New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-09-01
TIGILANT WAS FAR AHEAD
BUT THE ROYAL DART YACHT CLUB
COMMITTEE CALLED OFF THE RACE
THE sATANITA HAD NO CHANCE OF WINNING
DAY OF LIGHT wINDs-oNLY HALF THE
COURSE GONE OvER-THE DECISION
WHICH LOST THE vIGTLANT
HER PRIZE SHARPLY

CRITICISED.


Dartmouth, Aug Slater handsomely vanquish.
ing the biggest OF Engand's crack cutters, the
satanita. over half the course Of the Royal Dart
Yacht Club the Vlgllant lost the prize hc ugh the
decision of the Regatta Committee. Ii was GER
tanly In the British acceptatIon OF the
term. there Is time limit on yachting contests
on this side OF the ocean.
1t the Vigants weather. in the opinion OF
the English experts. a light northeaster barely
rufied the surface OF the Channel. bringing with
1t a mist. There were thronGs from all over Eng
land to the Nigilants first duel with Mr. Clarkes
yacht The contest for prizes OF $3.50 and $3.50,
under the auspices OF the Royal Dart Yacht Club.
The course was triangular. The first leg. Of about
four miles. was from the Dartmouth Range. at the
entrance OF the harbor. due south to the Skerries
bell buoy: thence in north norheasterly direction
TO a markboat of East Blackstone. about four and
half miles; and thence TO the westward about
mile and a half back to the starting point. The
course sailed four times. and thus had
eleven turns
The yachts bounded down for the line when the
starting gun was fired. at 1890 o'clock. The Vigil
liant was on the weather quarter Of the Satanta.
Both yachts carried clubtopsails and jlbopsails.
The wind. which increased bit just after the
racers got away. N the port quarter. The
Saanita crossed the line at lo:3o5O o'clock with the
white centreboarder a ha.f-minute astern. The
Nigilant overlook and passed TO windward OF the
big cutter few minutes after the start and
rounded the skcrries buoy minutes and seconds
ahead. Time: Nlgilant. ll1014 Satanita. ll02G.
1t was almost dead to wndward tussle to the
markboat on East Blackstone. and the value OF
the cen,reboard was again demonstrated. The soop
stood higher every leg than the cutter. and
gained minutes and seconds In the four-anda-
half-mile stretch OF lacking. thus being II minutes
and u seconds ahead when she rounded the East
Blackstone mark. Time Vigiant. FAB Satanita
l2:il 30. From last Blackstone to the home mark
II was broad reach. with the wind abaft the star
board beam. 1t was becoming apparent to every
body that unless there should be decided change
IN The force OF the wind. which was Of only moder
ate strength. the Satanita would be beaten more
than half an hour. The ,vlgant added minutes
and 50 seconds to her lead she gybed around the
home marx Time Ngilant, l2:$:2s, Sa,anita
Reaching and beating In light weather evidently
is not the Satantas forte She did much better
with her rival in the running. This was evident
Of the second round. and the Vigilant gained only
! minute and % seconds Thus, at tne Skerres
ahead Time Vigilant. l2:55 satanita. l:ii:So
1t was now PLAIN to the most preJudiced ldvocate
Nigant was a sure winner by n big margin. which
conservaauves estimated would be about haf an
calm just after the yachts rounded the SKerries
ey ng Esan' was t around me Of E h
southwest as she laid her for the home
mark. The Satanita stood inshorc and seemed to
get better breeze. which enabled her TO eaten up
little The Ngilant ran into calm streak The
Sitan!ia heii N breeze until she passed NTs~s'one
about mile from the starting point iheh me
breeze got around 10 the southward and tae Nig-
tar The wind iii aEain' and the Yachts barely
had stecrage way. The visilant was far in the
At this point the committee decided to call the
race of. The Satanita had no chance to win In
hal a different opinion 1t decided that the iorater
which aheal At the end OF the arst round should
the reputation o, being the most unfair yachting
organization in England. The decision Of It's COM
ana Tie Field to make decidedly unfayoraDle
comments In regard TO Dart club methods