New-York tribune., 1895-08-03
HOPES FOR THE VIGILANT.
HER PART1sANs COMPARE HER WITH THE
DEFENDER.
THEY DO NOT THINK THAT THE NEW YACHT HAS
YET HAD A CONCLUSIVE TEST OF HER

THEY DO NOT THINK THAT THE NEW YACHT HAS
YET HAD A CONCLUSIVE TEST OF HER
PowERs-TALKsgw WITH YAcHTsMEN.
Local yachtsmen are still much concerned ABOUT
the preliminary Informal races between the De-
fender and the Vigilant contestants for the
honor of being selected to defend the Americas
Cup. While the splendid sailing OF the Defender
has shown her to be yacht OF marvellous speeu'
the Vgilant has hung closely to her up 70 GATE.
that the latters partisans still cherish gieam OF
hope that she may yet again come sucoesSiu''S ~
the front as cup defender.
Charles A. Sherman. secretary or the Regatta
Committee of the Seawanhaka Corinthian facht
Club said yesterday to Tribune reporter;
"Inasmuch as have never seen the Defender and
the vigIlant sail together. feel Incapable OF
passing a positive opinion regarding the merits or
dement's OF either Yacht. II strikes me. however.
that the Defender has never yet shown her fuii
speed In a leg and leg contest with the Nisant
VIEWS OF AN OLD YACHTsMAN.
Another yachtsman who has followed the sea.
imam and boy" for nearly half a century, senten-
tiously summed up the situation as follows;
The Defender Is undoubtedly the abest yacht
ever constructed. The Vigilant In her day was
superb like the Volunteer. the Mayfower and other
fine yachts In their day, not excluding the brave old
America which brought the British bauble to
these shores considerably more than two-score
years ago The Defenders new-fangled steering
apparatus which has already caused her one serious
balk may yet her anothe and possibly at
the vital moment. racing , .cht may split a
baby jb-topsail. or a mans~l. and bend others
quicker than a competitor can repair her dsar-
ranged steering gear Therefore, until the formal
trial races take place off Sandy Hook on the out
side triangular course. no one can tell the result
I happened to be at the regatta or the indian mar
Dor Yacht Club last Saturday. when the winds
blew and the rains descended. and forty-siX very
ohia of
six could weather the gale and finish That is the
kind Of "A breeze with naturally heavier sea that
would be encountered outside OF Sandy Hook. in
which | would like TO the Defender race Tor
keeps Until they race under such conditions no
man alive can venture a positive opinion of their
relative merits The Defender is beyond ques-
ton the swiftest keel boat built. not even ex
cepting the Vakyre III. which is a magnificent
specment OF British naval architecture. But any
foreign Yacht that comes 10 these shores to cope
! for the old Americas trophy will find dandy IN
the Defender and in the Vigant yacht from
which she will have pretty tough time In strip
ping off the Yankees yellow jacket. to say nothing
OF her peacock feathers and mandarin buttons
THE DEFENDERS SPEED DISAPPOINTING
He, SAYS.
well-known local yacht designer. who desired
that his name should be given said: There Is
considerable disappointment concerning the De-
tenders speed. far as II has been demonstrated
| don't know that the syndicate OF which G. Oliver
Iselin h the head Is either dissatisfied or dsap-
pointed but | think that the general pupnc, TX sH-
pected 70 a much faster boat. To beat the lgi-
liant only ] minute and ~ seconds in a thirty
mile race IL not enough cup defender or 10
day ought 10 be able TO beat all other nomesIe
competitors by at least from ten TO twelve min
utes over such a course, II the safety or the cup
IL 20 be reasonably assured That seems 10 De tne
consensus OF opinion. not only among ayheil, pd.
also among experts The valkyrie III is as , ys,
comparatively untred cup hunter No one Knows
ust what she do. but every one II cohVIncei
that she Is "A remarkably fast boat IL Is d uail-
compet,or or an enemy. either In time OF peace
or war and Il to be hoped that American vault
Ing ambition will not overleap Itself, ana; throusn
vangloriousness possibly lose trick wi,ic NH. sat
and trial spins. and may the best boat WIN anu "
able permanently 10 retain custody or tne o'o
emblem OF American genius and enterprise. . .S,.
An old English yachtsfnan VINO mas H'eu All '"''
clty several years. SAID:
There are now TWO conspicuously unknown ooa.s
IN m. Yachting world They are the |igiiah' dni
tho vaikyrie III The Nigant mas oeeh So, 80 .,hs
caly changed in ballast. sail area. etc tnat M sne
does not resemble her old self | believe tnerT SA mas
also been some radical change IN ner hu, I"e.e ,
must have been some change IN her nun %, ~ %
was originally The Defender Is unqueSuohaoiH
SUPERIOR boat - the Ngiian In some respects put
whether she IL better al-around poa' r'lha.ns @
vet 10 be proved II IL pity that tne 'oIoiI'a az a.
no, keut in commission. instead OF being lald up III
ordinary FOR had she been. We wouu nav ~
shl. 10 get At trustworthy inucd'loliS, ot w
celed although how great tha inprov,s,n,' TN tn
be ls simply A matter Of indefinite speculatloi ~.
y.Ikvr- III is even more OF an unknown puan''ty
that the Vgilant. She has been sa',eu lev M''h Ia -
siretch.d and were not even pulled out wnile sne
Vas racing She has enormous san area, a,. ,hn
IS beyond question very apic boat puI VII, ani,m,
she can regain the coveted old cup - an eh.e'"'
,.htch "a n ha solved only by actual experience