The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1872-06-23

requires careful pilotage for large yacht to 90
IL safely and while there Is 80 much deep water at
our doors IL seems pity to choose course wherein
yachtman has to divert to avoiding reefs any por
ton OF the skill and attention all OF which he needs
for the management or his boat without reference
TO them. On Thursday yacht got aground and
lost position In the race on this account. Moreover
with such wind as prevails at this season two
thirds OF the course are under the lee OF the land
The reports say that the only exciting struggle OF
the regatta OF Thursday which gave the
contesting boats chance to show what
was in them took place from Sandy Hook to
the lightshp and back. This is the only
part OF the course which s really open TO the wind
And one wonders why, when the race over this
part OF the course was found so interesting the
whole course might not be so laid out as to give
have been in the habit OF receiving with great dis
favor any suggestions from Mr.. Ashbury Mr.. Ash
bury has already brought objections to the club
course. But we ought not TO assume that those
objections are absurd even II Mr.. Ashbury did
bring them. Because Mr.. Ashbury pointed out the
undeniable fact that when American seagoing
yachts made q match they abandoned the club
course and went outside or TO Newport to sail 1t.
To have the chief event OF the yachting year de-
cded over such course is bad thing, inasmuch
as 1t tends to discountenance what everybody de-
Nres to encourage-the building ofsea-going yachts.
Yachts are built for speed and every yacht Is said
to sail fast when alone the only test OF speed is
match, or, still better regatta From the regatta
OF the New York Yacht Club all such yachts are vir
tually debarred. There are very few instances in
deed OF the prize in the annual regatta having fallen
person would like to trust himself out at sea In foul
weather. For 1t is not only the course but the time
appointed for the regatta or rather IL Is the course
and the time taken together, which makes 1t not
worth the while OF the best yachts to compete In 1t.
In land0cked course this is for twO-third
OF It's extent there is plenty OF wind sometimes for
the largest yachts. But unless there Is stormy
breeze outside the wind is not strong enough to
exhibit their best points. And on the Goth OF June
this chances decidedly are that there will be no
breeze.
OF course, 1t may be said, In answer to all this,
that the regatta Is intended not so much to be
test OF speed and seawOrthness and seamanship as
to be pretty and picturesque exhibition, and to
AFFORD the participants in 1t and the spectators Of IL
a pleasant holiday. In this point Of view the pres
ent regatta Is highly successful, and its success
would doubtless be marred II an invariable or a
probable incident of ii were half dozen steamers
full OF seasck landsmen and ladies. But unluckily
II is not In this point of view that the participants
in 1t regard it. For they give prizes, presumably
for speed and seamanship and seawOrthiness, and
bestow them upon the vessels which first complete
the andlocked circuit, under the influence OF capri
cious and casual catspaws Of wind and the owners
OF the vessels cherish these things and exhibit
them with certain pride as II they were nautical
trophies In fact, they are nothing OF the sort. II
the yacht club chooses to make an annual process
siOh OF the Bucentaur, and to wed a sea warranted
not to affect the most delicate sensibilties shall
never say them nay. Only do not let them call this
pageant (which may be very pretty pageantl
counts for anything as testimony to the goodness
OF the boat which succeeds in it: for the effect OF
sucn pretension is to sink yachting which is emf
nently entitled to be called a 'manly' sport
by the Skill and the courage which the proper prac-
tice or IL requires, to the level OF snch heroic
achievements as playing poker and leading the
German.