Nov. 25, 1893,] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



461 



CURRENT COMMENTS ON THE RACES. 



The opinions and criticisms evoked from tooth sides of the Atlantic 

 by the recent international races would make in themselves a very re- 

 spectable volume of current yachting history, but the bulk of them, 

 both American and British, are not worth preserving, their chief 

 characteristics being strong national prejudice mingled with an ex- 

 tensive ignorance of everything pertaining to the origin of the Amer- 

 ica's Cup, the early races and the details of the arrangement and 

 actual sailing of the present contest. As typical of this class we may 

 mention a correspondent of The Yachtsman, who asks a number of 

 questions concerning the origin of the Cuii; and on this side a cor- 

 respondent of the Marine Journal who, ignoring the fact that it is all 

 but a phvsical impossibihty for a challenger from across the ocean to 

 win from the picked one of four defendmg yachts, demands a return 

 to the conditions of the first race, compelling the challenger to sail 

 against an unlimited fleet. It is probable that very few of these com- 

 ments come under the eyes of our readers, and we herewith present 

 some of the more important ones. T]ie YachUnia,n sums up the whole 

 matter as follows: 



We still adhere to our belief that an extra spread of l,000sq. ft. of 

 sail without any alteration in hull dimensions, would not have sufficed 

 to put Valkyrie on an equality with Vigilant, but this is a mere matter 

 of opinion, and the main point is, as has been pointed out, that our 

 champion yacht, although the best that could be chosen from the fleet 

 of our large class racers" was outsailed because she was outbuilt. 



"Now, we fancy that even patriotic esroerts on the other side of the 

 Atlantic, will hardly interpret this phrase as indicating that Mr. 

 Herreshoff has conclusively established his superiority over Mr. 

 Watson in the art of yacht dasigning— thisis not the sense in which we 

 understand the verb "to outbuild;' and it is an everyday phrase in 

 British yachting circles. 



"There have been innumerable instances in which inferior designers 

 have turned out a craft which has beaten the efllorts of the best 3''acht 

 architects, simply by adopting the extreme dimensions at their dis- 

 posal, and signal proof has often been afforded of the inferiority of 

 these designs in the defeat of such boats in a succeeding year by 

 yachts of smaller dimensions, but designed with consummate skill. 

 We could point to very many such instances under the 1730 rule, and 

 this is the sense in which we understand the word 'outbuild.' 



"It must not be supposed, however, that we seek to disparage Mr. 

 Herreshoff. None but a vessel of superlative quality could have 

 sailed as Vigilant did during the last International races, and her 

 designer's reputation is too well established to suffer from an un- 

 generous and untrutlif ul attack as such an intention would cause the 

 foregoing lines to become. We merelj' intend to emphasize 

 'Thalassa's' argument, that the extra beam and sail spread of 

 Vigilant, went a very long way toward her victory over Valkj-rie. 

 Some journals are in the habit of calHng Vigilant the 'more power- 

 ful' vessel, and by this, we presume, a reference is intended to her 

 greater beam; for, so far as we can learn, she is the reverse of 

 'powerful,' and to our thinking, Mr. Watson would find it an easy 

 task to beat Valkyrie tlwroughly with a vessel of Vigilant's beam and 

 sail spread. 



"But the fact is simply this, that the ideas of our designers are more 

 cramped than those of our enterprising cousins, arid if we may 

 ever hope to see the old Cup back in these waters, the challenger must 

 be prepared to build a craft of proportions so extreme that no advance 

 can be made on them during the period of Yankee incubation. 



"We have referred in another place to Satanitaas an illustration of a 

 misdirected elTort (from an International point of view) to out-Herod 

 Herod. She has been a successful yacht this season in the waters for 

 which she was built, but, as Mr. Leslie reminds us, the cliitiatio con- 

 ditions of Sandy Hook are widely different from those of the Solent 

 and the Clyde, and such a boat as Satanita would be the very worst to 

 choose as a challenger for the Cup. 



