The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-06-29
RACE TO WINDWARD.
Columbia Beats the
Old Cup Defender
With Ease.
YACHTSMEN ARE JUBILANT.
In q Stiff Breeze the New
One is a Great
Boat.

New London, Conn, June 2S.-In a
new yacht Columbia beat the old cup
champion Defender eight minutes in a
run of only thirty-eight miles, besides
giving the old champion a two-minute
handicap. Yachtsmen from New York
and hereabouts are jubilant, for a
yachts most sterling qualities must
come out in a race to windward
The race was from Brentons reef
lightship off Newport to New London,
good thirty-eight miles. The Defend
er was given a two minute start. Thir
ty-two miles of the thirty-eight was a
beat to wndward, with such a stiff
breeze blowing that neither yacht cared
to carry 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. AT this time the
water was very rough, but the new boat
rode very easily and did not buffet the
waves as much as Defender
When Newport aWoke this morning
It looked like an all days storm, and a
stiff breeze from the southwest kicked
up quite a sea outside, putting white
crests on the waves in the inner har-
Dor. Defender hoisted anchor shortly
after 10 o'clock and ran down the east
passage under her jib. Her mainsail
WIS hoisted on the way out, and Capt.
Rhodes sailed down as far as Castle
Hill to get a look at the weather out
side and knocked about the bay for
a while awaiting Columbia.
The crew of COlum hi1 hauled anchor
at Ills a. m. and she was towed down
as far as Castle Hill, where the hawser
was cast off and the yacht beat out to
sea under her three lower sails.
Defender was inside Brenton's Reef
lghtship, loafing along under jib and
mansail waiting for her rival. There
was pretty heavy sea- and as the two
yachts plunged along, clouds of spray
were thrown into the air from under
their bows and fell away to leeward.
The weather was rather threatening at
the start and light rain compelled the
crews of the two yachts to don their
oilskins. The showers were not heavy
but lasted nearly all day.
Columbia ran up to Defender rapidly
and continued on the starbOard tack
until the lightship was passed Column
bia was at that time 300 yards to lee
ward of Defender, and half her length
ahead. AT II o'clock both boats tackled
around the lightship. They continued
along on this hitch for about five min
utes, Columbia luffing up TO take
haul on the jib halyards.
At 1920 Defender broke out her stay
sail and the race was on with Defend
er to windward. At 1880 both shlps
tackled to port, heading toward Point
Judith and footing very fast. Al trst
nafarIa, friH h11t TnGX
continued on this hitch, Columbia
Crawled up slowly, and but for a shirt
in the wind more to the south, WouId
have crossed Defenders bow on the
next tack. The shift in the wind helped
Defender considerably, and when at L
O'clock Columbia tackled to starboaru,
about a mile off the Point Judith whist
ling buoy, she could almost have forced
Defender about, but the latter tacked
hundred feet off the former ana Zee
bow
Captain Barr could not stand having
his wind stolen by Defender long, SO
he fetched about at LOS o'clock ana
stood up along shore on the port tacN.
Then Columbia began to gain Slowly
on Defender, and at the same time Sot
into the wind better. In twenty-five
minutes, the new boat had worked
across Defenders bow and was u
windward of her.
With plenty of wind, Columbia anu
Defender held down the shore on IHe
port tack, the former continuing "
gain. Off Moves Point at 22O clocH
Columbia was over half a mile qheau;
and steadily increasing her lea", an lL,1
when she finally came about OH w
end of Fire Island the distance NC
tween the two was nearly a lIlle' a.,
At 1928 o'clock Defender took heT ma Ia
port hitch, this time fetching Wen ny
Race rock. Defender held on the sl a.,
board tack and then turned in atter .ilS
leader. ThU goats proceeded up 'n
harbor, Columbia coming to anchof al
AS, and Defender at 4.36 O'CLOCK
The great white yachts maue
splendid marine picture as they racEu
up the bay with their enormous sans
bellying out with the strong preeLe
from over the quarter and Win tHe
water curling away from their sh4iP
bows. Columbia made a gain on tIe
reach over Defender so far as couId pe
observed from the Associated Press
tug. Off the Pequot, Columbia droppeu
her jib and forestry sail and let 90 Ne Ne
anchor. Well out in the stream
Tender anchored near her.
Both boats were sailed skiltulIy' CdP-
tain Charlie Barr was at Column pa
Wheel the entire distance, ana Capldlil
Rhodes steered Defender. After Iiie
irst ten miles the race was unlnlefest
ing to watch. for Columbia had III lndl
short distance worked out into a l .i
Windward position and gained steauIlS
Dafopdar