New-York tribune., 1903-04-26
RELIANCE SAILS WELL.
GLIDES ALONG EASILY.
Fast an Reaching and Running
Quick IN Staus.
tBY TELEGRAPH TO THE TRIBUNE.

tBY TELEGRAPH TRIBUNE.I
Bristol r. l., April 25.-Under weather condi-
tions that ideal for a test of spars and
canvas, the Reliance was tried in Narragansett
Bay and at sea to-day. and not found wanting
She proved herself worthy and successful rep
reseptatiVe of her designer and builder, Cap
tain Nat" Herreshoff. According to the judg-
ment of those who saw the trial and are COM
petent to gauge the abilities of modern racing
craft the Reliance is a fast and well balanced
yacht and she WILL they say, undoubtedly prove
a dangerous opponent to the Constitution and
the Columbia
For the first time in the history of initial trial
spins for 9o-foot yachts opportunity was
afforded to sail in light and in a strong breeze.
in smooth water and in rough, in wndward
work in reaching and in running dead before
the wind with spinnaker set. The Reliance
proved to be very fast under all these condi-
tions, but notably when reaching and
ming
The ability of the Reliance to point lie
close to the wind also clearly demonstrated
when beating ont in a fresh breeze through the
narrow channel from Fort Adams. in Newport
harbor. to the Ightship off Brenton's Reef. She
not only went about quickly, averaging seven
teen seconds fro n 'fun to full" but held her
headway and even with her new sails she
seemed to lie as close to the wind as either the
der like conditions.
In the light airs encountered in the first two
hours of sailing she slipped along at speeds
angling from three 30 six knots hour, and
when the breeze freshened she stood up well
to her work making at times twelve knots
hour, and never putting her lee rail under.
In the light breezes the sails of the Reliance set
rather badly. there being considerable slack in
the leach of the mainsail and also in the leashes
= h.
breeze freshened the set of the mainsail was
much improved.
The good points in the new yacht that were
most noticeable were the very small bow wave
that she turned up when travelling from five up
to ten knots, the remarkably smooth wake she
left and her Quickness in stays, for she tackled
the first time, in very light air, in twenty-five
seconds and when she was, doing her best say,
ten knots, she came about from full to fulP'' in
fifteen seconds.
Making short tacks through the narrow chan
mel between Prudence Island and the others,
she worked quickly and held her headway ad-
mirabIy Captain Nat Herreshoff had the
wheel most of the time in this work, and the big
sloop obeyed her helm splendidly for the man
who designed her.
on board tie Reliance when Captain Barr
gave the order get under way were c. Oliver
Iselin Captain Nat Herreshoff, Francis B.
II,
Commodore Frederick G. Bourne and Vice
Commodore c. L. f Robinson. of the New
York Yacht Club; former Commodore Lewis
Cass Ledyard. Secretary George A. Cormack,
Woodbury. Kane, Newberry D. Thorne, ]. Fred
eric Tams, William B. Leeds, Herbert c. Leeds,
w. Butler Duncan and Edwin D. Morgan.
The steam yacht Norma and the tenders Sun
beam and Park City followed the Reliance on
her trial spin
AT $50 a. m. the guests were on board and all
was ready for start. The Reliance gathered
headway surprisingly fast in the light air then
prevailing. When off the Golf Club on Bristol
Ferry Point a reaching jib topsal was set.
At 1910 a m. when close to the Rhode Island
shore the Reliance made her first tack going
about from full to full twenty-five seconds
All the sails except the staysaiI set exception
ally we'll for 'he first trial. The reaching jib
topsail was taken in at IL o'clock, and a baby
iib topsail set for the long stretch of windward
work.
When at 12:O5 she tackled to starboard. cross
ing the channel east of Gould Island. she was
going at eight knot clip. At 12:4O p M the
yacht was swinging at the buoy. and all hands
went to dinner.
At 2:15 D. m. the Columbia came in from
sail Captain Lem" Miller rounded her up and
made her fast to her mOOring in Brenton's Cove
Just as the crew of the Reliance, having sent
up a larger jib. were getting ready for the
second section of her trial At 2:43 D. m the
guests having returned after luncheon on board
the Sunbeam the Reliance filled away on the
port tack. -
She did some splendid work in the now st1ff
southwest breeze. Feeling the influence OF the
Atlantic sWells she came out by Castle Hlll
she laid over TO her work, making long board
over to Beaver Tail. She then able to
fetch well clear of Brentons Reef Ilghtshlp: |
When at a point half a mile southwest OF !
Rrentons Reef Lightshp Captain Barr put the |
helm up and easing sheets, let the Reliance 1alI
off until the wind about point abaft the |
beam Then she jumped away like a racenorse |
with free rein. travelling at the rate OF some
thing like twelve knots hour.
Tacking TO port the yacht came bowling back |
reach for the lightship at a twelve Knot cilP !
Soon after passing it, out went the splnnaker |
boom to port and in just ninety seconds the !
biggest spfnnaker Ner seen on d TJ-footer was |
broken out It set to perfection. and 1t was the |
first time since Columbia and Defender trlaI
sDin five years ago that new Cup yacht SET a |
spinnaker on her first rial trip The run pack
ND the bay to Bristol was uneventfuL She
anchored at 5:27 p. m having been away just |
4 hours and - minutes.
When asked how he pleased with the trlal |
Mr. fselin said II am very much pleased Inc |
satisfied expression on the faces or captain
Herreshoff Commodorcs Bourne and Ledyard |
and the others told plainly as words now |
plea sed they all at the result of the trlals |
Mr. Iselin said the Reliance would go out IN |
the afternoon tomorrow for another trial SPIN. !