The San Francisco call., 1899-10-04
TECHNICAL
STORY OF THE
FIRST CONTEST

NEW YORK, Oct 3.-The Shamrock
towed by the tug Lawrence, was the
first OF the yachts TO leave Sandy Hook
Bay. She arrived at the whistling buoy
of the east end OF Gedney's Channel at
S:45. The crew began at once TO hoist
the mainsan. They put two battens in
the leach as il went up and at 10 o'clock
the yacht filled away on the starbOard
tack under jib and mainsail.
On board the Shamrock beside her
captains. Hogarth and Wringe, were
Vice Commodore Sherman Crawford
and Hugh AIcGm Downey Of the Royal
Ulster Yacht Club; Sailmaker Ratsey,
Navigator Hamilton and Henry F.
Lippett, the last named representing
the New York Yacht Club.
The Columbia, meanwhile, under jib
and mainsau on the port tack, came
reaching out for the lightship al ten
knot clip She passed close under the
stern of the Shamrock at 10 o'clock and
stood on 10 the eastward.
On board the Columbia. besides c.
Oliver Iselin and Mrs Iselin, were Cap
tain Herreshoff. William Butler Dun
can Jr., Captain Woodbury. Kane, Her
bert Leeds, Newbury Thorne and Hugh
Kelly, secretary Of the Royal Ulster
Yacht Club, representing that club on
board the Columbia.
The wind at this time was northeast
by north, blowing about twelve miles
an hour. Both yachts set their club
topsails at 10:30, the Columbia's men
handling their sails smarter than the
others.
At 1915 the committee boat. Walter
Luckenbach, in charge Of s. Nicholson
Kane. came TO anchor cable length
east of Sandy Hook ughtship and i'm
mediately hoisted the compass signal.
signifying that the course would be
south southwest. Ten minutes later
the Shamrock's crew rigged their spin
maker boom out TO port, all ready 10
set that sail.
Promptly at II o'clock the prepara-
tory signal-a blue peter-was set on
board the committee boat, and two red
balls hoisted on the triatic stay. At the
same time tug started 10 lead of the
course OF fifteen miles to 1eeward. Dur
ing the interval Of fifteen minutes be-
tween the preparatory and the start
ing signals the shippers Of both yachts
maneuyered 10 the northward OF the
starting line. Both stuck close 10 the
hghtship, and five minutes before the
starting signal the balloon iib topsail
was set UP in steps on the Columbia $
stay. The Shamrock sent up g No. 2
topsail about the same time.
AT one minute before the start the
Shamrock was approaching the line
from the eastward and the Columbia
from the westward. When thirty sec
onds were left the Shamrock which had
been coming for the line with boom 10
port, gybed TO starboaTd just as the Co
lumbia, with boom TO port, rounded the
west end OF the line and began easing.
Captain Hogarth, however, had his boat
several lengths in the lead. and just as
the signal was given he gybed the
Shamrock again, crossing the line thir-
ty-seyen seconds after the signal.
The official time Of the start was:
Shamrock. n:15:37; Columbia. 1I:16:20
The Shamrock had the better of the
start by forty three seconds. AS the
Columbia crossed the line she broke out
her No. 2 jib topsail. At 11:I7 the Co.
Iunbia's snirnakAr hsoeSomed olyf ro
port and she began at once to overhaul
the Shamrock. For some reason Cap
tain Hogarth did not see fit TO set the
Shamrock's spinnaker until four min
utes after the Columbia had set hers.
but as soon as ii was set the emerald
hued boat began to hold her own with
the Columbia, the yachts being then
not more than three lengths apart At
IL % The Columbia 5 bow sprit was Just
overlapping the Shamrock's starboard