The herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1893-1900, 1894-08-07
BUMPED ON THE ROCKS,
Racing Yachts Have Their
Keels Scraped.
The Vigilant Wins Another
Great Victory.
She Defeats Both the Britannia and
Satanita.
Unfair Tactios Resorted to by the British
Captains to Shut Out tho Amsri-
can Cutter Were OF
No Avail.


By the Associated Press.
CowEs, Isle of Wight, Aug, 6.-With
prospects Of a splendid days racing, the
Vigilant, Britannia and Satanita started
this morning in the big event of the re-
gatta of the Royal London Yacht club.
The weather was what experts call Sata-
nits weather.
The course is a total distance Of 55
miles. There were nearly 800 yachts of
all sizes and descriptions lying in the
roads. The American yachts Atlanta,
White Lady and May were conspicuous
among those that carried the Stars and
Stripes. Over the gay spectacle leaden
sky frowned, threatening a showery day.
but nice breeze was blowing. During
the early morning excursion steamers
from Southampton, Portsmouth and
other places steamed into the roads.
Larger numbers were assembled than
were ever before gathered at an English
regatta.
Emperor William reached here at 8
O'Clock on board the imperial yacht Ho-
henzollern. AS the day advanced the
wind increased in force.
The Vigilant allows the Satanita 55
seconds, owing to the reduction of the
latter's sail area, and the Vigilant al
lows the Britannia 2 minutes % seconds.
The three rival yachts gave the specta-
tors pretty exhibition OF smart seaman.
ship before the start, as they cruised up
and down testing the wind from
O'Clock until the starting gun was fired
at 10 am. All three yachts started for
a. ~, 70, to1-
loon jios. Their times were. in crossing
the line: Satanita (cuttsr) Dol, Bri.
tsnnia (cutter) 10 :0l :05. Vigilant (sloop)
10 :02 20.
At the outset an exciting contest oc.
lsnt. The former was holding the wind
ward position, and the latter tried te
pasa her. But the prince of Walee' cut
ter Immediately held the Vigilant. Fol
time both yachts made little forward
progress. The Satanita in the mean
time rapidly forged ahead, and an ides
directly struck all the spectators that
the Britannia's man9nvre, in holding
the Vigilant, was the result of an agree
ment between the two Britieh captainl
to work in unison, SO that the winner ol
the cup would be British vessel, thii
being day of Santanlta weather and the
Britannia having but q small chance o
winning. Therefore, the latter coulG
very we'll devote herself to harrass inl
the Americant yacht. This manGuvr'
so far succeeded that wnen the Vigilan
got clear the Satanita was q long way
ahead.
The times in passing East Cowes
point we're: Satanita, l0:l1:3 :32; Vigi-
liant, 10:13:Sl; Britannia, 1914 :15
The Satanlta therefore had Iced o
/ minute SO seconds at this early stag
OF ths race on the Vigilant, while the
latter was A seconds ahead of the Brit
annia.
All three yachts got away in fn'
style, and once past East Cowes poin
they were reaching along at steamboR
speed, with part of their starboard rail-
submerged and leaving a glisteninl
wake behind them.
The times of the yachts at Ryde poin
we're: Satanita, 10 20 :55; Vigilant
10: 81 :35; Britannia, 10 :32 :26. Both tn
Satanita and Vigilant were increasing
their leads on the Britannia.
At the Warner lightship the Vigilan
was pulling up on the Sstanita, which
led by only 10 seconds the Britanni
being only 55 seconds behind the leader
The signals which gave the time pass
ing Shankdin could not be read will
precision, but approximately the boat
passed ns follows: Satsnita, IL :05
| Vigilant, 1907; Britannia, 1908.
Ventnor was passed about as follows
the same uncertainty es to time ant
order of the two British yachts prevail
ing: Satanits, 1925 rs; Vigilant
II :25 81; Britannia, 1926 :32.
Up TO this stage it was very prett,
race, nearly half the course had beer
covered and yet only trif1e of a minut
sepsrted the first and third yachts.
During a luffing match off Ventnor
both the Britannia and Vigilant scrape,
the shore. The American yacht wa
rather severely scraped.
The times of the finish were: Vigi
liant, 5:C6:l5; Britannia, 5:14 :27
Satanita, 5 :46 :l5. The Vigilant conse
quently won by s minutes IL seconds
counting out her time allowance, 2
minutes 2S seconds.
To an Associated Press reporter. aite
the race, Captain Half, CT the Vigilant
said:
"Itis quite true the Britannia trie
to hold us at the start. evidently il
order to let the Satanita get ahead
In TACT that was their tactics through
out. When one get slightly ahead tn
other tried to hold us. and this led to ou
running in TO the shore more than once
The Satanita only led on the run to Benz
bridge. Directly as we turned the poin
and started the race for St. Catherin
point, we began to gain and shipped hei
The Britannia also came up, and thsl
commsnced o series OF lufing matches
The Britannia was to windward an
prevented "a from passing, continual
bearing down on US and keeping u
in shore. Ultimately, when we ha,
just passed Ventnor, we tried to pas
the Britannia ON the leeward. but failed
Then We decided to pass her to wind
ward whatever the risk might be. w
succeeded. and the Britannia was presse,
in shore and her bottom rubbed. Late
on the Britannia again tried the sam
game when we were close together. W.
were determined not to be joIlied in thi
| faabion an1 both tuoro mn - -