328 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



[Oct. 14, 1898. 



The wind in tLe first two trials has been too light for any satisfac- 

 tory test-of the yachts, even in light weather, the gain in pach trial 

 •being •due to a fluke. At the same time enough has been seen of the 

 'two yachts to make possible a comparison of some important points. 

 It is generally conceded that Vigilant's sails are the equal of any 

 :y«t produced on this side, and represent the highest progress in 

 the weaving of canvas and the making of sails. Compared with 

 them the sails of Valkyrie are quite as good, not only much better 

 than those of Thistle, but of Volunteer as well. The materials in the 

 English and American sails are different, but we have the word of 

 one of the leading sail makers that the canvas used on Valkyrie is 

 superior to that made in this country, the much vaunted Sea Island 

 cotton included. The experts profess to see slight differences on one 

 side or the other ; for instance, we hear that Valkyrie's headsails are 

 tetter than Vigilant's, while her mainsail is not quite as good. This 

 may or may not be so, but on the whole there is little to choose 

 between the two rigs. 



In the matter of rigging, the Herreshoff gear of Vigilant is gener- 

 ally commended as lighter than that of Valkyrie, yet strong enough 

 .■and the appearance is certainly in its favor; on the other hand it has 

 not been tested through a whole season as Valkyrie's has, nor does 

 the supposed extra weight aloft have any apparent effect on the 

 stability of the narrower boat. 



The handling of the two boats is another important matter over 

 which there are differences of opinion, but thus far the honors in 

 <luick and dextrous setting and shifting of sail rather rest with Val, 

 kyrie. Both boats are well handled, both at the helm and about the 

 deck, but Valkyrie has been a little quicker in setting her sails. 



The fickle nature of the public favor is well shown by the comments 

 on Vigilant's skipper after the first race, the blame for a mere ac- 

 cident being thrown entirely on him by some of the papers. Had 

 Vigilant caught the wind she looked for, he would have been praised 

 as unreasonably and; as extravagantly as the sldppers of other Cup 

 defenders have been at times; while the whole crew of Vigilant would 

 have shared the credit of outwitting the Englishman. In yacht racing 

 nothing succeeds like succes. 



The "one gun" start adopted for the Cup races has been criticised 

 as unfair to Americans because it is generally used in British racing 

 and the assertion is even made that the committee recognizes that it 

 made an error in acceding to Lord Dunraven's suggestion, and that 

 this mode of starting will not be admitted in any future Internationa^ 

 races. While the "one gun" start is almost universal in England, it 

 s by no means unknown here, and there are very few American yacht 

 sailors who have not started in this way at times. C)f course it takes 

 more skill to make a good "one gun" start than to lumber over the 

 Jine any time within ten minutes and in any chance position, as may 



MANEUVDRINQ FOR THE START. 



be sometimes seen on the New York cruise; but it takes no more skill 

 to make such a start than it does to place a boat properly in a large 

 Jleet for a start with a limit to cross in. Any one who has waj,ched 

 Volunteer or Titania in their races must appreciate the skill with 

 which each boat was berthed just where she should be, according to 

 the wind and tide and the positions of the other boats; and must 

 realize that the task of deliberately making the first start in one race 

 or the last in another is as difficult as getting over the line with the 

 gun. 



The "one gun" start is fair in that it compels all boats to start in 

 the same wind, and prevents the boat from laying back five or even 

 len minutes for a tluke and yet being credited with all the time saved. 

 That it penalizes the tardy and slovenly skipper is no argument 

 against it, and if it were more general thestopdard of skill in racing 

 would be raised still higher. ^-^T 



The allowance of Im. 48s, given by Vigilant to Valkyrie over a 30 

 mile course has been a matter of complaint among many of the out- 

 side spectators of the races, and even some who consider themselves 

 yachtsmen, cannot understand why one boat should give another 

 time. If it were a matter of horse racing or prize fighting, they would 

 readil}' admit the justice of a handicap, or an equality of weight, but 

 ia yacht racing they fail to see why "their" boat should allow a 

 minute and three-quarters merely because she is Sin. longer »jid 

 carries l,200sq. ft. more saU. 



