The Hawaiian star. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu]) 1893-1912, 1903-08-20
HISTORY OF The DEFENDERS

It is a far cry from the modern ninety
foot racing yacht of today designed
with mathematical accuracy and plan
ming, where steel and bronze have re-
placed heart of oak and pine spar, to
the Maria of 1874, the first yacht built
by the New York Yacht Club then
organized with nine members.
Yet all along the line of American
racers from the America to the Con-
stitution there have been points of re-
semblance not usually appreciated by
the public. The Maria 10 feet over
all with a beam of 26 feet inches car
ried outside lead and hollow boom.
She drew six feet under her forefoot
and five feet three inches aft, but her
centerboard made her draft twenty feet
As a nier she was a wonder. She
logged seventeen nautical miles in an
hour although she was fast in smooth
water only and was not a good sea boat
Experts of the day did not consider her
an ideal craft, but pinned their faith
to the American pilot boat, the stanch-
est, speediest craft of her size in the
world.
Such a boat was the America that in
the memorable race around the Isle of
Wight on August %, 1851 brought back
from England the inartistc but highly
priced America cup. The English still
maintain that the triumph was not con-
elusive, their best boat the Arrow hav-
ing run aground.
In those days the American spread
of sails was considerably less that that
The canvas was trimmed as fiat as
board and revolutionized sail making in
England until today the Shamrock III
sails across seas and displays racing
sails that experts declare fit as snugly
and well as that of the home boat.
The Americas usefulness, unlike the
modern racing machine was not out
lived with the race. During the civil
war she ran the blockade under the
name of the Memphis, was sunk in St.
Johns river, Florida, raised and con-
fiscated by the Government, and con-
verified into a training vessel for naval
cadets. In fairness it should be stated
that while in British hands she was
sailed against and defeated by other
English yachts.
The cup was not thought of again un-
til 1870, when encouraged by the beating
received by the American yacht Sap
pho in England the Cambria was sent
to regain the trophy. Yielding to popu-
lar sentiment the government refitted
the America with navy rigging that
would have served for a whaling voyage
and the hopes of the English spOrtsmen
were again destined to be lowered.
L., Of
ninety thousand dollars blow high, blow
low sail or pay James Gordon Bennets
yacht Henrietta raced across the At
lantic against the Vesta and the Fleet
wing from Sandy Hook to the Needles,
winning in thirteen days, twenty-one
hours and fifty-five minutes. Raced
every inch of the way, with sturdy
spars and swelling canvas, when mo-
dern challengers cross under jury rig
and the convoy of a steam yacht. This
OF course was not cup event how
ever.
In 1870 on August s, eighteen vessels
started in the cup race and the Cambria
was beaten by 8 American yachts.
The next year Mr.. Ashbury returned
to the fray with the Livonia and was
beaten in four races out of five. In 1876
the Canadian boat the Countess of Duff
FERN and in 1881 the Atalanta, hailing
from the same shores were hopelessly
whipped.
In 1881 the cutter type of boat enter
ed the field, to be changed again when
the Defender caused the abandonment
of the center board until then the very
pith and marrow of American yacht
designing.
In 'S5 came a close call for the return
of the cup to British soil. The defender.