Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-21
THE YACHT RACE.

The Puritan the First Home in the Biz
! Race-The Priscilla Close BEHIND
Atlantic Next in the Procession and
Maydower Last to Cross the Line.
| New YORK, June 10.
The race between the giant sloops TODAY,
| held under the auspices of the Sexw anahaka-
Corinthian Yacht Club, and for . subscrip-
ton cup worth $1,000, vas more satisfactory
than either of those that have preceded it.
but did not prove which of the quartet was
the best boat for, the International match
There Was an unfavorable start, every yacht
being handicapped, and the winds were light
and variable most of the time. The general
opinion formed by expert yachtsmen who
witnessed the race was that the Mavflower
was the best boat of the day. The start was
made from the front of Fort Wadsworth, S.
1. The fleet of contesting yachts numbered
l9 altogether. There was immense interest
felt among the big yachts, and as the morn
ing promised good wind, there was goodly
number of steam yachts, tugs, excursion
boats and many smaller craft to see the race
begin. 1t was shortly after IL A. NJ. when
the preparatory whistle was given. Five
minutes later the starting signal was blown
The yachts then had, according to the rules
of the club, only five minutes in which to
get across the line. Not one of them did it,
There was only four knot breeze blowing
from the north northwest, and the fleet had
gathered too far north Of the line to get dow n
to it in time. The Puritan was the first
yacht over but even she was three seconds
too late. The result was that every yacht
was handicapped-that is to say, that at what
/ time she NrOaso1 tho limo -,
time was taken as being IL 10. The far
northward position of the Mayhower prevent
ed her from getting down to the start until
ll-24 56, and this unfortunately proved
enough to take the prize away from her. The
| Atlantic was the next of the first-class sloops
to cross, the Priscilla was third and the May
flower last As they went on the journey the
sloops shook out their balloon jbtopsails, and
had their booms swung far out to port. The
little boats started in among their grown
sisters. The wind began to die out almost
at once, and there was hardly enough to fill
the sails. The first point to reach was buoy
No. 10 on the southwest spit. The Puritan
and Priscilla took course somewhat to the
eastery toward Coney Island point almost at
one. The Atlantic soon did likewise. When
the wind came up again, it came from the
south, an almost opposite direction to that
which prevailed at the start. The Priscilla
and Atlantic, after hauling sheets of. made
long tack for Coney Island. The Puritan
remained out in the bay. When the May
flower did get decently on the course she
followed the head of the Atlantic. On this
tack, with fve-knot breeze blowing, the
Priscilla pointed we'll and sailed fast, though
the Atlantic for time gained on her, going
farther off. All the big yachts hal their
spinnakers set as they crossed the line. but
had taken them in soon after. The May
flower was so slow in getting hers in that
many persons supposed that she had become
discouraged by her poor position and intend
ed to drop out.
When the leaders reached a point below
Murray & Norton's dock on Coney Island,
they went about. The Priscilla was the first,
the Puritan followed, and the Atlantic last
The Priscilla was furthest to the east, the
Puritan a mile to windward, and the Atlantic
was quarter of q mile of the Priscilla's $
weather bow. The Mayfower was still IN
Graves End bay. The Priscilla was doing
her usual good work in a light breeze, but the
Puritan was outpo,nting her. The Atlantic
could not hold the wind like her leaders. As
they neared the buov the Puritan did not have
over half mile the lead. As the quartet
went about for the buoy. the Mayfower was
in front, she having done some tall sailing
across tbe bay. They passed the buoy in the
following order: Puritan, Priscilla, Atlantic
and Mayfower
The Maytlower moved as though her crew
were very incapable. just inside the point
of Sandy Hook the Atlantic tried to pass IT, e
Priscilla to windward, but she wouldn't allow
it, Both lost by the play, and the Mavfower
gained on them. The Puritan continued to
go ahead The wind was freshening outside
OF the Hook. The yachts got out in the same
order, but halfway to Sandy Hook lghtship
the Priscilla had worked to windward of the
Puritan. The Puritan was the first to come
about to round the lightshp. As she went
around and squared away for home the con-
gregation of craft that stood bv whistled
''good luck" to the first boat to start for home
The Priscilla was next. The Mavfiower came
around third, with the Atlantic fourth. The
Puritan had a good lead and squared away
nearly half-mile ahead of the Priscilla The
wind was blowing about s knots. The tide
was still running ebb against the yachts. The
principal incident of the run back was the way
in which the Mayf1ower overbauled both Pris-
| ella and Puritan. The new Boston boat ''did
herself proud" She caught up to the Pris-
ella while off the middle of Sandy Hook
beach. She tried to pass to windw ard and
the Priscilla made another bluff at uffing
| Again the lubbers lost.
The Puritan now set her spinnaker, and the
Priscilla saw the advantage made. The lat
ter billed off and put out her big side sail
The Puritan at once hauled her spinnaker
down and kept on her course. The Atlantic
was at least two miles behind, but when the
| first three yachts got within the point of the
Hook they lost the wind. and the Atlantic
got the full benefit of the breeze outside. This
enabled her to catch up very we'll. From
buoy No 10 to 10. the home-stske, the race
was exciting, especially the contest betw cen
the Atlantic and Mayfiower. During she first
part of the stretch it remained anybody's
race, as the Atlantic had come up from behind
and was not far from even terms, when all
the yachts had Strengthened out for buoy I5
But the Puritan got wind that none of the
others felt by remaining to windw ard, and she
flew home with everything set. She had been
lucky in this respect all day. The Mavflower
and Priscilla and afterward the Mayfower
and Atlantic had some close fighting, but the
Priscilla took second place. The Mayfower
and Atlantic crossed the home line only three
seconds apart. The Puritan wins the $1,000
cup by technicality, but the Mayfower did
the best sailing. 1t was generally remarked
that the Mayfiower's sails did not fit her as
yet and that her crew was slovenly