The New York herald., 1872-10-06
RAMBLER vs.. MADELEINE.

The Late Race for the Com od0re's
Cup-Kcel and OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES from
the PEN OF a Passenger ON Board the
Rambler-The Latter Yacht Logs Fif-
teen Knots with . Beam Wind.
This race may In some measure be considered q
contest between keel and centre e-board; we will
look at II from that point Of view although the ad
vocates OF keels would hardly accept the Rambler
their champion racer. She is built especially for
comfort and nothing Is sacrificed to speed. She
has large trunk and two high skyights, besides
other usual skylights and companionways; also
comparatively high bulwarks
In thirty hours beat to windward these serve
as so many sails hove aback, and cannot help re-
tarding her. but to Offset this she is size larger
than her competitor, and no time allowance was
given. Perhaps in good breeze she might be fair
" handicapped against the Madeleine, stripped as
the latter of all encumbrance to her racing speed
Starting from
BRENTONs REEF
Thursday, 10th OF September at sh. slim. 22s with
light southerly wind, both yachts were close
hauled, although neither tackled until they ap.
preached Fishers Island. From that point to
Sandy Hook Lghtship they had 1t, tack and tack
the whole way, the wind hauling gradually towards
the northwest
Passing Montauk light at $3.50 p. NJ they had
heavy rain squalls, with almost calms between, and
ev cry indication that the wind might come out at
northward, butt end foremost, any moment This
and the increasing rOughness OF the water kept
them both to short tacks under the Long Island
shore, neither could afford to run far OF to sea
with the chance OF seeing her opponent take fair
wind from the shore, and thus gain long start
This feature kept them close together all the way
to Fire Island and made the contest more exciting
but IL gave some great advantage to the centre
board boat, because she tackled on much less time
and had good share OF smooth water near the
Shore
ON the other hand, the fresh breeze during the
last eight hours Of the race was just what the
Rambler wanted and when 1t
PIPED UP
her hackers would have bet ten to one on her. es-
pecially before they saw how nobiy the Madeleine
At Montauk, after having been considerably
astern, the Rambler, at $3.50 A. NJ. had almost re-
gained her ground, and was about as far astern as
minutes. SO the tug began here and continued
with varying fortunes as accident or skill favored
one or the other The moon being out bright each
could keep the run Of the other almost as well as by
daylight
crossed the Madeleine'S bow few yards to wind
ward and from that time both made very short
tacks, keeping close In to the shore as the breeze
freshened, sometimes even
STIRRING UP THE SAND
before going about Several Zines each had to
give way 70 the other on the starboard tack, and
up to s A. M Friday morning 1t seemed to be ''any
body's fight"
The centre-board gained regularly in stays ana
in shore, and lost as she bobbed into the sea out
siae. At S:3s, as the Rambler was heading north
hoping to weather the Madeleine, our nainsail sud-
denly came down by the run, the thwart halyards
having chafed OF M our twenty -four hours constant
tacking
For moment IL was doubtful whether she would
come about with this broken wing, or have to wear
ship to clear the beach, but there was room to try
IL first, and she came around on the of shore tack.
1t took just nineteen minutes to repair damages.
the Madeleine going of like a race horse, while we
prayed-over the left-and imagined the smiling Of
our adversaries, who. doubtless, thought the race
won. But the breeze rapidly fresbened, which we
counted one point in the game for US. At o A. M.
we were
DRAGGING
our large racing sails rather than carrying them
to good purpose, and feeling that we should go
faster with reefs on held council as TO losing the
needfu time. The young men were, OF course, Tor
carrying on; but tmid old party, who had a voice
in the matter, cut the knot by insisting on a
couple o: reefs. #
we were again hammering away with Just a.
much sal as we ANY OF us) wanted for either CON-
fort or speed. The weather looked now az II a
regular twenty four hours sm0therer had set In at
north northwes. with NOTHING but hard knocks be-