The San Francisco call., 1895-07-15
sails set and the wind was blowing squarely
over their taffrails as they began to draw
aWay from the land

sails set and the wind was blowing squarely
over their taffrails as they began to draw
away from the land.
There was no sea rolling outside to speak
of, only gradual ground swell heaving in.
This was accounted for by the wind being
off the land during the night. The day
was all that was wished for as far as pleas
ant weather was concerned. The wind
blew about ten or eleven miles an hour and
it was predicted early in the race by old
salts that there would be change before
long, as the indications pointed to the
wind coming from the southwest.
1t was now IL 20 o'clock and the De-
fender broke out her spinnaker to star
board a short distance off Beavertail. The
boats were within short range OF each
other and the race was commenced.
The Defenders spinnaker was taken in
almost Immediately after, but man was
sent aloft and it was reset in less than five
minutes whatever the trouble was having
been remedied. 1t was the first time the
spinnaker was set and it looked well from
every standpoint. 1t was better fit than
the Vigilant's spinnaker, not being too
full, vet enough to hold the wind we'll. 1t
was once more taken in, a piece of rope
having been afoul of one OF the blocks, but
in nearly an instant it was again spread
out to the breeze.
At II rs the Defender in running down
to wind had gained a length on the
Vigilant, the course of both boats being
south to west, the wind still blowing at
the rate of ten miles an hour and the con-
testants within a cables length of each
other. The Vigilant's tender, the steamer
Aeronaut, was lowering close by in case
she was needed. The boats went down
the wind handsomely, and at 11:35 were
off Narragansett Pier, neither showing
any advantage. The sailing yachts by
this time were left far astern and there
were only five steam yachts that kept
close up to the big boats.
The view of the racers as they glided
through the water with spinnakers set
was a beautiful one, and something long
to be remembered. The Defender left
hardly ripple in her wake, and she
simply rolled over the surface of the ocean
without any fuss or trouble. The wind,
which was holding on well during the
forenoon, began to drop at II AS and the
impression among the yachtsmen was it
would die out altogether. 1t was very
close race, so far, the racers keeping the
same distance away from each other as at
the start, the Defender in the lead.
Eight bells were struck on board the
Defender while still off Narragansett pier
and holding lead over the Vigilant. The
stretching of the Vigilants spinnaker in
the breeze did not appear to make it set
any better, as it shook in the wind contin-
ually.
When between Narragansett Pier and
Point Judith the Vigilant headed little
more to the westward, which brought her
nearer the Defender, the wind being nine
or ten miles an hour. A movement was
then made to take in the spinnaker aboard
the Vigilant. A man was sent aloft and
he sail was housed at six minutes past II
o'clock.
1t was evident by this movement that
Mr.. Willard wished to try other tactics, as
they had been racing about an hour, the
Defender holding short lead to the last
in running before the wind with mainsails,
topsails, spinnaker and balloon jib sails.
The Defender then followed the Vigilant's
move and took in the spinnaker, the boom
being unshipped in the course of few
minutes.
The crew of the Defender worked quickly
and was very active IN responding to
orders. The new boats jib was hoisted in
stops and the racers began to haul up on
the wind near Point Judith, booms to port
and heading west by north. The Defender
surely gained on the Vigilant with the
wind abeam.
The sheets were hauled in on board each
boat until they were sharp on the wind
and heading west.
At t12:10 the Defender was headed up into
the wind and her halyards swayed up all
around. 1t was now race to windward
and it was very exciting. There was no
question now that the Defender was walk
ing away from the Vigilant, as she was
beating her doing windward work, besides
leaving quite gap between each, which
was noticeable every moment Of course
a small allowance should be made on ac-
count of the Vigilant being further to lee-
ward when the boats were hauled on to
the wind At the same time the Vigilant
was doing nobly.
The new sails of the Defender, which had
been stretched during her spins, set we'll
in every part and hardly wrinkle could
be seen in any of them. They fitted like
glove.
The run before the wind was about eight
miles in length. The racers were heading
well up along the shore abreast of Nara
gansett Pier, and the wind, although not
strong, was good and steady, the Defender
outdistancing the Vigilant, although the
latter boat showed up in splendid style.
At12.24 O'Clock the Defenders forestay