The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-05
ten MINUTE LEAD,
Columbia Proves Su-
perior When
Closehauled.
VERY COMFORTABLE MARGIN
No Official Third Trial
Of the Yachts viii
Be Demanded.

Newport, r. l., Sept Am today's
race, the second and last of the official
trials, the settlement of the defender.
the Columbia again demonstrated that
she is the peer of the Defender, the 1895
champion, by defeating her 10 minutes
and Z seconds, over a triangular course
in an S-knot breeze and smooth sea.
The contest was procession through
out, with the Columbia leading at the
start by 10 seconds and gaining on every
leg Of the course. The first leg was
reach from the starting line to Bren-
toms Reef lightshp, southeast one-haf
east to flag mark, a distance OF 10
miles, and from the moment the Column
bia crossed the line she steadily sailed
away from her rival jybing round the
first mark in minutes and Sc seconds
ahead, and the second leg was also a
reach, a little broader than the first,
but even if the Defender did set her
spinnaker a mile from the turn she
dropped minutes and 10 seconds more
in the run to the second mark
The third leg of the triangle was a
steady beat to the finish, the two boats
making a long hitch clear up to the Mar
ragansett shore. The Columbia made
two other short tacks before she
fetched the line, but the Defender, by
holding longer in stcre, managed to
reach the lig'htship without another
tack. Still the Columbia gained. show
ing that when she is close hauled she
is the faster American yacht after all.
hn o. al 4 nj taS
and % seconds to her lead, making a
total for the entire course of 10 minutes
and Z seconds.
There will be no more official races,
that of today settling conclusiVely IN
the minds of the committee which of
the two boats is best fitted to meet Sir
Thomas Lipton's challenger, the sham
rock The cup committee, however, is
permitted by certain conditions under
which the International races are sailed
to defend the cup. until week prior to
| the date of the first contest, and there
| fore the decision was not made public
today. OF course there is not the Slight
est doubt but that the Columbia will be
| the craft chosen to meet the Britisher,
for she has shown ever since the maiden
trip last June that she is faster boat
than the staunch and speedy Defender.
In Saturdays race the Columbia
running down the wind with spin
makers and ballponers set, despite the
fact that the Defender held the breeze
longer than her rival, while on the
windward work that day the new
boat also made many minutes over her
rival.
Today the boats were tested with
sheets lifted, and at this kind of sailing
the Columbia proved that she is
Go ha1
one that she is the better boat at all
points of sailing in moderate breezes,
the committee deem it advisable to not
hold any more races.
What all yachtsmen would like to see
is a contest between the boats when
they could carry only their lower sails.
On the run of the New York Yacht
Club from this port to Vineyard Ha-
ven during the recent cruise, in a half
gale, the Defender practically defeated
the Columbia on time allowance. and
there are today many who think that
the old boat is the faster yacht if the
breeze will lift the sheets. What re-
mains to be seen is whether she is i'm
proved in heavy weather by the steel
mast as much as she is in moderate
breezes.
The Columbla's mainsail fitted little
better today than it did on Saturday.
due no doubt to the stretching it re-
ceived in the first trial race, and the
subsequent hauling out on the boom
and gait. Still there is an opportunity
for much improvement, as there is a
thing that yachtsmen do not like par
ticularly when they compare it to De-
tenders perfect fitting sheets. All
doubts as to the strength of the rig
ging and the steel mast must have
been dispelled by the thorough tests
which they received both before and
during the race. Fifteen minutes be-
fore the start, while joekeying for po-
sition, the Columbia was swung round
with sheets flattened so that she
heeled down to an angle of nearly As
degrees, still everything stood the
strain
There was little opportunity for shift
ing sails, although at one time the
crew of the Defender were kept pretty
busy setting and taking in spinnaker,
which they accomplished within the
short period of ten minutes. On the
first leg both boats dropped their bal
loon staysails, which they hoisted at
the start and substituted working
staysails. AS the shift was made ST.
simultaneously on both boats, it gave the
erroneous impression that something
had gone wrong with both sails Aside
from changing jib topsails two or
three times, the Columbia's crew had
little to do but lie in the boat to wind
ward.
C. Oliver Iselin, when seen after the
race, expressed himself as thoroughly
satisfied with the Columbia, On being
reminded that several months ago he
had made the statement that if the
Columbia could beat the Defender five
minutes over a 30-mile course, he would
be well satisfied. Mr., Iselin smiled and
said that the new boat had more than
come up to his expectations. Every
one who was on the Columbia in to-
days race was delighted with her work,
and one of the gentlemen said after
ward that they had got the Columbia
about right now, and that there would
be but few changes made before the
cup races in October.
There will be race tomorrow by the |
Columbia and Defender, for the cup
offered by Mr.. Goddard of Providence, |
Mr.. Iseins father-in-law. The course
will be Is miles to windward or leeward
and return, starting from Brenton's
reef lightship at p, m. This race is
to try a new and lighter weight main
sail on the Columbia.
The official finish was:
Elapsed
time.