The San Francisco call., 1895-07-31
Had the Vigilant Badly Dis
tanced When the Acct
dent Occurred.
FAST TIME IN A HIGH WIND.
Many of the Smaller Yachts Had
Sails Split and Sheets Car
ried Away.

had yachtsmen a more glorious day Tor
cruise than the mem bers of the New York
Club enjoyed to-day. There was Wlnd.
a-plenty, and had the yachts been trlhe
less fleetfooted disaster might have been
written in the days record, for the WIND
became a gale shortly after the squadron
was safe IN New London harbor As 1t
was. the schooner Montauk got knock
down blow which twisted one OF her boats
from the davits, and the Defender had her
steering gear jammed so that she was
obliged to pull out of the race and permit
the Vigilant to score one against her.
When the Defender quit she was leading
the Vigilant by 4 min. 80 sec., according to
an observer in the lighthouse off this har-
bor As the Defender started SO seconds
later than the Vigilant, the new boat mad
min. and sec. to her credit, and the
sixty-four mile race was practically fin
ished.
The days run was from Eatons Point,
off Huntington Bay, /. l., to New London,
sixty-four miles as the crow flies. In
order that the yachts might complete the
run before dark the start was made at 80
A. NJ. To the surprise of all the veterans
the yachts arrived here about half an hour
before noon, being an unprecedented rec
ord for cruise run. The best time made
by any of the yachts was 4:36:34. the time
of Bayard Thayer's schooner ConsteIla-
ton. This was an average of 1873 knots an
hour. The Vigilant averaged 1871 knots.
Up to the time OF her accident the De-
fender averaged nearly ii knots. This
time was made on a broad reach, which
was very nearly a run before the wind at
times. The showing is all the more re-
markable when it is remembered that the
distance is not ten or twenty miles, but
sixty -four. -----..------.
The officials of the New York Yacht
Club have just reason to be proud of the
performance of the fleet in to-day's run.
With the exception of one small cutter,
all the yachts were in the harbor before
Pm. In other years it has been found
necessary to devote two days to the run to
this port. The winners in the different
classes to-day were:
First class -sohooners, Constellation; second
class schooners; Emerald; third class schoon-
ers, Ariel; fourth class schooners, Amorita;
fifth class schoopers, Loyal
First class sleops, NigIlant; second class
sloops, Katrina, Walkoyer; third class sloops,
Queen Nab; fifth class sloops, Wasp; and sixth
class slOOpS, GoSSoon.
Before the start Huntington Bay pre-
sented a beautiful spectacle with the feet
of yachts at anchor, two or three abreast,
and forming line a mile in length. At
$50 A. NJ. the morning gun doomed across
the waters, already stirred by brisk wind,
mainsails were gotten up, club topsails
were sent aloft and jibs made ready
Promptly at o'clock the Sylvia led the
way out into the sound. The Defender
and Vigilant sailed out side by side. The
fresh morning breeze caused them to heel
well over before they fairly got under way.
There were signs in the sky OF blow later
IN the day, but neither skipper prepared
for it by taking in club topsails. A dozen
steam yachts followed the Sylvia to see the
start.
The schooners and sloops which were in
the days race moved from their anchorage
when the Sylvia did, and at 6:15 o'clock
there was thread of white canvas off
Eaton's Neck as the veteran lighthouse
keeper on the point had never seen before.
The Sylvia anchored near the buoy off
Eatons light. Her signals were for a run
to New London, sixty-four miles away.
The wind was from southwest to south
east, the course little north of east, cor
rectly it was broad reach.
At6:3Othe preparatory gun was fired The
The single-stickers were zigzagging about
very close to the line and frequently very
close to one another. Percy Chubbs Queen
Nab led the way over when the starting
was made at 6 40 o'clock.
She was followed by the Amorita, Cos
soon, Wasp, Minota, Hildegard, Katrina.
Ventura and several minutes later by the
Clara. AT 6:45 O'Clock the schooners were
started. The freshening breezes sent them
across the line at a great pace.
Lasea led, followed by Montauk. Ra-
mona, Elsemaire Marguerite and Constel-
Iation close together and Iroquois, Emer-
aid, Brunhilde and Shamrock crossed
minute later.
At $50 o'clock the gun again sounded
from the flagship and the two big single
stickers made for the line. The V1gilant
crossed first, SO seconds ahead of the De-
fender. The latter used only No. jib
topsall while the Vigilant sent balloon.
Both sloops had big club topsails aioft.
The Defender outsailed the Vigilant from
the start and passed her inside of half an
hour. After passing Port Jefferson the
wind increased until it was blowing thirty
miles an hour and considerable sea was
kicked up. All eyes were directed at the
big club topsails on the yachts, and after
couple of hours run they were taken in
and gaff topsails substituted. The bal
loon jibs were also replaced by smaller
head sails and the shippers trimmed sail
for more serious blow.
Long Island Sound was white with foam
and the talent and crews of the racers were
doused with showers of spray that were
Tapped up by the wind and dashed upon
deck. The little cutter Clara, late
starter, got more of the heavy weather
than the others and sought shelter before
reaching New London. Several yachts
mad sails split and sheets carried away.
All the fleet except the Clara are at
anchor in New London harbor tonight.
Inc Jubilee and Volunteer arrived to-day
ana joined the feet. Tomorrow at 10 A. M.
the neet will start for the run to Newport. |
EFOUGHT WITH BLA ACKSNAKES
EccSttn9 Experience of a Boating Party |
fll Rhode Island.