 12 57 04 6 42 24 5 45 20 5 45 20 



25ft. class— cutters. 



Dodo 12 52 55 6 55 17 5 59 22 5 59 22 



Nameless 12 55 51 Withdrew. 



21ft. special class— sloops. 



Celia 12 56 35 4 44 36 3 45 01 3 48 01 



Houri 12 56 48 4 26 01 3 29 12 3 29 12 



30ft. class— cabin CATS. 



Mary 12 57 27 6 26 37 5 29 10 5 29 10 



Oconee 12 58 23 Withdrew. 



25FT CLASS— CABIN CATS. 



Kittie 12 57 41 8 47 44 2 50 03 2 50 03 



Ethel 12 57 53 3 51 30 2 53 32 2 45 28 



20FT. CLASS — CABIN CATS. 



Dove 12 57 03 4 19 25 3 22 22 3 22 22 



20FT. CLASS — SLOOPS. 



Wave 12 57 35 4 19 54 3 24 19 3 24 19 



Shrimp 12 57 50 4 00 06 3 02 16 3 02 16 



Trust Me 12 59 53 4 32 05 3 32 12 3 24 18 



The winners were: Schooners— Class 1, Alcam; 95ft. class, Emerald; 

 85ft. class, Iroquois. Cutters-70ft. class. Queen Mab; 60ft. class, 

 Wasp; 50ft. class, Uvira; 34ft. special class, Dragoon; 36ft. class, In- 

 fanta; 30ft. class, Feydeh; 25ft. class, Dodo; 21ft. special class, Houri: 

 20ft. class, Shrimp. Cabin Cats— 30ft. class, Mary; 25ft. class, Ethel; 

 20ft. class, Dove. 



Emerald won the Leland cup and special schooner prize, and Wasp 

 the special cutter prize. 



The rain continued through the evening and interfered with the fes- 

 tivities ashore to a certain extent, though the club house was full and 

 there was music and dancing. 



Tuesday morning was clear and very calm, and not untill 1:25 P. M. 

 was the start given, eleven yachts crossing the line: Emerald. Wasp, 

 Norota, Ola, Katrina, Gossoon, Dragoon, Hildegard, Indolent, Iro- 

 quois and Alcaea, the latter being becalmed up the harbor and starting 

 an hour after the fleet. Ariel arrived on Monday from New London, 

 having started on Saturday morning and met calm weather, and she 

 and Clytie started, but did not cross the line. The wind was light for 

 a time, but finally came in from the south, and the boats started at a 

 good pace over the 39 miles to Morris Cove. After passing Stratford 

 Point a rain squall with a strong breeze came from tbe eastward, fol- 

 lowed by a fog, which delayed the fleet. The times taken were: 



SCHOONERS. 



Finish. Elapsed. Corrected. 



Alcasa Allows. Not timed. 



Emerald 3 02 6 44 37 5 19 37 5 16 35 



Iroquois 8 46 7 34 20 C 09 20 6 00 34 



CUTTERS. 



Katrina Allows. 6 33 19 5 08 19 5 08 19 



Wasp 27 46 6 26 02 5 01 02 4 33 16 



Gossoon 36 17 7 32 40 6 07 40 5 31 23 



A wind factor of 65 per cent, was used, based on the average force of 

 the wind during the race. The regatta committee accompanied Com. 

 Benedict on the Oneida. 



An early start was made next morning at 10:05, there being a mod- 

 erate breeze from S.E. which held all day, though light and variable 

 at times. The fleet was timed at New London: 



Allow- Cumulative 

 ance. Finish. Elapsed. Corrected. Cor'cted. 



AlcEea Al'ws. 6 11 05 8 06 05 8 06 05 



Emerald 03 43 5 41 55 7 36 55 7 33 12 12 49 47 



Iroquois 10 12 5 59 00 7 54 00 7 43 48 IS 44 22 



Katrina Al'ws. 5 10 50 7 05 50 7 05 50 12 14 09 



Hildegard 12 40 Withdrew. 



Wasp 28 23 5 02 35 6 57 85 6 29 12 11 02 28 



Gossoon 42 08 5 26 53 7 51 53 7 09 45 12 41 08 



Norota 55 43 6 12 43 8 07 43 7 12 00 12 59 82 



The wind factor for the run of 39 miles was 60 per cent. The first 

 prizes go to Emerald and Wasp, and the second to Iroquois and Kat- 

 rina. 



