Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-08
Wins the First Heat in the
international Contest,
Beating the British Cutter IL Min
utes and 40 Seconds.
The Galatea Proves to be Fine Sailer-
immense Enthusiasm Over the Race.


glory for Boston, for the Yacht Mayfower has
won the frst race of the International series
against the British cutter Gaatea With a
STEADY wholesale breeze from the southwark,
perElttlng each to carry all their light sails
the Galatea was beaten l2 min. and 40 sec.
actuai time, or II minutes and seconds cor
rected time, the Mayfiower having given her
3S seconds time allowance according to the
Newport Yacht Club rules under which the
races are sailed. The coatest was eminently
falr for both yachts, inasmuch as half
OF the course sailed gave almost
windward work, while the other
half was with free sheets. Although the
cutter was defeated she has shown herself 10
De faster yacht than the Genesta in a light
breeze, and one that may be very hard to de-
ieat IN strong breeze and seaway. 1t has
been day of excitement such as is seldom
seen in New York. From dawn until dark.
af1oat or ashore, the yacht race was the topic
OF conversation BY 10 o'clock in the morn
ing thousands who were going to witness the
race had embarked and were steamng down
the bay to rendezvous off Bay Ridge, L. L.
There lay two types of the clipper craft.
ready for grand contest A hundred sail of
yachts surrounded them.
Ten o'clock was the time set for the start,
but up till that hour heavy haze hung over
the city and harbor. There was not breath
OF wind while the sun shone fiercelv. The
regatta committee, on board of the tug Luck
enback. after passing sailing orders to Gen.
Paine and Lieut.. Hem, on board of their re-
spective yachts, instructed both to get under
weigh and get in position for prompt start
when breeze came. Then, steaming to the
starting point, the tug was anchored.
At 10. 80, light breeze sprang up from
a OF nf al
Quickly the two contestants and steamers of
all sizes clustered about the starting
point The preparatory whistle screeched at
TO- 40, and ten minutes late came one for the
start Both yachts carrying the same sail
mainsail. club topsail, jib and fore staysai
had been maneuvered into good positions and
down they came for the imaginary line be-
tween Luckenback and buoy Is. bearing east
from her quarter mile away at FIVE knot
gait, the Mayflower apparently ahead and
close to the judges boat. Not close enough,
however, for with twist of her long tiller
Capt. Bredford shot the handsome Galatea
into the windwaId between the Luckenback' S
bow and her rival, and crossed the line a
second ahead amid the widest applause. Mrs.
Hem, in a yachting costume with scarlet
Tam O'Shanter" capt stood in the compan-
ion hatchway, her husband standing on deck
cool and confident. Capt. Stone started the
Mayflower with "Joe" Ellsworth at his elbow
and Gen. Paine near the wheel. The official
start was: Galatea, l0-56-ll; Mayflower,
10 56-l2. a
Both yachts stood across the channel on
the starboard tack and began their battle for
Americas cup, lying close under Long Island
shore.
AT II 30, they made stretch over for
Staten Island. The Mayfower had secured
the windward position, and with the last of
the ebb tide under her lee bow, managed to
keep it, and began "out-footing" the cutter
at once.
At HOP, the Galatea set her jib topsail
At Hip, the Mayffower tackled close under
the quarantine, the cutter following suit a
minute later. The breeze was freshening
every moment and the prospect for fine
race was encouraging. The large fleet of
accompanying steamers made trouble for the
yachts at times, and they had to be chased
away by the judges boat.
When the Mayfower tackled to port
at 1l.2l she had Fort Lafayette under her
lee quarter, while the Galatea was yet under
Fort Wadsworth. The Boston sloop crossed
her bow fully quarter of mile to the wind
ward three minutes later and kept steadily in
creasing her lead.
At II SO when the Galatea tackled to port
near buoy l6 the sloop was leading her by
fully three-fourths of a mile The food tide
had just began to make and Capt "Joe'
Ellsworth, who piloted the Mayfower, was
"workng' it for all he was worth. Capt
"Sam" Gibson, the pilot of the Galatea, was
also doing his best in this direction, but the
cutter was not equal to the occasion. He
finally "split tacks'' with the sloop and going
about at II 20 held the port tack while the
May flower made two and gained by the oper-
alton fully one-half mile. Both then made
short boards for BUOY 81, the first turning
point, the Mayfower fetching around the irst
at l-0l-5l. and the cutter at l-07-07. They
were greeted with a perfect ovation of whis
ties from the attending steamers as they flew
away with sheets started for buoy 5. The
Maytiower passed it at LIS and the Galatea
at l.25. To buoy 81 the Mayfiower had al
ready beaten the cutter 5m, lis. From here
to the "outer mark" Sandy Hook lightship
the contest was very pretty. The splendid
breeze and clear sky, and just a slight easterly
swell rolling in were excellent conditions.
Both yachts were close hauled on the star
board tack, and almost laying their course for
the lghtship.
The Mayfower slowly but surely "out-
footed the cutter and tacking for the outer
mark at 2-27-90 came grandly along for it on
the port tack. Immediately after turning
the May flower set her balloon jibtopsail
Official time of the turning was: Mayfiower,
2-35 OF, Galatea, 2-4f-l3. Both made splen-
did pictures as they rounded the lightship
To this point the Msyfower had now beaten
the Galstea ON. l2s. and she was fully two
miles away when the latter squared away"
The Mayflower with her big balloon jibtopsail
bellying out in the now strong breeze came
'horsing' by buoy 81 on the homestretch at
3-S4, just as the Gslatea was passing off
Sandy Hook. The latter passed the buoy st
46 and both gybing over to port came
grandly down to the finish on the flood tide.
Finding that the spinnaker would draw,
Lieut.. Hem ordered it set to starboard at
4-l3, Captain Stone finding the cutter was
over hauling him followed suit and set the
Mayflower's spinnaker five minutes later 1t
was the grandest marine spectacle ever seen
in Newport Bay. Surrounded by nearly 500
steam and sailing crafts the Mayfower
came tearing along through the narrow path
of water and crossed the finish line amid the
firing of guns, whistles and waving of acres
of bunting and handkerchiefs. The Galatea
received ss hearty welcome when she Ar