The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-07-23

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almost nothing, when the Vigilant slowly
but surely began to creep up on her.
Then the wind canted trifle, and at
II 40 the Vigilant broke out her big spin
maker. The Defender followed suit one
minute later. Both retained balloon-iib-
topsails and the Vigilant used larger
iib than the Defender. The center boarder
showed the advantage of her type by cut
ting down the lead of the Defender until at
II :55 both boats were side by side. Yachts
men held their breath while the champion
of 1893 and the type of 1895 raced like the
wind, he sloops held together as by an
invisible link.
At II O'Clock the Vigilant began to creep
ahead inch by inch until her mast was
even with the Defenders jibboom. With
center-board pushed up the Vigilant
slipped ahead, while the Defenders keel,
reaching down nineteen feet. held her
back. 1t was a victory for the center-board,
but 1t was not for long.
At 1857 :01 the Defender swept around
the flag, breaking the other No. 3 jib topsail
as she did so. Two minutes and seven Sec
onds later the Vigilant made the turn. She
also broke the other No. 3 iib topsall, and
booms to port.
The scene on board of both yachts was one
of greatest activity. One minute the crews
were seen stretched out on deck at full
length, the next they were scurrying
hithcr and hither, pulling at one line and
tightening another.
They seemed to work quickly and with
great precision. Sails were taken in with
marvellous rapiditv on both racers. Cap
tains Half and Barr certainly had their
men well in hand as the excellent dIsci-
pline of the crews was evident.
The breeze had freshened and both boats
keeled over somewhat. The Defender
pointed higher than the Vigilant and
carried her canvas better. This breeze
soon began to die out again, however, and
haunted the sound more to the west.
The Defender had been gaining slowly
and was far enough ahead to get the benefit
at times of changing winds that died out
before they reached the Vigilant. Several
times when the Defenders sails were all
drawing the Vigilant's head sails showed
a tendency to tlutter.
The uncertain wind continued to grow
lighter. Under these circumstances the
Defender made the best gains of the race.
She had luck, but it was evident that she
was the better as well.
At 1853, after board which lasted for
thirty-five minutes, the Vigilant changed
to the port tack. This was due to a new
change in the wind, which was now blow
ing from southwest by west, and in a mo-
ment the Defender tackled too. She was
then about three-eighths of mile ahead,
Fifteen minutes later both boats were
about again on the starhoard tack. On
this short board the Defender had made a
good gain. 1t was one of the times when
the breeze favored her.
The Vigilant got the benefit of it little
later, but the Defender continued to out
foot her. The new boat was sailing beau
tifully, rocking gently and sliding quickly
through the water. She seemed to gain
every minute.
At 2:19 the Defender again made short
tack to port. The Vigilant kept on her
course. At the end of three minutes the
Defender went back to the starboard tack.
She had opened up lead of a mile by this
time.
Twenty minutes later she tackled for the
second buoy, which was just off Long
Branch, pretty well in shore. Captain
Half had figured very nicely and the turn
was made by the closest kind of shave
at 2:50:11.
A few seconds before the Defender
rounded the buoy the Vigilant went about
and stood away for the mark. She made
it at 2:57 80, more than seven minutes be-
hind.
The breeze began to freshen again and
the two yachts, with wind abeam and
aboom to starboard, squared away for the
reach home. They were both keeled over
and racing through the water.
The Defender had opened mp terrible
gap by this time, and the Vigilant was
plainly out of it. She hung on gamely,
though, but in the ten-mile run she lost
minutes and seconds more. The De-
fender simply outran her.
The fotilla of steam yachts and tugs
were put to their best to catch the Defender
before she got home. At the end good
sailing breeze developed. The Defender
crossed the line at 3:45:00, winning the
$500 cup, and the steam whistles screeched
joyfully.
The Vigilant was far astern, and the De-
fender had proved herself the better boat
on all points of sailing except in the faint
est sort of breeze. When the Vigilant
crossed at 3:54:4S there we're more cheers
and whistles for the champion of 1893.
The Defender sailed proudly up the bay,
escorted by score of steam yachts and ex-
cursion boats. at the Narrows she took
tug and was towed to City Island. The
Vigilant sailed up through the main ship
channel inside the Horseshoe at Sandy
Hook, where she remained for the night.