The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-09-03
1T WAS DECISIVE.
Columbia Beats Her
Rival By Seven
Minutes.
STEEL MAST A SUCCESS.
Trial Races Serve Only
to Give Grew
Practice.
STEEL MAST A SUCCESS.

Newport, r. L, Sept. 2.--The first of
the formal trial races between the Co
lumbia and the Defender, today, for the
purpose of selecting a yacht to sail
against the Shamrock in the defense of
the Americas cup, resulted in so deci-
sive a victory for the new boat that
were it not for the fact that it is de-
sirable to have her race as much as
possible, other contests would seem al
most useless.
The yachts sailed one of the regula-
ton 15-mile windward and leeward
courses, in an eight-knot breeze that
increased on the beat-out, and flattened
at the finish, and it took the Columbia
just minutes and 40 seconds less
time to cover the distance than it did
| the Defender.
Nearly every one seemed fully salts
| fed with the result of the race, espe-
cIally the owners of the new boat, for
! the steel mast which was carried
| through race for the first time, GER
| tainly improved her wonderfully, ena-
| bling her to stand straighter than the
! Defender and therefore to out-point her.
In fact the Columbia sailed all around
the old boat, and only for the soften
ing of the wind as she neared the line
and the subsequent freshening as her
rival came up to the finish, the differ
! ence between the two boats would have
been at least two if not three minutes
! greater.
| While the race proved such a COM
plete victory for the Columbia, still it
was not lacking in sensational fea-
| lures, and the great fight for suprem-
acy at the start and which continued
| for the first two miles of the race,
proved most exciting to the hundreds
of enthusiasts who watched it from
the steam yachts, the excursion boats
and from the shore.
OF course, the Columbia finally got
the upperhand, as every one knew she
would, but it was a stiff brush while
it lasted, and the result was certainly
no disparagement toward those on the
Defender. For instance, at the start,
Capt Rhodes berthed his boat in ex-
cellent style, and shot her over the line
II seconds ahead of the Columbia,
.windward quarter There the Defend
err held her, unable herself to get by.
for every time she tackled to pont the
new boat would force her round, yet,
back-winding the new
boat so that she could not draw ahead.
At last, however the Columbia by
good pointing got out from under the
Defender, and the latter was forced to
swing off under the formers stern, so
as not to be blanketed. After that the
race was a mere question of by how
much the Columbia would win. Those
who watched her saw the Columbia
stand up to the breeze as never before,
besides footing faster and pointing
higher. For a few moments the baby
jibtopsail was taken off to see how she
would hold the old boat, but, while it
made little difference, it was replaced,
only to be removed again when the
wind increased nearly IL knots.
The yachts made good time to the
outer mark, and would have sailed fast
err coming in, had they not been de-
layed considerably in setting their spin
makers. Still, a 30-mile race in little
over three hours and three-quarters 10
we'll up to the average The regatta
committee were certainly justified in
having the yachts sail today, although
the race was not started until an hour
and half after noon, because of Mr..
Iselin's objection to sailing in the rain
with the Columbia's new mainsail. But
when the Columbia came out, dressed
in complete new suit of sails, cut
beautifully, and as a rule setting well,
Mr.. Iselin was forgiven for the delay.
Undoubtedly there will be few
changes in some of the new sails, for,
as compared with the Defenders,
which are. well-nigh perfect, they seem
drawn and puckered in many places.
The mainsail had a fulness near the
leach, which three long battens failed
| to flatten out, and closer to the mast at
the hoist the canvas was far too fiat to
drive the boat well to the windward.
| The club topsail certainly set better
| than the old one, but the stiff breeze
so stretched the canvas that the
| leach loosened UP and fluttered all the
way out to the mark. The pole and the
club on the tQpsail We're fine looking
pine sticks, and steel could not have
| held better than these spars. AS for
her headsails, both were far better
| than the old ones, and a touching up
here and there is all that will be re-
| CURED.
| But nearly all eyes were turned at
| least part Of the time on the steel
mast thai proved SO treacherous when
first it was tried. Today it stood up
straighter than any pine mast could
have done, with not the slightest sign
of a buckle. leaving but little doubt that
this one or a similar affair will go
through The cup races successfully and
aid her materially in defeating the
Shamrock.
With now sails a new mast and a
few more races for the crews benefit,
the yachtsmen, at least in this vicinity,
saw the Only points to be decided in the
great event will be as to how much the
Columbia will lead at the finish.
Elapsed
Start Finish. Time.