"When we first published the news of Lord Dunraven's challenge and 

 that of Mr. Carroll, we predicted both Navahoe's and Vailtyric's 

 failure in their respective enterprises, although we confess that the 

 former made such a very mtich worse display than w-e had anticipated 

 that our hopes were somewhat raised as regards Valkyrie. In both 

 cases the primary odds were fearfully against the challenger— as they 

 will always be, until the challenger sees his way to build for one object 

 only, leaving all other considerations in the background or until sotue 

 sucb International arrangement as Thalassa suggests becomeK an ac- 

 complished fact. The latter alternative, although by far the more 

 desirable, will, we fear, be difficult of realization, for the Arnerica Cup 

 has become of transcendent importance among International trophies; 

 and although ovu- American cousins have now sbown themselves 

 willing to take up the glove on terms as fair as in any preceding cases, 

 yet it is perhaps too much to expect of them to grant an abandonment 

 of what may be called their historic advantages, for it must be re- 

 membered that these have been embodied in the conditions governing 

 races for the Victoria Cup. 



"It would go far to achieve a greater degree of equality between the 

 two countries if a uniform rule of measurement could be arranged. 

 This is an old idea, of course, but it may be none the worse for that. 

 Although this in itself would not liy any meaas obviate all the 

 dilBculiies of a challenger on either side, it might prove to be a boon 

 to both countries, for it is quite possible that under the existing 

 regime, a challenger fit to cross the ocean may become an actual im- 

 possibility, and this would be avoided by a common ratintr rule of a 

 more sensible nature than that now existing in either country, u-bile 

 at the same timeit would certainly tend to put new life into the classes 

 less dignified than that of 'cup challengers' and 'cup defenders.' 



"That our present rating rule is not the best that could be devised 

 for cultivating the microbe of a successful challenger, must ije pmeoi 

 to anyone who remembers the extinct length classes of Souihamptou 

 Water. We are no great admirers of the type of boat evolved by that 

 system of measm-ement, but we have not the slightest doubt that, had 

 this primitive rule of mere load-line length been adopted instead of the 

 present bastard scheme, our 85-f ooters of to-day would have been fit 

 10 cope with any sailing thing afloat. These same Southampton 

 'footers" are now of historical interest. They were brought to gre^t 

 perfection long before the era of the Gene^ta— Puritan races, and. that 

 being so, they form a conclusive argument in favor of the Britisher 

 when the question is raised as to which of the two countries, England 

 or America, has taught the other the more in the matter of yacht 

 designing. Prior to the Genesta challenge, the almost unballasted 

 beamy skimming-dish, fitted with a centerboard, u-as the pride and 

 joy of American yachtsmen. But it was not a skitDtoiag-dish that met 

 lienesta, although one was fruitlessly built for this purpo.se. Puriiiiu 

 was a combination of the keel boat and the beamy centerboard. The 

 keel boat attributes were, however, lost sight of in the crow of aelf 

 gratulation with which Uncle Sam announced his triumph. Then, 

 when the Galatea matches were sailed, the defender, .Mayflower, v.'as 

 t-ndowed even to a greater extent with the features of tiie keel boar, 

 and Uncle Sara crowed louder than ever over the virtues of his (Britisli 

 invented) centerboard. But the climax was reached wheu Volunteer 

 —a stUl further advance in the keel direction— defeated Thistle. This 

 tune there could be no question about it, the American type was 

 invincible— at least that is what the Americiiu press would have had 

 us beUeve. But the new deed told another tale from experts in yacht 

 racing— as then understood by the New York Y C. 



"Now all this time we had a local class of some importance at 

 Southampton. That it was of ■.soine importance' may be gathered 

 from the fact that many owners were willing to support it at an ex- 

 peuditure of considerably over £600 for tlie mere building of a 30ft. 

 boat. These yachts were generally (in the tTCue.sta period) of about 

 three beams to length- or fully as broad as any of the then Yankee 

 centerboai-d cracks of the same length— and they were deep keel boats, 

 with a very hollow midship section. How, then, did our cousins teach 

 na the value of beam? 



"Does not the blame for such a^boast being even possible, lie with the 

 Yacht Racing Association in sticking to a rule which, as the South- 

 ampton classes proved under their very eyes, did not and could not, 

 produce what they have lately stated to be the object of their doubtful 

 ambition— the 'fastest' yacht? We have not yet learned the full 

 value of the centerboard, although we have invented it, even in view 

 of Valkyrie's defeat; but this is hardly to be wondered at when one 

 calls to mind the experience gained in our waters through Queen Mab, 

 not to speak of Iverna and many other British centerboard boats, and 

 also through the record of Navahoe. l^ut w e had learned the value of 

 beam long" before the time when Uncle Sam 'claims' to have taught 

 ua our lesson. On the other hand, the ViEtlant of to day far more 

 closely approximates to the Southampton 30 footer of '84 than to her 

 boasted Yankee prototype of the same date. Her ancestry is not 

 doubtful— it is British." 



