Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1914-04-03

portunity of watching her take her
maiden dip.
While the Defiance is limited to IS
feet water line as are all the cup con-
testants, there is a long overhang at
each end, fully % feet at the bow and
about Is feet at the stern. The ov-
erhang at both ends is graceful, that
at the bow being cutter shaped and
there is a slight sheer noticed. There
is to be a eenterboard on the Def
ance as on both the Herreshoff and
Lawley boats this board having a
drop of probably eight feet, which add
ed to what will probably be a 15-foot
draught of the craft itself. will make
a total draught with centerboard down
not far from % feet.
Re-inforcements
The framing is firmly reinforced
with diagonal steel strapping both on
the sides and on the deck. while the
frames are further strengthened by
strong uprights. The step into which
the mast is to. be placed is strongly
reinforced and it is noticed in every
particular that the Defiance is not go
ing to sacrifice any degree of strength
cialI9 Is this true with the deck. which
is to be of white pine, 1t being gener-
ally considered that there will be but
little difference in weight by using
this material over aluminium, which
must be of sufficient thickness to hold
the rivets and then covered with can
vas, cork or linoleum. So the Defl-
ance will have wood deck and the
difference of weight over some lighter
metal will be scarcely noticeable.
Carries Rowsprit
The much mooted question as to
whether the Defiance will carry
bowsprit is settled by the fact that
there is an opening in the bow for
this stick and the CANNON is already
in place. The planking is now about
one-fourth completed and the hardest
of this work is already completed by
a crew of specialists in this line.
Great care has to be exercised in this
respect in as much as the inner plank
ing of douglas fir and the outer SKIN
of mahogany is being carried ON
abreast of each other, being done to
perfection, too, as there is to be no
caulking. This planking, by the way,
was brought across the continent
three years ago and laid in the waters
of Boston harbor until its removal
last winter by Pigeon Bros, when 1t
was sawed into lengths for use on the
Defiance. It is now stored in sep
arate shed of the storehouse, where
the temperature has been kept even
for the past three months and is in
the very best of condition for placing
on this crack racer.
Rigging in Readiness
So far as possible, most of the rig
cling for the craft is in readiness to
be set up when the Defiance shall take
the water Every effort will be made
to get the mast stepped Immediately
after the launching, after which the
ringers will begin to get busy and as
most of the material will be in readi-
ness the work will probably require
less than a week. The rigging is to
be of wire but such sheets as are to
be used by the crew will have manila
ends carefully spliced onto the wire
rigging The spars are expected any
day and the sails, which are all com
pleted. will arrive shortly.
While the Defiance has no extremes
in her general design, it is believed
that she possesses some new features
that will open the eyes of the yacht
ing fraternity and they are expecting
a most excellent showing from the
Bath built craft when she enters the
elimination trials.