Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-05-19

togntbar onouPh 70 enable him TO figure
ont very closely how both yachts VIII
look. and make comparisons OF their re-
spective qualities. About the Aneri-
can yacht--the Defender-there Is III
tie left to conceal, but so guarded
has been the work conducted on val
kyrie III, the British challenger
that next to nothing or an authen-
tic character has yet been seen
about her in the American papers. The
English sporting periodicals have aided
Designer Watson in keeping the details
of the craft secret. and only the most
Trustworthy workmen have been allowed
in the shed in the Henderson shipyard'
where she Is building. Every possible
precaution has been taken to Keep the
Herreshoffs from getting any knowledge
of the boat In the fear that the latter
might take advantage and possibly i'm
prove upon 1t in the Defender.
Accurate information from private
source has reached the writer about GER
tain features of VallSyrie Ill, which VIII
be of interest TO American yachtsmen.
They were obtained by man who mad
twenty-minutes' look at the Nalkyrle Ill,
and. being a skilled yachtsman, could
appreciate what he saw, although, or
course, he could make no actual measure
ments
HOW VALKYRIE III. LOOKS.
The English craft is a fin-keel craft,
the fin commencing Just before the mast
step, the edge curving slightly before
turning. From the CANNON iron to I'M
derneath the mast she IS straighter be-
low the bowsprit than any of the recent
yachts. giving her an additional grip for
length, more than possessed by Nigilant
or Britannia. Her midship section Is
round and full, somewhat like the Jubi-
lee, which was rated a better sea boat
than the Vigilant, and in windward work
was almost perfect. The overhangs for
ward and aft are long, giving her no
more wetted surface than Britannia or
Valkyrie H., which proved such an easy
victim for the Vlgilant two years ago.
Her waterlines are easy and the hull is
indicative Of great power, and the sta
bility to carry an immense spread or
canvas-more than Watson has ever put
on any boat of her size. Her mast,
which was seen, was of a solid stick,
fully 100 feet in length, and, estimating
the other spars from this. 1t looks
as If she would carry in all about 1900
square feet Of canvas. Her mainsail
will probably measure 500 square feet,
her spinaker $500, the two jibs 200, the
topsal 1900, and the club-topsail 100
square feet.
EASY WATER LINES.
This means a boat that will be hard to
beat An actual line on her speed can
not be gained until the first weeks in
July, when she will meet the Ailsa. IL
the latter be conquered, the fate OF the
cup will indeed be in danger TO Ameri-
cans, as the Ailsa has made sport OF the
Britannia, which, ia turn, conquered the
Vigilant.
DEFENDER AN ORIGINAL CRAFT.
But while the Englishmen are GER
tainly building a great boat, the Here
shoffs are doing wonders. More radical
changes and departures are being made
in the Defenders construction than the
yachting-world has ever before witnessed.
What is more, there is absolutely
no limit to the money they are spend
ing, and competent judges say that when
the Defender is In racing-trim she VIII
represent an outlay of $4,000. OF course
money doesn't win yacht-races, but, when
judiciously applied, as in the present case,
it enhances the chances of victory.
Where Valkyrie III. may carry 1900
feet of canvas. Defenders spread will be
1900 feet Her mainsail will measure
$500 feet, her topsail 1925 feet, the
two jibs 1900 feet. club-topsail 1,slS feet.
and spinaker TIPS feet. making her the
heaviest-sparred single-sticker that ever
touched water.
HER HEAVY SPARS.
The mast is l02 feet long. 20 inches In
diameter at the foot, and 20 IL inches at
the top. II will re buried just feet,
which shows the depth of the hull-body
OF the Defender. The long boom is 1o2
feet long. the same length as the mast,
and is IL inches in diameter at the
thickest point 1t is not followed, nor
are any of the spars The spinnaker
pole is p feet long, and 91-2 inches thick
in the middle. The bowsprit is a solid
log, A feet long, and u IL inches at the
foot. The gan is Ga feet long and l3 inches
thick The top-sail pole is 81 feet long
and S1-2 inches thick. The club top-sail
pole is 81 feet long and S ga inches thick,
and the top-mast is 81 feet inches long.
and 10 3-S inches thick.
According to the measurement rules
OF the New York Yacht Club, the De-
tenders sailing plan will be gagged at
1900 square feet. against n,Sl2 carried
by the Vigilant in her trial races 1t Is
interesting TO compare the Defenders
spars with those OF the Nigilant.
The Vigilants main boom measures
100 feet, and the Defenders is l02 feet.
The Vigilants gait is 5476 feet long.