In the same number the Yach tsman suggests the deeirabihty of 

 square courses and no time limit, but offers no better reason for either 

 than that it would remove all possible grounds for the criticism that 

 Vigilant, though fast enough at home, could not win over British re- 

 gatta courses. What a foreign yacht can do over bad local courses i« 

 a matter of no importance whatever. No one thinks the w-orse of 

 Genesta because she was beaten by Puritan over the inside course, and 

 it will be a long day before the courses for a Cup contest will be 

 arranged aftei- those which, through local conditions, some of the 

 British clubs are compelled t<3 race over. Apart from the prevalent 

 light winds on our coast, no bi?tter or fairer courses are to be found 

 anywhere than off Marblehead or outside Sandy Kook, or even off 

 Newport. This same cry for four-sided cuurses was heard from the 

 t!lyde after the defeat oi Thistle, and was as absunl then as it is now. 

 "The da.v has fortunately gone by when iraportimt international 

 matches m'e decided over "local courses, and no time record over such 

 courses can stand alongside of an actual trial on the open sea, as in 

 the present races. , . ^ 



The Yachtsman, however, continues aa follows: "Our opiQioiilS^tbat 



Vigilant would have proved the crack of this season (notwithstanding 

 the fleet she would have been required to meet) had she been built 

 only for racing in these waters. She likes smooth water, and she 

 would get it, in most instances, throughout a British season. The 

 moral of her success seems to point to the fact that in the large class 

 our designers have regarded excessive safl spread with too much 

 dread, and that Mr. Soper, in designing another Satanita. should rely 

 on enormous initial power and a corresponding area of sail, rather 

 than upon, as in the smaller classes, great length of loadline and small 

 sails." 



In discussing the previous races The YacMsrunn makes the statement 

 that it was generally admitted in America that had Irex challenged in 

 place of Genesta, she would certainly have taken the Cup home. 

 This wih be news to Americans, as it has never been considered at all 

 possible here that Irex would have fared materially better than Ge- 

 nesta. Trusting only to memory, and without looking up the records, 

 we are strongly of tl^e impression that at the end of 1884 Genesta had 

 won as much prize money and was considered quite as fast a boat as 

 Irex, the latter only begiiming her long and honorable reputation 

 with her second season, in which she showed great improvement over 

 her original form, as was the case later on with Iverna. It is quite 

 possible that O'Neil might not have made the serious mistake that 

 Carter did in the last great race, but we doubt very much whether he 

 would on the whole have sailed his boat any better, as Captain Car- 

 ter's handling was generally commended here. 



We recently quoted some remarks from the Field on centerboards 

 and ballast, the subject being continued in the following issue as 

 follows: 



"In reference to the remarks we made last week about the ballast 

 crew carried by Vigilant in her trial races and races for the Cup. we 

 find that the Boston Herald has directed attention to the matter in a 

 very sensible manner. This paper says it is fortunate for Vigilant 

 that there was no restriction as to number of crew, as there is in the 

 small classes, as otherwise Vigilant would not have been able to carry 

 her big sails in a strong breeze. The Boston Herald says the aver- 

 age weight of the seventy men on board Vigilant was 1501bs , or 

 nearly 4)4 tons in all. The Boston paper concludes by saying 'it is 

 nothing more nor less than shifting ballast in human form— in other 

 words, men and not lead are shifted.' 



"The question of carrying big crews in beamy boats has been 

 pretty well discussed, both in this country and in America, and 

 the sort of craft it engenders has been generally deprecated. In 

 the result crews have been limited in the small classes in both 

 countries. As a matter of fact however, a big crew (instead of 

 dead weight in the form of ballast stowed under the platform) Is more 

 objectionable in a large vessel than in a small one; and it must be 

 remembered, as we pointed out last week, that weight in the lead 

 keel or inside ballast box would be generally more efflctive than the 

 equivalent weight under the weather rail on deck. This matter is so 

 httle understood that it is deserving of illuetration. The accompany- 

 ing wood cut represents the midsection of a yacht with a beam of 



2^ft., and draft of water 14ft. The figure 1 represents the general cen- 

 ter of gravity of the weight of the vessel and everything on board her; 

 and 3 represents the center of buoyancy when the yacht is heeled to 

 !35°. The length of the righting arm is represented by 3, the resultant 

 of the weight of water displaced acting upward through 2, and the 

 weight of the yacht acting downward through 1; the weight of the. 

 water is exactl.y equal to the weight of the yacht. 



