The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1899-10-07

The Judges boat SlSnalleQ LQdI
course would lie south Of southwest,
bringing the boats along the Jersey
coast down to Long Beach
The yachts spent a half hour after
arriving at the start in trying the
strength of the wind running about on
one tack or the other and UP and down
off and on the wind.
AS the time for the start approached
the wind seemed to decrease and at 10:30
was not blowing much over Il knots.
The Shamrock was the first to decide as
to tOpsails and at 10:40 O'Clock her big
club topsails were set, indicating that
those on board did not fear an increase
of the breeze. At the time she set the
sail alOft she was about half mile
from the light ship heading toward
Long Beach on the port tack The Co
lumbia ran along behind her on the
starboard tack and at 10;42 her top
sail was run up.
At 11:05 the Corsair having arrived
with a large number OF other yachts the
preparatory gun was fired. Both boats
were then to leeward of the starting
point and about on even terms. The
Columbia to windward of the judges
Columbia went to W1ndWard OF the
Judges boat and tackled starbOard.
The Shamrock was already on that
tack and the Columbia crossed her bow.
Both boats at lib had club tOpsails,
mainsaiI and jib set and when at 11:15
the warning gun was fired the Sham
rock went to port about the stake boat
and the Columbia to starboard, both
heading for the line.
After getting ShamrOckS tOpSau in
place, Sailmaker Ratsey discovered
that it was not fitting properly, so it
was lowered TO the deck This move
ment caused the people on the COlum-
bia some wonder and easing off &. bit
the American boat ran down past the
challenger to see what the trouble was.
Hardly had the Columbia got alongside
when the ShamrOck's crew commencing
hoisting the same club tOpsa1 and it
appeared to fit satisfactorily.
Al 1:05 the gun on the tug Lucken-
bach spoke out the preparatory signal
the blue peter and a red ball were
hoisted to the foretopmast and main
topmast heads. Then the shippers on
the rival boats began jOckey1ng for the
start in earnest. The Columbia was
about northeast from the Hghtship
heading for it, with sheet amidshlps.
This was to allow the Columbia people
to have a good look at the Shamrock
as the Iatter's crew fiddled with the
club tOpSail-
When the topsaiI on the green boat
was properly in place she was trimmed
and as soon as the vessel had sufficient
headway. she bore off to starboard
toward the eastward end of the line
The Columbia after running down Dy
the IightShip trimmed sheets and start
ed along the port tack on the lee side
of the line coming around under the
stern of the committee tug.
The Columbia had the weather posi-
not Oust her from her better berth.
AS the boats tore along toward the
lightship in almost a parallel dlrectlon
to the starting line they made beaut1-
ful picture. Both yachts had their boom
to port, with the wind over their coun-
ter and they heeled down to the pres
sure on their sails, throwing out big
wave from the port quarter. Just be-
fore getting to the lightship, the Column
bia eased off quickly and crossed the
line at 11:21:22, breaking out huge
ballOoner.
The Shamrock tried to get nearer to
the lightship than her rival in order to
break up Columbia's wind, but found
that she had not room and so she cross
ed on the COlumbia'S S weather quarter
at 11:21:19 The ShamrOck's position
almost compelled her to take the Col
umbia's wind The Columbia up to the
start seemed to be having the best of it.
Indeed, she was the first over, but the
Shamrock pointed into a weather berth.
This was the challenge that set Barr
off his course and down on the fleet of
steamers. The torpedo boats shrieked
wildly. They did not need second look
to know that Barr and HOgarth as we'll,
would sail through walls of iron, rather
than give in in the first battle of the
new day. So they kited back and forth
along the edges of the fleet, whistling
Justify.
The difference in sails was easily ap-
parent. The Shamrock was carrying
her biggest club tOpsail and her stay
Sa1l ana 1lD. w Qen the COlulnDla DTOkG
out her big ballOOner which filled in a
hearty, wholesome way she took a
squirt The Windward vancouver be
ginning with the preparatory gun was
called off within fifteen minutes after
the start. Both boats set back into the
course, Columbia in the lead. Both
squared off on the course. For a mile
the wind, miles an hour, held true.
Then a soft spot at least two miles in
diameter developed. The wind was up
and down in the big ballOoners for fif
teen minutes. Then a five mile breeze
came up, and off they went.
At 1920 the Shamrock passed the
Columbia.
About miles from the turn the Co
lumbia was about 5000 yards in the
lead. Each racer was carrying club
tOpsail, mainsail, spinnazer and balloon
jib. The breeze had dropped to about
six miles an hour and was, as in the two
previous trials. variable
It looked as if another drifting match
was on. For about ten minutes the
relative positions of the yachts was
practically unchanged, when suddenly
the Shamrock stirred up a little en-
thusiasm. She had been holding more
to the windward of the course, the Co
lumbia was steering, evidently looking
for wind and soon she found it A
freShening breeze from off the Jersey
shore filed the Emerald sails and slow
ly but surely she pulled out ahead
The Shamrock seemed to do less roll
ing than her rival and consequently did
not spill the wind out of her sails as
much as did the Columbia
By 1880 the Shamrock had a lead of
more than an eighth of mile but the
race was decidedly lacking in interest.
For over an hour neither yacht had
touched a sheet, or altered sail.
At 12:40 the Shamrock had increased
her lead to about a fifth OF a mile by
standing to windward thus catching the
breeze first as it came off shore.
At 1888 the Shamrock took in her
spinnaker and gybed over having stood
so much to Windward hunting for wind
that to head for the mark she had to
get on the port tack. A few minutes
later she sent his spinnaker to port
The Columbia followed suit and both
yachts with Syinnaker to port were
speeding for the mark which was five
mile. nd the s.L,. -.,.-c..l- -.