Daily Kennebec journal., 1899-09-05
IN PERFECT TRIM.
Columbia Proves Fitness to
Tackle Anything Af1oat.
Defeats Defender Over 10 Minutes in
10-MiIe Triangular Course.
Leaves Her Gallant Rival Far Behind-Faste.t
Thing kiioat, Today.

race the second and last or the official
trial races for the settlement of a de-
fender of the Americas cup. the Co
lumbia again demonstrated that she is
the peer of The Defender, by defeating
her 10 minutes and I seconds, over
triangular course in an S-knot breeze
and smooth sea.
Inc contest was procession
throughout. with the Columbia leading
at the start by 13 seconds and gaining
on every leg of the course. The first
leg was reach from the starting line
at Brenton's Reef lightship, southeast
one-half east to flag mark, distance
Of 10 miles, and from the moment the
Columbia crossed the line she steadily
sailed away from her rival. going
round the first mark minutes and So
seconds ahead.
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 min
utes and 10 seconds more in the run to
the second mark.
The third leg of the triangle was al
most 4 dead beat to the finish, the two
boats making a long hitch clear up to
the Narragansett shore. The Column
bia made two other short tacks before
she fetched the line, but the Defender
by holding longer in shore managed
t. reach the lightship without an
other tack. Still the Columbia gained.
showing that with sheets close hauled
she is the fastest American sailing
yacht afoat
on this last leg she added minutes
and Y seconds U her lead. making a
total for the entire course of 10 min
utes and seconds.
There will be no official races. that
of today settling cUnclusively 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 per
mitted by certain conditions under
which the international races are sail
ed, 70 delay announcing the name of
the yacht selected to defend the cup, un-
til week prior to the date Of the first
contest, and. therefore, the decision
was not made public today
The Columbia's manSal fitted lit
tie better, today, than it did on Satur-
day. Still there is an opportunity for
much Improvement as there is curl
to the leach that some yachtsmen do
not like. The Columbia's clubtopsail
was a bit better. today. than in the
previous race, but there was flutter-
ing at the head that did the boat lit
tie good. All doubts as to the strength
Of the rigging and the steel mast must
have been dispelled by the thorough
tests which they received both before
and during the race. Fifteen minutes
before the start, while jockeying for
position. the Columbia was swung
round with sheets flattened. so that |
she heeled down to an angle of nearly |
A. degrees, still everything stood the |
strain.
Mr. Oliver Iselin expressed himself |
as being perfectly satisfied with the |
Columbia. On being reminded that |
several months ago he had made the |
statement that if the Columbia could |
not beat the Defender minutes over |
a S0-mile course he would be well sat
isfied 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 today's race
We're delighted with her work and one |
Of the gentlemen said afterward 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, be- |,
tween the Columbia and Defender for |
q cup offered by VIM. Goddard Of |
Providence Mr. 1selin's father-in-l law.
The contest will be over course Is
miles to windward or leeward and re-
turn. starting from Brenton's Reef |
lightship at p. NJ. The race will be
run by the New York Yacht Club re-
eatta committee. The reason for hold
ing this race is to try a new and light
er weight mainsail on the Columbia.