Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1899-06-29
BEAT DEFENDER EIGHT MINUTES
COIumbia's Thirty-Eight-MileB eat to
MindWard.

In a thirty-eight-mile beat to wndward
yesterday the new yacht Columbia defeated
the old cup champion Defender eight min
utes, besides giving the old boat two-min-
ute handicap. Yachtmen are jubilant, for
the yachts sterling qualities must come out
in a race TO windward.
The race was from Brentons Reef light
ship to New London, good thirty-eight
miles. The Defender was given a two-min-
ute start Thirty-two miles of the long
stretch of water were a beat to windward,
with such q stiff breeze blowing that neither
yacht cared to carry a working topSail. and
it was in this kind of work that Columbia
gained such long lead, averaging more
than a quarter of a minute faster each mile
than the Defender. The water was very
rough. but the boat rode very easily and did
not buffet the waves as much as the De-
fender.
A stiff breeze from the southwest kicked
up a squall in the morning and put white
crests on the waves in the inner harbor.
The Defender was inside Brentons Reef
lightship, loafng along under jib and MAIN
sail. waiting for her rival. There was a
pretty heavy sea, and the two yachts
plunged along clouds of spray We're thrown
into the air from under their bows and fell
away to leeward. The weather was threat
ening and a light rain fell. The Columbia
ran up to the Defender rapidly and con-
tinued on the starboard tack until the light
ship was passed. The Columbia was at that
time 300 yards to leeward of the Defender
and half her length ahead.
AT f2:20 the Defender broke out her stay
sail and the race was on, with the Defen-
der to windward. At 1870 both ships
tackled to port heading toward Point Judith
and footing very fast. At first the Defen-
der gained triflc. but as they continued
on the course the Columbia crawled up
slowly and had it not been for a shift of
wind more TO the south would have crossed
the Defenders bow on the next tack. The
shift in the wind helped the Defender con-
siderably, and when at l o'clock the CO.
lumbia tackled to starbOard about a mile
off the Point Judith whistling buoy, she
could have almost forced Defender about
but the Defender tackled within a hundred
feet of the Columbia under her lee bow
Captain Barr could not stand having his
wind stolen by the Defender long so he
fetched about at 90 and stood uD along
shore on the port tack. Then the Columbia
began to gain slowly on the Defender, and
at the same time got into the wind better.
In twenty-five minutes the new boat had
worked across to Defenders bow and was
to windward of her.
With plenty of wind the Columbia and
Defender held down the shore on the port
tack. the former continuing to gain. Off
Moves Point AT 2:20 the Columbia was over
half a mile ahead and she steadily in
creased her lead, and when she finally came
about off the end Of Fishers Island the dis
lance between the two was nearly mile.
AT 1888 the Columbia took her final port
hitch. this time fetching well by Race Rock
The Defender held on the starboard tack
and then turned in after the leader The
boats proceeded up the hartor and an
chored.
Inc great white yachts made a splendid
| picture as they raced up the bay, their
enormous sails bellying out with the strong
| breeze from over the quarter and with the
water cutting away from their sharp bows