Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1879-02-28
TEN MILES IN TEN MINUTES.
An Exciting Race Between Ice-Yacht>
on the Hudson.

Poughkeepse Corr. New York World, Feb j.
Ice.boating ON the Hudson here and
at New Hamburg for the past few days
has been of the most exciting character
twenty-five or thirty big, handsome
yachts being engaged in the wild sport
daily. Strong westerly winds have
greatly intensified the fun, and the
yachtsmen have entered into it with a
will not exhibited by them before for
years. 1t has been the desire of all to
get the annual races OFT as soon as pos
sible, but the snow, in large tracks and
hummocks, prevents them, as clear,
straight course cannot be laid out.
From here to New Hamburg there is
clear ice all the way on the east shore,
but boats cannot 90 over it unless the
wind is wcst-northwest, and even then
the course deviates enough to make the
distance ten miles, when really in a
straight line it is but nine 1t was over
this course that one of the most thrill
ing ice. boat races ever witnessed oc-
Cured yesterday, and the affair is the
chief topic in ice-boating circles. Jacob
Ruckhout, the ice-boat builder, at odd
times last summer constructed for him
self an ice-yacht little smaller than
the tirst-class boats, but provided with
all the modern improvements, beauty
in model, and rigging and sails, and as
light as consistent with safety. Yester-
day three yachts of the New Hamburg
association, Phantom, Zephyr and
Magic, came up from below. The wind
was blowing big guns from the west and
u dozen yachts were darling hither and
thlther, but all seemed to ignore each
others company fearing a race, till
about p. NJ, when the New Hamburg
yachts started for home. 1t was at that
time that Buekhout resolved to give his
new yacht a fair trial, and he immedi-
ately gave chase to the Zephyr, Phan-
tom and Magic, starting little way be-
hind all three. Buckhout laid at full
length in the cockpit. with his hand ON
the helm. Capt. Brinklehotf stood
Emory Smith to leeward, both grasping
the shrouds. The other boats also had
each three persons on board. Squall
after squall hid the yachts, and they
lifted" and swayed as they flew south
ward past the city piers with lightning
rapidity, the men on the runner-planks
clinging for dear life and holding their
heads down to catch breath. Now and
then the boats would dash through
miniature snow hummocks, leaving be-
hind fog of fine snow and ice. A
quarter of a mile from the city the
Buckhout boat overhauled the Phan-
tom. There was struggle for second
only fo' the supremacy and the Phan-
tom fell to the rear. Right ahead of
her was the Zephyr; the crack yacht of
the New Hampshire club, and the
Buckhout boat picked her up also and
then dashed ahead for the Magic. The
sails OF all the yachts, each carrying
jib and mainsail, were close hauled, aud
the speed attained was terrific. On the
clear smooth ice they were making
more than n mile minute, but the
men on the runner-planks kept the
boats down and steady. The Magic
was not so easily caught as We're her
consorts, but the Buckhout boat soon
Tapped her, then went to the windward
and VIGOROUSLY led the fleet. Again
the Magic came up, and shout of
exultation went to the rear from her
crew as she swept by the Buckhout
boat and once more took the lead.
OH Barnegat, five miles from Pouh-
keepsie. the yachts were all close to-
gether, and they hadn't been away five
minutes. Buekhout's boat had again
passed the Magic and the latter put
into Milton, virtually giving up the con-
test. The Zephyr was now giving
chase to Buckhout, and the crews OF
both yachts were on the alert for every
advantage. OF Van Renesselaers
Point a gradually sloping snow hum
mock, nearly two feet deep III the cen
ire, lay directly in the path Of the
BuCkhout boat. When it was first OBJ
served the boat was so close to it that
there was no time for delberaton, and
the helmsman took in the situation at a
glance. To put his yacht short around
quickly would lose him the race, and
possibly the Zephyr, coming like light
ming close behind him, might dash INTO
him and some one be killed. TO Jump
the hummock was to take tie chances
of losing his mast and the race. lie
took the latter horn of the dilemma,
and yelled to the men on the runner
plank to Hold fast! look out now!s
and braced himself for the shock. With
the velocity of n whirlwind the yacht
struck the hummock and bounded over
1t to the clear ice beyond, the snow fly
Ing in spray in every direction, and
not even cord IN the rigging breaking.
A wild hnrrah went up from the crew
as the victorious yacht passed on. and
now that she was close to New Ham
burg, scores of people were watching
her closely. OFF Marlborough the wind
came strong from the gorge along Jews
Creek, and she lifted and swayed, bnt
Buckhout kept her down nicely, and
she rounded the flag of New Hamburg
quarter Of mile ahead of the Zephyr
and still further ahead Of the Phantom,
having done the ten miles in ten min
utes.