7x5 in. Kodak negative photographed by Rosenfeld and Sons, June 4, 1937 on a day when Harold Vanderbilt and his crew took the 135'2" J Class sloop, RANGER (DS: Burgess; BU: Bath Iron, 1937), sail #5, out on a run on Long Island Sound. Image of RANGER undersail in a good wind, port bow view on a starboard tack, deck visible and crew. Stamped neg. sleeve info.: "80414F." Typed info.: "6/2/37 / RANGER." Original Box 4338. CREDIT LINE: Mystic Seaport, Rosenfeld Collection, image acquired in honor of Franz Schneider.

THE PRELIMINARY SERIES

RACE 1 : RANGER VS. YANKEE - VANDERBILT YACHT WINS OFF NEWPORT

June 02, 1937.— Gliding along in an easterly breeze, Harold S. Vanderbilt's new Ranger today won the initial race in the first of a series to decide upon the defender of the America's Cup at the end of next month. She defeated Gerard B. Lambert's rejuvenated Yankee in 5 minutes and 56 seconds over thirty miles.

In the first place, the cup committee directed a course from Brenton lightship over to the Northeast whistling buoy off clay Head. Block Island and back, in the hope of a run of fifteen miles and a beat back. As soon as the signal was set a light breeze of six miles an hour slipped and skidded from northeast by north to east. That meant apple pie going for Ranger, a reach out and a close haul back.

Ranger, with her mast well amidships and double headrig of jib and forestaysail, has been dressed for reaching as thoroughly as a duck is for cooking. Yankee, on the other hand, with her stick further forward, a large mainsail and single headsail, is all dolled up for a showing against the wind. The result was that Ranger, with more than half again as much pulling head canvas, beat Yankee 13 seconds a mile to the outer mark. Close hauled back, Yankee did some fine pointing, but she never had a real chance to show her wind-eating stuff.

With all, there was another line on the race. The cup contest record for a windward and leeward course is 3 hours 24 minutes and 39 seconds, established by the defender Vigilant in 1893. Ranger took 3 hours 2 minutes and 58 seconds to cover the course today. Her remarkable world-beating feat on figures was dimmed because she had no real windward zig- zag, and no run at all, and virtually only a slant out and back.