The Wilmingtonian., 1886-07-03
Another Steel Yacht.

The Harlan & Hollingsworth Company
has commenced laying the keel of new
steel yacht.
This is New York commission. The
new vessel is to be built according to the de-
signs of Gary Smith the designer of the Pris-
ella and her excellent performance in New
York waters has not been without its effect
upon our fellow-citizens of the metropolis,
Ia talking about the Priscilla and her re-
cent performance at Marblehead it may be
consided that what the New York Herald
says is about as straight criticism as can
be :-"The honors are now equally divided
between the Priscilla and the Puritan, as
each has won two races out of possible
four, though it is only fair to say that the
condition of the weather yesterday was more
favorable for thorough trial of speed than
in any of the previous matches.
The Puritan seems to have behaved mag
nifcently in working to windward against a
hraaza which at times sent her lee rail under.
This is her best point Of sailing, aud never
playing her quality The May aydower, built
to beat the Puritan, was not so stiff as she
should have been, and when she came to be
close hauled laid over on her side until the
water was level with her hatchways. Prob
ably little more ballast may remedy this
defect.
The Priscilla demonstrated once and for
all that she is no ''drifting boat, Her per-
Torrance was excellent. She stood up bet
ter than any of the single sticksters, and the
harder it blew the faster she went to wind.
ward. Even B 1stou will not envy her the
second place in this memorable contest.
The big sloops will probably not meet again
until the trial races in the fall. The May
flower, as well as the Atlantic, may by that
| time be in filter condition. The best boat
|
Gaatea, though perhaps the slowest would
be good enough for Lieutenant Henn's cut
ter"
Other criticisms and notices relating to the
Wilmington boats performance Tuesday
last are as follows:-
"The Priscilla is better boat than last
year. She stood up like a tree, better thar
the Puritan and much better than the May
flower. Reaching, she is as fast as any o
them, but the Puritan had got the legs whel
the big beats to windward appeared. ThC
Puritan is an awful boat to go to windward
She did nothing so good last summer as sh'
did to-day never saw finer race. 1t wa
glorious"
The Priscilla seemed to gather way TIL
quickest Of the large sloops, and it seemet
but a moment before her S ills were all draw
ing and she was leading toward the line o.
the starboard tack and well to windward o
the stakeboat.
4 vi Ine JUlee bnG L ElsCllld Seelhou W otdh
up to her work best, but the Mayflower hee
ed badly and her decks were awash almo:
up to tue hatchways.
: The Priscilla provided herself to be n
light weather craft, for she stood up bravel
to everything that blew, and in the las
burst to windward, with the heaviest win
of the day, was beaten much less than whe
! the wind was lighter. She is wonderil
d and second only to the winner of the rae
= Tie Maydower was apparently as well sal
ed as the others and in reaching was in evel
: way as good as the others. But in windwal
work her defects showed plainly. She d
e not stand up as well nor did her sails dra
Ie as they should, for her ibs shook almo
d constantly at the heads and on the inn
=, teaches.
Any further talk of the Priscilla being
u light weather boat becomes supe tiuous aft
u the story of her behavior to-day is told. 81
ID stood up under her load of canvas during Il
il sharp squalls blowing from over Marblehei
rock like a sturdy oak. When the Mayflo'
er's desk was literally awash and her boo
'u was dragging in the water, the Priscilla
lie rail was out. The weakness of the yacht
uuquestionably in her not forging to win