The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-06-30
The Boat Started for tho Water After
Being Christencd, hut the Track
Was Too Tight for the Cradle.
VALKYRIE ILL DEFEATED
LORD DUNRAvEN's cur CHALLENGER
BEATEN DY BRITANNIA.
Latter Won on Time AIIowance-Two
Twenty-Raters OutsaiIed by the
Gould Yacht Niagara.

BRISTOL. r. l., June 9-The launching
OF the yacht Defender this afternoon was
not the brilliant success which had been so
confidently predicted. After leaving the
ways the Defender stuck fast. II was Just
1855 p. IN. when the signal for the start
was given. and amid the cheers OF the as
sembled guests and spectators the boat
started on her trip down the ways. and at
that instant Mrs. +. Oliver Islen broke a
bottle of champagne across the bows. say
ing: II christen thee Defender" For
three-fourths OF the distance the yacht
glided down the creased surface OF the
ways easily. Then the Defender stopped
amid the crunching of timbers. The boat
hanging on the verge of the water.
partly submerged, and fast upon her
cradle. The big boats Aquidneck and Bay
Point, which had been lying of the end OF
the pier, were hastily called into service.
Ropes were passed about the Defenders
hull and the tugs began TO pull IL was
useless for the time. The tide was slowly
rising. but il was not high enough. and
after a few efforts the tugs desisted. As
near as can be estimated at this writing
the boat has not suffered material damage
When the boat stopped every one thought
she had stuck in the mud. others believed
that the end OF the cradle had protruded
beyond the ways and rested on the bottom.
and even the Herreshoffs were of this opin-
ion. Messrs. Herreshon on seeing the
serious condition of things, telephoned TO
New Bedford for the giant towboat Right
Arm. A submarine diver went out 10 the
end OF the ways and thoroughly inspected
the cradle and examined her position Tor
fully two hours Then he reported TO Nat
Herreshoff that the boat was not IN the
mud, but that the cradle had stuck fast
in the ways His theory was that the
piles or the joists had swollen after being
placed in the water so that when the
cradle came down the ways were so tight
that they would not allow II TO pass
through. At dark the cradle hung about
a foot over the ways. When the Right
Arm arrived shortly before midnight prep
arations were at once begun TO renew the
effort TO get Defender of at the next hi8h
tide.
Captain Hereshof says the defender is
the best yacht his firm has built. He re-
fused however, TO give the boats dimen-
sions or any facts regarding her sail area
A gentleman who is in a position TO secure
correct information, however gave the de-
tenders dimensions follows: Length or
ALL 123 feet 10 inches: draught, 10 feet;
beam, "a feet The main mast and boom
are 102 feet in length. The mast is thirty
five inches in circumference at the heel
and eighteen inches at the step. The top
mast is fifty-seven feet long, the gan siN-
fOrty-four feet. The spinnaker pole IS
seventy-two feet in length and the club
topsail pole lifty-one feet. The work on
the sails OF the defender rs progressing
steadily. and the rggers who are 10 put
everything in order are here TO complete
the fitting out of the boat. II is eN-
pected that the yacht will be In commits
sion in less than two weeks.