The attendance and interference of a very large fleet of steam ves- 

 sels is nothing new here, but it is a surprise to Lord Dunraven and 

 Captain Cranfleld, and an unpleasant one, too, though the attentions 

 of the tugs and steamers have been divided very impartially between 

 Vigilant and Valkyrie. Most of the harm done has been unintentional 

 but even with the greatest care the wash and windage of such an im- 

 mense concourse of steamers is hurtful, and especially in light weather. 

 The suggestion has been made that it may be necessary in the future 

 to sail the races away from New York; and Newport and Marblehead 

 have been mentionef out we fail to see what is to prevent the excur- 

 sion fleet steaming to either point, certainly a profitable charter in 

 the dull season would pay well for a trip of a couple of hundred rmles, 



Unusual efforts have been made this year to keep the course cleai% 

 a number of special police tugs being on hand, but unfortunately there 

 is no legal punishment for the captain or pilot whose hoggish instinct 

 leads him to place his boat where the wash or windage must hurt the 

 yachts. One of the worst cases thus far was that of the Sandy Hook 

 steamer Monmouth, which lay on the line to windward of the yachts 

 in the start on Saturday, and again after Vigilant had finished ran to 

 the line just ahead of Valkj rie, giving a ht avy wash to the cutter, and 

 then stopped on the line, so as to shut out the view of the committee 

 on the flagship. The captain of the Richard Peck has also made him- 

 self unnecessarily obnoxious in another way. The boat is the largest 

 and probably the fastest that has followed the races, and all ou board 

 have been on the lofty upper deck, where they could overlook all the 

 smaller steamers. In spite of this advantage the Peck has been 

 1 andled so as to shut off completely the view of many of the smaller 

 steamers with no gain to her own party. 



AMERICA'S CUP RACES-1893. 



Whidb the \iltimate end of the great series of international races 

 now being sailed is the possession of the America's Cup. the two con- 

 testants are so thoroughly the representatives of the highest progress 

 in yachting that a fair and satisfactory test of their real merit is de- 

 sired by both parties. Unlike many previotis Cup contests, the condi- 

 tions of the present one have been planned with the view of favoring 

 neither boat, but of affording the fairest possible test in open water 

 and a good sailing breeze. Up to the time of writing, however, the 

 efforts of the committee have failed completely, and the races have 

 been sailed under the same light and paltry conditions which so often 

 spoil the June regattas and the races of the August cruise. 



In spite of the cold and stormy weather at the end of last month, 

 and of the serious storms along the coast, the days of the first three 

 races have been warm and sunny to a degree that suggests the real 

 rather than the "Indian" summer, and the open sea 20 miles outside 

 the Hook has been as calm and dead as the Upper Bay. The winds, 



THK START — " VALKYRIE" LBADINa. 



too, have fitted the weathei-— warm and light, dying out at times, 

 shifting in direction, and bringing disappointment to many thousands 

 of eager spectators, as well as the crews of the two yachts. 



With an outside course in October and a time limit of 6 hours for a 

 30-mile course, it is only reasonable to expect a moderate breeze, if not 

 a strong wind or a storm; but until the third day nothing of the kind 

 was seen, and the conditions of the "inside course" races of 1885-6-7 

 have been repeated outside. 



The first day, Oct, 5, ofl'ered nothing better than a very light breeze, 

 from the north, with a smooth sea, the course being laid out to lee- 

 ward, or due south. Starting close together, Valkyrie a httle in the 

 lead, the two ran for nearly two hours with no material change, then 

 a sudden shift of wind occurred, and good luck, backed by quick and 

 skillful work, gave Valkyrie a lead of a mile in a very few minutes, she 

 finally turning the outer mark with Vigilant 20m. astern. So much 

 time had been lost, however, in this long drift, that the race had to be 

 called with the yachts far from home. 