"If a w eight be placed on deck at 4 it will raise the center of gravity 

 (1) determined by the equation 



W X F 

 D 



where W is the weight on deck in tons, F the height the weight is in 

 feet above the center of gravity (1), and D the weight of the yacht in 

 tons. Say the weight equals that of thirty men, or 2 tons (thirty men 

 .Hi e chosen to represent the ballast men VigUant carried in her races 

 over and .hove the forty men required to work her). It will be pre- 

 sumed the average height these thirty men are located above the cen- 

 ter of gravity is 10ft.; when the yacht is in the upright position they 

 would raise the center of gravity (if the weight of the yacht equalled 

 150 tons) 



8X10 

 150 



=0.13ft. 



A study of the figure will show .that, if the center of gravity (1) is 

 raised, therighting arm (.3) will be shortened (by sine of angle) 0.053ft., 

 and so the righting power would be decreased. 



"But the weight (4) is placed, say, 10ft. out horizontally from (1) 

 measured wlien the yacht is in the upright position, then (by the 

 same equaiiou) (1) would be shifted horizontally in the direction of 

 the small arrow, and the righting arm (.3) would be lengthened 0.13ft,, 

 or double tlie decrease due to placing the weight (4) so much above 

 (1). Thus there would be still a gain of 0.0t>2li. in length of righting 

 lever, or stiffness, by having the thirty extra men on deck; there 

 would be a still greater gain if they were below in. say, the position 

 (TjJ. Next, suppose that, instead of having the thirty extra men on 

 deck, an equivalent weight of lead (2 tons) is placed on the keel at (6) 

 lift, below the center of gravity (1), then by the equation already 

 cited, the center of gravity would be lowered 0.15ft,, and the righting 

 arm (3) would be lengthened 0.06ft. Thus the Hfi:ect on the stability 

 of the yacht in smooth water would be the same whether the men 

 were out to windward on deck, or an equivalent weight placed on the 

 keel. But in point of fact, the weight in a fixed position on the keel 

 would be much more effective than a more or less shifting weight on 

 deck; and in a sea way the bad effect of having weights winged out 

 would not be experienced 



However accurate the F'ield's calculations may be, they are based on 

 false premises so I'ai- as the actual form of the vaeht and disposition 

 of the ballast is concerned, and they introduce an element, the height 

 of the center of gravit y, which Ufjedlessly complicates the matter. 



In a wide flat boat, at leafec, the height of the center of gravity need 

 not be considered ami. the leal question being the adv'antage of a 

 certain weight at 4, mi the weather deck, or stowed as low as practi- 

 cable inside. tb«3 actual conditions are nearly as shown in the follow- 

 ing diagram. 



While this section is not correct, it represents quite nearly enough 

 tliat of VigUant, and the angle of keel shown, 15 degrees, is about 

 Otat a,t which such a model will do its fastest sailing. The Field's 



diagram is not intended to be correct, but the advantages of live bal- 

 last depend so much on the type of boat that we have, in the second 

 diagram, attempted to represent as closely as is possible the true 

 section of VigUant, the position of her lead, the amount of freeboard 

 and the angle at which she is at her best. The lead keel if shown by 

 the solid black, the center of buoyancy in the upright and inclined 

 positions is indicated approximately, the weight of the crew on deck 

 is shown at 4, and that of the same weight of lead stowed as low as 

 possible by the shaded section at 6. 



In its first position, at 4, this weight is at a distance of about 12ft. 

 from C. B. 1, whUe m the position 6 it is about 4ft., its righting power 

 being measured in the one case by the lever arm 12 and in the other 

 by the arm 4, or a gam of 3 to 1. 



The Field assumes that if this weight were not carried at 4 in the 

 shape of crew it would be carried below the present keel in the shape 

 of more lead; but it would be much nearer the case to assume that 

 the designer, after selecting the extreme limit of draft possible, had 

 still provided for his crew weight on deck, and that if denied this privi- 

 lege he would be compelled to put the same weight in lead at 6 in the 

 second diagram, on top of the existing lead keel, rather than at 6 in 

 the first figure, below the same keel. A study of the second diagram 

 wfil show that, apart from measurement of waterline and the shifting 

 of the crew in any desirable direction, the gain through the weight of 

 the extra crew at 4 is most important in a boat of Vigilant's section, 

 and to it must be added the weight of the normal crew, 2J4 tons more, 

 acting on the same long lever arm. 



