Yves GARY Hits: 4611
Category: 1934 : CHALLENGE N°15
NEWPORT, R.I., Sept. 20. -- In a blaze of sunlight over a blue carpet of ocean, Rainbow, the defender, came through today to win the third America's Cup race. It made the score two contests to one in favor of the English challenger, ...
... Endeavour, with four necessary to ultimate victory in the series. Going out to the start this morning there was naught in the way of an encouraging sign for a race. Crews and spectators had about come to the conclusion that nature was frowning on the international match. It was cloudy and windless.
Outside the guardian Brenton Lightship, however, the overcast curtain of gloom began to thin. Speckled patches of blue appeared, and in half an hour the sun was shining. The change from chill to warmth suddenly cast a glow about, with a kindled interest in the contest.
Endeavour and Rainbow hoisted mainsails, slipped their towlines and prepared to get together. A light breeze came easterly, with an inclination to back. A course of fifteen miles could not be laid in that direction because the Elizabeth Islands were in the way, so a run to leeward first had to suffice. for a beat back. The first leg was laid off; southwest by west, out past the easterly end of Block Island.
Both racers set Genoas with which to jockey for the start. Endeavour held to the northward, finally swinging about at the preparatory signal five minutes before the start. Rainbow followed, jibed, and headed up to her. Endeavour went for the line and crossed half a length ahead and going faster. It clearly was Mr. Sopwith’s start. In two minutes Endeavour was out three lengths ahead.
Rainbow set her parachute spinnaker and it fouled on the headstay. It was cleared quickly, but she lost another half a length by that. Endeavour’s spinnaker was up in stops but not broken out right away. Rainbow drew up to her. She caught Endeavour in a blanket and the latter’s sails fell limp. Slowly Rainbow went through her lee into the lead. She had her nose ahead eleven minutes after the start.
Then Endeavour got the wind clear and went past the defender as if she had started a motor in her. It was a matter of whether Endeavour could keep her larger spinnaker filled in the light air. She succeeded in doing so. Its foot was not only out of water but from two to four feet above her bow, rising and settling.
It was a slow slide along, at only about five miles an hour, or little more than a fast walking pace. Rainbow headed up gradually until she was on Endeavour’s port quarter. She worked up 400 yards higher on the course than Endeavour.
Those on Rainbow were gambling on a breeze hauling. It did, and Rainbow’s spinnaker was taken in. A ballooner was put on, and she began reaching along. Soon the changed air was telt by Endeavour. Her spinnaker folded and was taken off. A bowsprit spinnaker, or, as the British call it, a ballooner, was put on her. Endeavour reached along on toward the mark with a big lead of 1,100 yards. She finally went around the outer buoy at 2:00:38. Rainbow rounded at 2:07:17.
Endeavour was 6 minutes 39 seconds ahead, the greatest margin she had attained in the races. With the hauled breeze they could try the course back. The wind was down, east by south, and they carried Genoas. Endeavour used the one she tore at the clew on Tuesday and which had been repaired.
Endeavour’s elapsed time for the fifteen miles was 2 hours 20 minutes and 38 seconds. It had been a question whether they could negotiate a fifteen-mile beat back in light air and finish within the 5 ½ hours time limit.
Out ahead on the way home, Rainbow began to close up. She caught the breeze and held it. Endeavour suddenly took a hitch over to her, crossed her bow and tacked to weather of her. Then Rainbow went through Endeavour’s lee, carrying along the breeze with her. Out went Rainbow into the lead a length, then two lengths. She began to back-wind Endeavour. The latter's Genoa shook on the leech, or afterside, flopping like a sheet in a gale.
RACE 3 - SEPTEMBER 20 - 2x15 miles - Départ 11:40 | |||||
BROAD REACH |
BEAT | RACE | GAP | ||
1 | Rainbow | 2:27:17 | 2:08:17 | 4:35:34 | |
2 | Endeavour | 2:20:38 | 2:18:22 | 4:39:00 | 3' 26" |
Endeavour went about again to get clear. This time she went some distance before starting on the course again. Rainbow then was 1,500 yards ahead. They were half-way back and Rainbow had the bit in her teeth. Endeavour came up. She cut down Rainbow's lead in the last few miles but could not catch her.
Rainbow finished at 4:15:34 and Endeavour at 4:19:00. Rainbow’s elapsed time was 4 hours 35 minutes and 34 seconds.
As Endeavour crossed the line it was apparent why she had slunk off on her way back. Her Genoa was sheeted so far forward it was pulled down taut on the leech and that made such a bulge in it that it could not be kept filled. This sail of the American yacht Vanitie has been a hindrance to her at times.