The second trial, on Saturday, was little better, the start was very 

 similar, in the same wind and weather, Vigilant this time going fast, 

 and the com-se being east by south, 15 miles naut. For the first half 

 hour, with both drifting under spinakers and jibtopsails, there was 

 little change of position, then of a sudden, and from no visible cause. 

 Vigilant ran up to Valkyrie, passed through her lee and ran rapidly 

 ahead until she had a long lead. Although the whole change was as 

 muci of a fluke as on Thursday, the cause was not as clear, the two 

 yachts were within 200yds., and with the same wind to all appearances, 

 but one moved much faster than the other. 



The last five miles of the outward course and the whole of the reach 

 in were made under more even conditions, but the expectations of lee- 

 ward and windward work were not realized, and after the shift of po- 

 sitions the race was a reach out and in, the gain and loss being little. 

 After once getting the lead, Vigilant sailed taster than Valkyrie over 

 the balance of the outer leg, adding a little to her accidental gain; but 

 on the inward course the times show a gain of half a minute for Val- 

 kyrie. The actual sailing, such as it was in these two races, shows 

 only that the two are very evenly matched in very light weather. 



The weather on Monday differed from the preceding days only in 

 being warmer and even more like midsummer, the afternoon and 

 night bemg hot in spite of the breeze. The wind, however, was very 

 different, blowing from the southwest with a force of over ten mUes 

 at the start, and increasing, according to the reports from the ob- 

 servatory at Sandy Hook, to 23 miles in the latter part of the race. 

 How such conditions might suit Valkyrie was a matter of conjecture, 

 but with a good clubtopsafl breeze and practicaUy smooth water 

 Vigilant was presumably at her best. The direction of the wind just 

 allowed of the first leg being laid to windward, making a free reach 

 on each of the other two legs, the wind heading, however, at times, 

 especially toward the finish. Vigilant carried her second club topsafl 

 and Valkyrie her largest all day, and jib topsails were set at times. 



After starting in the weather berth, Vigilant was pinched for a 

 time, and Valkyrie outfooted her, but she began to gain as soon as 

 she was eased a little, and finally turned the first mark with a lead 

 of about 5m. This she increased by 4m, on the second leg and SJ^m, 

 on the third, making her lead at the finish over 12m. There were 

 no flukes, and both boats were well handled; the race being a per- 

 fectly satisfactory test under the best conditions which prevail in 

 siunmer racing, fresh to strong breezes and smooth water. 



That Valkyrie was beaten by Vigilant, in spite of her reputation 

 as a light weather boat, is not in itself surprising; but the remarkable 

 point is the extent of Vigilant's victory, as 18 minutes is a great deal 

 between two new boats in a 30 mile race. 



The course of designing during the previous racps for the Cup in 

 1885-6 and 7was a very rapid one compared with previous years, but, 

 looking back over the three years since Gloriana first appeared, the 

 work of Mr, Burgess and Gen. Paine seems but a slow and gradual 

 course of evolution after the first bold step was made in Puritan, 

 Great as the advance was from the existing yachts of 1884 through 

 Puritan and Mayflower to Volunteer, compared to the striking fea- 

 ttu-es and radical experiments of the last three seasons, it seems but 

 a slow and gradual growth. 



The return of Mr, Herreshoff' to the field of sailing yachts has been 

 marked by a bold disregard of the traditions and customs of design- 

 ing that has best shown itself in the carrying to an extreme of several 

 features that heretofore had only been handled carefully and experi- 

 mentaUy by other designers. The value of a full and even convex 

 waterliue had been demonstrated by others before Gloriana was built; 

 but in her Mr, Herreshoff' proved that this fullness could be carried to 

 an extreme, not only without disadvantage, but with positive gain. 

