July 27, 1895.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



81 



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■where the after section of the new lead, about 6ft. long, was removed 

 and replaced by an oak chock of the same shape, it being found that 

 the yacht was by the stern.. 



The lowering of so much lead by 3 to 4ft. should materially improve 

 the yacht's stability. The displacement would be increased by the 

 new bulk below about \y 2 tons or possibly more, the yacht thus float- 

 ing about J^in. higher than with the lead inside. Against this, how- 

 ever, is the weight of the forged steel hangers and the keel bolts, so 

 that the waterline length will be little affected by the change. As 

 the yacht has not been measured, it is impossible to say whether her 

 waterline will be longer or shorter than in previous years, but the new 

 sails and spars are likely to lengthen it a little. 



So many changes have been made in sails and spars that only those on 

 board during a race know just which are being used, the same being 

 true of Defender. With four mainsails of different cuts and dimen- 

 sions, and half a dozen booms each, aDd with a new spar or sail tried 

 almost every day, there is no possibility of any one outside of each 

 boat knowing the exact sail area in any race. 



In hull and rig Vigilant has been put in excellent condition; but, so 

 far as practice is concerned, she is a new boat in the hands of a new 

 skipper and crew. Capt. Barr, Mate Miller and their Scandinavian 

 crew have been busy all the spring in making changes, handling bal- 

 last, shipping and unshipping spars, bending and unbending sails, and 

 they have thus far had little or no opportunity for drill, or for the 

 captain to get the bang of the boat in racing trim. In f his respect 

 they are hardly as well off as the Yankee crew of Defender; though 

 Capt. Haff has had no opportunity to study the boat under way, the 

 crew has at least had some thorough drilling on hoard of Coionia. 



The two yachts being alike plated with a non-corrosive metal,- their 

 surfaces are equal, there is none of that inequality which exists be- 

 tween a new wooden yacht, just off the ways and with a raw bottom 

 and swelled seams, and an older wooden boat, with bottom soaked 

 and well filled with paint and all seams scraped smooth. 



Defender is still hardly finished, but in deck fittings and rig she is 

 complete and ready for racing. Both hrfd absolutely new sails, the 

 mainsails made by Herreshoffs; Vigilant's headsails were also new, 

 made by Sawyer. 



Thus in condition of bottom, in spars and sails, in preparation on 

 the part of skippers and crews, the two yachts were far more evenly 

 matched than is usually the case between a brand new craft and one 

 two seasons old. How they compare in measurement is yet a ques- 

 tion, and may be for some time unless the regatta committee shall en- 

 force the provisions of Rule IV. of the Racing Rules, which forbid the 

 entry of an unmeasured yacht. It is considered very "foxy" just now 

 to conceal the measurements of the new boat from the challenger, 

 although from the hundreds of photos which will be taken the meas- 

 urements of the sail plan can be very closely determined, quite as 

 closely as is necessary, if in fact such knowledge will be of any use to 

 Mr. Watson or Lord Dunraven. In the meanwhile, the results of 

 many races may be unknown for weeks. To the eye, the sail plan of 

 Defender as seen on Saturday was not larger than Vigilant's, the lat- 

 ter having her larger mainsail and new boom. The headsails were 

 smaller and the hoist larger, but as the two stood side by side the 

 upper ends of the topsail yards seen from the upper deck of a big 

 steamer looked of the same height. 



The general estimate is that Defender will allow Vigilant about two 

 minutes in 30 miles, but this is too much. Assuming that Vigilant 

 measures the same as in the Cup races of 1893, and she cannot well 

 measure less (97ft. racing length), and that Defender has a waterline 

 of 90ft. and a sail area of 12,100 sq. ft., both very liberal allowances, 

 then Defender would measure 100ft. racing length. On these extreme 

 figures the allowance for 30 nautical miles would be but 1m. 34s. ; ro it 

 is probable that Defender will finally allow less than a minute to Vigi- 

 lant. 



The first race, postponed from July 10, was finally set for July 20, 

 the courses being off Sandy Hook, starting from the Sandy Hook or 

 the Scotland Lightship, as the wind served. The Syndicate Defense 

 Fleet made its first appearance in the vicinity of New York on the 

 morning of July 18 in an imposing procession, first the big new ocean 

 tug Luckenback, successor to the committee boat of many hard 

 fought races ten years since. Then came the humble and homely but 

 useful Hattie Palmer, fast to the tug's hawser. Astern of her con- 

 sort came the new defender of the America's Cup, followed at a re- 

 spectful distance by the poor Coionia, the tail end being a small 

 naphtha launch belonging to Mr. Iselin. The fleet, all on one tow- 

 line, swept into New Rochelle Harbor and the yachts and Hattie 

 anchored off Mr. Iselin's home. All day Thursday and Friday the 

 crew were busy with new sails, spars and gear, working hard in spite 

 of the hot weather. 



On Friday afternoon Vigilant sailed from Bay Ridge to the Horse- 

 shoe and anchored for the night. The Defense Fleet started on the 

 same afternoon for Bay Ridge, Defender in tow of the Luckenback 

 and Coionia in tow of the Hattie Palmer, all anchoring off Bay Ridge. 



