Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-09-09
SANDY HOOK, Sept. {

the water. All the yachtsmen were jubilant,
and sails were rigged up to catch the breeze.
The steam yachts were the first 20 move off
The Genesta gave signs that she would start
abe ad oftthe Puritan. This wss ten minutes
after 10 O'Clock. The bay vas then alive
with yachts and steamers from New York,
which could be seen coming along at fast
pace. So soon as the Genestx had cotton under
way, the sails of the Puritan were set, and
Bostca's sleop followed after her English
rival
The breeze freshened still more, and the
Genesta with her sails we'll filled, rounded
Sandy Hook at 1926, and stood out for Scot
land lightship. The Puritan turned the
point of the Hook a 'R,inute later. She went
TO windw ard with am sziBg speed for the wind
and forged ahead in brilliant style. The skip
per of the Puritan, however, did not care to
overtake the Genesta in the run down, and
did what he could to deceive the pilot on the
latter as to the racing abilities of his boat in
q southeast wind.
At dO.46 the wind came up full, and the
southeast breeze helped all the yachts along
1t was then concluded that if the wind held
out she race could be run in the specified
time.
The Puritan, which had been anchored all
night near the government wharf together
wKh the Genssta. got under way shortly after
III o'clock, when the judges boat and the
stakeboat came near their anchorage. There
are quite a number of yachts anchored and
under sail around the Hook. some of them
beating towerS the lghtship.
AT ll.36 the Puritan fouled the Genesta
and carried away the Genesta's b0wspit. The
Puritan's wainsail is badly torn.
As far as, can be learned the Puritan was
a N MI mi bova haa
avoided if the Genesta had acted differently,
Both yachts had noticed the signal of the
Judges boat, and were close together. The
Genesta was near the lightshp and the Puri-
tan WAS close astern of her. The cutter
tackled. but the Puritan didn't follow and the
bowspit of the Genesta went into the mainsail
of the Puritan, just over the boom near the
leech. The next moment the Genesta's bow =
spit was broken off close to the stem, and
took with it the jib, leaving only the fore
staysail standing. The hole in the Puritan's
sail was not very large and could easily have
been repaired, but the Genesta set signal
protesting against the race. As they had not
yet been started her protest was noted and
the yachts were towed back to New York
1t was pity as there was Just wind enough
to make a splendid race Tie damage to the
Genesta will take some time to repair and
damage which was not observed from here
New YORK, Sept 8.
New York is full of disappointed yachts.
men tonight, and none are more so than those
who came from the east three days ago to see
the first of the series of the yacht races in
the great contest tor Americas cup, and have
not seen it vet.
The most serious of delays WAS caused to-
dav, by a collision between the Puritan and
Genesta just as the yachts were about to
start, under the most favorable conditions in
their first real struggle for the trophy. The
light fog which hung over the bay during the
early morning hours cleared away soon after
9 o'clock by the warm rays OF the sun and
pleasant breeze from the southeast of moder-
ate strength, which came from seaward with
short ugly swells that told of more behind
them.
The change was hailed with pleasure by
the crews of both competing yachts, which
lay in the horse shoe west of Sandy Hook,
and by 8 o'clock the sails of both were hoist
ed and the anchors hove short ready for an
early start. They were under way at lO.I5,
when the regetta committee arrived in tug
Luckenbach. Steamers Sirius and Taurus,
with tugs Leader and Ha, iland. and pilot
boat Hester of Boston, were the only boats
carrying passengers that appeared. All the
yachts that were in the harbor came out to
see the etart.
Mr.. Forbes, Gen. Pain, Mr.. burgess and
the crew of the Puritan were feeling elsted
over their victory in yesterdays twenty
mile contest, while Sir Richard Sutton,
Sir William Livinge and Beavor Webb
were correspondingly glum. No time was
lost in the preliminary arrangements as both
were eager to start in the splendid breeze
which freshened every moment
After Mr.. Lloyd Phoenix had been put
aboard the Genesta as the representative of
the Puritan the judges boat steamed to the
Scotland lightship, anchoring at II Is. When
the preparatory whistle was blown at IL 80,
the accompanying steamers all lay to the
westw ard of the Eghtship, while the Puritan
and Genesta were both on the port tack, close
hauled, standing towards the judges boat and
the lightship The course was 5. S. E., the
same witoio two points as yesterday, and the
tug Ocean King had started about five min
utes to log out the course. The starting
signal should have been gwen III 80. All
eyes we're on the two fighting craft from the
minute the preparatory signal was given at
ll34. just as the Genesta reached the point
where she should cross the line, close to the
lightshp, she tackled to the starboard and
therefore had the right of way. The Puri-
tan, which had been about 200 yards to the
windward of her when she was on the port
tack, evidently thought she could cross her
opponents bow, for she kept right along on
the port tack. Both were travelling knots
an hour, and approached each other
at right angles very fast, Once her helm
was put up for moment but finding it was
too late it was put hard down, and the sloop
shot up into the wind right under the Genes
ta's bow instead of filling away on the star
board tack as those watching her supposed
she would. Her wheel was put up and she
shot across the Genestas bow, the intention
evidently being to wind" the the latter The
Purtan's hull all cleared the cutter. when
suddenly the latters bowspit end plunged into
the clew of the Puritans mainsail, close to
the boom, making a hole about two feet
square. The fost and leech ropes held the
bowspit as the Puritan dash. d ahead and in
moment it snapped of close to the stem head,
making a wreck of the head sails and gear
and dropping overheard.
No one was injured, but everybody was
astonished at the audscity Of the Paritan's
sailing master in attempting to cross the ves-
sells qow contrary to all rules of the road
and the New York Yacht Club. The acci-
dent has ended all prospect of race for per.
hsps q week although it is the Genesta NAV
secure bowspit in time to race Friday As
soon as the Puritan could jibe and come
alongside abe judges boat Forbes asked the
committee if he should sail the race. "No.
you WON'T said Tams curtIev Afrey