for renovation during the winter months. Early service and new record, 1864–65 Chauncey Vibbard made her maiden voyage, from New York to Albany, on June 20, 1864. The same year, the vessel made the passage from New York to Albany in 6 hours 42 minutes, shaving eight minutes off the previous best time, set by her stablemate Daniel Drew in 1862. With a top speed of almost 30 mph in favorable conditions, Chauncey Vibbard was soon being spoken of as not just the fastest steamer on the Hudson, but as probably the fastest in the world. In September 1865, Chauncey Vibbard made headlines over an incident that occurred on a passage from Albany. Two Kentuckians, who had "not rid themselves of secessionist sentiment", offended other passengers by drunkenly avowing themselves rebels, singing Confederate songs and cheering for General Robert E. Lee. The incident culminated in one of the two stabbing the chief colored waiter in the chest with a sword cane. Both offenders were jailed for "drunkenness and disorderly conduct" over the incident, and one charged with assault. Reconstructions, 1865–66, 1871–72 During the winter of 1865–66, Chauncey Vibbard underwent a major rebuild. The hull was cut in half just aft of the paddlewheels in order to lengthen the vessel by 16 feet to 281 feet. A larger engine, a single-cylinder vertical beam with 62-inch bore and 12-foot stroke, designed to operate at a lower boiler pressure of 30 psi, was also installed. These changes, which increased the vessel's tonnage from 794 to 1,181 tons, were designed primarily to increase passenger capacity, but it was hoped that the new engine would allow Chauncey Vibbard to maintain if not improve her speed. Though some experts predicted that the rebuild would adversely affect her performance, Chauncey Vibbard quickly demonstrated otherwise when on June 4, 1866 she made a fast eight way-landing passage from New York to Albany of 7 hours 35 minutes. In the winter of 1871–72, Chauncey Vibbard was reconstructed a second time. The vessel was lengthened again, this time by about 20 feet, to 300 feet. New boilers, at a cost of $35,000, were also installed, and the interior, including the saloons, staterooms, dining room and ladies' boudoir were remodelled and fitted with new furniture. Total cost of the improvements was $75,000, lifting the vessel's total cost to $275,000. By this time, Vibbards New York departure point had moved to Vestry