 The canoe hull and the fixed fin had been gradually evolved before 

 the advent of DUemma, but it rested for her and her sisters, Wenonah 

 and Wee Win, to prove the superiority of the extreme fin form in 

 which the lead ballast is concentrated in the bottom of the fin rather 

 than distributed through the whole depth. 



Bold and radical as Mr. Herreshoffl's experiments have been, the 

 greatest extreme of all is reached in the third of his large yachts, the 

 successful one of his two Cup defenders. While in the first of the 

 three large boats he has been content with a moderate beam of 23ft„ 

 the same as Volunteer, and in the second he has taken another foot, in 

 the third boat he has gone to an extreme before reached only in the 

 old type of shoal center board sloop, or 26ft. beam on a waterline of 

 86ft., "or a proportion of 3)^ beams. Compared with Voltmteer and 



THE PROCESSION BEGINS— 12 M. 



Priscilla, with a proportion of nearly 3%, this ia a material increase of 

 beam over the beat standards of modern American practice, and 

 the contrast is still greater when the form of the hull is considered. 



While not a -fln-keel" in the common acceptance of the new term. 

 Vigilant, in common with Wasp, Gloriana and Colonia. approaches so 

 closely to the type that the hull proper may be considered as one di.s- 

 tmct iuember, and the deep teel or fin as another, Looked at in this 

 way, the hufl is comparatively wide and shoal, with a high center of 

 buoyancy, and having more in common with the old American type 

 than any successful yacht of the past ten years. On the other hand, 

 this resemblance is largely destroyed by the immense keel or fin, deep 

 and thick, which maKes the extreme draft of the yacht something over 

 14ft. Seen from abeam, there is not the faintest indication in keel con- 

 tour or the ends above water of the old sloop; but viewed head on, the 

 extreme beam, high bilge and great hollow of the floors are all sugges- 

 tive of the old Shadow, and the view of the yacht under way, with a 

 crew of sixty to seventy men to windward, a weight of Are tons on a 

 wide boat, is even more suggestive of the successful racing which Mr. 

 Iselin did many years ago m the old Sandbagger Mary Erama. 



The Forest'^'d Strka.m has always opposed the misapplication of 

 the term "sloi'p" to the great singlestickers with cutter rig, deep 

 hulls. F.uglish sheei- plan.s and lead keels, such yachts having little in 

 common beside the centerboard and a part of the beam with the 

 American sloop as she was for ten yeiirs preceding the ad vet) t of 

 Madge. Even her greater beam, centerboard ijf id laced jnainsail have 

 failed to place her in the category of sloops when the innuruerahle 

 points of difference in design, construction and riggmg are carefully 

 summed up. In the case of Vigilant, the rig is utterly unlike any 

 ever seen ou a sloop, the extremely full waterlines find their gieatest 

 opposite in the very hoUow bows of the old Arrow, Fanny and firaoie, 

 the centerboard is a mere auxiliary to an extravagantly deep keel. 



while the method of ballasting is the exact opposite of that of the 

 sloop. 



Whether she is to be classed as cutter, sloop or fln-keel, the one 

 important point is that she is an attempt to apply the principles of 

 the smafi saUboat to a large vessel, and whether successful or not as 

 a racing yacht, the type cannot be regarded as a desirable one, and 

 compared with the Burgess Cup defenders she represents anything 

 rather than progress. 



The general type of yacht now common in the larger classes ahij 

 best represented in Volunteer, though prlmarUy designed for racing 

 and the defense of the America's Cup, has proved the most satisfac- 

 tory union of all-around good qualities on a moderate and practicable 

 limit of draft that has ever been attained by yacht designers, especially 

 for American waters and Uses; and ih the sizp.S above 80ft, it is 

 unlikely that such craft as Volunteer, Lasca, Ariel and Iroquois will 

 soon be replaced by anything better in general good qualities. The 

 possible success of Vigilant in the present races, and the adoption 

 and imitation of her peculiar features which is certain to follow such 

 a result, must be regarded as anything but a desirable advance in 

 yacht designing, however speedy the new type may prove in normal 

 racing weather. 



