The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1895-07-22
VIGILANT LEADS.
The Gould Yacht Passes the
Defender at the First
Stake Boat.
UNTIL THEN THE ALUMINIUM BOAT LED
Variable Winds Bring Out the
Fine Qualities of the Com
petiug Craft.

NEW YORK, July %. 1s95.-All the
weather sharps who looked aloft this
morning said there would be wind and
wind in plenty for today's race between
Defender and Vigilant. The atmosphere
had a freshness about it that betokened
lively times down the bay. Those who
had witnessed the behavior of the Vigil
liant in a heavv blow declared that this
was.a Vigilant day. 1t was all very well,
they said, for the Defender on Saturday
in a six knot breeze, but even then the
trouncing was not what the Defenders
sanguine friends expected of her. 1t will
be remembered that the gain of the De-
fender was almost entirely made in the
first hour when the wind was light.
Afterward when the wind freshened the
Vigilant very nearly held her own.
Both yachts have been tuned up since
Saturdays race and changes have been
made that put each in better trim. The
Defender was towed directly to Piepgras'
shipyard at City Island in the Sound and
lay there yesterday. Her bobstay which
was bent by the strain of her headsails
in the beat to windward, was reset and
strengthened yesterday. The baby jfb-
topsail was trimmed to make it set bet
ter. and two> feet were taken off the
big clubtepsail. The new 105 foot boom
| which was ready at Piepgras' yard was
not taken on board. Mr.. 1selin declaring
that the one used Saturday worked all
right.
NO INCREASE OFF SAIL
1t is to be noted that instead of In
creasing her sail area. as some yachting
sharps declared she would, the Defender
IS satisfied with what she has. When
her jibtopsail was taken in on Satur-
day the Defenders leerail was buried,
and her big clubtopsail seemed too much
for her. After shortening sail She
heeled less and footed faster. That she
demonstrated her superiority to the
Vigilant as a light weather boat cannot
be questioned, but it was not a bad beat
by any means and as the race of Satur-
day and today were for cups under the
New York Yacht Club rules, the Defen-
der must give the Vsgilant a time allow
ance. Neither boat has been measured
and the best computation, taking the De-
tenders water line length as SO feet.
and the Vigilant's as S6, and the sail
areas approximately the same, the racing
length of Defender would 97.5 feet, and
Vfgilant 95 feet. Assuming these figures
the Vigilant two minutes six seconds in
a thirty mile race. This would leave the
Defender the winner on Saturday by
only thirty-nine seconds No official de-
cisson OF the race will be made until
the measurements are made. The De-
fender probably will not be measured
until the trial races and it is not thought
best to inform Lord Dunraven just what
her racing length is.
The vigilant lay in the Horseshoe in
side of Sandy Hook over Sunday. A
new clubtopsail and new balloon jib-
topsail were taken on board yesterday
morning and given trial later in the
day.
other slight changes were made and Mr..
E. A. Willard said he expected to give
the new boat a lively tussle if there
was anything like wind today. He is
great believer In the centreboard, and
is confident that in all weathers its value
will be demonstrated.
AN EARLY START.
At S:2O o'clock the big racer, Defender,
weighed anchor off Bay Ridge. and in
tow of the tug E. S. Atwood started
down the Bay for Sandy Hook. The
crew were about the yacht bright and
had everything in readiness for today's
race. Mr.. Iselin, Mr. w. K. Wander
bilt, Commodore Morgan, Mr.. Leeds and
Mr. Thorne had spent the night aboard
the racer and they, too, were up on
deck soon after sunrise. They did not
come ashore during the night nor this
morning, and took breakfast aboard the
Defenders tender. Mr.. Leeds was seen
+ad Ia Coia -
Captain Half expressed the opinion that
the Defender would show herself to
greater advantage today, and her friends
would not be disappointed at the show
ing made at the finish.'' The wind was
from the west at o'clock. The sky
was partially overcast, and many of the
yachtsmen who went. down the Bay on
the Club steamer and excursion boats
carried mackintoshes.
The Iron Steamboat Cepheus left Pier
A at 9:SO with the club members and
their friends aboard. There was good
sized fiotilla of steam yachts and other
craft down to see the race, but the turn
out of people was not so great as on
Saturday The course selected for to-
day was course No. g. which is signalled
by the letter '"T' from the starting line
ten miles to and around a mark, and
thence ten miles to the finish line. turn
ing the marks on the outside of the tri-
angle to port or starboard; according as
the yachts are sent around. 1t is the
second of the international courses. The
race of Saturday showed what the
yachts could do in a boat to windward
and a run home with spinnakers set.
Today's race gave them some wfndward
work. and broad and close reaching. 1t
is by many considered the best test of
the qualities of a boat.
The start and finish was line drawn
between the flagship Sylvia and the
Scotland Lightship. One turning point
was off Long Branch on the Long Island
shore. and one off Long Branch on the
Jersey shore.
AT THE STARTING LINE.
Ep Entr " fro