Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1903-05-22
CAN SHE SAIL!
Reliance Beats Columbia to
Tune of ID NJ, 43 Sec.
Gained On Every Leg, in Light
Breeze and Spanking Winds.
The Columbia Had Setbacks, but Was
Easily Outclassed.

New York. May 21.-By combination
of good luck and splendid sailing quail
ties the new cup va cht Reliance, today,
inflicted such defeat upon the former
cup defender Columbia as she had
never before suffered, leading her over
the finish line of a 25-mie course off
Glen Cove by IA minutes and 43 seconds,
official time.
Not all the glory of that rosy victory
was fairly earned by the boat. If it
had been there would have been no
doubt that the Reliance would be the
next cup defender. But despite the
Columbia's ill luck, the Reliance con-
vincingly showed herself to be the bet
ter boat. She had beaten the Column
bia nearly eight minutes in a broad
reach OF II miles in tluky sephyrs,
beaten her l minute and Is seconds run
ming free for three miles in a steady
12-knot breeze. and beaten her 4 min
utes and Is seconds in an 11-mile thrash
to windward, close hauled, in a 15-knot
and allows for Reliance's IS seconds ad-
vantage at the start.
When the Reliance crossed the finish
llilc lIle 1OluI1IDld was lIlllcS dSltEu anu
hopeessly beaten. But the victory
was not 50 great as the result might
indicate. The Columbia's i'll luck in
fluky winds in the three hours neces-
sary to cover the first II miles had con-
tributed TO her defeat.
The first leg was not fair test Of the
merits of the two boats, but it sufficed
to delevop surprising drifting abilities
in the Reliance, supposed until today to
be heavy weather boat.
The Columbia missed the faVoring
zephyrs that had helped the Reliance 10
beat her eight minutes in. drift of
three hours in the first IL miles, and in
the Windward work had been hampered
by an accident to her badly jibtopsail.
Only once in the whole race did she
gain on the new boat
The race was an eXaspcrating start
and a flying finish. The course was
triangular. II miles to the eastward
along the Long Island shore to Eaton's
point. three miles north-northwest
and IL miles southwest by west to the
finish line off Glen Cove.
II was fiat calm at noon when the
race was to have been started. The re-
gatta committee on B. A. G. Smiths
big steam yacht Privateer waited for
wind. but there was not more than 4
two-knot breeze from the south south
west when the starting gun was fired
at LBS z. NJ There was a handicap of
two minutes and both boats exceeded
it, the Reliance leading the Columbia
across the line by SO seconds. She was
not more than 200 yards ahead. Both
boats broke out balloon jibtopsails as
they crossed the line. The Reliance
carried Il staysail also, but the Column
bia wore no other headsails The Re-
lance soon after took in her staysail
Both were then under main sails, club
topsails and balloon jib topsails. Ex-
ccpt for a Ratsey clubtopsail on the
Columbia all were Herreshoff sails.
Fifteen minutes after crossing the
line the Reliance began to draw slow
~ away from the Columbia and stead
lily increased her lead during two hours
and half. Her sails seemed to catch
cv ,ry breath of air. Both boats chang
cd their headsails to staysals and
reaching jibtopsails. They were mere
~ drifting.
After sailing about three miles, Re
lance set a balloon jibtopsai and
thereafter gained more rapidly. When
half of this leg had been sailed, and
two hours after the start, Reliance
caught light air and moved away
quickly, while Columbia still drifted
and gradually dropped astern till Re
lance was leading her by nearly three
miles. The breeze freshened and the
Reliance romped away for the first turn
lat an S-knot clip, but Columbia did not
feel the increased wind until Is minutes
later
Then she began to gain and in half
an hours sailing had cut the Rcliance's
lead to a little more than a mile. The
wind had headed them slightly and
balloon jibtopsails had given place to
smaller ones. Designer Nat Herreshoif
took the wheel on Reliance as the boat
approached the first turn. She was
then heeling to a freshening breeze that
was beginning to kick up little white
caps, and there was q white feather
of foam under her lee bow. Columbia
was coming foot by foot.
Reliance took the turn going like bird.
Once filled away on the emile run across
the sound she caught still pun from the
southwest and put her rail down into the
smother, rolled out her polished bronze
bilge and drove away for the turn. The
unofficial time at the first time was as fol-
lows:
Reliance ........................., 2oI.l0
Columbia Observation-Disclosures. Z. 06 10
Reliance was half way across to the
next turn before Columbia had circled
about the first Reliance covered the three
miles in Il minutes and so second; the Co
lumbia in l. minutes and seconds, hay
ing lost l minute and IL seconds in the
three miles Reliance was outsailing her
nearly 80 seconds to the mile, and that in
rafting hIceze. They made the second
turn as follows:
1telldnCe ''..........'.... -.-.-.....'... o-ll
ColuflDld 10
AS the Reliance turned the stake she
doused her iibtopsail and fattening in her
shetts and heeling over to a 15-knot wind.
started on a long slant. close hauled.
which promised to fetch her almost to the
starting line. Her Ice rail was dipping
awash to the puffs and she was pointing
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