Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1870-06-04
THE INTERNATIONAL TACHTRACE

The late British mail brought full re-
ports of the international yacht race be-
tween the American yacht Sappho and the
British yacht Cambria. The New York
Herald has spirited account from which
we copy
The final heat in the series Of matches be-
tween the Sappho and Cambria was sailed on
Tuesday, the 18th, and for the third time the
American schooner proved victorious.
The start was appointed for seven A. M,
shortly after five the two yachts were taken
in tow of the Vectis and Gem for the Nab
Lightship which, for the third time was Sc
lected as the place of rendezvous.
They arrived at the scene of action about
twenty minutes to eight A. NJ, and twenty
minutes later the preparatory gun was fired
and the course given to the yachts first
west-southwest; second, southeast one-half
east third, north threequarters east.
The starting signal was given at quarter
past eight A. NJ, and both were of on the
starboard tack, the Cambria on the Sappho's
weather beam-scarceiy two bowsprit
lengths apart. As they stood off on the star
board tack the Sappho began gradually to
draw out from under her opponents lee, and
the latter, seemingly not liking the look OF
HldtlcTS, WSut dDOut III liOt huo.S va WV cPPO
site tack, and made board for Bembridge
lodges The American followed suit almost
Immediately afterwards. When they again
went about under the land the Sappho had
wcathered her opponent and was leading by
cables length. Between Bembridge and the
Culvers both made tack for tack until they
were fairly around the head land-short
boards being the Cambria's game; but, for all
this, the Sappho held her own, and in the
long leg they were compelled to make from
the Culvers across Sandown Bay she improv-
ed her position in a most marked manner,
being nearly mile ahead, when she went
about under the cliffs west of Sandown.
Here keeping close to the shore, the Cam
br;a made a succession of short boards along
the side of the shoal off Shanklin, ''cheating
the tide;" but the American, apparently not
fancying these tricks, for some time contin-
ued to stand out further seaward-though
ultimately the lee tide compelled her to go
about and join her opponent under the shore.
In the meantime, however, the Cambria had
gradually made up her leeway, and Off Bon
church, at ten minutes to eleven, the two YES
sells were close together, the Sappho on the
port and her opponent on the starboard
tack. At this juncture the English schooner
displayed the only bit of smartness she exhlb-
tied throughout the race. As the two yachts
met on opposite tacks the Cambria shot across
the Sappho's bows, and jamming her helm
hard down. went ahout on the starbOard tack,
fairly on her opponents weather bow, the two
heading in for shore, scarcely fifty yards
apart. The man9uvre was beautifully exc
cuted, and Mr.. Douglas schooner was for
once fairly caught mapping. Having now got
her opponent well to leeward the Cambria re-
sumcd her old Switchboard tactics, which
enabled her to improve her position gradually
on the Sappho's weather, as the latter had no
alternative but to follow and bde her time.
At this stage of the race the weather, which
had been threatening the whole morning,
came in so intensely hazy that it was impossi-
bic to make out the position of the two yachts
with any certainty, but when they were sight
ed together while on opposite tacks the Cam
bra still held the weather gauge.
Between Bonchurch and Ventnor, however,
she had narrow escape of coming to sudden
grief, as, in her anxiety to stick to the land,
which was visible only here and there at in
tervals in dim outline through the mist, she
twice perceptibly 'smelt' the rocks, the after
part of her keel actually grounding and hang
ing for second or two. 1t was a critical
moment; but fortunately the way she had on
was sufficient to carry her over the danger,
and she escaped without suffering material
injury, though it was narrow shave.
Between VentnOr and St. Catharines the
English schooner tackled fourteen times in
succession on the Sapplos weather, but after
a last tack the former was fain to abandon her
favorlte Switchboard tactics and make long
reach to the southwest in order to fetch the
Vectis, which by this time had taken up her
allotted position at the end of the twenty
mile heat to windward and anchored in forty
five fathoms of water.
The bearings at the turning point were st.
Catharnes Light northeast about seven
miles and a half distant; Needles north by
west and the Foreland just open through
Dunsmore northeast by east. When well
cleared of the islands the yachts found bright
weather, the fog lifting every moment;s but as
they made long stretch on the starboard
tack the superior power of the American be-
gan to tell the inevitable tale, and she rapidly
forereached and weathered on the Cambria,
the wind having by this time freshened into
spanking breeze.
At twelve minutes past one the Sappho
went about on the starboard tack to fetch the
mark boat, and as she stood head on for the
steamer tearing through the water in splen-
did style and standing to her canvas upright
as house. the spectacle she presented to
those on board was truly magnificent. While
in the act of rounding she seemed literally to
burst, so to speak, into cloud of ''muslin"
It'll ShoiiuouS Dtiioou Jio topsai anu
main top-mast staysail being run up and sheet
ed home with inconceivabe rapidly, and by
the time SHE was fairly about on the starboard
tack for the eastward every stitch of canvas
was drawing.
The Cambria was not nearly so smart with
her running canvas as her opponents indeed,
by the time she had set her balloon jib and
staysail, maintopmast staysail and large
square headed gafftopsails the Sappho was
fully amile ahead
The yachts were timed around the steam
boat as under:-
II. NJ. S. II. M. S.
Sappho--- 10 so Cambria---l 10 80
From this point it merely became a question
of by how much the Sappho would win, since,
barring accidents her ultimate victory was
foregone conclusion. In fact, the Cambrias
sole hope of escaping detea; lay IL, the wind
dropping into a dead calm, of which at this
time there appeared to be every prospect, the
breeze falling every moment lighter and light
er the farther she progressed to the eastward. |
At $50 p. NJ. the Cambria was almost be-
Gained, but the Sappho, now some two miles
ahead, carried the last of the breeze with her