AU that has been urged against the old cutter on the score of esces- 

 Bive draft applies stfll more forcibly to this type, and it is yet to be 

 proved that great beam and extremelow weight make other thaua very 

 bad boat in real sea-gouig. Much has been said of late about the 

 machine-like nature of the fln-keels, but from a saUor's point of view, 

 of a strong, safe and seaworthy vessel. It is hard to See any advantage 

 of Vigflant over JubUee. 



When called upon last fall to define the most desirable require- 

 ments of a modern yacht, the coimcfl of the British Yacht Haeing As- 

 sociation decUned to attempt this difticult task, and for Want of such 

 a definition as a starting point for compartson, their long and thor- 

 ough conference with the designers failed of any result. 



The task would probably prove quite as difficult for American 

 yachtsmen; but such a definition hardly enters into racing, and cer- 

 tainly not into the great international races. The sole requirements 

 are speed, with only such a fair limit of safet}- in model and construc- 

 tion as to satisfy the underwriters in the event of an Atlantic voyage 

 such as Navahoe and Valkyrie have made. For home racing, speed 

 alone is considered, and in the present races the contestants must b.) 

 judged from the point of speed alone, with httle regard to any influ- 

 ence they may have on designing at large. The success of Vigilant 

 would lead no one to build other tljan a racing yacht from her model, 

 and no possible speed of Valkyrie can make her draft of practical use 

 in American waters, whUe even at home it must prove a serious disad' 

 vantage. 



The quejstion of type has been worked out to a fairly conclusive and 

 satisfactory answer In practice! omiltiug,,the craft of extreme shoal 

 draft in use in special locafltles, the prevailing type of racing and 

 cruising yacht in the small classes is the keel ooat, from Wasp and 

 (Jloriana down to Minerva, Pappoose and the ,S0-footers, whUe In the 

 larger classes it is the compromise type, of about 10ft. draft, and with 

 a centerboard. Undoubtedly the success of one boat or the other will 

 have a certain influence on the next challenger and defender, when- 

 ever they may be built, but so far as yachting at large is concerned, it 

 matters little which type wins, or whether the final result depends on 

 fair sailing or flukes. 



There had been some talk of docking Vigilant and Valkyrie together 

 in the Erie Basin Dry Dock, and the dock company had offered the 

 dock free to Blr. Iselin, but he declined, and the opportunity to com- 



g are the two directly v.'as lost, Many, however, made the long trip tp 

 ity Island to see Vigilant, and later went down to South Brooklyn to 

 inspect Valkyrie. The yacht was docked at noon Monday and was dry 

 late in the afternoon. Early ou Tuesday men were at work replacing 

 some of the copper sheathing that was a little damaged, whUe the 

 whole surface of the copper was carefully hammered smooth with 

 blocks of hardwood and with puddles made of a sheet of copper folded 

 into a broad flat end. Mr. Congdon, Lloyds surveyor, visited the yacht 

 and made a survey, pronouncing her in good condition. The copper 

 was fouled and a little wi-inkled in place;?, but by noon on Wednesday 

 it was in very good shape, smooth and bright, 



From morning to night on each of Hbe three days the aides of the 

 dock were crowded with yachtsmen, ladies, workmen from the yard 

 and sailors from other yachts. Comments of all sorts were passed on 

 tie strange cutter, so unlike Genesta or even Thistle. As she lay, be- 

 low the level of the top of the dock, and with the spectators looking 

 down on her, the bow and forebody stood out in relief, looking very 

 long and lean as it projected beyond the highest of the tiers of keel 

 blocks, with only a light shore under the fore end of the waterline. 

 The comment was frequently made that the whole bow was too fine 

 and would bury itself m a sea, some going so far as^to say that there 

 was but half a boat, a good after body, but no bow. The view from 

 above, however, was misleading, from the dock below the bows showed 

 plenty of bulk, both above and below the waterline. 



