The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-08-16
DRIFTING MATCH.
A Top Sail Breeze
Waves to Gentle
Zephyr.
GREATEST START EVER MADE.
Two Big Single Suckers
Cross Line Two Sec
onds Apart.
GREATEST START EVER MADE.

Newport, Aug. 15.-Under the clearest
of sky and in as fine topsail breeze as
one could desire, Columbia put the I'm
ishing touch on her series of trial races
against Defender in the presence of the
New York Yacht club fleet today, win
ming the 21-mile race by minutes So
seconds The weather was the finest
imaginable which greeted the throngs
of yachtmen on board the big fleet in
the harbor
For once, however, the spectators
were disappointed, the fickleness of the
breeze being the cause Of it all, and the
contest, which looked at the start as if
it was going to be a splendid one, de-
velped into lazy drifting match and
for hours the pleasure craft floated
about, while those on board watched
the two big sloops, Columbia and De-
fender, creep along at a snails pace.
There were just three redeeming fea-
lures in today's race, the wonderful
start that both big sloops made. the
molly fought luffing match between
Quisetta and Amoriat, and the surpris-
there was scarcely bit of wind.
The race was given by the New York
Yacht club as wind up of the annual
cruise so far as racing is concerned, and
cups Which were designated as wind-up
cups were offered as prizes for the COM
peting yachts. In addition to the races
between the schooners and sloops, all
the 30-footers in these waters had a
little match Of their own the trophy
being handsome silver cup offered by
Commodore j. PlerP 1t Morgan of the
New York Yacht club. Then there was
considerable interest in the schooner
class, in which Amorita and Quisetta
competed. Each Of these fast yachts had
won the same number of squadron runs
during the cruise, and to settle this tie
their owners decided to call today's
race the aail-off also. OF course, Column
bia won from Defender, and 1t appears
that the people down this way are get
ting rather tired of seeing these big
single-stickers race, for the fleet that
witnessed the contest was not nearly
as large as yesterday.
Amorita won easily from her rival
Quisetta, but for time 1t looked like
q good close match. However, the for
mer seemed to like the light air the bet
ter, and she soon dropped Quisetta away
aetern. The thirty-footers had a good
time by themselves, sailing a 14-mlle
course, and it was through the sl1illful
work of Carolinas skipper that she won
out.
The start made by Columbia and De-
FENDER has never been equalled by
such large boats in any race. A bare
two seconds separated them when they
tore over the line, carrying clouds Of
canvas aloft and they were only 81 Sec
onds later than gun fire in crossing. Ten
minutes before the time to start, both
shippers began joekeying for the bet
ter position and Charlie Barr proved
once more what a great head he has, by
placing Columbia just to weather of De-
fender, less than fifty feet away. 1t is
no discredit to Capt. Rhodes, however,
that he was under the new boats lee
for one Of the two had to be there in
such start as todays and it fell to
him to be the unlucky one.
Time was getting short when Barr
jibed Columbia's mainsaH to starboard
and swung the fine ship around for the
line. Defender was already steering
that way, and down they both came for
It, breaking out jib topsails and hoist
ing balloon staysails as they did so.
For few seconds they held along on
exactly even terms, but Columbia hav-
ing the weather berth cut off, Defend
er's wind just enough to check her a
little, and as they both crossed about
one-quarter of Columbia's hull was
showing by Defenders bow. In a min
ute more Defender was astern and Co
lumbia heading for the flag mark off
Point Judith with a lead of a good
length. From there on it was simply a
steady gain for the new boat except
when the wind died out almost entirely
after she rounded the second mark and
was coming for home under spinnaker
and balloon lib. Defender seemed to
hold the breeze after she rounded,
closing up the long gap a bit, but it was
only for few minutes, then she got
into the soft spot, too, and under equal
conditions Columbia drifted away from
her fast.
In the schooner class Quisetta led
across the line, well up to the weather
end, and Amorita crossed third, a half
minute later. Once clear of the light
ship both shippers began to pinch up to
windward as much as their balloon jibs
and main top mast staysails would al
low Amorita made UP the distance
between her and her rival soon after
the start, but for a long time could not
get through her lee. The luffing match
carried the two boats away off their
course, and finally when Amorita got
the lead they were able to carry their
spinnakers down to the first mark
when it would have ordinarily been a
reach.
To add to the interest, the small
sloops sailed a pretty race over the
same course, Syce winning from Kestral
by a comfortable margin.