Passing to the matter of sail area the Field says: 

 "In a clever article on the America Cup races, the Shipping Gazette 

 intimates that neither the New York nor the Y. R. A. rating and time 

 allowances sufficiently value sail spread. There is no doubt some 

 truth tn this, but under such limited conditions that it is scarcely a 

 matter which can be adjusted without creating worse anomalies. The 

 Vigilant has, in round numbers. 1500 sq. ft. more canvas than Valkyrie, 

 and, according to the accepted formula, if Valkyrie's speed equalled 12 

 knots Vigilant's should be 13.5 knots, and the allowance on a course 

 of thu-ty miles would be six minutes. But it is seldom that the 

 conditions for ' f uU speed ' exist, and the Y. E. A. adopted 0.4.5 of 

 the full speed allowance only, the following being found by a special 

 formula. The New York formula is somewhat different, and .5 of the 

 fuU speed allowance is used, It can be supposed that the Americans 

 discovered in the same way we did that the average tioi^ one yacht 

 can allow another is only about half what the extreme time would be. 

 In considering this subject of excessive sail, the cases of vessels being 

 under-canvassed must not be overlooked. Satanita is an example of 

 this class of vessel, and, while small sails are in some ways to be com- 

 mended, there is no doubt if a rule were framed to promote such an 

 end, that a very undesirable type of huU would be at the same time 

 promoted. But, leaving the rating rule out of the question, there has 

 been evidence this season that the scale of allowances between large 

 and small vessels is inadequate. That is to s ay, the 'curve' appor- 

 tioning the aUowances is too flat, say between 40-rating and 150-rating. 

 This, of course, could be easily remedied by altering the scale; but it 

 would be rash to do it on the evidence of one season's racing only." 



The following, also from the Field, was written, we believe, by Mr. 

 Harry Horn, who came over specially to report the races. What he 

 says about the over-confidence of Valkyrie's crew is quite correct, 

 and it is quite possible that the good showing of the yacht in the first 

 attempt at a race was a positive hurt to her afterward. The Field's 

 comments on the moral effect of racing on the wrong side of the pond 

 among a strange fleet, are quite in harmony with our own views: 



"It seems hard to have to say now for the fourth time that the crew 

 of the English boat has become demorahzed after a race or two, yet 

 this is the case. It seems that the crew came over here too confident, 

 and consequently are easily cast down. The circumstances and con- 

 ditions have much to do with this state of affairs, as ocean sailing 

 among a lot of steamers is very difl'erent to racing in the Thames, 

 Clyde, or even at Plymouth. This fact must be recognized by any one 

 wanting to win the America Cup, and it seems clear that any yacht 

 coming out with the intention of winning this Cup should come early 

 in the year and get used to the conditions of the case, and practice 

 ocean sailing rather than over Isle of Wight and Torbay courses. It is 

 the old. story; the boats of the place, be it England, Ireland, America, 

 or the Fiji Islands, are the most suitable to the place. Hence to bear 

 them in theu- own waters you must accommodate yourself to the cir- 

 cumstances, and not think that by mere pretty work, such as starting 

 first, tacking in no time at all, etc., you can win. No, no. That is not 

 the game, but rather to go over the course at a reasonable speed and 

 keep going right along; no pretty work is needed to do this. Not that 

 this should be put down as the primary reason for defeat, but rather 

 as one of them, since nothing demoralizes a crew more than to get a 

 good start and then lose it. True, aU the last four challengers 

 have tried to look the same wind as the defenders. This was 

 wrong, as the defenders in each case were beamier, hence pro- 

 bably closer winded. Again, one and 'all of the challengers 

 have added to their sail plan for these waters, and most of 

 them have found their trim altered for this reason, and have 

 found the boats hard to steer in a fresh wind; this was particularly 

 noticeable in the case of Genesta. On the last day, in a fresh wind, 

 her helm was across her all the time; and one hears the same yam 

 about Valkyrie; but these are trifles; the whole question must simmer 

 down to one of power, i. e., driving power, and, plainly put, it is sheer 

 nonsense to expect one boat to give another 10 or 14 per cent, in sail 

 area, i. e., driving power, and expect to win. This, after all, is what 

 we have been doing for the past eight years, always, no doubt, expect- 

 ing that the Yankee boat could not carry her sail; but having been 

 wrong now four limes in eight years, it seems that the time has come 

 now when we should give in and try to equal our good friends in 

 power to drive a given hull, etc., through the water. 



