Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1895-08-19
THE TWO RACERS.
Glance at the Work Done by
Vigi|ant and Defender.
New Boat Has Been Steadily Improv-
ing--Now in Fine Shape.
Tomorrow the Boats Will Meet for First
Formal Trial.

formal trial races between Defender and
Vigilant will take place on Tuesday next
glance at the work that these champions
In fact, it will be especially interesting to
all Americans, for 1t will show how the
new boat, on whose worth we probably
shall depend to retain the greatest of all
yachting emblems-the Americas cup
has been improving in form right along,
and indicates that she may be still fur
Their improved AS it is generally pre-
dicted that the meeting between Valkyrie
III and Defender will be the closest con
test ever held for the trophy of trophies,
including better chance for the chal-
lenger to win the cup than ever before,
the continuous lettering of Defender must
be regarded with surprising interest.
Now, take the first two races that the
Defender and Vigilant had. They were
held respectively on July 20 and July %,
starting from Scotland lightship outside
of Sandy Hook in the same waters and
over the same kinds of courses as the cup
races will take place in. Following are
the times, the Defender always coming in
first TO windward and return, 30 miles,
won by Pm. ass. Triangular course, sc
miles, won by g1n. lis.
From this it can be seen that the De
fender had no big margin TO her credit the
first time she started Her increased lead
at the close OF the second race is accounted
for by the fact that the wind suited her
better than it did the Vigilant as there
was more beating and reaching on that
Inx, Nhnt fhh -nIlnt 70 in tbnie
series of meetings which occurred during
the annual cruise of the New York Yacht
club to the eastward is shown in the
figures below, the Defender being the
leader at the finish without variation, ex-
cept in the two occasions when she broke
down:
Glen cove to Huntington, 81 miles won
by I'm. 49s. Huntington to New London.
"a miles, did not finish; New London to
Newport, 40 miles, I'm. 2s.; Block Island
course, 3S miles, did not finish; Newport
to Vineyard Haven, 37l4 miles. On. las
Vineyard Haven to Newport, 37A miles,
ON. 9S. Triangular course, off Newport,
p miles. 6m. los.
1t will be seen that the third time the
champions met the Defender had another
close call, winning by only I'm. i9s, but it
must also be remembered that that course
from Glen cove to Huntington, was one OF
but II miles. Had 30 miles been covered
the Defender would have won on the same
basis of calculation by not far from three
minutes.
Next Came the Long Run
OF sixty-four miles from Huntington to
New London, in wind that could DO
called stiff, though it was not strong
enough to compel the taking in of club
topSailS. The wind was was we'll over the
starboard quarter all the way Defender
was more than two minutes ahead when
her steering gear went wrong, and she had
10 give up, not far from New London In
this run Nigilant made the astonishing
record of IL I'll knots, average, during the
entire distance.
On the following day, when the fleet
had free run from New London to New
port, the Defender came in away ahead
but the Nigilant never had a chance to 90
dead before the wind, with spinaker set,
in which case the center boardcr always
shows her best form. Over the Block
island course, off Newport, the Defender
had comfortable lead. seven miles from
home, when her gaff broke and the Vigi
liant won the coveted Goelet cup for single
stckers.
The two races which followed were
really the decisive contests of the cruise
and 1t was not until after the first Of these
the run from Newport to Vineyard Ha-
ven-that Mr. Willard of Vigilant would
admit that Defender was a better boat
than his. On the voyage out Defender
won by 6m. 24s., and on the return over
the same course showed her constantly
increasing superiority by coming in ON
9S. ahead
On the last day Of all, when the racers
met over short triangular course of
seven miles to the leg, the fin keel boat did
better than ever. She beat the center
boarder by ON. lSs. on the dead beat to
windward in the first seven miles. and mt
in I'm. 22s. more between them on the
reach to the second mark. On the run
home the Vigilant set her spinnaker
when she had covered half the seven miles
and it drew very well. In this she had no
trifling advantage, and was sailing in her
most favorable and best manner, vet She
only overhauled the Defender, which did
not hang out her spinnaker at all by only
Dos. The figures in this last race, which.
by the way, was for the Drexel cup. ara
especially interesting in showing what the