Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-06-03
DAY OF SURPRISES
MARKS TRIAL RACE
Downfall of ResOlute Was Not
Expected by Designer Nat
HerreshOff.

RYE. \. Y. June "A day Of sur
prises marked the first Of the trial
races between Xanitie, the Cochran
sloop, and the Resolute, Of the flag
officers syndicate, the Defiance being
dismantled and not in shape to sail.
The surprise was more to Nat
Herreshoff, the designer Of the Reso-
lutte, perhaps. than to anyone else,
for his production had had a month
of tuning up to but a few days for
the Vanitie, hardly enough to secure
good sail At, as shown by the slack
mainsail head. Designer HerreshOff
for nearly a generation has had the
lead in the production of speed yachts
and for more than twenty years was
pre-eminent in his designs for the
defense of the Americas cup. When
the Yanitie finished is minutes and
As seconds elapsed time ahead Of the
Resolute, Mr.. Herreshof could not
recall anything similar since the
days in 1898 in England, when the
Britannia beat the Vigilant.
II was day of fiukes of wind from
different quarters, the Resolute finish
ing the first round % seconds in the
lead of the Nanitie, while the Yani-
tie, benefiting by flukes, passed over
the finish line in a fine northwest
of the Bristol sloop.
Starting off Parsonage Point on the
north shore of Long Island Sound,
the course was across the sound to a
mark off Oak Neck, from there to a
buoy southwest of Stamford Light
and then back TO point of start and
twice over the same course, about
29l2 miles in all.
With club topsails set and head
60 ifss IN IaF Of 1g. .rse5
fought it out for the weather gauge
before the start. The wind came
light from northwest as Charles
Francis Adams I'd, helmsman on
Resolute, and Captain William S.
Dennis, twirling the spokes of Van
tiles wheel, came to close quarters.
Adams, by a series of maneuyers,
held the Vanitie to lee and timed
himself sufficient to get away in
stern chase, crossing 81 seconds
later. Captain Dennis, however,
planned to start last.
When Resolute swung to gain best
position, her rival was swung TO a
like maneuver. Both in tacl1ing and
wearing ship, jib topsails were set
and sheets well flattened as the
course to Oak Neck was begun.
Both Yachts Well Heeled at start.
Both yachts were we'll heeled at the
start, consequent upon a breeze of
some strength, but this condition gave
way to less of heel all around. 1t was
a close fetch to the first mark, Vani-
tie dropping astern slightly of the
flag officers yacht, while the wind
held to eight miles volume.
1t was a huff round the first mark,
the Resolute passing it one minute
and thirty-six seconds ahead of Vani-
tie, the latter's jib topsail being
doused before she brought the mark
on her beam, when the jib topsail was
reset. Then began a series of short
tacks. in the effort of the talent on
board to keep between the second
mark and Vanitie, which was well ac-
complished.
The wind began TO soften as the
mark was negotiated on a windward
thrash, yet the short lacking was
kept up while Resolute held a position
to weather of her contestant quar-
ter of a mile. Resolute showing
slight gains in footing.
Vanitie's stern chase was not i'm
proved as the yachts came within
hail of the mark off Stamford, Conn.
Both yachts had sheets well flattened.
The leading sloop rounded the stake
at 1:57:2S, the Vanitie three minutes
later. Then the yachts skinned the
north shore, Captain Dennis in the
Vanitie starting to huff off the course
and away from a straight course.
His gain was noticeable and the big
gap at the SECOND stake was mar
rowed.
1t was so encouraging to the skip
per of the Neponset built sloop that
Captain Dennis set more head sail.
h. 10 l. IAro1 nut
on both, as Vanitie climbed up on
Resolute's weather quarter. They
were both sailing close to the wind
and footing finely in the north by
west breeze.
After passing Great Captain Island
on the reach to the third mark, the
stating point, both yachts widened
off and took in jib topsails, still hold
ing good breeze.
yanitie Closes Gap.
The Vanitie closed up the gap off
Parsonage Point in a seYen-knot
breeze. while off shore there was no
wind, the water being CLASSY. For q
few moments the Resolute and Vani-
tie were beam and beam, but Reso-
lutte jibed smartly and got away from
her rivals grasp. The pair soon wore
round the mark and were off on the
second round of the course. Resolute
had a slight lead, but gradually,
though slowly, the Vanitie edged
toward the flag officers craft, while
both of them were wearing balloons
as the wind was drawing from the
west. The club topsails furnished
most of the pulling power at that
time. a southwest wind came after
a calm period, on the first leg of the
second round the Nanitie being
slightly astern took in her sails first,
which sent the Vanitie up on Reso-
lutes lee beam, the Cochran sloop
getting away finely in a shift of wind,
which gave her great advantage dur
ing the balance of the race.
vanitie in Lead.
It was then Vanities turn TO lead,
which she did in excellent stlye, her
club topsail accomplishing what the
lower sails could not do under the ex-
listing wind. BY degrees Resolute
took fresh impetus, making gains as
the day wore on. Vanitie at S:l2 p.
m. was an eighth of mile in the
lead as the craft bore toward the
south shore of the sound.
Captain Dennis widened Nanitie
and she fetched nearer the south
shore by reason of the leeward beat.
1t was a condition of a broad reach
for the pair, the wind light from
southwest just filling their sails.
Vanitie having gone to the limit Of
space in shore jibed main boom at
$3.50 o'clock and the Cochran sloop
stood for the mark. Resolute's main
sail was jibed from port to star
board at 1854, and the yachts spin
maker was set to port as the Vanitie
was leading by a good margin.
Wind shifts Once More.
The wind again shifted, this time.
to the west and sheets were trimmed
fiat in both sloops. More than five
minutes the Vanitie lead the Resolute
at the first turn of the second round,