Defender's Steering- Gear. 



From the Boston Globe. 

 Like some ether carefully guarded secrets about the boat, the 

 secret of the improved bevel steering gear, of which mention has pre- 

 viously been made, is a secret no longer. The accompanying cut and 

 description give an excellent idea of it, and show that in this as well 

 as in many other things the boat is away ahead of anything else in 

 her class. 



The main idea of the gear is to secure such speed of movement as is 

 found in a tiller, while at the same time getting power enough to 

 steer the boat should she prove at all hard headed. This object has 



Stern. 



STEERING GEAR OF DEFENDER. 



apparently been accomplished, for it is stated that three quarters of a 

 turn of the wheels will throw the helm hard up or hard down. If 

 power is needed, the throwing of a clutch brings a compound gear 

 into action. 



In the cut the two As represent the steering wheels, B the brass- 

 bearing connecting rudder post with steering shaft, O the rudder post, 

 D the quadrant gear, E the bevel-pinion engaging quadrant, FF the 

 bronze frame, G the brake, HH the two clutch gears. II the compound 

 gearing, JJ the hand levers operating compound gearing, and KK the 

 deck lines. 



The cut shows a side view with the compound gearing on. To 

 change to direct gearing the man at the wheel drops one lever, J, 

 throws in the clutches, HH, and changes other l6ver, J, to port. In 

 changing either way, the helmsman places his foot on lever, G, which 

 keeps the boat on her course while the change is made. 



The wheels are so arranged that four men can he put at them if need 

 be. The wheels are on the same shaft and work together. The gear 

 is boxed over, so that none of its parts are in ordinary view. The in- 

 vention is that of Nat Herreshoff , and is patented. 



Cohasset Y. C. Second Championship. 



COHASSET. 



Saturday, June 39. 

 There was a strong breeze and heavy sea off Cohasset on June 29, 



but the yachts of the Cohasset Y. C. sailed a fine race, the times 

 being: 



FIRST CLASS. 



Length. Elapsed. Corrected. 



Grimalkin, Com. Howe 22.10 1 50 55 1 30 10 



Winona, H. Braman 26.08 1 49 85 1 31 23 



Khedive, J. W. Wilcutt 27.03 2 02 58 1 45 07 



Edytha, F. W. Clark Did not finish. 



SECOND GLASS. 



Zig Zag, C. W. Gammons 20.02 1 15 50 52 50 



Arab, C. Couseas Not meas. 1 33 05 



THIRD CLASS. 



Fredora, A. O. Higgins 16.06 1 00 20 47 04 



Escort, J. Richardson 14.05 1 02 20 o 47 46 



Hazard, F. Pegram 15.05 1 03 55 50 §0 



Banshee, H. Montgomery 14.10 1 06 40 52 22 



Watermelon, M. Knowles 14.07 Withdrew. 



FIRST SPECIAL CLASS. 



Elsie E, F. Higgins 14.04 1 05 12 50 34 



Nameless, L Blossom 13.04 1 08 12 52 50 



Widgeon, F. Higginson n.06 1 21 38 1 05 06 



SECOND SPECIAL CLASS. 



Quamino, C. H. Cousens 1 21 20 



Defender. 



The uncertainties of yachting were never more clearly and con 

 spicuously demonstrated than on the afternoon of Saturday last, at 

 12:54 Eastern time. The new challenger, Valkyrie III. . was nearing the 

 Skelmorlie mark on the second round of the Royal Northern Y. C. re- 

 gatta, her maiden race, with a lead of over half an hour over Britan- 

 nia and still more over Ailsa; at the same minute the new Cup de- 

 fender, with the champagne dripping from her bows and her name 

 Defender still echoing through the shops, was gathering rapid way as 

 she cleared the doors of the south shops and felt the water surging 

 round her bronze keel. When the Clyde race finished, two hours 

 later, Britannia was flying another winning flag, and the unlucky De- 

 fender was perched almost high and dry in a dangerous position on 

 the launching ways, just outside the shop, after all efforts to move her 

 had failed. 



In the case of the challenger, the result was in no way serious; she 

 had sailed her first race in variable weather without mishap, and to 

 all appearances quite realizing the expectations of her designer as far 

 as the test went. At times she had profited by the flukes of the wind, 

 and in the end the chances of war were against her, she was becalmed 

 for a long while, Britannia meanwhile coming up and just saving her 

 time. 



