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Category: VIGILANT
Winner of America's Cup 1893Vigilant is one of four boats built specifically to defend the Cup in 1893 against Valkyrie II. She is the first in a series uninterrupted of five Cup winners drawn by Nathanael Greene Herreshoff between 1893 and 1920. Vigilant was very different of the oldest yachts designed by Burgess.
It can be described as the first defender whose the hull was a distinct member of the keel. Vigilant was built in 1893 for a syndicate led by Charles Oliver Iselin by the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company of Bristol, Rhode Island et launched on June 14, 1893. She was skippered by Nathanael Greene Herreshoff himself.
September 7,9,11, 1893 : Vigilant beat Colonia, Jubilee, and Pilgrim to win the 1893 American selection trials for the America's Cup defense.
- from 5 to 13 october 1893, at New York.
- Best three out of five races.
- Starting either from Scotland or Sandy Hook light- vessels.
- The course of the first third and fifth to be to windward or leeward, fifteen miles; the second and fourth a triangle, the first leg to windward if possible.
- All contests to be thirty nautical miles.
- One day to intervene between races.
Vigilant vs Valkyrie II, the challenger of Royal Yacht Squadron.
Races : three sailed.
Results : Vigilant beat Valkyrie II by three wins to nul.
- October 7, 1st race, 30 miles, windward-leeward : Vigilant beat Valkyrie II by 5 minutes 48 sec corrected time.
- October 9, 2nd race, 30 miles, triangle : Vigilant beat Valkyrie II by 10 minute 35 sec corrected time.
- October 13, 3rd race, 30 miles, windward-leeward : Vigilant beat Valkyrie II by 40 sec corrected time.One of the best race in the history of the Cup.
End of 1893 : An offer to purchase the Vigilant from Kaiser, the Emperor William will have no result but the article contains an interesting paragraph about costs of construction and operation for such boats.
 Published: Dec. 5, 1893 |
KAISER WANTS THE VIGILANT; EMPEROR WILLIAM HAS MADE AN OFFER FOR CUP DEFENDER. |
1894 : Vigilant was bought by Howard Gould and became the first America's Cup defender to sail in Europe for the British yachting season. In seventeen races against Britannia, Vigilant was beaten twelve times.
Published: Aug 26, 1893 |
RECORD OF VIGILANT'S RACES; SHE DID REMARKABLY WELL AFTER LEAVING THE CLYDE. |
| Date | Race | Club | Waters | Miles | Wind | VIGILANT Won by* |
Britannia Won by* |
Average speed |
Score V - B |
 July 5 |
Mudhook | Clyde | 50 | Strong | 35" | 8.05 | 0 - 1 | ||
| July 7 |
Queen's Cup | Royal Clyde | Clyde | 50 | Moderate | 1' 00" | 8.62 | 0 - 2 | |
| July 9 |
£75 Cup | Royal Clyde | Clyde | 25 | Light | 9' 35" | 3.54 | 0 - 3 | |
| July 10 |
Clyde Corinthian Cup | Clyde Corinthian | Clyde | 50 | Light | 6' 30" | 6.43 | 0 - 4 | |
| July 11 |
Royal Northern | Clyde | 50 | Light | 21' 21" | 6.12 | 0 - 5 | ||
| July 12 |
£60 Cup | Royal Northern | Clyde | 50 | Moderate | 1' 40" | 9.04 | 0 - 6 | |
| July 16 |
County Down Cup | Royal Ulster | Bangor Louth | 50 | Strong | 1' 33" | 8.83 | 0 - 7 | |
| July 17 |
Rear Commodore Cup | Royal Ulster | Bangor Louth | 50 | Fresh | ** | 10.33 | 1 - 7 | |
| July 20 |
$400 Prize value | Royal St George | Dublin Bay | 50 | Light | 1' 57" | 8.09 | 1 - 8 | |
| July 21 |
Royal St George | Dublin Bay | 50 | Light | 3' 39" | 6.34 | 2 - 8 | ||
| July 23 |
£60 Cup | Royal Munster | Atlantic | 50 | Strong | 45" | 8.93 | 2 - 9 | |
| July 24 |
Cork Yacht Club Trophy | Royal Cork | Atlantic | 50 | Fresh | 4' 35" | 9.33 | 3 - 9 | |
| July 28 |
£75 Cup | Mount's Bat | Mount's Bat | 50 | Light | 5' 13" | 8.57 | 3 - 10 | |
| August 4 |
$500 Prize | Private match | Solent | 48 | Strong | 6' 33" | 11.70 | 4 - 10 | |
| August 6 |
Royal London | Solent and Channel | 60 | Variable | 8' 13" | 7.00 | 5 - 10 | ||
| August 9 |
Cowes Town Cup | Royal Yacht Squadron | Solent | 48 | Fresh | 2' 13" | 9.43 | 5 - 11 | |
| August 16 |
Ryde Town Cup | Royal Victoria | Solent and Channel | 50 | Strong | 3' 31" | 8.90 | 5 - 12 | |
| * Actual times ** Britannia disabled but Vigilant was leading about 6' and must have 1 point. |
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1895 : Vigilant raced in the defender trials for the 1895 America's Cup won by Defender.
1896 : Vigilant was sold to Percy Chubb of the New York Y. C., who raced her for several years, altering her to a yawl in 1901.
1903 : He sold her to F. Lothrop Arnes, of the Eastern Y. C..
1904 : She was owned by Stephen Peabody of the New York Y. C..
1904 to 1909 : She was used for cruising by William E. Iselin, dropping out of yachting in 1910.
1910 : Vigilant was broken up at a New London junkyard.
