The Portland daily press., 1885-09-22
AGAIN SAILING.
The Dauntless and Cenesta Start on
Their 800 Mile Race.
In the Contest for the Brenton's
Reef Challenge Cup.
The Cenesta About Two Miles Ahead
at Last Report.

NEW YORK, Sept. 21.-The schooner
DauntleSs and the Genesta, sailed this after
noon on the long course from Sandy Hook
lightship to Brenton's Reef Lightship off the
entrance to Newport harbor, and return,
distance of Iabout 300 miles. This is the
contest for the Brenton Reef challenge cup.
SANDY Hook, Sept 21.-Tug Lucken-
bach towed the schooner yacht Dauntless
time the hawser was passed from the tug
Ocean King to the Genesta which had been
beating down the bay and had reached as
far as the wreck of the Naukin. Compared
with the other races this race seems lonely
affair not a single steam or sailing yacht be-
ing at the start The tug Ocean King does
duty as the committee boat When near
Sandy Hook lightship the tow lines were
cast off and the yachts made sail and prepar-
ed to get ready for their long trip. The
LuIckenbachigave the preparatory signal at
49 p. m. having placed herself in position
a little to the southwest of the hghtship.
The Dauntless was under main and fore
sail, forestaysail, ,sjib, ,flying-jib and main club
topsall, which covered her main gaff topsail.
The Genesta carried mainsail, fore-staysail,
jib, flying jib and club-topSail.
At 4.49 the signal to start was given. The
yachts were then to the southwest of the
committee boat and they came around and
passed the line nearly abreast of each other
at 5.14 the Genesta being to the windward.
The DauntlesS had set her jib-topsail and
maintopmast staysail, but the Genesta did
not set any more sail but soon after crossing
the line she passed the Dauntless and is fast
leaving her. The yachts are heading east
ward The wind is very light from the south
southwest. and the weather clear with long
sweep ON the ocean.
AT $50 the Genesta was about mile
ahead and when darkness set in the Genesta
was observed to be nearly two miles ahead
of the DauntleSS. The Luckenbach had left
them and was heading for home leaving the
Rfrarr 70 tbn fH
Their progress is not very fast as the wind is
still very light.
The cup, which is worth $25OO, was offered
by Commodore James Gordon Bennett in 1872
as challenge cup to be sailed for by yachts
of all nations. By the deed of gift the win
ner at the expiration of thirty days after the
race in which the cup is won, must accept
any challenge and hold himself ready to sail
within seventy-fye days or forfeit the cup to
the challenger; but if he should win it in
will not be liable to challenge until the be-
ginning of the yachting season of the sue
ceeding year. In case the cup is won by a
foreign yacht the holder is liable to challenge
during the succeeding season for an ocean
race from the Needles, Isle of Wight, to a
point off the harbor of Cherbourg and re-
turn. The races must be sailed without time
allowance, under the rules of the New York
Yacht Club, and in case the yacht winning it
is sold out of the club to which it belonged
at the time OF winning, the cup must be re-
turned to the New York Yacht Club The
first racel for the cup was sailed by the
schooner yachts Rambler and Madeleine
July 25, q, 1872, and was won by the former
in 80 hours 55 minutes SO seconds. The sec
ond race was sailed by the same two yachts
Sept. 10 to q, 1872, and was won by the
Rambler in 43 hours 25 minutes 80 seconds.
The Rambler was then owned by J. Malcolm
Forbes of the Eastern Yacht Club, and when
she was subsequently sold to the late Will
liam H. Thomas the cup reverted to the club.