With the new defender the matter was more serious, at best it - 

 meant a great disappointment to many people, with the dishearten- 

 ing effects which always attend an unsuccessful launching; and what 

 is of more practical conseqence, the loss of time, which is growing 

 more valuable each day. Furthermore, the yacht lay in a very dan- 

 gerous position, perched up high on the new ways, with only her fin 

 immersed at high water, the average rise of the tide being but 5ft., 

 and inadequately cradled for any such emergency. In event of a strong 

 N. W. wind and a sea, the consequences might easily be very serious: the 

 sinking of a part of the new ways under the continued heavy strain, 

 the failure of the cradle, if it can be called such, or the overthrow of 

 the huge hull through the force of the wind and sea. 



So many changes have been made and so many false reports set 

 afloat about the date of the launch that up to the middle of last week 

 there was almost as much uncertainty as a month ago. In the morn- 

 ing papers of June 25 an official statement was made that the launch 

 would take place at high water, between 12 M. and 1 P. M., on Satur- 

 day, June 29, and that the public would be admitted to one of the 

 docks of the Herreshoff works. There was a general feeling that this 

 announcement was but a blind, and that the yacht would in the 

 meanwhile be rushed quietly into the water; and this suspicion was 

 strengthened by a report in a New York evening paper on the same 

 day that it had just been decided to launch next day, June 26. On 

 the strength of this latter report, some newspaper men and photog- 

 raphers took the night express for Providence and the first train on 

 Wednesday morning for Bristol, being rewarded by a fine view of the 

 outside of the Herreshoff works, with the regular watchman in the 

 foreground, and of the beautiful expanse of water inside of Prudence 

 Island. 



As events proved, the Saturday story was true, the launch being ' 

 really set for that day and a number of prominent guests invited; as 

 for the photographers, newspaper men and general public, they wisely 

 did not wait for invitations. Saturday morning was hazy and over- 

 cast, with a close atmosphere and no wind, the water being quite calm. 

 Up to 10 o'clock there was only the little steam yacht Nautilus and 

 the schooner Priscilla off the works, but Colonia was visible in the 

 distance, under tow, coming from New London with an absence flag 

 aloft, while a large white schooner was beating up slowly and many 

 small sails were visible in the distance. A little later a good breeze 

 sprung up, bringing in sailing craft from all quarters, and by 11 

 o'clock there was a large fleet at anchor about the two piers of the 

 works. 



The big Valiant came in from New York with Mr. W. K. Vanderbilt 

 and a party aboard, anchoring well off shore. The Conqueror came in 

 close to the piers, with the Ballymena and Sheerwater, on board the 

 latter being Mr. E. D. Morgan and a party. In the road in front of the 

 main shop was a bustling crowd of men, boys, wheelmen, fakirs, 

 equestrians— all watching the closed gates and doors. Peddlers sell- 

 ing badges and souvenirs made from tbe punchings and clippings 

 from the bronze and aluminum plates were about in numbers, and 

 one dealer had a large display of aluminum cups, tableware and 

 cooking utensils, all warranted to be made from pieces of the De- 

 fender. 



From the shore side of the shops there was nothing to be seen but 

 the busy and bustling crowd; many people have been admitted to the 

 works during the past three weeks, and during the morning many 

 more were passed in through the partly opened door, but the news- 

 paper men were rigidly excluded, watchmen and policemen being 

 plentifully distributed. The water doors of the shop were open, how- 

 ever, workmen being busy on the ways and about the stern, but row- 

 boats were hardly to be had; a man was lucky if he could charter at 

 any price a leaky bateau with portions of a pair of sculls. Early in 

 the week a clever artist of the Providence Journal, with a companion, 

 had rowed quietly up to these same big doors, almost the whole front 

 of the building up to the gable having been cut out, first to pass 

 Colonia in 1893 and now for the new boat. The pair laid by quietly 

 for about an hour, the artist securing a very good sketch of the after- 

 body of the yacht, no easy matter when her great size and extreme 

 proportions are considered. The sketch, however, is incorrect in one 

 particular, showing a rib along the horn timber, an ogee to the foot 

 of the frames; the frames of the counter make a fair sweep across at 

 the after end, merging into an increasing angle as they go forward. 

