New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1885-09-06
THE PURITAN AND GENESTA
RIVAL CLAIMS OF CUTTER AND sLooP.

AsA' ~ N>~
yopMgK CONTESTS FOR ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
OF THE RACERS.
The trophy which declares that he Nation
holding it has the best yachts and the most sKilui
obtsnen I'm the world will lie defended to morrow for
the fourth time. Thirty four years ago Engnshnei
believed that they were the head OF the whole race OF
souatic sportsmen, and the Royal Yacht Squadron
offered silver cup be sailed for by the yachts OF the
world sersnely confident that the trophy woulo ho'
sray far beyond the dear white cliffs OF Dover. 70
ono bright August morning the waters OF the soeh'
wore white with the sails yachts flying the red cross
of st. George and owned by many n gallant sen'cin'n
nd noble lord striving for the honor OF winning the
ROYAL Sauadrons cup. Then Ike whirlwihu on 'hc
trees like deluge the dkes," swept down schooner
flying tue Stars and Stripes and the swtest keel thaI
had ever then been launched shot ahead OF the BRUSH
feet winning the cup which ever sipce mas sSe" o'
this side of the ocean,
Cant Roland f. Coffin in his Interesting little book on
The Americas Cup" says that when the yacht fleet
was in sight from Castle that day the following
dialogue took place the Queen and one of her
officers:
"a Signal Master are the yachts in sight "
Eyes, may 1t please your Majesty"
(which is first T.
=" The America"
swhich is second I"
All your Majesty. there is second"
The possession OF the trophy thus lies between tho
two great branches OF the Anglo race No other
Nation has eyer had the hardihood TO compete for It,
Rut between England and America several hard fought
battles have been waged IT, The English first tried
to get the cup back 1870 Commodore Ashbury of the
Royal Thames Yacht Grub. challenging for 1t and bring
Ing his Schooner yacht Cambria She raced against
twenty tour yachts OF the New-York Yacht Club
squadron and was badly defeated. But Mr. Ashbury
had sporting blood" AMI he built him new yacht
called the Lvona aud crossed the next year deter
mined IL possible to carry back tho cup in triumph to
the Castle Of Cowes Bat 1t was not TO be, and the
Lvona was defeated by the schooner yachts Columbia
and SapI 10 In q series OF races.
Since that time the Americans have had to defend
the cup against a crack English yacht. The Can
adams down the Countess OF Duern in 1876 and
the sloop ATLANTA ISL Both easily defeated,
the first by the schooner Madeleine and the second by
the sloop Mischief The last especially was almost
a farce. Now however, the yachtsmen OF America hJve
matter of quite another sort their hands. Here is
the cutter Genesta the full flush Of her English vic
tories representative Of the best type OF English yacht
architecture, owned by man who represents family
that foremost sports land and water In the
mother country for generations and manned by crew
OF the flower of English sailors.
The decline OF American commerce and the decadence
of the American maritime spirit which had been SO
steadily and long going had extended its influence
yachting and all who realized the true state OF things
were ready to exclaim: Oh Ichabod thy glory has
Departed The cutter Madge startled yachtsmcn mere
for while and then lassitude and self-com
placency again But when the Genesta challenged for
the Americas cup even apathetc realized that
something must DO done Two wonderful sloops were
built lone. the Priscilla. by the commodore aud vice.
commodore OF the New-York Yacht Club. and
one. the Puritan. by gentlemen connected with
the Eastern Yacht Club When New-York yachts
men saw the Priscilla sail they filled
with wonder and admiration. IL was not possible
for ans thing to beat her, they said. Then tho
Eastern cruise Of the York Yacht Club and when
white ghost with Puritan her stern swcptby with the
speed OF the wind there another of astonsh
mcnt. The Oracle anc the BedOuln had been considered
boats but it in the first OF the trial races when
Puritan crossed the line while tho topmasts Of these
two yachts just appearing above the horizon. that
American yachtsmen learned what a fast boat really
To will show whether the limit OF speed has
reached in the Puritan II there be another
surprise in the Genests With the attainment of greater
speed the problem OF naval architecture constantly
varies The old wave lines Of the Collins steamers
were found TO be totally az fault when IL tho
uction Of the swift steamships Of the
day SO In the building OF yachts tho effect Of greater
speef the skin drag has to be carefully considered,
we'll the creation OF and other nice points
The model ,f the Puritan is unlike anything
before She q soop, II there one and has
much about her to suggest the down East" fishing boat
The boats that sail from the rocky harbors Of Ne
England into the stormy that forever wash those
shores have always been built deep, and the Puritan Is
deep.
The casual observer would notice little peculiar
EXCEPT her ovefhangIn But tho experienced
rye detects her peculiartes Her funess ia tie
harpngs which enables her carry press OF head sail
without burying her nosepOe in heavy weather. her
sharp entrance and lean all points which tell in
her favor. Her midshp section compared with the
Genesa's is shown in the cut above The Puritan is
cutter rugged with this exception. that she carries
working and club topsail while cutter hoist
club topsail spirit topsail b header Her shrouds
have ratins them. that the sailors can 20 aoft
rapidly and easily. The Genesta. 1t will be seen by
reference to the cut, has slight tumble homo and
carries her bge well down.
Now cutter al ways lays over great deal and in q
yacht constructed like the Genesta the submerged side
will slide into the water easily and without o shock and
without much rctarding her speed shc like tho Pur-
iisn is lean aft but her is not graceful She
rake Of nearly forty degrees her post and
small ruddsr. Tie Puritan tack In twenty five
seconds and those who have the Genesa sail the
other side OF the Atlantic say can do even
better Tho broadsie view Of the two yachts rcpre
scented Ia the lower diagram The deck lines and the
water ines are shown In the upper diagram. Tho
Genesa was launched In May. 1884, and was built from
designs By j. Beavor Webb. she Is undoubtedly the
best OF English cutters. In her passage across the
Atlantic she made the trip In twentyfour days She
made the passage under jury rig and was not pressed
The Puritan was designed by Me-. Burgess, of Boston,
nnd built by George Lawy Son, OF south Boston. On
July there was sweepstakes regatta In which the
schconers Fortuna, 6itana Mohean and America were
entered The Puritan In race, but starting
after the schoones she reached the turning buoy ye
minutes ahead of the leading schooner In spite of the
fact that che had to keep Of their way Then she hove
- and waited unsil they had rounded. Then she filed
away aud dashed after thsm heating them to te finish
Ehds y e example At her sailing sgafust American