The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-09-30
BATTERY B0ATMEN RACING.
FIVE or THE SUIFTESr r BOITs IN TYrB
MOSQUITO FLEET BEiTEy
Old Rnp. shows the Wntermcn his Heel. In q
Race In which Experience was Worth More
than WInd-A Fine Contest On the fuud.on.

old Rap. Shows the watermen hi. Heel. In n
Race In which Experience wa. worth More
than Wind-A Fine Contest On the fuud.o..
Much rivalry has existed among the Bat
terry boatmcn. and several now boats, whose
sailing qualities were unknown. have been
brought forward recently. This addition to the
mosquito fleet" heightened the controversy
among the watcrmen. These boats have had
an occasional brush together but until yester-
day afternoon their relative sailing qualities had
not been tested Tho swiftcst boats of tho fleet
were started in race for the championship and
$50. divided into four prizes. rnttling SOUTH
west wind was blowing and the last quarter OF
the cbb tide running when the signal to start
was given Tho little fleet. with bellying sails,
bowlcd by tho judges boat in the following or
der: Rappahannock. Tom sayers. Battery Pet
Alec Young. j. NJ. Pointer. Jake Edmunds.
Tho course to Robbins Reef light. cg s..se.cn
Island, five miles distant and the turning point
was dead to windward. and IL was question Of
judgment among the boatmen on which shore
o. tho bny the strongest current was to be found
The Battery Pet. with Pat Gnnctty at the stick
stood over toward Governors Island 10 cntch tho
Buttermilk Channel current. Ginnetty holds tho
priIn s m9iai tiat he won WITH his little boat last
Alec oung. and the Pointer. The veteran Hugh
burns known among the watermen as Old
intap. hauled his port tacks aboard. and the
over the bay. toward Bcdloc's Isnnd. He was
followed 10y Frank Kane in tho Jake Edmonds.
Soon II was seen that Old Rap. was having the
best Of it, Owing to the connguration Of the
lower bay. the wind; which WAS from the SOUTH
siderably 70 the eastward Ql south Of Bedloes
Island This enabled Old Rap" and the boat
following TO make short leg 60 the eastward.
house. On the other hand. those that followed
the Battery Pet got the casterly full in the face
after weatherng Castle William. which over
balanced the full strength OF the retreating tida
there obtained
All tho competing boats were nineteen feet in
length and there was no restriction in regard
70 the amount OF sail TO be carried. Most Of the
square feet OF canvas The Eimonds had a
gan topsall. extending from tho spar to tho end
OF the gan and thence 70 the truck. but owing
10 its bad set II seemed to assist her but little.
Great. black. lowering clouds hung over tho
battery ia r, when The Judge Mr., J. NJ Brady. and
Michael j. Ahern. warned fcct Of boats to
make room for tina approaching racers.
All the way home the wind WAS dead ait, and
ne hoits came in with their sails doomed out;
Ihe Rappahnnnock was the first 80 arrive, and
the hundreds that crowded the Battery coping
victory, Following was the Aloe Young.
IL Ia had q litile more canvas | could
Pointer, the next boat TO pass tho Judges. said.
Much sympaihy was felt for Ring because II
Of his competitors. After him came the Battery
Pet and the Jake Edmonds. Tho Sayers sailed
by Tom Brcslin, who has been on the Bat
terry for moro than twenty years met with a
mishap down the bay. Considerable money
had boon bet on his boat against tho Battery
Pet. and there were therefore many long faces
among her admirers.
The feature Of the race was the fact that not
withstanding the intense interest taken by ths
many buatmSn present, many Of whom had
wagcrs on the result, not harsh word was
spoken. nor was thero any grumbling after II
was announced that after all deductions for
difference in starting had been made the Rap
gahannook beat the Young By :25 Tho Young
boat the Pointer by 5:i5, and the Pointer beat
the Battery Pet by As.
There was closely contested double sculi
race IN working boats on the Hudson River
yesterday morning. The course was from
Fiity first street TO Gutfrnhurg Brewery wharf
and return. being nearly three miles and "a half.
The contestants Were John McCabe, stroke.
Edwin Skidmore, bow; and Daniel Domgherty,
stroke. and William SkldmOrc bow. The race
was the deciding one Of three for 800 a side,
ench crew having previously won one race.
They both caught tao water 10 an even start.
aud rowed quarter Of mile abreast Then
Dougherty forced the stroke and drew into a
slight lead. NJ cCabu soon spurted anu sent his
bow up abreast and then ahead turning first
and strengthening out for homo a length ahead
L WAS nip and tuck half way back until the
McChhe crew gradually forged ahead and WOE
in 1880