"When the time allowance which Vigilant had to allow Valkyrie was 

 declared in the New York Yacht Club the writer had the honor to be 

 near that true and clever yachtsman. Gen. Paine, and heard him say 

 that he would rather have the cloth (/. e., l,000=q. ft.) than the time 

 allowance. These few words cover it all. and show the cause of our 

 continuous defeat, namely, our want of driving power. To put it 

 plainly, what would the world think of a man with a steam 

 yacht of 85ft. l.w.l., capable of developing 1,000 I. H. P., challenging 

 another yacht of, say, 85ft. 6in. l.w.l., with 1,100, for a 30-mile race, 

 and giving him 128s. time allowance? Surely the most appropriate 

 term other than crank would come from an English rather than an 

 American dictionary. 



The last race for the Cup was indeed a surprise to many, as the ma- 

 jority believed that Vigilant would beat Valkyrie badly in a fresh 

 breeze, and were surprised to find Valkyrie leading them by Im. 553. 

 at the outer mark, while, on the other hand, the Valkyrie party ex- 

 pected that in such weather their vessel would beat Vigilant easily to 

 windward. Both boats were perfectly handled, and a better race 

 could hardly have been sailed. Vigilant's speed down wind was some- 

 thing to talk about afterward. The result of these races proves con- 

 clusively that if we want to win the Cup we must give up our foolish 

 idea of expecting to do it with a boat of 10 per cent, less sail area, 

 and therefore with far less power, and no doubt it would be better 

 if the next chaUenger were to arrange it so chat the sail area should 

 not exceed a certain amount by 1 per cent., as in the case of the l.w.l. 

 It was unfortunate that Valkyrie lost her two spinakers, as, but for 

 this accident, she wotfid certainly have won this race; but, as she 

 would surely have lost the next triangular one, there was not so very 

 much cause for regret, the general opinion of everybody being that 

 in a hard reaching wind Vigilant would beat Valkyrie very badly. It 

 was very evident that the races took place far too late in the year, and 

 it is more than likely that they will never be sailed so late again. 



"Valkyrie shipped a couple of tons of lead the day before the race, 

 which reduced the lime allowance she had to receive from VigUant 

 from Im. 488. to Im. 33s., the reason for putting in this lead being that 

 the vessel was not steering well, it being evident that in stripping out 

 all her cabin fittings they had lifted her stern, and consequently she 

 was by the head. It seems a great pity she was not saUed at exactl.y 

 the same l.w.l. as the one on which she won her best races in England." 



The question of the inequality of sail area, and in fact of size in gen- 

 eral, between the challenger and defender has been discussed at length 

 by Lieut. -Col. J. T. Buckndl ("Thahissa") in several pubUcations: but 

 the true gist of the matter comes down to this, that the privilege of 

 outbuilding is one of the chief prerogatives of the defender, and one 

 that in all probabihiy he will be loath to resign. As long as it existn, 

 the only one to blame for an inequality in size or sail area, in other 

 words a deficiency of power on the part of the challenger, is the de- 

 signer of that vessel. It rests with him to select his elements and 

 dimensions for the home or foreign racing, or both; but if he would 

 win the Cup, he must keep to the latter alone. Certainly Valkyrie 

 comes ne-arer to the American ideal than any previous challenger; in 

 fact she carried more sail than Volunteer, but Mr. Watson couid not 

 possibly know how much his opponents were prepared to outbuild 

 him as soon as they knew his apuroximate power. 



We fully agree with Col, Bucknill that the contest would be far fairer 

 if the two parties were bound by the same limit of sail area or saUing 

 length, and we can see nothing unfair in it; in fact, we are of the opin 

 ion that some reasonable limitation on saU or size would be of advan- 

 tage all around, to the defender aa much as the challenger, in inducing 

 a more moderate and less costly type of yacht. In our opinion a re- 

 turn to the 70ft. class for Cup racing would be of the greatest advan 

 tage to the defender and it would be stUl better if some Umit, however 

 large, were placed on the sailing length as well. 



"Spinaker," the Clyde correspondent of the Boston Globe, is, as 

 usual, at sea over the centerboard, and ^ith amusing results. In one 

 letter he writes: "What Vigilant has again proven is that a center- 

 board means everything on certain points of sailing, and in a certain 

 weight of wind." Three days after, just after the final race, he writes: 

 "Friday's race has at least proven one fact, that the latest design in 



