Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-07-23
THE DEFENDER
Fairly Runs Away from Vigi-
liant in Mondays Race.
Beats Old Champion 9 Minutes and
II Seconds in 80 Mile Course.
Gains on Each Leg and Shows Superiority in
Every Way.

!
the Nigilant, after Saturdays race 1t was
dispelled, today. The new aspirant for
the international championship ran away
from the old champion on every leg and
defeated her handily over so mile course
| by 9 minutes. II seconds. The official
| time was:
The start Defender, 11.25. 80; Nigi-
liant, II 260l.
First mark Defender 1857 OIL; Nigi-
| liant, IL 59.0S. Defenders gain on the
first leg, l minute. SO seconds.
Second mark-Defender, 2 SOIL; Nigi-
liant, , 81. go Defenders gain on the
second leg. minutes, 80 seconds.
Finish-Defender 345.00; Vigilant,
3. 81 As. Defenders gain on the last leg,
, minutes, 9 seconds.
Elapsed time: Defender, 4l930; Vigi-
lant 2S.47. Difference of time in favor
of the Defender, 9 minutes, II seconds.
The race was over IA triangular course
| with 10 miles to a leg,
The start and finish were at Scotland
Lightship. The first side of the triangle
was broad reach, half way with the wind
light from westsouth- west, and "a slight
change in wind made 1t free run with
spinnakers for rest of the way. The
close reach, but second change in the
| wind made 1t u beat to windward This
change happened to come at time when
1t gave the Defender the most advantage
The last side of the triangle was reach
with the wind abeam.
The Defender made gains, and the not
result Of the race was a handsome victory
tor the new boat. The Nigilant sailed
hoe FIJI ht,f
did she appear to have any Kind of
chance with the keel boat, 1t was when
the wind, which was light at the start
died down to a faint zephyr, that the cen
treboarder crept up on her rival remained
oy her side few moments and then
inch by inch moved ahead.
There We're yachtsmen on the club
steamer who said the centreboard was
about to be indicated, and the keel types
placed in the rear, but the Vigilant did
not show more than half length before
her rivals bow, when the wind freshened
trille and the new boat made q wonder
full response.
: Like thing of life she glided forward,
parting the water clearly and leaving
scarcely speck of foam in her wake. She
walked past the Viglant and continued to
close reach, the beating to wipdward and
the reach home In all points Of sailing
the new boat demonstrated her ability to
iefeat the Vigilant in the light air which
prevailed off Sandy Hook
The first leg of the triangular course
was southeast. one half east At the start
the wind, which was very light, was blow
ing from the west southwest. AT HE
the preparatory gun was fired and the two
racers manoeuvred for position for the
next 10 minutes. At II % the second
gun sounded, notifying the yachts that
5hey had two minutes in which to cross
the line.
The start nearly resulted in disaster
The Nigilant, few seconds before the
starting gun doomed, broke out her bal
loon iibtopsail, and was racing for the line
1t a rate which would take her across
ahead of the gun. The Defender was
pointing diagonally toward the line with |
the Vigiant on her starboard bow. Had |
10th held their course there would have |
been collision.
The Defender had the right of way and |
held on, forcing the Vigilant to round up
in the wind and narrowly miss hitting the
scotland lightship. The Vigilant there
upon ulSpldy0u protest nag
The Defender swung across the line
first, 30 seconds after gun fire. The Vigi-
liant was 81 seconds later. The Defender
broke out her balloon jibtopsail immedi-
,tely after crossing the line. The wind
was west northwest and it was broad
ran with booms to port at first There
was barely enough wind to fill the sails
The sails OF the Vigilant seemed to set
better than the Defenders.
The latter held lead of about three
cable lengths until the wind died down to
almost nothing, when the Vigilant slowly
but surely began to creep up on her
Then the wind canted trifle ut IL 40
The Nigilant broke out her big spninaker
and the Defender followed suit minute
later Both retained their balloon ibtop
sails, but the Vigilant used larger lib
than the Defender. The centreboarder
cut down the lead of the Defender until,
at II so, both boats were side by side.
At IL o'clock the Vigilant began to
creep ahead inch by inch until her mast
was even with the Defenders jibbooIn.
With the centreboard pulled up the Vigi-
liant slipped ahead, while the Defenders
keel held her back. The wind soon shifted
a triile so that the spinnakers were detri- ,
nent and they were taken in. Then the ]
wind freshened trifle and the Defender
walked up on the Vigilant, regained her r
cad and showed the lead to the first turn.
The Defender simply outran the Vigi-
ant on the last leg. The llotilla of steam /
'achts and tugs were put to their best to v
'atch the Defender before she got home. '
At the end good sailing breeze developed a
The Defender crossed the lire at 8 100, =
winning the 5000 cup. The Vigilant was :
ar astern and crossed at 35i4s
After the Vigilant anchored, f. A.
Willard was interviewed. He said of the
Defender "She is great boat. I'm
light weather she Is wonder. -
What is the protest you made Just
fter the start.'
;" 1t would not be courteous tn the re-
alta committee 10 make public the pro-
est before they receive it l will say this
lowever, that all rules Of yachting were
'ioIated -
1t will not be until the trial races are
allied, about the middle Ct August, that