New-York tribune., 1895-07-23
FROM AN EXPERTS POINT OF VIEW.
LUCK AGAINST THE viGII.ANr FfNKy AIRS
FAVORED TIE DErENDER-A CHANCE YET
FOR THE OLDER BOAT.

FOR THE OLDER BOAT
After the preparatory gun Was hrei the two
yachts hovcred for position the Defender carrying
her jb only az hcadsai the vigllan, carrying stay
sail and jb. Both boats had their balloon jlbs
hoisted in stops As the time for the starting gun
was being calculated n thousand watches the In
terest intensified The Defender slowly drew up TO
windward OF the crossing line. and hung In the
VIVID for n few moments. The Vgilant was doing
the same thing few lengths behind
Then the gun banged on tho flagship. The De-
tenders huge baloon-Jb received the touch that
dropped II all the front Of the vessel II hled
out nicely IA she paid of. and made pretty little
rush for the crossing line.
Vigilant displayed good judgment in waiting for
a while before going through these same manocu-
vres She held her balloon lib untouched until she
had reached I'D past the Defenders manooom
Then she broke out. and slowly paid away. while
the Defender slipping quickly OF from the
flagship.
The Vigilant crossed the line about half minute
behind the Defender but this was only part OF a
celebrated delay and II would have been stu better
Judgment TO have prolonged her wait for n whole
minute more because during the time between the
starting gun and the two-Ininute gun the times at
which each boat are taken at the flagship.
and the difference between the two boats Is allowed
at the end of the race.
This method Of starting. which does not require
anything like the same smart handling as the one
gun starts which the Valkyrie III introduced here.
allows chances for different tactics OF this Kind TO
be followed out. II desired. When yachts are sent
off in this way. with the differences OF their time
within the two minutes allowed TO them, on a
course dead before the wind or on quarterly
breeze and in such light airs as prevailed at the
start yesterday. II Is nearly always an advantage TO
make az much time possible, not in sailing but
IN not sailing-that is TO say. stored up In the time
keepers watch 10 be allowed AT the nnsh 10 the
| Yacht making this calculation
In this way II the first boat crosses almost
exactly on gunnre careful skipper can by careful
| timing and quick movement store up one minute
and half 70 his credit In the tmekeeper's record.
In these light drifting the best boat will often
| take a good while to travel a hundred yards. and
| the slight advantage II any. OF gaining small
lead while on such a .eeward course is. as rule Of
| little use when the breeze springs up In other
words a small lead. which was most expensive at
a cost OF one minute and half on drifting start.
| will, when the breeze grows fresh. be only worth
| perhaps about ten seconds. because with good
| wind a boat will traverse :he distance In ten sec
onds From this IL vii. be seen that the delay made
by vigilant In starting was entirely good form ana
would have exhibited better calculation II further
| prolonged There few premiums on standing
stll In a yacht race. and the navigators OF the
yiRi,ant would do we'll to study this branch Of the
| subject.
sP1NNAKERs DID GOOD WORK.
The light airs about on the quarter OF both
| boats when they started. and apparently trihe
| more Aft than this. 1t took the shippers OF both
| boats sixteen minutes find out that with this
| breeze they needed spinnakers. Then booms were
| lowered to starboard on both boats. and spnnakers
| were set.
These sails did good work for some time after they
were set The Vigilant. which had. until this time
! remained at about the same distance behind the
| Defender as In crossing the line. now drew up on
| even terms with the leader. She did not, however.
| attempt to blanket her. which she could easily have
| done; and In this abandonment OF a clear and
proper advantage she showed a sef-sacrihcing con-
| sderation OF Defenders best interests.
| For a good while Vigilant tried to pass through
| Defenders lee. But she could not do this. More
| over. the wind here fel. lighter, and drew more
! ahead The spinnakers tagged. got tired. dropped
| In. and taken of both boats
After this they each proceeded under balloon jibs
| and staysails as forward canvas In this quiet.
| lady s-day sailing. Defender proved herself witch.
| and stole away from the swift Vgilant In grad
| uai but perceptible way This surprised every one.
| because vigant is doing her best when she can
| carry her largest-s:zed head canvas.
| From this portion OF the course Defender beat
| her two minutes to the first buoy. which marked
the end OF the FIRST tennile leg OF the triangular
course
| 1t pretty sight at this buoy TO watch De-
tenders balloon jb being handled. There was not
| enough wind In II to make the performance an ex-
| citing one. but II all yachty and pleasant
The man the halyards was little too sudden
in allowing Vgiiants big sail to drop In the water
but 1t only swept along the surface without gath
ering In water. and the crew Of about twenty men
lying over the bowsprit made pretty work and
looked we'll a. they scooped 1t In They, perhaps