The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1897-08-06
THE NAVAH0E won.
Che Defeats Vigilant in an Exciting
Finish.
BUT s1XTY-ONE SECONDS APART

The Rnce Was For the Goelet Cup and
the Distance. Thirty-elght Miles.
Was Made in Little Over Four
Hours.
Newport, r. l.. Aug. 6.-Royal Phelps
CarrolPs yacht. Navahoe, won the Goe-
let cup for sloops yesterday'by defeat
ing Percy Chubb's Vigilant in not only
the most interesting race ever sailed
for one Of the emblems, but in what
was probably the finest contest ever
Bailed between the big sloops in Ameri-
can waters. Vigilant led at the start,
but Navahoe turned the first mark
ahead and kept her lead until within
three miles of the finish. when Vigilant
passed her. Only 25 feet seemed to sep
arate the boats as they rushed across
the line, which was not enough to save
Vigilant the race, and Navahoe won by
minutes, 81 seconds, corrected time.
The course was the old one to Block
Island. with a long leg to West Island,
and short reach to the finish dis
lance Of 3S miles. and the boats made
It In little over four hours. The run
10 Block Island was nearly dead before
the wind, and In order to get better
position Vigilant crossed Navahoe's
bow and set her spinnaker. All the way
iown Navahoe kept pulling down Vigi-
Ant's lead, and both boats mile from
.lhe first mark appeared nearly even,
although running wide apart.
I 1T was discovered that the mark had
:apsized, so a new raft was set, a
quarter Of a mile to the eastward. This
favored Navahoe, and taking In her
Ipinnaker and jibing she rounded 1t at
l:07:09. Vigilant, while undoubtedly
lhead Just before this, was 80 seconds
behind the mark. Rounding 1t she
Itarted after Navahoe. Instead Of keep
ing good rap full, Vigllant's skipper
Immediately began to pinch her. But
Captain Crocker gave Navahoe good
hull, and she romped along in fine style.
As this leg was long and short hitch
Navahoe was kept on the port tack
lntil 3:16, when, with Vigilant to wind
ward, but considerably astern, she
lacked to starboard. The boats kept
Dn for half an hour on this tack, when
Vigilant again tackled to port. Then it
was seen that the erratic steering had
Zone Its work, for she could not weather
Navahoe. The latter then tackled on
her rivals weather. and both boats
stood for the second mark.
Just before rounding the big balloon
lib was hoisted and Navahoe romped
away for home, well within her time
limit. Vigilant was 80 seconds behind.
Then began one of the most exciting
finishes seen for many day. With
the lightship only 60 miles away Vigi-
liant started to get by Navahoe. and
make up the five minutes necessary to
win. She did the former, but fell short
Of the latter. Such sight as the fin
ish Of those two boats has never been
Been in these waters. for both carried
= cloud of canvass. Strange to relate,
not one of the dozen of the finest Amer
lean steam yachts which were at the
hnfsh uttered sound as the two boats
rushed across the line. 1t was q grand
race, without the enthusiasm.
Navahoe won by one minute and one
second, actual, and four minutes and
n seconds corrected. Today the con-
test between the yachts will be re-
newed, in the run TO Vineyard Haven.
with the accompaniment of oil the rest
N the yachts In the fleet.