The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-09-18
VIGILANT AND TALKYRIE.
Forecasts or Their Chances, According to
Their Form and Weather Races

| Forecasts OF Their Chances. According to
Their Form and Weather Races
To THE EDITOR OF The SUS-Sir. Shortly
| before the races between the Volunteer md
| Thistle l published n statement of prubablli.
| ties based on the elements OF tho yachts. In :
dicating the success Of tho Volunteer. although
the Thistle's extraordinary performances in
British waters had convinced many she would
| win tho cup. Below present q similar esti.
mate OF tho chances OF tho Nigilnnt and
Nalkyric. In very rough water. clements not
well understood are brought INTO the prob
lem. and conclusions from the four factors
named may bc contvadcted by the yachts
performance but in fairly smooth water.
knowing the factors. one can estimate the
performance quite accurately
Now the elements OF tho viGi,ant and Val.
kyrio are approximately us follows:
NlGIANt
Bsmn over UH W al no s& Gee.
Draught IL feet
Sail spread 100 square intT i tses
vALKrmE
enath on water limo ..... SGtS feet
Beam oyer ai............'.. ........,.... Il feet
iTSTsna ...., III feet
Sail spread 400 square feet
Vigilant. therefore, has about LOCO square
feet more OF sail on from 10 to 20 tons less
weight NiRilant has about 80 square feet and
Nakyrie from 90 to ~ square feet OF sail area
weight Of the hull yet this is small mater IA ter
compared with thu resistances proper OF fric-
ton and wave akinH. and we require to con-
case Of the two yachts.
Hitherto q. In the cup race. It is almost GER
ton depends. was the smaller in the case OF
ths American Yacht. and with the surfaces OF
smaller.
OF Nigilant Is undoubtedly greater than that
beam and oniy two feet less draa 1 St' Also
than is the body of valkyrie and her mdship
~; tho straight line drawn from the surface
Of the boat at the water line to the lower edge
Of 9a TIE keelIthan does the midship section OF
the same plane Of ,yiEiant From 1ii these
has materially. more Immersed surface than
Nalkyrie. and I the surfaces OF both boats were
greatest surface friction to overcome Rome "A'' '"'
But first, tlGilant has more sail, Now has she
proportiotnateiy as much more sail as she has
question with absolute certainty but from the |
dimensions of both boats and tho known ten
that NiRilant's sail area exceeds Yalkyre's at |
least least as much as the formers Immersed sur
bronze bottom It is safe t to Say will be- In bet
Ter sGn9tlG pn on the race days then YIN
over The other s ynebs a. 10 bss gaet
timatcd of as much ns Ave minutes in forty |
miles However this may be. we may be rea-
to total surface friction is more favorable in |
the case Of VigiIant than in the case of Nalky- |
RIG. X this be so. then in light winds. not de- |
Teloplng more than SIX or seven knots speed, |
Nigilant should win.
As for resistance due to form. there can be |
no reasonable doubt that Valkyrie has less
than Njg!lant. Al! tho dimensions OF NiRilant |
are such a3point to great relative coarseness |
portionaly to her length very great beam and |
Very Yer great great area of mlship OF section. Now,
area OF mldship section You may have great |
rolt beam in each case without
have both great. proportonate beam and large |
area of mldship section without relatively |
But !iGilant has both great beam and great |
pr rlo OF mGshnn section as compared with Val
ky nn:. ana y VII he Altogether unreasonable
hi:!: speeds; say - to - knots per hour, as |
the form Of Valkyrie.
But again. Is the increase In the sail spread
ot valiant proportionate TO this increase
nerSa nRsas, 1t ans Il
iomahawli showed that it is not always pos
stble to put power enough on boat OF hard
drive boat Of easy form. Minerva had much
ess sail than Lirs. yet beat the latter in prac-
CARNATIONS AMI excuses have been made for
\iGilant but bailey one cause for her rela-
lively poorer performance in running at high
speeds Is her hardness OF form, due to her
combination OF great beam
great drauGht, and great area OF midship
section.
- Therefore regard 1t probable that should
lgiiant meet a kyrie In circumstances ia
iorahie Tor very b gh speed rs II to Is knots,
such aG reaching in a strong breeze the for
nor Will be beaten in such race.
In the qualities OF pointing and fetching
'igh Nigllant is Il great boat All the eX-
!erence OF past cup races and the tests OF the
'igilant and CoIonia Indicate that IN these
cspocts she vii surpass Nalkyrie Should the
and leeward race be sailed In n
lard sea. it will 70 reason for surprise il Val
'yrie does not "crah' to leeward. Now, sum
nnrizing the foregoing discussion. II the wind
8 light in all tho cup races. Vigilant should
eep tho CUP here, because Of her large sail
rea and bronze bottom. In any case she
hould win the race to windward aud leeward
rom hor superior qualities Of pointing and
etching high.
should the wind he strong in tho other races
Q that NaIkyris Will attain a l2-knot gait
fgllant Is likely to be beaten In such races |
nd Nalkyrie. by winning thrce out OF five
a eos. may take the cup back with her.
Ions Of form aud resistance will attain a |
rominence in American designing they have
OF had Tor years. D. W. b.
SElT. u. lS!E}.