The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1885-09-23
THE OCEAN C0URSERS.
TIE Closest Yacht Race on Record, for the Dis
tanee, Ever Sailed.
The English Yacht Genesta Fairly Beaten
ON Her Chosen Wind, and Led by the
Puritan, Though the Latter Was
sailed i'm a lIfserabIe Manner.

Commodore James d. Smith, as the Puritan's
main boom passed the inish-line off Scotland
Lightship to-day, after the closest contest
ever sailed over any forty-mile
course. The Genesta was beaten
one minute, thirty-eight seconds,
corrected time and two minutes and nine
seconds actual time. The course was twen-
tv miles 70 leward, and return from the
Scotland light ship. The wind being west,
northwest, the yachts were sent away on an
east southeast course dead before the wi ld.
In this run the cutter beat the sloop one
minute and twenty-one seconds. From
there to the finish they made but
one short tack of a mile and two
long legs of nine and ten meles, respectively,
i'm half a gale OF wind which changed to
north northwest soon after the outer mark
was changed. In this work the Puritan
gained three minutes and thirty seconds from
point TO point. Leaving Pier ,, East River,
at o'clock, the committee boat, Lucken-
bach, flying the flags of the New York, East
ern and Royal Thames Yacht Clubs
steamed down the bay to Staten
Island, taking on board there
Mr.. L. p Bayard, of the Zawanhaka Yacht
Club, and Mr.. Rutland, of the Prescilla
There were also on board ex-Commodore
James ID. Smith, New York Yacht Club;
Franklyn Bassford the marine artist: Mr.
Roosevelt Schuyler, Gustav Grain, A. Cas-
Garfield, of the cutter Isis; Charles G.
Haight, schooner Crusader fleet; Oliver King
and Herman LEROY, Union Club; J. III. Long
street, Edward Post and Rev. Mr.. Benjamine.
The sky overhead was clear as q bell, but
out over the New Jersey hills in the west
ward feecy white clouds were rising. Civ
ing promise of an increase i'm the force of the
moderate breeze from the west-northweSt
then blowing. There was one solitary spec
tator on the bluffs of Fort Wadsworth as the
boat passed through the NarrOwS, where
there had been thousands on Monday. to
see the finish of the first race. There
was no time lost in preparation to-day.
When the Judges boat arrived off Sandy
Hook the Genesta and Puritan were both
under weigh close up 10 Scotland lightshlp,
the starting point. As soon as Mr.. Schuyler,
representing the Genesta on the Puritan was
put on the latter yacht, and Fleet Captain
Robert Center boarded the Genesta to do
similar duty for the Puritan people.
the tug Scandinavian, in charge of
Messrs. 5. +. Lippincott and Mr.. Olsen, was
sent away to log out the twenty-mile course
east southeast to leeward, and at 1O:45 the
committee boat anchored with the light
ship bearing south-southwest, distant 100
yards. They formed the imaginary line
over which the yachts were to pass. At this
time the steam yachts Electra, Utowana
Stranger, Corsair, Vision, Sentinel, Palq-
nea and Skylark had gathered TO
the southwest OF the Judges boat
The steamers Grand Republic, Taurus,
II. T. Baya and the Old Dominion line
steamship Richmond, their decks fairly black
with enthusiastic spectators, lay close by
with enough flags flying to supply a couple
of circuses. The breeze was freshening every
moment, and the prospect Of a grand race TO
leeward. where the yachts could carry their
spinnalsers was sufficient to create the ut
fhn afr.,
whistle was given at II o'clock, the Puritan
lay one-fourth of a mile astern of the
Judges boat heading to the southeast, with
spinnaker boom down TO starbOard main
sheet hauled aft and iib sheet TO windward.
One minute before the starting whistle was
blown the Genesta came tearing across the
tugs stern. Those who were watching the
movements of both were positive she would
cross the line before the signal was given.
and breathlessly awaited the result.
Just then the Puritan's main sheet
was paid out. Captain Crocker put her
helm down, and she came for the line. So
finely had the cutters skipper calculated
the time, that while the starting whistle was
blowing, she shot across, her crew running
her--.immense spinnaker aOft rs she went
over. Away she flew 70 leeward, leading the
Boston sloop by forty-fve seconds. The lat
ter broke out her big balloon jib rs she
crossed, and set her spinnaller i'm a minute
after. What grand picture these two clip
per yachts presented as they dashed along
with their pyramids of snow-whte canvass
towering above their narrow hulls. All the
steam yachts kept well to leeward of the
racers. and the smaller ones were puzzled TO
keep pace with them. The official time of
the start was, Genesta IL :05:i5, Puritan
II :O6:l5. The Puritan soon began 10 close
the gap made at the start. She kept directly
in her antagonists wake until nearly up
with her when she lanle1 ont nrH
80 the Genesta could not keep off and pre-
vent her passing without gybing At IL 30
she took in her balloon jib-top sail
and stay sail, and at II :45 she had passed
out ahead of the Genesta about half length.
Her spinnaker was not drawing well at this
time, neither was her main sail, for the wind
was, as an old sailor remarked, lat the main
boom end" Captain Carter recognizing
this fact took in his spinnaker at l2 m,
gybed her main hoom, dropped her spin
maker boom and set the sail on port side,
all in five minutes. She immedi-
ately drew ahead of the sloop,
and in half an hour had
passed her. This was a surprise, but what
was coming was greater one. Fifteen min
utes later the latter was good one-fourth
of n mile in the lead. with her great white
spinnaker bellying out I'm the stiff breeze.
The Puritan people would not gybe, although
the spinnaker was not drawing and she was
NltuOlil ulplpAnk HrttIls DONn tulut Nilt
0encsia's club topsail at 1880, the Puritan's
coming In moment later The cutter set
working topsail, but the sloop set no other.
AT p. nv. the Genests's spinnaker boom was
lowered on deck and everything made snug
for the long beat to windward. The Large
passenger boats and steam yachts had
gathered of the. "outer mark and all eyes
were upon the two boats rs they came
bounding along. All thought then that the
Gcnesta was a winner. The official time OF
rounding was, Genesta .0):30, Puritan
] O7 80. The latter with her mtin sail
hauled fiat off Gybee rs she rounded, and
o minute after she was close hauled
ON the starboard tack, standing 10 the
southwark. The Puritan made wide turn
which placed her further 10 lceward, and
now commences grand struggle for the
finish, twsnty miles TO the windward. Black
threatening clouds appeared IN the north.
west, presaging more wind for the boats.
The Puritan went about first nj .23, 5nd
the Genesta n minute later. Captain Bracken
thought u prudent 10 house the Purtan's
top masts; at 20 rs the.wind was coming
fast and heavy, while an ugly sea was fast
rising, into which the yachts plunged. Three
light iecch lines on the Puritan's jib were led