The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-07
WHICH ONE WILL WIN7
An Experts Review of the Strong
Sailing Points of the Defender
and Valkyrie.


bune tomorrow will publish the following
summary of the best characteristics of the
Valkyrie III and the Defender. The con-
trast is made by an expert. Now that the
international yacht races are at hand a
statement of the possibilities in favor of
each boat will aid intelligent interest.
These reasons for victory contrasted are
given for the purpose of illustrating the
ideas of those who pin their faith TO GER
tain beliefs. The grounds upon which
success is hoped for here are catalogued as
the opinions which are current among
yachting men, more or less expert, and
they probably set forth the best that can
be said for both vessels. Why the De-
fender should win:
First-A model that is easier in the water.
The Defender is several feet narrower than the
Valkyrie III, and when going TO the windward
IN plunging sea is expected to proceed with
an easier movement. Her bows, not spreading
out to the same width as the Valkyrie's, have
less of bluffness, which tends to reduce a
yachts headway as she buries in an oncoming
sea. This point is not of so much import
ance now as in earlier days, when the width of
the hull was extended down further into the
water. The upper hull portions of the present
models, being so much shallower, have to deal
with the water at the surface, which is
more easily displaced than at a greater
depth, where the pressure's densities and
resistances are greater, according to the theory.
The model of the Defender is neater, cleaner,
more refined than that of the Valkyrie 1t is
the so far best realization of the additionally
English aims, which, from time beyond the
memory of present yachting men. have sought
to produce craft that would cleave the water
on such scientific and refined lines that she
would need minimum area of canvas 10 drive
her at her best speed. In this way the De-
fender will undoubtedly be at her best with
smaller sail plant than the Valkyrie's. Mr.
Herreshof has shown great judgment and
skill in producing the Defender as an i'm
provement on the Britannia, which until this
year was the best all-round boat in the world.
This is more fully explained In the second
reason.
Second-Because of less displacement In
giving the Defender the same beam as the
britannia, though apparently not all her bal
last, Mr.. Herreshoff secured for her a great
deal of the Britannia's phenomenal stability,
while at the same time he has improved the
model under water by largely reducing the
bulk OF the sunken portion of the hull. AS to
this point the Valkyrie III is also an improve
ment on the Britannia in the lessening of the
depth of the hull (meaning that upper portion
OF the hull which is not the keel), but not to so
great an extent as the Defender. The Ameri.
can representative has a finer middle body
than the Valkyrie. 1t is not sunk so low in the
water and consequently will not offer so much
resistance to it.
If the Defender wins it will be chiefly and
perhaps entirely on this point, which is most
important, for the Valkyrie is not so lean in
this region. The sailing of the two boats has
already shown this, and, whereas the Defender
can go through the water at almost top speed
and disturb it very little, the Valkyrie leaves
big wave rolling out from her wake. This
always means that water is being disturbed in
some way that the best science seeks to avoid,
and 1t always advocates the presence of some
obstacle which assists toward slowness rather
than speed. Since her arrival, the sail
ing of the Vslkyrie has already shown.
although she has not been pressed
10 top speed, that the judgment regarding
her middle body as expressed by the Tribune
when she showed herself in the drydock was
correct. 1t does not, however, necessarily sug-
gest defeat, as there are other counterbalancing
items to be considered, more especially since it
is fact that many wave-rolling yachts have
proven winners. But this difference in the
two boats can be confidently declared to show
an important advantage for the Defender, no
matter what other powers may intervene to
nullify the gain here made. If aluminu has
been the metal used, it may be taken for
granted that great saving of weight in the
upper works has been obtained and that an
advantage is here gained in comparison with
the Nalkyrle, whose upper structures are of
wood and steel. Part of the advantage here
secured seemed to have been indicated in
the races with the Vigilant. The Defender
is very quick starter. AS soon as her sails
are filled she goes like a rocket. She is the
quickest starter ever built; far quicker than
nj ho hoo nito
an advantage over the Valkyrie, which will
always be valuable SO long there are no
breakages. The wind resistance is also min
imized by this general lightness. So far as the
general "sit" of the canvas is concerned there
will probably be little to choose between the
two competitors. 1t is true that the Defender
has now taken on new and untried mainsail,
but there is no reason to suppose that it will
sit any less well than the previous ones Yet
the defender has one sail that the Valkyrie
apparently does not possess. 1t proved of
great value to her in the last race
but one with the Vigflant 1t is q
Jib topsall, which extends from the bowsprit
end to the topmast head and is valuable for
beating to windward in dry light winds. 1t
has no great reach aft, and it sits as close TO
the wind as is necessary. Balloon jib topsails
will not sit ''by" the wind and small ones are
of little use, but the sail referred to. which on
ing the light airs of the race mentioned it
lifted the Defender SO far to windward and
ahead of the Vigilant that the gap thus ere
ated was one almost impossible to close up in
subsequent heavier winds. A distinguishing
quality in American yacht-racing has always
been the carrying of tremendous head can
vas whenever the chance offered Until
lately this has never been the custom in Eng
land. On their narrow cutters when reaching
or running, the Englishmen carried balloon
foresail and larger jib topsail, but not until
after the Americans had used their enormous
areas of balloon jib for certainly twenty-five
years did these find favor in England. Even
as late as the sailing here of Valkyrie II Gram
field showed that he did not understand or re-
fused the use of the balloon jib at the proper
time, and when he did use it he did not trim
it riffhtly nor did he set it rightly. Now, these
points are of great Importance to the Defender
because her people understand al there Isl
known about the used of the huge Ameri-
can head canvases, and there is at present
I;t+lo urorpd for eupnosiDp hat CrapfiaId