The record-union., 1899-10-08


rocks club topsail, and in just nine
mastheaded and sheeted out. The Co
lumbia kept her No. 2 topsail on, Cap
tain Barr probably hoping that it would
be a more desirable sail in the wind
ward work, and that it would not
make sufficient difference in the work
down the wind.
At 11:Oo a. m. the preparatory signal
was given, at 11:15 the warning signal,
and at 1880 the gun to start. When
the warning signal was given both
yachts were on the starboard tack.
east of the committee boat, the Colun-
bia to windward and both heading to
the southwest. The wind was then
light from the north-northeast, with lit
tie promise of freshening. The Column
bia luffed first of the two, until she was
close on the wind on the starboard
tack, beating as if to cross the COM
mittee boats bow The Shamrock
stood on little longer, then gybed and
came up on the same tack, setting her
staysail as she did So Captain Barr,
to fill in the time kept the Columbia
off for about thirty seconds, then luffing
her sharp on the wind again, headed
her to fetch close by the committee
boats bow on the way to the line. Her
staysail had not been set, and the
Shamrock was travelling with better
headWay toward the same spot.
Skipper Hogarth, seeing his chance, it
not being less than a minutes before
gun fire, sent the Shamrock's bow
spirit close along the Columbia's lee
quarters, ready to luff out at gun fire,
if the opportunity came. Both yachts
were running parallel to the line, neith-
er daring to keep off until the signal
They were able to be at the center of
the line at gun fire.
Quick as flash Skipper Hogarth
put her helm down, shot the Shamrock
across the Columbia's wall, and as he
Strengthened her up again her bow
spirit overlapped the Columbia's wealth
er quarter He was able to accom-
plish this by reason of the Irish boat
having better headway than the Co.
lumbia.
Captain Barr held his course almost
over to the lightship at the weather
side of the line before sweeping off, thus
trying to force Hogarth out of the
commanding position which he had so
cleverly obtained; but in vain. The
Shamrock not only held her position,
but began to overhaul the other and
blanket her.
The official time at the start was: CO.
lumbia, 11:21:02; Shamrock, 11:21:19.
AS on one of the previous races, Ho-
garth did not set his balloon jib top
sail, being better prepared with her No.
2 jib topsail for the luffing, which he
felt was sure to come. It came with a
vengeance, for the Columbia in order
to prevent the Shamrock from blanket
ing her, was obliged to luff fully half a
dozen points out Of her course AS it
was, in five minutes her mainsail was
blanketed by the Shamrocks, the only
sail drawing on the Columbia being the
balloon jib topsail, for a few minutes.
So far out of their courses were they
luf1ing that all the excursion fleet on
the west side of the course had to get
out of the way at full speed.
Ten minutes after the start the Sham
rock had the weather berth, the Co
lumbia a couple of lengths under her
lee bow. Five minutes later the Sham
rock took in her small staysail and set
a balloon staysail. In spite of all she
could do, the Shamrock was not able
at this time to outfoot Columbia suf-
fciently to pass clear ahead of her,
even though she blanketed her several
times. Finally, at IL Al, the Shamrock
kept square off the course, breaking out
her spinnaker, the Columbia following
the head of the Shamrock's spinnaker
would not break out, while its foot was
trailing in the water. Her balloon jib
fC11
earlier, and both sails We're pulling
splendidly. Sometimes the Columbia's
bowsprit showed out ahead, and some
times the Shamrock's, looking at them
from point on the starboard beam of
both boats. The Columbia finally pulled
out a length to the good, and in ten
minutes she had gained another length,
until she was fully half dozen lengths
in the lead.
This was encouraging to the Ameri-
can spectators while it lasted, but it
did not last long. The yachts had been
sailing down along the Jersey beach,
and within three miles of it. They
were SO far off their courses that it soon
became evident they must gybe to fetch
the outer mark AS soon as Hogarth
saw the mark at 1852 he took in the
Shamrock's spinnaker, gybed her and
trimmed down the balloon jib topsail
sheet in just three minutes. Before the
Columbia's people had realized what
he was up to, the green boat, with
everything drawing splenddly, was
lufflng up toward the American boat
In just six minutes she had passed her.
Then Captain Barr and his crew woke
up, took in the spinnaker and gybed
the Columbia smartly, but were slow
in trimming down the balloon sheet
The Shamrock was then we'll out to
windward Of the Columbia Hogarth
set the spinnaker for five minutes,
which gave her an additional lead of
several lengths. The Columbia did not
set hers until / 20, and took it in a few
minutes later.
The outer mark was now in plain
sight, and both yachts were approach
ing it with booms abroad off to star
board. At / :33 in came the Shamrock s
jib topsail, the Columbia's two minutes
later; then both yachts gybed at
$3.50. The Columbia had gained so
much during the past fifteen minutes
that 1T was evident there was going to
be some close work at the outer mark.
Just as the whistles of the excursion
fleet began their screeches of welcome
to the yachts, the Shamrock's crew
trimmed down sheets as the yachts
luffed around the mark The Colum-
bias bowsprit was right over her taft
rail, however, and as she came up to
the wind Captain Barr shot the Bristol
boat in between Shamrock and the
mark neatly taking the weather berth.
1t was a clever bit of maneuvering