The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1894-07-25
STORY OF THE RACE.
The vigilant Scores Handsome Victory
Over Her Old Rival.

Roche's P oint, Ireland, July PA
surprising feature of today's race be.
tween the Vigilant and the Britannia
was the remarkable light weather speed
developed by the centre boarder. 1t has
never been paralleled under similar con-
ditions over SO mile course. In her
contests with the Valkyrie off Sandy
Hook, the best hourly average of the
iglant was $50 knots, and her hourly
average today was 9.57, which is about
half knot better than the speed the
Britannia attained in her quickest previ-
Gus race, except yesterday, over an in
side coarse.
The wind was light from the start to
the finish, and fiuctuated between north
east and east. Its force varied only
slightly, probably not more than two
knots. The Britannia accounted Tor
some OF her loss after four-6ftns OF the
course had been sailed and the Vigilant
was nearly four minutes ahead, by the
fouling of her spinnaker. 1t wast Caught
on the topmasG just as she rounded
Daunts Rock lightship on her way home.
She WAS forced to lutf up to save the big
sail, but this slight loss was more than
couner balanced by the loss of the Vigi-
ant while running free to Daunts Rock.
| from Poor Head, on the last round. She
| broke the jaws of her gaff, and her nim-
| BILE sailors went aloft and made a rough
| and hurried job of splicing that held out
| to the finish.
| The Vigilant won the Royal Cork
Z! Yacht Clubs 100 guinea trophy by 8
| minutes, rs seconds, corrected time, on
| the surmise she allows the Britannia.
| l minute 10seconds. On actual time the
| centre-boarder won by minutes % sec
onds. She led at every one of the nine
turns of the course, and proved herself
| IN fairly steady light breeze better
| yacht than the cutter. The impression
| here is that the Vigilant has completely
| recovered her old form, and is prepared
| to tackle the cutter Ill any Kind OF a
| breeze that has staying qualltles. Ihe
| British yachtsmen think 1t was square
| victory in a:true light breeze and Cap
tain Hank Half and his men are Jubll-
| ant. The Yankee yacht received an ov-
| alton at the finish, and stentorlan
| Irish cheers mingled with the bark and
thunder of guns and the shrieking of
steam Whistles Both sides of the en-
trance trance to the harbor, varying in width
| from about half mile to mile, were
| thronged with sightseers as the victor
| ana vanuished sailed through the strait
| to the home mark.
The course Was from RocheS Point,
south southeast, about four miles to
Poor Head. thence In southwesterly
| direction about five miles to and around
| Daunts Rock lightship, and thence
north about five miles to Roche's Point.
This triangular course was sailed over
three times with final leg of about
four miles, extending ino the landlocked
waters to Spit light house, with a turn
to westward, finishing in front of the
yacht club house.
The Vigilant required careful hand
ling after the accident to the gaff as it
had been simply lashed to the mast. The
starboard tackling was pretty risky,
when she arrived at her nioorings after
the race. The gaff fell W hile the main
sail was beng lowered. The damaged
gaff was afterwards sent to Queenstown
navy yard for repairs. 1t is now expect
ed that the repairs will be finished in
ime to enable the Vigilant to take part
in the race tomorrow.