The San Francisco call., 1899-10-04


bow, the latter having the offshore
berth, but she was unable 10 hold that
position long. In eight minutes the
Shamrock, which seemed TO hold the
wind better, had pulled out fully five
lengths ahead OF the Columbia and
seemed TO be gaining every minute
Both yachts were heading considerably
10 the westward Of their courses. and
at y O'Clock the Shamrock. which had
been steadily gaining, was quite an
eighth OF mile ahead OF the Bristol
boat.
AT 1915 the wind shifted TO the
northwest. The Columbia. being in
shore, caught il first The crew took
in the spinnaker shortly Captain
Barr gybed her 10 port, trimmed down
staysail and balloon jib topsail sheets,
and in just five minutes the Columbia
had walked past the Shamrock and was
the leading boat. Captain E0garth
gybed the Shamrock. after taking in
the spinnaker, al 12:16. They set her
spinnaker TO starboard al 1880. but
only for five minutes Captain Ho-
garth. finding he was losing time, took
The sail in smartIy and luffed the green
slOop across the Columbia's wake,
taking a position on the starboard
quarter.
The outer mark was obscured by a
haze, SO that il was not visible from
the yachts until l .. n. That did not
matter much TO either Captain Ho-
garth or Captain Barr for they were
indulging in lufing match close in on
the Jersey beach for more than half an
hour. Finally Captain Barr. having
the Columbia we'll ahead. eased sheets
and kept of for the mark at 1:05,
crossing the Shamrocks bow one
eighth OF a mile ahead. AT III he set
the spinnakar on the Columbia 10 star
he
mark at perhaps not more than q six
knot gait.
Al 1:23 in came the spinnaker again
on the Columbia the wind having
hauled back 10 the noTthward, and her
boom was gybed 10 staTboard and her
balloon jib topsail trimmed The
Shamrock had gyhed five minutes be-
fore. but she was not gaining any up
20 this time. Approaching the outer
mark the Columbia crew doused the
balloon iib topsau smaTtly, and as they
rounded the mark, q float bearing q red
ball with a white stripe, which had TO
be left on the starboard hand. the big
main boom swung over TO port All
sheets were trimmed fat on the star
board tack. and the Columbia thus be-
gan her fifteen miles Of windward
work.
The time taken at the outer mark as
each yacht luffed around ii was; CO.
lunbia, 1:37:57: Shamrock, 1:5si5S-
So il will be seen by the official fig
ures that in the run OF nfteen miles
from the start TO the outer mark the
Columbia ouTsaiIed the Shamrock two
minutes forty-four seconds. Her elaps-
ed time to this point was 2;21:3I;
Shamrock, 2:24:2l
Captain Barr kept the Columbia on
the fnshore tack for two minutes forty
five seconds after rounding the mark
when he let her come about 10 the port
tack. setting the baby jib topsau as
she filed away. In twenty seconds he
swung her about again. The Sham
rock. meanwhile, stood of on the star
board tack TWO minutes and twelve sec
onds, when Skipper Hogarth put her
about and began his windward work
in earnest with the Bristol boat. The
wind was now northeast-north. and on
the port tack both yachts were head
ing with sheets trimmed down fat
within four points OF the wind, which
had now increased TO about ten miles
II was not steady, however, and its
fukiness became apparent at 1:55. when
II began heading of the Columbia. The
Shamrock tackled TO sLarbOard at 1:96,
spinning around on her heel in fifteen
seconds. from full TO full, but 10 the
astonishment Of the thousands who
witnessed the Columbia's next tack,
fifteen seconds later, she swung around
in the almost incredibly short space
Of ten seconds, timed by a stop watch.
Captain Hogarth, apparently feeling
confident that by series Of short tacks
he could get TO the windward Of the
Columbis, put the Shamrock about four
times in three minutes and forty sec
onds Captain Barr followed suit and
his nimble crew trimmed sheets just as
fast as those on the Shamrock and
when they both settled down TO steady
work again at 2:14:50. the Columbia
was still well in the lead and gaining
Captain Hogarth thought il best at 2.20
TO split tacks with his antagonist, so
he put the Shamrock on the port tack.
thinking the Columbia would not fol-
low, but she did. and when the latter
yacht tackled at 2;21:35 she was nearly