The yacht's form is of a shape that is difficult to describe without 

 lines or photos, and no one was allowed to bring a camera Into the 

 yard. Compared with the Herreshoff boat, it must be said that Mr, 

 Watson has carefully avoided extremes and has selected the crude 

 quantities of the design with moderation and judgment and combined 

 them with an artistic taste which is entirely bicking in all of the Her- 

 reshoff boats. Judged by past practice, the draft, at least 17ft,, is ex- 

 treme; but judged by the smaller keel boats it is no more than experi- 

 ence justifies. The beam, 22ft, or more, is considerable for a British 

 yacht, but rather less than the American average. The overhang 

 forward is much less than in Vigilant, both in actual length and in 

 fullness; and the waterlines. while full, are much less round than In 

 VigUant and marked by a straight piece near the fore end. 



The sections of the bow are nearer to a V, and those of the after- 

 body and counter are also of the general V form rather than flat and 

 then round on the outer end, as in all Herreshoff boats. The free- 

 board is moderate, in fact, low, and the bow is shorter and lower than 

 in Vigilant, The boat has the Watson sheer, rather straight forward 

 and rounded aft, and the counter is much like Thistle, long, with 

 nearly square corners and straight across, while Vigilant's is more 

 nearly round. While the odds are with Valkyrie's counter in looks, 

 that of Vigilant is probably more serviceable for sea-going. 



The side araidship is nearly straight, running down into a hard bilge, 

 and below the section is very much thicker through the floors, be- 

 tween the keel and the bilge, than any of the Herreshoff boats. The 

 keel is very thick, probably 3ft., but it is beautifully tapered into the 

 stem and cutwater. The curve of the stem above water is quick 

 aloft, making a shorter overhang than in Vigilant, but the line of the 

 stem makes the same small angle with the water. Below water the 

 line is straight for a long distance, then it curves downward quickly 

 and meets the straight line of the keel. This line is probably 20ft 

 long from the heel of the sternpost, and in this length it rises perhaps 

 l>^ft. The post rakes at n angle of under ,50°, 



At noon on Wednesday the bottom was ready and the staging was 

 removed, the water being admitted first from one of the big sluice 

 gates in the caisson, A dirty, turbid stream flowed slowly over the 

 floor of the dock, gradually reaching the keel blocks; then, as the 

 other gates were opened, the water rushed in rapidly, swirling and 

 frothing until halt of its surface was covered with a pretty brown and 

 white foam that drifted back and forth. The water lapped the keel 

 and then covered it for a foot, showing clearly the exact curve of the 

 waterline at this lowest point, and indicating a very strong swell near 

 the fore end, tapering aft to the thickness of the sternijost. As the 

 water slowly rose each waterline in succession was cut from the hull, 

 and a beautiful view of the whole form was given. The lean appear- 

 ance of the bow rapidly disappeared as it Ufted a little to put the yacht 

 at her proper waterliue, and Che full nature of the line was disclosed. 



First tlie head hf led a little and then the yacht left the laat of the 

 keel blocks aud was fully water-borne. With shining, bright copper 

 and glossy black topsides, she was a difterent-looking orafr, all the 

 stains and scars of her long voyage being carefully lemoved. The 

 spur shores were dropped and floated awa^', and she l&y freely afloat 

 once more. 



Before the dock was fifll Mr, Hyslop, the official measurer, went on 

 board with au assistant, and the measuring began with the spars. 

 When it came to measuring the boom, beauty gave place to utiUty, and 

 the circular piece of inch board with its carved and gilded star was re- 

 moved, leaving the bare wood. The spars were all measured, and then 

 the fun began. Up from below came beds, bags and duffle, tossed 

 hastily over the side into boats and on to a big. float, until the scene 

 suggested a fire gu the east side of the city. The yacht wa^ designed 



