The Waterbury Democrat., 1937-08-02
RANGER RATED
 AS SSUPER-BOAT
 BY HER SAILORS
Sopwith Not a Good Skip. per May Abandon
 Races Next Year
By HENRY McLEMoRE United Press Stan COrrespondent t)

l (Untte0 Efebs SthH COffebponuenJ)
 Newport. R. l., Aug, 2. (UP)-Men who love the sight of masts against the sky, the cry of the kind through the shroudS prayed to neptune toe day to bring Endeavour II home in front Of Ranger in the second race for the America's cup.
 These men felt, as did many Q Newport iandlubber whose only in- terest in the race lay in hotel rooms rented, meals served and drinks poured. that if the British chanl- ienger were defeated today 1t would seriously threaten the existence of the most famed of all international yachting duels.
 Their reasoning was this: On Sat- urday Endeavour II, sailed by T. O. M. Sopwith, was humiliated by Mike Vanderbilt's Ranger in light weather. A licking today, in the brisk winds predicted by the pro- fessional heaven scanners, would prove Ranger the better boat, and indicate that she would successfully defend the trophy by winning four straight races.
 Hard to Take
 Four consecutive lickings un- doubtediy would discourage the stout. .hearted sopwith. It might even break the heart Of Charlie Nicholson. venerable designer Of En- deavour II. Nicholson, frail Of health now, has sent four magnifi- cent boats across the Atlantic and none has been able to match the American products. The fact that not one of the four boats has been sailed with a skill calculated to bring out the best in 1t, makes his suffering the keener.
 If Sopwith loses today 1t will mark the sixth time in eight races that he was widowed in the wake of 6 Vanderbilt boat. If he drops four decisions in a row, who could blame him for abandoning a task that requires the wealth of Croesus? And when he quits. who is there to carry on? Men willing to squander from half a million dollars to twice that amount on hobby-and 8 los- ing hobby-do not grow on bushes. When and if Sopwith quits, the Americas cup is likely to stay in the vault.
 The feeling is growing in this town that Ranger is a super boat. l talked yesterday with dozen or more of the men who know her best--the calloused- handed, hairy armed, tattoo-chested sailors who man her. They feel that nothing that ever went to sea under sail can touch her.
 They didn't always feel this way. One of them-a two-headed Nor wegian who has been before the mast with Iron Mike" Vanderbilt in three cup refenses said this to me:
 New to All
 When we first sailed her (Ranger) we all shook our heads and said she won't be no defender. She's too funny feeling. And then the skipper began getting the feel of her, and she began doing things no other boat ever done. An, she's a ticklish lady. With anyone else at the wheel she wouldn't move. But Mister Vanderbilt-there's nobody like him. He makes her move along like a monkey on a stick. He babies her. He leases her. He makes her run along. We win in four races. not easy races. Endeavour is a good one. All she needs to be a great one is Q real sailor at her wheel. On Saturday she lost seven-eight min- utes coming home because she bad ly sailed"
 Vanderbilt Is never a smug man. Yesterday, with l7 minute victory behind him. he hustled his crew on deck and took Ranger out for a