The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1895-03-18
REGATTA AT MONACO.
The Principal Event of the
Series of Races That Will
Occur.
LIGHT WINDS AND SLOW TIME
A Poor Trial of the Qualities of the
Winning and Losing
Yachts.

MONTE CARLO, March 1.-THE Nc
naco regatta opened to-day and the princi-
pal event, the race for the prize offered by
the Prince of Monaco, was won by the
Prince of Wales yacht Britannia, which
gave the Ailsa her first defeat The Brit
annia's victory however, did not create the
greatest enthusiasm among impartial
yachtsmen, for the reason it was gained in
poor trial of the qualities of the respect
i've boats and was partly due to the Ailsa
holding her opponent too cheaply.
The race was for the Prix de Prince AL
bert l, open to all yachts above twenty
tons.
The weather was beautiful, but the wind
was light and huky, and this, of course,
made an exciting race an impossibility.
Considerable doubt was expressed as to
whether the Britannia would start in race
on Sunday, owing mainly to the presence
of Queen Victoria at Cimes, but this diff
Guilty was overcome by the Prince not going
on board his yacht. He watched the race
from the terrace at Monte Carlo.
The course, which covered distance of
fifteen miles, was in the shape of a tri-
angle. The wind was blowing a light
breeze from the southeast when the yachts
got near the starting line, where they for
some time lazily kept luffing and filling,
waiting for the signal to start. The COM
petitors were, in addition to the Ailsa and
Britannia, the Corsair and Valkyrie l.
The first leg was about to windward and
all the racers stood off to the eastward with
their starboard tacks pretty close aboard.
The Ailsa could probably have got off
sooner had she so desired, but she waited
until she could come around in the Bri-
tannia's weather. 1t took the Ailsa but
short time to overcome the thirty-one sec
onds the Britannia had gained on the start,
and then she had the Prince of Wales
cutter broad on her lee beam, blanketing
her for time, and then forged ahead and
continued to gain until she had but two
short boards to reach Cape Marin.
All interest was centered in the leaders,
and as Cape Marin was reached it was the
general opinion that the Ailsa, barring &C
cidents, was a sure winner, she having not
only overcome the Britannia's 81 seconds
lead at the start, but gained a lead of 2
minutes and seconds. The Cape Marin
turning mark was rounded by the leaders in
the following time: Ailsa, 1928 so; Bri-
tannia, 1880 81.
What little breeze there was began to
grow less after the yachts stood up for
Roquebrune. On this leg the wind was
well aft and, caught straight on their
course, the spinnakers were broken out on
both racers. In a short time the breeze
freshened a little, and the Britannia was
the first to get the benefit of it. AS her
spinnaker and main sail filled she shot
ahead, and those on the Ailsa began to
think the stern chase was going to be a
shorter one than they had at first expected.
Soon the Britannia overh auled the Ailsa
and went to the front, rounding the
Roquebrune mark SO seconds ahead of the
Aiisa, their respective time being: Bri-
tannia, II 40 10; Ailsa, 12:49:4S.
1t was a short and easy reach home
The Britannia continued to gain slowly,
and at the finish of the first round she was
43 seconds to the good. The first round
was finished as follows: Britannia, u
hours 56 min. 10 sec. Ailsa, IL hours 56
min. SO sec.
On the run up to the Roquebrune mark
the racers had the wind, which was getting
more westerly aft the port beam. The
Britannia had luffed out good bit. The
Ailsa drew to the windward as well, and
the Britannia luffed up farther and farther.
Both kept at it until they were so far out
in the bay that when they headed for the
mark they put the wind well enough astern
to make run for it. The spinnakers were
again set, and then the Britannia began to
get through the water quicker than her
opponent. Slowly but surely she came
along, and in short time stole into the
lead. Rounding the mark the pair were
overlapped, the Britannia blanketing the
Ailsa. This resulted in the latter having
to make short tack to get around, and in
the meantime the Britannia fetched around
and reached for home with good lead.
The time of the finish of the second round
was: Britannia, 1 hour As min. 40 Sec.
Ailsa hour 45 min. 48 sec.
Thus, the Britannia won easily, without
reckoning the time allowed her by the
Ailsa. The actual time occupied in cover
ing the course was: Britannia, 2:19:OO:
Ailsa, 2:20:34; Valkyrie, 2:47 90; Corsair,
2:47:10.
Mr.. Aliens ten-rater Dakotah won the
race for her class, easily beating the st.