The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-09-26
The Challenger Led by but
TWenty-Three Seconds at
the Finish.
BRANDS GOOD GENERALsHIP.
Secured Some Advantage by Per-
sistIng in Making Short
TackS.

SeWanhaka Club challenge series for small
boats. defeating the Ethelwynn, the de-
fender, by a narrow margin of % seconds
in 12-mile race over a triangular course
of two miles a side. The contest was fought
in wind of strength varying from moth
ing up to eight miles an hour. and which
shifted to nearly all points of the compass.
The battle royal was fought during the
fifth and sixth legs of the course, or from
the beginning of the eighth to the end OF
the twelfth mile. On the fifth leg the
racers were most OF the time squarely
before the wind with spinnakers to port
and booms TO starboard, getting wind
from the southeast while west of them
sailing craft had strong easterly air. 1t
was strange pocket of wind, and when
it finally broke and both boats got the
prevailing breeze and reached the rest of
the way to the fifth mark, the advantage
was with the Ethelwynn by four seconds,
as the timing proved.
On the final two miles home it was
windward work in the best air of the day.
While the American boat followed the ira
ditions Of the shellbacks of Oyster Bay
and vicinity in working against the ebb
tide to the finish at Center Island buoy,
I.
which gave him frequent chances to get
some advantage of the unfavorable tide, an
exhibition of judgment that finally landed
him winner by small margin.
Despite the traditions of the watermen
hereabout, it was an exciting race, for at
various times during its progress over each
side of the triangle first one and then the
other was ahead.
The details of the start were the same
as on yesterday, and the signal to "go"
was given at 1890 (noon). The work on
the several stages of the course as officially
recorded follows:
First leg, reach and a short series of tacks to
windwa ard
First Elapsed
start mark time.
Ethelwynn.. 12:$0:0o l:I5:l5 45.I5
Ethelwynn's gain for two miles, minutes II
seconds.
Second leg, a close starboard reach.
+r First Second Elapsed
mark mark. time.
Ethelwy yT :lS:95 1:s6s7 25 52S
Ethelwynn's gain on the leg, Al seconds. Total
gain, minutes seconds.
Third leg starboard reach.
Second Third Elapsed
,,.,o, marx, marx o marx time
Spruce Spruce 1904 1855 26:i2
Spruce rvs gain for the leg, seconds: Ethel
wynn's net gain since start, miruteS SO seconds
Fourth leg began with windward work and
changed to a reach.
Third Fourth Elapsed
spFSoe 1893 2 28sas s $50
spruce Tvs gain for the leg, minutes AZ sec
onds; Ethelwynn's net advantage, 10 seconds.
Fifth leg beginning close hauled, a run before the
wind followed and ending with close reach.
Esaslxy9p ssss $ssss:s5ss s5s{
Ethelwynn's gain the leg, 30 seconds. Total
advantage at end of ten miles, 40 seconds
Finishing leg windward work against ebb tide.
Fifth Elapsed
Etbsluvnn .s mSgk 4 F5qisSi s 5I9s;
spruce " ~ SO 1854 5S:05
spruce rvs gain for the leg, minute seconds.
less Ethelwynn's advantage at fifth mark Of 40
seconds, nets victory by % seconds.
The boats arrived at the starting line at
noon, being towed out by their tenders
each having iib and mainsail set The
course was a triangular one. two miles to
the leg, twice around, making a total
distance of twelve knots. At 1915 the
preliminary whistle was blown and then
began the inevitable play for the best
position. Both seemed quite evenly
matched in the preliminary maneuvers
and each kept at respectful distance
from the other, like two good little Sunday
school children warned against hostilities
by firm and friendly teacher.
The Spruce got slightly the best of the
start, crossing the line at 1890, while the
signal whistle blew. The Ethelwynn was
eight seconds astern but we'll to windward
of her opponent. To the first mark the
wind was on the starboard beam, but soon
after the start it hauled to the northward
of east, and the boats were forced to turn
sheets fat on the starboard tack, the
Ethelwynn having commanding posi-
ton to the windward. In four tacks the
American boat weathered the first mark
8 minutes and II seconds ahead of her
British opponent.
To the second mark it was a reach,
booms to port, with nice little breeze
blowing, the course being northwest. The
Yankee craft on this leg did quite well.
The third leg was broad reach, and in
this portion of the game the Britisher
showed quite burst ofsspeed.
Now should have come thrash to the
windward, but the wind backed around
again to the northward and it proved once
more to be a reach. The Ethelwynn
Rugged the shore toward Lloyds Point to
get clear of the adverse tide. In this con-
test she got the better of it, sailing through
the lee of her rival and reaching the next
mark about ten seconds ahead. From this
point there was a dead beat to windward,
and the Spruce and the Ethelwynn had
the best tussle of the day. There came
shift of wind, which allowed them to set
spinnakers to port, with soft southeriy
breath. 1t did not last long, for 1t soon
proceeded gently from the northeast, and
the Ethelwynn passed the next mark
about forty seconds ahead.
From this point the passage home was
dead heat, the wind having shifted to
southeast, The Spruce overhauled the
Yankee boat, which made too long tacks to
the eastward, while the Britisher herring
boned it to windward and leeward in quite
short bitches. Thus the Britisher won,
crossing the line few seconds less than
half minute ahead of her opponent.
The challenger has made himself so
popular with our yachtsmen that his VIC
tory was hailed with reclamation, and es- |