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BEFORE THE RACES OF THE NINTH CHALLENGE

Category: 1895 : CHALLENGE N°9

Both boats were measured by John Hyslop, the measurer of the New York Yacht Club, on the day before the first race. Valkyrie was the larger, and her rating was slightly higher than the Defender's; consequently she had to allow the American boat twenty-nine seconds in time over a 30-mile course.
In a letter of October 25th, 1894, Lord Dunraven suggested that the vessels when measured should be marked on water-line.

The New York Yacht Club acted on the request and appointed a special committee on Sept. 6th consisting of Messrs. Archibald Rogers and A. Cass Canfield, to go to Erie Basin, where the yachts were being measured, and grant Lord Dunraven's request. This committee saw Mr. Iselin, who at once acquiesced in the request. Valkyrie, however, had already been measured and left the basin, and could not be brought back that day, owing to the falling of the tide. It was therefore impossible to mark the boats before the first race, which was to take place the next day.


Conditions to govern the races

Conditions to govern the races between Defender and Valkyrie III were signed September 4th, 1895, by James D. Smith, chairman of the America's cup committee of the New York Yacht Club, and Lord Dunraven :

  • the contest was to be decided by the winning of three races out of five,
  • the starts to be from Sandy Hook light-vessel,
  • the first, third and fifth races to be to windward and leeward, the second and fourth over a triangle, all courses to be thirty miles, and laid to windward when possible;
  • starting signals to be given at 11 o'clock, and delayed only in event of changing the starting-point, fog, or agreed postponement; preparatory gun to be fired ten minutes before starting signal, and handicap gun two minutes after,
  • time limit for races six hours;
  • all length over eighty-nine feet load water-line to count double in figuring racing length for time allowance;
  • vessels to be allowed time for repairs in case of an accident ;
  • yachts to be measured with all weights on board to be carried in a race, restrictions as to bulkheads, floors, doors, water-tanks and anchor being waived.

 


Publié le 7 Sept. 1895
DEFENDER OR VALKYRIE ?
The eyes of two nations focusse on the rivals to-day.
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