Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-09-10
THE YACHT RACES.
A brilliant Start Made by Both Boats
Owing To Fog and Want OF Wind the |
Race Was Not Finiihed, the Mayfiower
al the Close Holding Good Lead.
NEW YORK. Sent. Q

There are plenty of disappointed yachtmep
IN Nnw York tonight, fer the second race of
the international series has been postponed
until Saturday. After sailing in the fresh
breeze from eastward for four hours, and in
light breeze from the same quarter for two
hours more, the Mayfiower and Galatea, with
an accompanying feet Of nearly hundred
vessels were enveloped in thick fog ten
miles east of Sandy Hook lightship and thew
were compelled to abandon the race When
the Mayaower rounded the "outer mark"
twenty miles east of Scotland lightship, at 2h
2Om. 22s,, the Galatea was not in sight at
that point. The Mayfower had outsailed
her on every tack from the start, both carry
ing the same sails in the breeze that was
steady from about east, with occasional rain
squalls and moderately heavy swell from
that quarter. The Mayfiower could not have
finished the race in the allotted time of seven
hours, even if the weather had remained
clear. No one expected to see fine weather
at the race, for when the judges steamer,
Luckenbach with the regatta committee and
her usual quota of reporters aboard, left pier
3, East River, at s 80, a heavy fog huug over
the harbor while dark heavy clouds overhead
promised rain. 1t came in drizzling sheets
before Bay Ridge twas reached. Here the
Mayfower and Galatea were found at
anchor, their crews clad in oil skins and
eager for start AT 8 10 both were being
towed away for the starti 9 point, the Scot
land lightship. With the rain came a splen-
did breeze from the eastward, clearing away
the fog and increasing in torce every moment.
Out off the Rosner Beacon long easterly
swels began rolling in. Their crests were
covered with white caps, and the yachts
plunged into them to their knight heads. 1t
bsgan to look "dirty" TO the windward, and
the cutter crew began preparing for it by
housing her bowsprit about FIVE feet and
sending up her No 2 jib in the stops. also her
foresail. The Galatea's tow line was cast off
at the Scotland liehtship at 10 40 and her
crew made sail at once, setting the mainsail
foresail, jib and working topsai The May
flower set the same canvas. ''Your course is
east by north, twenty miles" shouted Chase
of the regatta committee, as Luckenbach
steamed up on the weather quarter of each
yacht. ''ln case of fog" he continued, "the
Scandinavian steam tug will lie to the wind
ward of the 'outer mark and blow long and
short whistle at intervals of one minute
Lieut.. Hem looked more than usually happy
as he received the instructions.
Steaming quickly to point north by west
from the lightship the judges boat anchored,
and at ll.20 the preparatory whistle was
| given. A big fleet of excursion steamers,
steam yachts, sloop yachts, schooners and
tugs had assembled by this time near the
lightship. They all carried more passengers
than on Tuesday. The official time of the
start was, Mayfower ii b., 80 M, 80 s. /;
Gslatea 12h., 80 m., 80 $.
| With freshening breeze and healing over
till her lee rail WAS "awash," the Mayfower
| began her second battle for che defence of
Americas cup. The Galatea seemed to
stand up better to her work, but the Boston
sloop's sails were kept rellgiously full, and
she soon began 'outfooting" the cutter.
Beaver Webb was at the latter's tiller and he
seemed to ''pinch" her too much. At any
rate when the cutter tackled to the southwark,
twenty minutes after the start, she was an
eighth of mile under the Mayflower's lee
quarter. After the sloop went about. at
] | so 80, there was quite a swell from the
eastward, but the wind had not much strength.
For an hour and eight minutes the Boston
beauty held the port tack. She then went
about, being good quarter of a mile to the
windward of her rival The Galatea did not
follow suit Capt. Bradford, preferring to
split the tacks. held the cutter on the port
reach until AZ, when she was almost hull
down to the leward from the deck of the
judges boat, aud the Mayhower, who had
made two tacks during that time, gaining two
minutes on the cutter. The wind had fallen
very light by this time and both yachts had
set their club sopssls and 'baby' jib top
sails. The Mayfiower tackled to the south
ward at 2 IL 45 and again at 3. Soon after
the "outer mark" was made through the
mist. The Mayfower lufed, found it
hours, 26 minutes, 22 seconds
Round came the Msyfower's spnnaker
boom to port as her long main boom swung
far out to starboard and she Squared away"
dead before the light breeze for home Her
spinnaker blossomed out from its stops two
minutes later. while q chorus of steam
whistles were screeching their welcome
probably two miles as the weather was fast
getting thick, and when last seen she was
on the port tack standing for mark and about
that distance astern of the Mayf1ower. 1t
soon became evident that unless strong
breeze came the Msyhower could not finish
in the allotted time. Messrs. Chase and
Robinson of the regatta committee decided
to run for the finish and wait till $50 for the
MayfOwer. In an hour the thick fog shut
everything from view and after some difficulty
in finding the channel buoys the Luckenbach
was headed for New York at full speed, a
dozen or more schooners following in her
wake. Much anxiety is felt in the city by
friends of thousands on board of the crowded
excursion boats as danger of collision in the
fog was great. The Mayf1ower and Galatea
both have good pilots and no fears are enter
tanned for their safety.