 The venturous artist had nearly finished his picture before his object 

 was discovered ; then he was greeted with a shower of washers and 

 bolts and other missiles, including coal tar, and finally vacated his 

 position after attainio g his end. In the morning the stern of the yacht 

 was surrounded by a light and lofty scaffolding used by the painters, 

 but this was quickly taken down, disclosing the entire afterbody from 

 the water. Two steam derricks and a pile driver were close in to the 

 shops, a diver working steadily under water and sending up bundles 

 of old and rusty rails from alongside the ways, the derrick lifting 

 them out. About noon Mr. and Mrs. C. Oliver Iselin, with their chil- 

 dren, arrived with quite a party of guests in carriages, and all were 

 admitted to the shop. 



By this time there was a noisy and excited but thoroughly good- 

 natured crowd pressing against the gates leading to the north wharf, 

 which was augmented a little later by the contents of a special train 

 from Providence. When the gates were opened at 12:30, the sight was 

 an amusing one — a footrace pell mell for the end of the dock, the 

 crowd almost in an instant swarming over the pier, the pile driver and 

 the roofs of the adjoining buildings. The South pier was reserved for 

 the Herreshoff family and their friends, and for the owners of the 

 yacht. Among the many vessels present were two tugs, one char- 

 tered by Stebbins, the Boston photographer, and the other by Bolles, 

 of Brooklyn, while cameras without number bristled from the piers 

 and neighboring yachts and boats. 



In their method of launching the Herreshoffs are quite as uncon- 

 ventional and original as in everything else, and to all appearances in 

 this case, as in Wasp and other boats, the arrangements were simple 

 and to the average eye inadequate. It was impossible to inspect them 

 near at hand, and all that could be seen waB during the brief moment 

 while they moved from the end of the shop into the water; but even 

 this glance was sufficient to show the absence of such long and 

 carefully built cradling as is always considered necessary for a 

 sharp and heavy vessel. The sliding ways apparently were 

 not more than 20ft long. On top of them were heavy oak crosB 

 bearers supporting the keel. From this foundation ran up almost 

 vertically six spruce timbers, 6x6in., on each side of the vessel, each 

 abutting against the lower edge of one of the outer strakes of plating. 

 The base was so narrow, probably not more than 9ft., that these long 

 shores were almost vertical, and of themselves could afford little sup- 

 •port. They were, however, held by long bolts through the cross 

 bearers, drawing their heads against the sides of the fin. The calcula- 

 tions for the launching weights were based on the figures used in the 

 larger class of vessel, the limit of weight per foot of surface being 

 normal. It is to be said that probably two-thirds of the launching 

 weight of the vessel was in her lead keel, some 75 tons or more, and 

 that this itself had a very wide base; but on the other hand, the super- 

 structure, the hull proper, is very lofty, and in a strong wind might be 

 an element of danger; while the ways were new and in no way tested 

 as to the weight they could safely carry on a very narrow and short 

 base. As she passed out of the shop, the most striking feature of the 

 whole launch was the disproportion between the big lofty hull and the 

 match-like sticks resting against the lower part of the fin. 



At 12:45 the tide was at its height and everything in readiness, and a 

 few blows of mauls came from within the shop. Mrs. Iselin stood by 

 the bows with a small hammer, and when the hull began to move, at 

 12:54, she promptly broke the bottle and christened the yacht Defender. 

 The spectators outside, missing the musical rally that ordinarily an- 

 nounces the last ten minutes before a launch, were quite unprepared 

 when the cry went up from InBide showing that the vessel had started, 

 but in another moment the long sounter cleared the door and half a 

 dozen nimble members of the new crew set a flagpole with a large 

 new silk ensign. Then the bow cleared, and another pole went up 

 forward bearing the burgee of the New York Y. O. and the private 

 flags of Messrs. Iselin, Vanderbilt and Morgan. The crowd cheered, 

 guns were fired on the yachts, and the scene became exciting; as she 

 left the door of the shop the yacht gathered way, a square platform 

 of planks, one side loaded with lead, was dropped from the bow to 

 act as a drag, but before it had fairly caught the water the yacht be- 

 gan to slow up and of a sudden stopped, having run just about three 

 times her own length, or one length clear of the house. At this point 

 only her fin was immersed, up to the point where it flared into the 

 body of the hull. 



