The herald., 1897-08-09
RACE OF TWO HUNDRED MILES
WITH NOT A SHEET NOR HAL
YARD PULLED
Vigi1ant Has a Walk Over in the
Sloop Class-Colonia the Prize
Schooner
Associated Press Special Wire.

BILE century yacht race Of the New YORK
Yacht club from Vineyard Haven to
Mount Desert, for $4,000 worth of cups
offered by Commodore ]. Pierpont Nor
gan, was finished this afternoon off
Bakers Island light, with the sloop Wig
liant leading the fleet Of twenty craft
by many miles, after a run marked
throughout by smooth seas and follow
ing winds. Vigilant won the cup in the
sloop class leading Navahoe at the finish
fifty minutes. The race in the schooner
class was much closer, and Colonia,
although finishing ten minutes ahead
of Emerald, won the $4,000 cup by only
81 seconds.
The race was thoroughly satisfactory.
The great yachts Of Americas oldest
club accomplished what has hitherto
never been attempted, of sailing all
night without taking in a. stitch of can
vas or shortening a spar. 1t must be
said that such feat was due in a great
measure to the surprising weather. The
entire 17S miles from Pollock lightship
was sailed without a sheet or halyard
being pulled.
From the start it looked like fine
race between the Vigilant and Navahoe,
Colonia and Emerald, and Wasp and
Queen NAB. AS it turned out, Vigilant
had a walkover, but the race between
the other two pairs was close and ex
citing throughout.
The next boats to finish were Amorta
and Wasp, and each took $1,000 cup in
the class, the former in the second class
schooners and the latter in the second
class sloops.
After establishing a lead Of over
mile before getting over Nantucket
shoal, Emerald gradually dropped back
to her rival until shortly before mid
night the two schooners were even. From
that time until within forty miles of the
finish it was most exciting until IL O'clock
when Colonia pulled out and led to the
finish. I.
From the start the old timers had no
show with the modern cracks, and fell
astern rapidly, and with the little sloops
made up what was called the second
division of the race.
Twenty-Five boats headed out for the
double century at o'clock Saturday
morning, while half a dozen steam
yachts were also present, either as spec
tators or actual participants. At 9:55
the preparation gun was fired, and five
minutes after the starting gun for the
small boats doomed out. With a light
westerly wind blowing, but a strong
tide holding them back, the boats crossed
the line in the following order: Wasp
first at 10:01:05; then the Navahoe and
Sayonara, but they were handicapped
about, minute. Vigilant followed next,
a minute behind Navahoe. Iroquois led
the schooners followed by Amorita.
Queen Nab, Gevila, Colonia, Emerald,
No "a
Hildegarde, Montauk, Alert, Gloriana.
Clytie, Viking, Varuna and Crusader.
All the yachts broke out their spinna-
kers as they crossed the line, and five
minutes later Navahoe and Vigilant
were hard after 1t in a luffing match.
Half an hour after the start the wind
died out completely, and most of the
boats anchored and waited for the east
wind which was sighted some miles
ahead. Keeping we'll to the south, the
Wasp picked up the wind first and by
1 o'clock had put three miles between
her and the rest of the boats.
Wasp was the first to pass Cross Rip
lightship at 2:15, followed Is minutes
later by Emerald, with Colonia third
and Vigilant fourth. Navahoe was some
distance astern Of Vigilant, while the
rest of the fleet was strung out through
the sound, with the Colonia and Intrepid
bringing up the rear. 1t was a close
fetch from Cross Rip to Handkerchief
Lighthouse. ten and half miles, ALI
the yachts made it on the starboard
tack, Wasp being the first to reach it.
at 3:15. On the way out Vigilant was
again pinched, and Navahoe, picked up
a Bit while Emerald opened out some
what on Colonia. Between Cross Rip and
the Handkerchief the fleet split up into
two divisions, as was anticipated.
The wind kept hauling to the south
ward 80 that the run to Shoveful light
ship was well off the vino The boats
rounded the Shovelful in the following
order: Emerald. 1852; Wasp, 1856; Co.
lonia, 4:0S:01; Vigilant, 4:21; Marguerite,
4:29; Navahoe, 4:34; Amorita, 4:3e;
Queen Nab, 4:43:OS; Hildegarde, 4:4O
The short run over to the Pollock rip
lightship was made in an increasing
southwesterly breeze and with sheets
we'll hauled in. The boats rounded Pol
lock Rip ligbtship in the same order
Darkness found Emerald still in the lead
Morning, as was expected, saw the boats
somewhat apart, but this was not SO
with Emerald and Colonia During the
night the latter boat had overhauled, her
rival and one hour after sunrise the
boats were engaged in a luffing match.
At this time the Vigilant was about two
miles ahead of the schooner, which in
turn led Navahoe by about a mile and
a quarter. Vigilant gained steadily on
the other boats at 3:15, passed Duck ISL
and light four miles from the finish.
Vigilart crossed the line at 3:59:25
making the run from Vineyard Haven to
the point in 20 hours, 81 minutes and as
seconds, CT which time 90 hours and 2l
minutes and 2S seconds were consumed
in running IT'S miles from Pollock Rim
lightshp. She crossed the finish under
mainsail working topsail, spinnaker
and balloon jib topsail. Colo'lia was the
next boat over the line, Navahoe was
the next and Emerald fourth Hide
garde was the fifth and a that time no
other boa. was in sight. The summary:
Cor
Boat Start Finish. Elapsed rected.
Sloops--
vigilant ...10 100000 3:59:2S 29:542s 2s:54:2S
Navahoe ...1o:Oo:OO 4:44:17 3O:4919 so:2O:52
Schooners-
Colonia ....1O:1o:0o 4:42:22 sO:s2.22 so;s2: 20
Emerald ...10:10:00 4:51:1S 30:411S 30:32:43
Hildegarde .1o:1o:oo 5:1l:4O s1:O1;4o not md