The record-union., 1899-10-21
STORY OF THE RACE.

they have yet received for a race.
BY $50 both yachts We're passing
through the outer end of Gedneys
Channel, and a few min3*es later, after
casting off from their tug boats, they
were standing off and on, under main
sail and jib, trying the breeze, which
was now from about north by east and
increasing in weight every minute. BY
1920 the wind was blowing fully twen-
ty miles an hour. churning up quite
little sea, off the lightship. and it
looked doubtful then whether the
yachts would be able to carry even
working topsails over their mainsails,
much less their big club sails.
The committee boat set the course
signals south by west soon after 1920.
The preparatory signal was given at
1915, the warning at 1885 and the
one to start at IL o'clock.
Just as the preparatory signal was
given the Shamrock set her working
topsail and forestaysail. The Colum-
bias was not yet set. Both yachts were
maneuvering north of the line with
booms to starboard, when the warning
signal was given. The Shamrock, head
ing about northeast, had the Columbia
/
down, with their lee rails awash.
The Shamrock came about first, and
kept off for the line when two minutes
was left before the signal. The Co
lumbia, after standing on few seconds
longer on the port tack, came about on
the 81 amrock's weather quarter and
as both approached the line, with the
Columbia in the weather berth, the lat
ters Spinnaker boom was dropped to
port just as the gun was fired. The
Shamrock, running down before the
wind, reached the vicinity of the COM
mittee boat a few seconds too soon, so
Captain Hogarth kept her broad eff
to use up the time, and then luffed
across the committee boats stern just
as the gun was fired, crossing the line
at twelve knot clip, with the Colum-
bia several lengths aStern and on her
weather quarter. Captain Barr lUffed
the Columbia diagonally across the line
until the crew was ready to set the
spinnaker to starboard. 1t was broken
out at II :02 :02, the Shamrock's S 30 sec
onds later.
The official time of the start was:
Columbia 11:01 80, Shamrock IL 00:34.
The Shamrock had certainly the bet
ter of the start, and with such a breeze
blowing over her taffrail it seemed as
if her chance had come to show her
speed in a run down before the wind. In
setting the Columbia's spinnaker the
boom had been Stacked so far forward
that at II :03 the sail lifted over the
head stays by the force of the wind.
For moment it looked as if the sail
would be split, but by careful handling
of the guy it was brought back to its
position in a few minutes.
Those who expected to see the Col
umbia walk right away from the Sham
rock We're disappointed. Five minutes
passed, ten, fifteen, and there was no
noticeable difference in the positions of
the boats. The green yacht maintained
her lead, her spinnaker remaining ex-
| actly where it was put, and spiling the
wind into the staysai, jib and baby
jib topsails, which sails had been car
ried from the start.
Captain Barr, finding that the Column
bia was not overhauling the Shamrock
to any extent, had the working topsall
set. The spinnaker continued to be-
have badly, flying over the head stays
twice in the next twenty minutes,
thereby losing seconds of time for the
yacht The course of fifteen miles to
leeward was to bring the yachts down
off Asbury Park for the turn. When
they passed the Long Branch pier at
about IL 90 the Shamrock was leading
! by an eighth of a. mile, the Columbia
sailing directly in her wake. The Col
umbia took in her forestaysail at that
time, leaving only the jib as the head
sail.
At 1915 the Columbia, which had
been steadily gaining on the Shamrock,
passed to her port, taking in the work
ing topsail as she did so, so as to be
ready for the windward work. Her
spinnaker came in at 12:1S, and the
Shamrocks was doused thirty seconds
later. 1t was to be close work at the
run. Both shippers held on their spin
makers to the last moment, and there
had been no chance to round either
yachts main sheet.
The official time at the outer mark
was: Columbia 12:19:0O, Shamrock
| 12:19:17.
The Columbia's elapsed time from the
start to this point had been / hour, IL
minutes, 27 seconds, the Shamrock's
l hour, Is minutes, 43 seconds, showing
that in the fifteen mile run before the
wind the Columbia had gained l minute
1S seconds. The yachts were only sew
enteen seconds apart at the turn. This
was indeed close work after a fifteen
mile spinnaker run.
Leaving the mark to Starboard, the
Columbia luffed widely round it, while
the crew hauled after the main sheet.
The Shamrock's Captain was forced to
make still wider turn. Then luffing
up sharply, he tried to cross the Col
umbia's wake and capture the weather
berth. Skipper Barr, however, had a
weather eye out for such an emergency.
He gave the white sloop a North
River" luff. placing her we'll out on the
Shamock's weather bow.
It took some minutes to get sheets
trimmed and for both yachts to settle
down to business on the starboard tack
Captain Hogarth gave the Shamrock d
good hard full, hoping to outfoot the
Columbia. The wind was blowing at
! least twenty-five miles an hour, and
there was a jump of sea on, sufficient
to make racing craft do some heavy
diving They heeled till the greater
portion Of their weather bulges were
exposed. At 1892 the Shamrock's top
sail was taken in. She was then throw
ing spray in clouds across he deck,
making, if anything, worse weather of
it than the Columbia.
Captain Hogarth put her about at
1910, and one minute and thirty sec
onds later the Columbia went about.
This xac ahout twenty minutes a ftnr