Saturday morning was clear and warm, but with a haze down the 

 bay and little wind. A large fleet of yachts, tugs and small craft 

 started down for the Hook, the New York Y. C. having the iron steam- 

 boat Cepheus for its members. The regatta committee was on board 

 the flagship Sylvia with Com. Brown and the Cup committee. The 

 start was set for 11 A. M., first a preparatory whistle, then after ten 

 minutes a second whistle to start, with two minutes in which to cross. 

 The two races were special club events, open to single-stick yachts of 

 the largest class, which would include Vigilant, Defender, Coionia, 

 Navahoe, Volunteer and Jubilee. Though both of the Boston boats 

 have just been refitted for racing neither was present, nor are they 

 likely to figure in the class this year. Coionia was left at her moor- 

 ings off Bay Ridge, and Navahoe is not in commission. Only Defender 

 and Vigilant were on hand, with new club topsails aloft and baby 

 jiptopsails in stops on the stays, each swinging a cross-cut Herreshoff 

 mainsail of the kind which has been so generally condemned abroad 

 on Niagara and Isolde For new sails they sat as well as could be ex- 

 pected, the club topsail yard on Defender showing considerable round. 

 The shortening of Vigilant's topmast and bowsprit 4ft. each last year 

 on the Clyde, and the lengthening of her boom this year, have changed 

 her to the eye and lessened the expected difference in appearance be- 

 tween ber and Defender. The latter, however, has her mast further 

 forward, and though her bowsprit looks long, the fore overhang ia 

 shorter than in Vigilant and the head triangle shorter on the base. In 

 spite of the greater hoist of Defender the topsail yards are nearly of a 

 height, her topmast being apparently shorter. 



The wind was light from the souih, but came in stronger about 11 

 A. M., the two yachts then working about through the large fleet 

 which surrounded the Scotland Lightship. The letter B of the code 

 was flying, denoting a windward and leeward course, and at 11:15 the 

 three code signals from the triatic stay of the flagship told that it 

 would be S. by E , the distance being 15 nautical miles. At 11:20 the, 

 preparatory signal was given, and at 11:30 the start. 



To all intents and purposes the yachts disregarded the 2m. interval 

 and made for a one-gun start, Defender crossing the line on starboard 

 tack at 11:30:25, and Vigilant, also on starboard tack and a little 

 further to windward, at 11:30:50, or but 25s. astern. Baby jibtopsails 

 were broken out and sheeted home at once. Defender was hardly 

 well clear of the line before she swung about on port tack, heading 

 Inshore, going about rapidly and steadily, unlike the older Herreshoff 

 boats. The two were standing in opposite directions and under the 

 same conditions. At 11:35 Vigilant went on port tack, Defender in- 

 stantly staying offshore. While Vigilant moved sluggishly and un- 

 certainly in stays, the keel boat went about quite as quickly as could 

 he desired, gaining seconds with every tack. When they crossed De- 

 fender was well ahead of Vigilant, though only some 6m. had gone 

 since the start. After passing under Defender's stern Vigilant found 

 the new boat about again right on top of her, and went on starboard 

 tack, offshore. Defender stood on for a minute until she was in a 

 good position, and then tacked again to windward of Vigilant, on her 

 starboard bow. 



They now stood on together a half hour, under the same conditions, 

 giving every opportunity for comparison. There was little to choose 

 between them in sit of sails, the canvas being pretty good on each for 

 a first trial. The wind was but moderate for club topsails, the many 

 small craft outside the Hook, though only under working topsails, 

 were having a very easy time of it. It is very doubtful 

 whether the baby jibtopsails were helping them; at any rate, after 

 they both came on port tack about 12:18, Defender took hers in and 

 began to do better. 



She had all along been gaining on Vigilant, pointing and holding on 

 quite as well as the centerboard boat and footing faster until she was 

 probably four minutes ahead before the end of the first hour. Then 

 Vigilant began to pick up, and in a short time had cut down this lead 

 very materially. When Defender went on starboard tack at 12:26, 

 Vigilant was so close under her, that after standing on a few lengths 

 Defender again went about on the other's weather to stop her. At 12:<)2 

 Vigilant took in her jibtopsail, which might as well have come in half 

 an hour sooner. The water was perf ectly smooth off the lightship, 

 and even out here, well offshore, there was no sea; but the light lop 

 was evidently hurting Vigilant, and she was now falling astern. The 

 wind had freshened a little, but both carried their topsails easily, 

 though now heeling at times to a very picturesque angle. There was 

 a light haze over the sea, but the sky was clear and the sun snining, 

 the heat being intense in spite of the breeze. The club tugboat was 

 lying by the mark, a float with a red ball, and the flagship and other 

 vessels were also near by, so that the turning point could be distin- 

 guished at quite a distance. At 1:10 Defender made an unnecessary 

 tack inshore, Vigilant, about one-half mile astern, holding her course, 

 as it proved, with excellent judgment. Defender stood on for over 

 4m., and then came about again for the mark, now clearly visible and 

 on her lee bow, so that she was obliged to run down on it until, from 

 being well out on the weather beam of Vigilant, she had drawn the 

 latter directly into her wake and not far distant. Defender luffed 

 about the mark at 1:34:30, followed by Vigilant at 1:36:34. The times 



