The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-08
STARTED IN THE LEAD.
But the Wind Freshened and the
VaIkyrie Was Left Astern by
the Defender,

NEW YORK, n. Y, Sept. Tt was
Just 1920 o'clock when the preparatory
gun doomed out and the red ball was
hoisted on the committee boat, the Walter
a. Luckenbach. The wind was very light
perhaps five miles an hour, and was from
the eastsoutheast. The sea was moderately
still. 1t was Valkyrie's own weather. in
which she ought to do her prettiest. II
she did not run now there was very little
hope for her.
Both boats we're standing along the line
close-hauled on the starboark tack, and SO
headed for the Long Island shore. The
ValkYrie was to windward and the De-
fender had Just walked through her lee, so
that she was apparently, although not
actually ahead. The Defender had spread
with her jib topsail in the stops. The Val
kyrie had only her mair, club topsail and
jib, with no staysail.
Now came the prettiest part of the race,
where skillful seamanship is at its high
est premium-the maneuvering for the
weatherage. The Defender went about,
followed by the Valkyrie, and both ran
back along the line with booms to port.
The Valkyrie went about again beyond,
breaking out baby iib topsa;I and her
staysail. The Defender kept on her course
a minute longer, and when she, too, went
about on the starboard tack again she
broke out No. 2 jib topsail, one size
larger than the Valkvrie's.
The Valkyrie went off about the line and
ran back to meet the Defender, with her
bow to starboard, but we'll in board and
the wind on her beam, the Defender mean
while coming up from the southwark
close-hauled on the starboard tack. She
had the right of way and passed
to the windward of the Valkyrie, thus
gaining the coveted windward position
then stood for the line on the starboard
tack, with the wind on her beam and her
sheets still closehauled. The VaIkyrie
gibed over and found herself to the lee
ward of the Defender.
Time was passing rapidly and it lacked
but minute to the starting gun; both
boats now made for the line in good ear
nest. Both were on the starboard tack,
close hauled. The Valkyrie was to the
leeward, but was not blanketed, and she
was slightly ahead OF the Defender, and
more than that, she was moving faster and
forging ahead. In this wise they ap-
preached the line.
The rival captains calculated their time
well. Both boats were to the leeward oil
the line when the starting gun sounded al
1920 100. Both headed for it at once, and
ValKyrie passed over first, at II: 20:46. TIE
Defender was only four seconds behind
She crossed much nearer the top of the
line, however, and so was considerably to
the windward of the British boat. Both
the racers were now well away, standing
as they had crossed, on the starboard tack
with sheets ciose-hauled, which, in that
wind, meant that they were heading along
the Long Island shore. The Valkyrie was
leading by hundred yards or more, a:
well as the distance could be estimated
some distance behind her, while the De.
fender still held her windward position
which, to some extent, was an offset to
Valkyrie's lead.
As they sped on the excursion fleet
massed up to windward, gave way and
opened a narrow line through which the
racers passed, and then the gap between
the two giant boats, narrow enough al
first, began to widen slowly but surely
Measuring their comparative speeds by the
apparent rates at which they passed the
excursion boats it looked as if the English
craft was going three feet to the Defenders
every two. The Defender was pointing ur
to windward better. however.
On they went, the Valkyrie still gaining
and the Defender dropping slowly but
surely behind. They went through the
water with equal ease in that light wind
SO that neither had any advantage below
Aloft the Valkyrie had slight advantage
The set of her sails was perfect and they
drew beautifully. Her baby lib topsai
was just suited to the breeze and did better
work than the larger corresponding sail Of
the Defender, which did not seem to work
as well.
At 1910 the Defender went about and
the VaIkyrie followed her, both standing
off on the port tack. This brought the
Defender apparently ahead, but as the
Valkyrie was considerably to the wind
ward the American boats lead was only
apparent, and she was in reality some dis
tance behind. The Defender was much
the quicker in stays, seeming to whir
about as on pivot. The conditions or
this tack were different from those of the
preceding one, as the sea was then on the
beam and the yachts rode easily over it
Now it was on the weather bow and they
had to cut through it. Both yachts began
to pitch and to splash the spray from then
bows. The English boat seemed to ride
the waves more easily and with less fuss
than the Defender, but it was plainly tc
be seen that she was not gaining, as she
had on the opposite tack. Still she held
her own weather side.
Captain Haff tried an experiment and
the Defender was seen to bear away trihe
from the wind. She rode the waves muc,
easier this way and she at once began tc
outfoot the English boat, though, o.
course, she lost to leeward; the Valkyrie