The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1899-06-26
YACHTSMEN ALL PLEASED
AND CONFIDENT SHE WILL SHOW
HER HEELS TO THE SHAMROCK.
Another Trial I'm Few Days When
pleted-College Boat Races.


of the new American cup defender Colum-
bia, which took place in Narragansett bay
to-day was more successful than either her
builder or her owners had reason TO hope
Not only did the new boat show herself to
be able in every particular, but she met
the old racer Defender in a friendly brush
of a mile to windward and vanquished her
with the greatest ease. The race between
the flyers, which was over in five minutes.
was sailed I'm an eight-knot breeze under
the same conditions, each boat carrying
three lower sails with sheet well fatteneo-
1t took the Columbia, about three minutes
sailing from the Defenders weather quar-
ter, to blanket her. and in five minutes she
was one hundred yards ahead, going past
the old cup defender as If the latter were
anchored. Under these conditions II would
seem as IL the Columbia were from fifteen TO
twenty seconds mile faster than the De-
fender, and If she can make the same gain
in a hard blow the safety OF the Americas
cup will be considerably allayed-
The trial to-day was the builders trial.
and although the managing owner. c. Oliver
Iselin, and a 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 a few minor repairs. II
is expected the boat Will have another trial
either tomorrow or Tuesday, and that by
the end OF the week she will be formally
turned over to Mr.. Iselin In the meantime
her interior fittings will be finished. and her
bowsprit. which apparently started In the
socket during to-day's brush with the De-
fender, probably will need some attention.
Before the Columbia left for Bristol this
afternoon Mr.. Iselin expressed himself an
being more than satisfied with her, and IL
was happy lot of yachtsmen that watched
her performance and went to Bristol with
her tonight.
PREPARING FOR THE START.
The Columbia lay of the Herreshoff works
all night being moored well out in the cham
mel In order to avoid a repetition OF yes
terday's unfortunate grounding. The crew
was up early and by 6 o'clock this morning
her decks were washed down and the big
No. jib sent up in stops. After an hours
interval for breakfast on the tender St. MI
chael, the crew returned and began the
work of getting UP the mainsaii. II was a
pretty difficult task for twenty-five men to
get the great stretch of canvas well up into
the air. Such a huge sheet Of sail had never
been hoisted before, and IL was over an hour
before IT was set to Captain Barr's satisr
faction. Just before o'clock Nat Herresho6
pulled of from the shore. and shortly after
the naphtha launch brought Mr.. and Mrs.l
Iselin and three yachting friends from the
tender ST. Michael. The weather at this
time was threatening. and the southwest
breeze Of the early morning had flattened
out almost to a calm.
At a quarter past the anchor broke
ground and the Columbia was on on her In
itial trial, beating slowly down the bay with
Nat Herreshoff at the wheel AS the yacht
stood off the jib was broken out and her
staysail went up, but the wind was so light
that after standing over on the port tack. In
order to put her about, the naphtha launch
had to be called on for assistance. The
launch, after getting her around. towed her
well over toward Hog island, at the entrance
to the harbor and then. the wind freshening
a bit. the tow line was cast of. The beat
rapidly gained headway as the wind i'm
creased. and after a number Of short tacks
stood out into the bay between Hog island
and Bristol point.
QUICK TACKS.
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 shell. Even In the light
around on an average OF thirty-fiye seconds
Later. when Captain Barr took the
wheel, he tackled I'm thirty. twenty-five.
twenty-five and even I'm twenty seconds.
showing the new boat TO be between ten and
fifteen seconds quicker In stays than the
Defender. In the freshening wind the boat
made very little fuss as she glided through
the water, and there was no perceptible
wave on her quarter. but small wake
astern. AS the wind caught the big main
sail 1t filled out and set beautifully. with
scarcely a wrinkle within its entire surface.
or even a waver. On the other hand. the
headsails were disappointment. The fore
staysail seemed to be out very straight
along the foot. while the head OF the sail.
which was too full, tapped badly IN the
wind. Later the lur on this sail was hauled
down hard and the san set much better.
but the jib kept spilling ont wind into II.
so that IL shook nearly all day. The jib
was fairly steady but had a big bag along
the luff, which shows that IL could stand
but little stretching.
Standing out OF the harbor the Columbia
was headed across the bay TO the shore of
the Island OF Rhode Island, and Just before
10 o'clock she went about and with q con-
stantIy freshening breeze from the SOUTH
southwest stood over towards Prudence
island on the west side OF the bay. As she
passed the Hog Island iishtship. the lat
ter's crew saluted her with three strokon
on the fog bell. which salute was ansWoroA
by the tender ST. Michael. steaming alonu
behind with the press tug. II took Just q