Omaha daily bee., 1899-06-26
NEW CUP DEFENDER Is SPEEDY
Iselin's Yacht, Columbia, Runs Away from
Its Predecessor,
TRIAL TRIP PLeAssS OWNER AND BUILDER
HerrcshoG sends His Product Down
NarraRnnsctt Hay at Clip
which Promises q Re-
tcntion of the Cup.

NEW WORT, X, L., June 2o.--lne nIsl tlldl
trip Of the new Americas cup defender,
which took place in Narragansett bay today,
was more successful than its builders and
owners had reason to hope. Not only did
the new boat show itself to be able in every
particular, but it met the old racer, De-
fender, in brief brush of a mile to wind
ward and vanquished 1t with the greatest
ease.
The race between the flyers. which Was
over in five minutes. sailed in an eight
knot breeze under the same conditions, each
boat carrying three lower sails with sheet
well fattened. It took the Columbia about
three minutes sailing from the Defenders
weather quarter, to blanket it, and in five
minutes II was 100 yards ahead, going past
the old cup defender as IL the latter were
anchored. Under these conditions 1t would
seem as if the Columbia were from fifteen
to twenty seconds a mile faster than the
Defender, and II it can make the same
gain in hard blow the safety of the Amer
icas cup will be assured.
The trip today the builders trial and
although the managing owner, c. Oliver
Iselin. and number of his yachting friends
were on board. still the Columbia's designer,
Nat Herreshoff. was in charge, and after
the sail down the bay the boat was towed
back to Bristol for few minor repairs. 1t
is expected tt6 DOaI VIII nave another tTldl
either tomorrow or Tuesday, and that by
the end of the week 1t will be formally
turned over to Mr.. Iselin. In the meantime
its interior fittings will be finished, and its
bowsprit which apparently started in the
socket during todays brush with the De-
fende:, probably will need some attention.
Before the Columbia left for Bristol this
afternoon Mr.. Isein expressed himself as be-
ing more than satisfied with it, and they
were happy lot OF yachtsmen that watched
the boats performance and went to Bristol
with 1t tonight.
Setting the Huge Sail.
The Columbia lay off the Herreshoff works
all last night, being moored we'll out in
the channel, In order to avoid a repetition
of yesterdays unfortunate grounding. The
crew were up early and by o'clock this
| morning its decks were washed down and
the big No l jib sent up its stops. After
| an hours interval for breakfast on the
tender ST. Michael, the crew began the work
of getting up the main sail. 1t was a diff
ficult task for twenty Ave men to get the
great stretch of canvas we'll into the air.
Such huge sail had never been hoisted be-
fore. and it was over an hour before 1t was
! set to Captain Barr's satisfaction. Just be-
fore o'clock Nat Herreshoff pulled off from
shore, and shortly after the naphtha launch
brought Mr.. and Mrs. Iselin and three yacht
| ing friends from the tender ST. Michael.
The weather at this time was threatening
! and the southwest breeze OF the early
morning had fiattened out almost to a calm.
AT 9:15 the anchor broke ground and the
Columbia was off on its initial cruise, beat
ing slowly down the bay with Nat HERES
! hoff at the wheel AS the yacht stood off
| the jib was broken out and it's stay sail
went up, but the wind was so light that
| after standing on the port tack in order
! to put it about the naphtha launch had to be
called upon for assistance The launch,
after getting the Columbia around, towed it
! well over toward Hog Island at the entrance
to the harbor and then the wind freshening
a bit the tow line was cast off.
| Ready Obedience TO Helm.
The boat rapidly gained headway as the
wind increased and after number OF short
tacks stood out into the bay between Hog
| island and Bristol point. The breeze was
scarcely over three knots an hour. yet the
Columbia slipped along, making hardly a
ripple and with all the ease of a racing
she'll Even on the light wind Mr.. Here
/ shoff was able to throw 1t around on an
average of 35 seconds and later when Captain
| Barr took the wheel he tackled in 30, 25, 90,
and even in 20 seconds showing the new
boat to be between 10 and 10 seconds faster
in stays than the Defender.
In the freshenng wind the boat made
very little fuss as It glided through the
water and there was no perceptible wave
on its quarter and but small wake astern.
AS the wind caught the big mainsail It
| filled out and set beautifully, with scarcely
| wrinkle within its entire surface, or even
waver. On the other hand, the head sails
were a disappointment. The fore staysail
10 l,a a;rht 4 ha
foot, while the head of the sail. which was
too full, tapped badly in the wind. Later
| the luff on this sail was hauled down hard
| and the sail set much better, but the jib
kept spillng out wind into It that 1t
shook nearly all day. TIE jib was, fairly
steady, but had a big bag along the luf,
which shows that II would stand but little
stretching.
Course of the Columbia.
Standing out OF the harbor, the Columbia
was headed across the bay to the
Rhode island, and just before 10 o'clock it
went about, and with a constantly fresh
ening breeze from the south southwest stood
over toward Prudence island, on the south
west Of the bay. AS it passed the Hog island
lightship the Iatter's crew sauted It with
! three strokes on the fog bell, which salute
was answered by the tender st. Michael,
steamng along behind with the press tug.
1t took just hour to beat from the Hog
island lightship at the entrance OF Bristol
island to near Newport, distance OF nine
| miles
| The Columbia made five bitches the
way down Narragansett bay, long leg to
the north of Prudence island, another to the
south of Sandy Point light, about half way
down the island; a third 10 the south of
Halfway rock fourth to Gould island, and
a fifth to the Conancut island shore, just