The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1899-05-28
MARIE'S OWNER DISSATISFIED
MIR. STRACHAN DOESN'T THINK HIS
YACHT PROPERLY TREATED.

manent and Not in Accordance
with the Rules or the CIub-Mr.
simIxins Explains the Course Cf
the Committee-Mr. George Arm
strong states the Position of the
Marfe's Owners.
At a meeting Of the sailing committee
| of the Savannah Yacht Club yesterday
morning for the purpose of further con-
sidering the action of the committee in
the matter of the Marie, which was de-
barred from taking the prize money, after
winning the regatta race for yachts Of the
second class, the previous action of the
committee was reaffirmed and made final
When the Marie was decided by the
committee 10 he out of the race, as not
complying with the spirit of the rules OF
the club requiring that the cabin on
cabin yacht must be a permanent struc-
ture, her owner and captain, Mr.. f. d. NJ
Straehan, entered, protest and asked the
privilege Of a further hearing. He was
granted this privilege and the committee
assembled for this purpose in pursuance
to the call OF the chairman.
Mr.. Strachan was heard at length. He
said that he did not think that either he
or his boat had had fair treatment at the
hands of the committee, or had been given
a fair show to win the race. He had been
anxious 10 comply with every rule of The
club with which he was acquainted, and
TO make his boat come up, in spirit and
IN letter, to every one of the regula lions
governing the construction and classifica-
ton of yachts. When The boat was fin
ished the members of the committee were
invited TO inspect her. and had they then
given him notice that anything was
wrong he would have had it rectihed or
Withdrawn from the race.
'rhe rule of the club" said Mr..
Strachan requires that the cabin shall
be permanent aud This is the only rule
on the subject that has ever been pub
lshed or with which l am acquainted The
cabin of the Marie is permanent, ind is
constructed of hard wood and fastened
with galvanized iron nails. In size il
suits my own IDEAS of convenience and
those of my crew, and until the present
ruling of The committee / had no idea
that there were any other considerations
on this score 10 be consulted. Certainly,
the published rules of the yacht club are
silent on the subject"
Mr.. Strachan said that waving all ques-
ton of the correctness of the committees
decision. he certainly thought that he was
entitled to the courtesy of having this de-
cis!on announced to him prior
10 the race and that If
he was not entitled to enter the sec
ond class with the Marie that he should
not have been given his number and per-
mitted TO go over the codrse, with the con-
vietion. CLEANED from this action. that
everything was all right and that he had
complied with every requirement that the
committee exncted.
After hearing this statement the COM
mittee had a further consultation and al
ter some elaboration formulated the fol-
lowing decision. "In the matter of the
protest filed against the Marie by the own
er Of the Shamrock, the sailing commit
tee having given a personal inspection to
the structure built upon the Marie were
unanimously of the judgment that the
same was not of such a character as 10
entitle the Marie to be classed a cabin
yacht. within the spirit and meaning of
the classification adopted by the rules of
the club. And this being matter OF clas-
siGcation the hearing OF any testimony
could not have the effect of varying the
judgment of the committee"
When seen in reference TO the action of
the committee. Mr.. w. D. Slmkins chair
the committees understanding of the rules
of the club "In our opinion, reached
after a thorough personal inspection, the
structure built upon the deck of the Marie
was not a permanent cabin and could not
answer the purposes for which, in our
opinion. cabin is intended, the comfort
able housing of the crew. That now on
the Marie is not large enough to accommo-
date a crew very much smaller than is
! 10 oa Gai1 the NyaQhf
| indeed in comfort an single person.
'Refore the race the owner of the Sham
| rock Mr. Cecil Gabbett, made verbal
protest against the Marie, which we de-
manded should be put into writing. This
was done and we were Obliged under the
rules to consider and act upon il. From
| our standpoint our consideration could
have had but one result, the determna-
ton that we reached to rule out the Marie
| and award the race to the boat next CROSS
| ing the line. So far as the time of fling
| the protest is concerned, there is only one
rule for our guidance that it must be flied
! within six hours after the conclusion Of
! the race"
II notice in a published interview, at
tributed to a friend of Mr.. Strachan. that
| the statement is made that the rules of
the yacht club require that protests must
| be made and filed with the committee be-
| fore the race. This gentleman is mistaken
and there is absolutely no such require
ment. On the contrary, as l have al
! ready stated, six hours after the conclu-
| sion of the race are allowed in which to
! file protests. In the same article in which
| the interview appears it is stated that
| the sailing time of the Marie was not CIV
en- out. This is another error, for the
! sailing time of all the boats In the second
| class was given out, and will be in the flu
| ture to those who are properly entitled
! to examine the records. In this class
| should include the owners of the contest
ing yachts and representatives. of the
! newspapers"
There is no appeal from the decision
of the sailing committee, its action in
| ruling upon The class of the yachts or
other matters coming within its jurisdic-
ton being final. We have reached our
decision after full consideration, il was
| unanimous and we have no idea that il
is incorrect or desire 10 change It. AS
for the period of the race at which it
was made the criticism that Il should
have been made before, l have only to
| say that the Marie was not at the club
/ of