The Portland daily press., 1893-10-09

How the Yachts Went Over the
Course.
New York, October AFTER one post
ponement, the first race in this years con-
test for the America cup has been sailed
and has been won by the Vigilant.
Over 3O-mile course today, off Sandy
Hook lightship, in light to moderate
westerly breeze and rolling sea, the
chosen cup defender defeated Lord Dun
ravens Valkyrie by minutes 4S seconds
corrected time.
And as result, all yachting New
York, as we'll as much that does not
come under that head. is wildly jubilant
tonight, and sees nothing but three
straight victories and the retaining of
the cup on this side.
The race was not a particularly excit-
ing one after the first hour, for the Vigil
liant then established lead which no
subsequent sailing of the Valkyrie could
overcome.
The Vigilant was taken in tow off Bay
Ridge by her tender, the tug Command
| er, at 8, and the Valkyrie by the Lewis
Pulver, few minutes later. Both yachts
were towed to the starting point. De-
signer Herreshoff steered the Vigilant
from the start to the first turn. after
| which he turned over the helm to Cap
tain Hansen. Captain Cranfeld handled
! the tiller of the Valkyrie from the start
to the finish. At IL, the flagship May
took position about 100 yards to the
northward of Sandy Hook lightship to
L c+oh 1ich tha tha 81 %r,
steer an east by south course was hoist
ed. The wind bad freshened bit by
this time, and blew from the West.
When the preparatory gun doomed
| across the sea, both racers were to the
northward of the flagship, heading West
on the starboard tack. Each carried
mainsail, club-topsail and jib. The
| American boat had her jib-topsail hoist
ed in stops. The Valkyrie was the first
| to gibe over to the port tack and lower
her spinnaker boom to starboard. She
was followed by the Vigilant a few Sec
| onds later. They stood to the north
ward, with the Vigilant in the lead, and
waited for the starting gun.
Both the yachts calculated the time
nicely, being not more than their length
from the line when "boomF' went the
gun at 11h. 25m.
The Valkyrie, having about 25 feet the
| best of it, was timed at 11h. 25m. 25s.
| Shortly after crossing, the Valkyrie set
| her balloon jibtopsail. The Vigilant,
| meanwhile, had lowered her jib, and 12
minutes from the start the men and
women, boys and girls. thereabouts had
the satisfaction of seeing the American
boat gradually, though slowly, drawing
away from her formidable rival. The
Vigilant's balloon jibtopsail was doing
yeoman's service and helped her along
| prettily.
| The yachts were now making about
six miles an hour, much faster pace
| than would have been guessed. At 11h.
55m., the balloon jibtopsail of the Vigi-
liant was doing excellent work, the tack
| Of her spinnaker being carried forward
so as to spill the wind into the other sail.
| The race would be made, that was
and the hearts of the thousands swelled
| with delight as it was seen that the Brit
| ish yacht, on one of her strong points of
| sailing, at least, was doing only fairly
| with the cup defender. At 12h. 12m.,
| the yachts being about five miles on their
course, the Vigilant had lead of 250
| yards, which distance could be easily es-
| timated.
'sThe Vigilant can beat her running"
shouted an enthusiast, s'that's sure; let's
go below" and afterward the speaker
| and his friend came on deck again wear
| ing smiles of satisfaction.
| The wind shifted couple of points to
the South at 12h. 26m., making it neces-
sary to take in spinnakers. The Vigi-
liant dropped that sail first, and at once
set her balloon staysail under the bal
loon jib. The Valkyrie followed suit
o1rnx l1,,4 cnt All
head sail, carrying balloon jibtopsail
only.
The Vigilant now had clear lead of
one-quarter of mile. and the ''boys''
| could shout with great satisfaction. The
Vigilant was spinning out her lead in
magnificent shape, so that at 12h. Son.,
just one hour and twenty-five minutes
from the starting gun, she had good
mile to her credit. In fact, for about 20
| minutes, the American was seemingly
moving three feet to her rivals two. The
Vigilant's balloon jibtopsail was doing
great work-much better than the Val
kyrie's-and each had the same breeze.
The Valkyrie set her spinnaker again
at 12h. Ann, but the wind seemed to the
observing outsiders to be too far ahead
to carry it with good effect. The sail
was quite detrimental. And it looked
JuSG IIlou DIS IL UueIe Was DIS Ddu d case OI
''rattles'' aboard the British craft as
there has been charged was aboard the
Vigilant on Thursday. The wind was a
little tricky at this hour. 1t dropped in
strength tritie, but happily for a few
minutes only, as at III. 5m. it was blow
ing at the old gait, and hearts that had
sunk with the fear that another misera-
BILE October calm would follow were cor
respondingiy happy.
When the Vigilant ran for the mark it
blew a whole sail breeze and she luffed
around in fine style, hauling down her
balloon and jib topsail as she went in
stays. Once around on the port tack,
She hoisted her inte rmediate jib topsail
and stood for the finish on close reach.
The Valkyrie did likewise, but set her
baby jib topsail instead after luffing
around. The official time of the turn
was Vigilant LII. som. Sos, Valkyrie
ill., 58m. SOS. From this it can be seen
that it took the Vigilant just two hours,
25 minutes and so seconds and the Val
kyrie two hours, 35 minutes and 80 sec
onds to make the run of Is miles to lee
wood, difference of eight minutes and
six seconds which was really the gain of
tha Vioiiant. as the starting time of both