The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1886-09-08

WON BY THE MAYFLOW WEIR.
The Boston Sloop Easily Defeats the Galatea
in the Race for the Americas Cup.
Special to the Indianapolis Journal


Special to the Indianapolis Journal
New YORK, Sept. THE Mayf1ower, with
Captain Stone, of Swampscott, at the wheel, and
Skipper Joe Ellsworth hardly to give him points,
won the first race of the series to day, against
the English cutter Galatea, and manifested sail
ing qualities sufficient to confirm the con-
victions of her advocates as to her ability to
save the American cup from confscation for an
other year, at least The start was made from
Owls Head, little below Bay Ridge. Early in
the day dense fog hung over the bay, and
when the yachtmen of the feet bobbed their
heads above the matches, little after sunrise,
their hearts dropped when they con-
templared the situation. The tug Luckenbach,
with Tony Herman at the wheel. started
from Pier early in the day, with Mr.. E. E.
Chase, Frank T. Robinson, of the cup commit
tee, and party of guests on board, and headed
down to Owls Head A vast feet of yachts,
numbering a hundred at least, were beating
about off the club grounds, and far down the bay
the two big sloops tackled about until 1870,
when they headed up the stream and lay to, as
yachtsmsn on board the judges boat said, for
of the start called for the preparatory signal
about 10 o'clock, but it was 1885 before the
Luck ckenbach "opened her mouth and when she
did, 1t was no preparatory signal, but start out
right. A fleet OF steam and sail craft hung about
the starting point rs thick as bees and
scraped the paint off one anothers sides
in their eagerness, rather the interest
of their owners, to witness the send-off. At
l056:l, official time, the Galatea got over the
line under plain sails, and carrying her baby jib
topsail, sailing almost neck and neck with the
May flower. Captain Stone was at the wheel of
the Boston boat, and near him, clinging to the
back stay was old Joe Ellsworth, acting as pl-
lot The Mayfower was slightly to windward.
and it did not take her long to make the best of
her position. Ten minutes afterwards the Ga
latea went about and headed over on the other
tack for Fort Wadsworth. The wind shifted
slightly southwark, and promised dead heat to
Buoy 10 for the two boats, but the Mayaower
hauled away from the English cutter as
though the latter was at anchor Off
Stapleton Staten Island both boats went about
again and reached over to near Coney Island
point but so tar did the Boston sloop gain in the
lead that when she entered the fourteen foot
channel" near Conev Island. the Galatea was a
mile astern. At 10 minutes to the Mavfower
rounded Buoy 10 on the port tack, but away to
the leeward of the buoy. The Galatea fol-
lowed far astern. About ten minutes later the
English cutter rounded the buoy so close as to
almost scrape the paint off her sides, and headed
in the wake of the Mayfower for Buoy Sa-South-
west Spit-whch she turned at l:O730. five and
half minutes after the Mayhower. Then both
boats made a stretch to the eastward in their
course to Sandy Hook light ship. Near the point
of Sandy Hook a vast feet Of steamers and
pleasure craft hung about Buoy 81, and, in direct
violation or the request of the New York Yacht
Club cup committee, bothered the yachts with
the back wash and dead water of their wheels
and screws. Below the Hook the wind fresh
ened, and the Mayfower somewhat increased
her lead. She stood out to sea, away to the east
ward heading far enough to clear the Sandy
Hook light-ship without making tack on her
course across. Under her working sails, she
headed across to the Sandy" and rounded it at
2:3502 amid the screechng of tug and steamer
whistles and guns from the steam yachts. The
British craft followed at 2:44:l3 and was greeted
with similar ovation. Far off in the lead,
the Boston sloop blew out her big
balloon jib-topsail. and headed back for
the point of the Hook on the port
tack, with the wind nearly abeam. The run
home beautiful scene. About 3:30 the
wind Jagged, and the Mayfowers big jib top
sail dragged in the sea- but tug or two on the
sheet hauled her in again. The Galatea. away
off near the turning buoy, rigged her spinnaker,
but for reasons best known to her skipper did
not set the SAIL Az 1884 the Mayfower rounded
Buoy 81 on the home stretch, followed at 3:46
by the Galatea. A little after the Mayiower
broke out her spinnaker, anc created so beauti-
fal sight, with every stitch set and going be-
set up tremendous howl. On the run
~ the lower bay, poor old Prscilla-the
craft of great hopes and nothing else-came
down to meet the boats, and hove-to near the
Boston soop. All the steamers of high and low
degree made as fast as they could for Buoy 10,
to whoop themselves hoarse at the finish, and no
one but an absolute pilot could have dlstin-
euished Just where ths finish was to be, so dense
was the feet OF outside craft
The following table will show the time of the
finish and the general statistics of the race:
Elapsed Corrected
Boats Start. Finish. Time. Time
Mayfower l0:5Gl2 42253 5:26:41 5:2GH
Galatea. 49,. .lO:56:1l 435:32 5:39:21 5:3S:43
The next race will be sailed on Thursday next
and will be over course from the Sandy Hook
or Scotland lightship, twenty miles to windward
and back, to the liekt-ship
Yachting in InnOcuous Desuetude.
Cable Special.
Upon yachting, the Court Journal whispers
this hitherto marine secret: "The present yacht
ing season has been the worst known for the last
fifteen years There are thousands of yachts
which at this time of the year ought to be out
on hire, and are now lying idle in Southampton
water. and the seafaring population. who rely
upon the summer season to tide them over the
time until fishing recommences, begin to suffer