Los Angeles herald., 1890-07-07
SANTA CATALINA.
y -
Yachtsmen's Festivities at
Z Avalon.
Rendezvous of Vessels in the
HarbOr.
The Penelope and Her Fast-Sailing
Qualities.
The Aggie, Nellie and La Paloma-Fourth
Of July Sports-The Yachtsmen's
Annual Ball.

The little harbor ofAvalon for the past
few days has presented picturesque
and beautiful sight. Besides the neat
little steamer Hermosa, which has been
moored there between times during her
frequent trips of the past week, and the
numerous small craft dotting the bay,
there have been at anchor the four rep
resentative yachts of Southern Califor-
MIA, namely, the Penelope, Aggie, Nellie
and La Paloma. These white-winged
racers rendezvoused there Immediately
after the regatta of the Fourth. The
Nellie, Penelope and La Paloma arrived
there about II O'Clock Friday night.
The Aggie, which lay at San Pedro Fri
day night, sailed across the channel and
took berth alongside her sister yachts
Saturday morning. After the sails were
furled, each vessel flung to the breeze
her full set of colors. The little fleet,
with its bright trimmings, made up,
perhaps, more gala sight than had be-
fore been seen in these waters.
All day, Saturday, the yachts were
crowded with visitors, the winners of the
races, the Penelope and La Paloma, be-
ing the principal centers of interest.
The Penelope called forth the especial
admiration of the visitors. She is built
after the latest eastern modsi, and while
constructed With 8 special view to speed,
the comfort and finish Of her interior
have not been sacrificed. She has flush
deck, but is Of great depth 101a feet),
thus giving a large amount of space be-
low. Her cabin is high, we'll lighted
and airy. The same may be said Of the
staterooms and the rest of the apart
ments. There are numerous drawers
and lockers-in short everything is as
snug and commodious as could be made.
The upholstering throughout is simply
luxurious. On deck the same comfort
able conditions prevail. There is room
to accommodate large company under
her snowy canopy of sails. Reclining
chairs are scattered about on deck, and
it is most delightful place to lie at ease
and dream the hours away. The deck
being flush there is ample room for
lovers of the quadrille or the may
waltz to indulge their taste.
The Penelope's Sailing Qualities.
Ii comfort and beauty were the only
considerations, the Lacys, father and
sons, might well be proud of their yacht.
But as sailer, the Penelope's feat in
the recent regatta, has proved her to
have few, if any equals of her class, on
the Pacific coast, as light-wind boat.
Handicapped as she was on the Fourth,
her sailing was remarkable Early in
the race the wind carried away her fore
top-mast, making it impossible for he1
to carry her fore gaff top-sail and bal
loon jib. thus preventing her from dem
onstrating what she could do with a
good breeze. Although she had over
four minutes start on the Aggie, the lat
ter overhauled her after turning the
first stake boat This was to be ex-
pected as the Aggie's fast sailing quail
tiles in stiff breeze are we'll known.
Had the wind held out as it was on the
first course, the chances would have,
under the circumstances, remained with
the Aggie for winning the race. But
lad tnhe Penelope not lost part Of her
rigging, the question is, would she have
been able to sustain her lead if the
wind had held out. There are many
who believe she would, but it remains
for future race to decide this point.
The story of the race after the wind
died out has been told. Either
Through superior seamanship, or excel.
lent light-wind sailing qualities, she
walked away from the Aggie when the
wind Stacked. Although the Aggie
passed her to the windward and took the
wind out OF her SAIL the Penelope al
most Immediately retaliated by passing
the Aggie to windwafd and taking hel
wind. After that the race was Won. L
is certainly due Captain Carter, who
sailed the Penelope, TO say that Ia,
handled her in a most skilful manner
The course was almost directly in thu
winds eye, what little there was, bu
notwithstanding this fact, she rounded
the tdoy without much difficulty, an,
proceeded down the home-stretch at
good gait, while the Aggie was tackin
about in tedious endeavor to turn tn
last corner, and beating the latter b,
thirty-four minutes, thus establishing
reputation as a light-wind sailer.
The Penelope's Future.
But the Penelope was built to sail be
fore heavy wind. Her narrow ster
prevents her from dragging water, an
she glides through the waves withou
spray. Her builders and owners conf
dentally assert that with her full amour
of sail she will be able to out-distanc
any competitor of her class. But thi
remains to be demonstrated. Owing
the loss of part of her rigging and lac
of wind in the latter part, the race o
the Fourth cannot be regarded as fai
test as to her qualities in this respect
AS she will be Immediately repaired,
is hoped that an opportunity will 500
be given to settle this point. After
new forerhast has been put IN and til
putty Bcraped off her keel, which hs
not yet been done, she will go north I
try her speed with some of the crac
yachts of that section. She was fitte
very hastily for the last race, and as hi
sails and cordage were all new and ht
gearing in general not SO pliable as
will be after more use, tits believed hi
best qualities have not yet, by an
means, been brought out.
General satisfaction is felt that til
first Yacht built in Southern Californ
has started out on such a promising C
reer. Her builder, Mr.. Nichols OF Sa
Diego, was passenger aboard her du
ing the regatta, and naturally fee
proud of the record she has made.
She is built to be able to withstar
heavy seas. Her companionway CT
be closed tightly so that the waves ms
sweep over her decks without injur
It is the intention Of her proprietors
make cruise to the Sandwich island