New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-12
DEFIANCE SLIPS
into THE WATER
Miss Frances Clark Gives
Name to One of the
Cup Yachts.
BIG CROWD CHEERS
AT THE LAUNCHING
Boat To Be Ready for First Trial
Spin by the End OF
This Week.

Bath, Me. May nL-No Yankee CHM.
ever made her first plunge into h. "a,
amid heartier cheers and good yt.b..
than followed the cup defence candis,,.
Defiance az she slid gracefully into N.
Kennebec to-day.
within an hour after the launching N.
second OF the three American cup Boat,
built this season had her mast on end ard
by the last OF the week she will be r.as,
for her work.
The yacht carries the hopes o, her f.
teen Philadelphia. New York and Bos-
ton hackers. but all Maine also has taken
unusual interest in her welfare and sew
erai thousand persons witnessed the
launching.
Miss Frances Clark, daughter Of z
Walter Clark. OF Philadelphia, treasurer
OF the syndicate. performed the time hon
ored christening ceremony. standing AZ
the heel OF tho bowsprit and smashing
the bottle on the capstan head.
The yacht which had been built bow
first had started for tho river and her
forward under body was already touch
ing Il when Miss Clark smote the shin
Ing brass winch. The wine spouted into
her face and down the front OF her blue
sailor gown, but in the eXhilaraion OF the
moment IL passed UNDECIDED.
She stepped back bit TO her father.
who stood IN the forward conpanionway,
and amid the booming OF guns. the shrieks
OF whistles and the cheers OF the multi
tude the yacht slid gracefully into the
water.
The Defiance differs materially from
her two rivals for the honor OF defend
ing the Americas Cup, in that she Is o.
composite build The sevefity-three steel
frames Of which her hull is constructed
are covered with two thicknesses OF wood,
the first Of s4-inch fir. and the second. or
outer one. of r4-inch mahogany.
Diagonal steel straps. GIG inch thick
and inches wide. extending the whole
length of the yacht. are used 70 strength
en- her longitudinally They are riveted
to the outside OF the frame. Bronze bolts
are used 20 fasten the sheathing 10 tho
OF pine The centreboard drops I feet 9
inches through the centre OF the sixty
tons OF lead forming the keel.
A striking feature Of the Defiance will
be her sail plan. Upon a S0-foot boom
and a C6-foot gait she will carry the big
gest mainsail of the three sloops. She
also will be the only one OF the three 70
carry a single head rig
Careful estimates show that the Ded-
ance will carry $50 square feet Of canvas.
which is about /, $50 square feet moro than
the Resolute. Her designer. George
owen. hopes with this rig. which resom-
bes that of his former yachts, the Dorel-
los. TO drive the Defiance TO wlndward At
a pace that will both "outfoot' and "out-
point her rivals.
The principal dimensions OF the Def
ance are said 10 be: Length over all. rs
feet load water line, "A feet inches
beam. % feet 8 Inches; draft. "A feet .
inches; overhang forward), - feet 3
inches (afD q feet; mast, deck TO main
cap. lo5 feet: topmast. main cap TO truck
As feet; boom. 90 feet; gan, 5s feet: bow
spirit cupboard, II feet: sail area. $50
square feet.
The yachtsmen who form the syndicate
that is financing the building and racing
OF the Defiance are George VI. Pynchon.
r. Walter Clark. James y. Ford, f.
Trowbridge Hall. Thomas c. Durham.
George D. Barron, George Lauder, jr.
+. g. Fletcher, z s. Webster. Elliott
Wadsworth, Charles Hayden f. r. Pea
body J. c. Cobb, oliver Ames and Henry
Taggard.
Nine OF these fifteen men own yachts.
The sailing master will be Captain seiah
d. Howell The mates and crew are men
who formerly manned George NJ Pyn-
chon's sloop Istalena, and some come
from f. ". Clark's schooner Irolita
which will be used as a tender for the
Defiance. ft is estimated that the De
hance will have 20 allow the Resolute 3
minutes IN S0-mile race.
Little effort will be made Il Is said.
10 put the Defiance into condition I'm
either Maine or Massachusetts, waters.
although she may have "A trial or two OF
the mouth OF the Kennebec or at Marble
head.