Audubon County journal. (Exira, Iowa) 1884-1993, 1901-10-03
RACE CALLED OFF.
YACHTS UNABLE TO GO OVER
COURSE IN TIME LIMIT.

YACHTS UNABLE TO GO OVER
COURSE IN TIME LIMIT.
Columbia Gets Better of Start, but
Challenger Rounds First Mark Over
Three Minutes Ahead-Wind Comes
Only in Puffs and Dies to Zephyr.
New York, Oct. 2.-Yesterday's at
tempt to sail the second of the present
series of the international yacht races
for the blue ribbon of the sea proved
dismal failure. Between 25,000 and
10000 people, who crowded the pleas
ure fleet off Sandy Hook lightship in
the hope of seeing repetition of the
thrilling race won by Columbia last
Saturday, witnessed instead more of a
drifting match than race. The wind
was exceedingly light and variable,
at times falling so low that the pen
nants which are as light as thistle
| down. hung limp against the masts
Of the big single stickers. The wind
with crews lined up on the lee rails
was not sufficient at any time To make
|
At the end of four and half hours the
two yachts covered less than one-half
of the prescribed course of 80 miles
and as there was no possibility of their
finishing within the time limit the re-
gatta committee declared the race off.
When the gun was fired announcing
this decision, the challenger was about
half mile ahead of the defender. To
that extent yesterdays trial was a
victory for Shamrock II. But the fuke
yesterday demonstrated little as to the
question of the supremacy between the
two boats, except perhaps that Sir
Thomas new champion is more dan
gerous in light airs than was sup
posed after her two former meetings
with the white flyer, to which the pat
riots are pinning their faith. In fuky
winds of variable strength, shifting as
they did yesterday through six points
of the compass, luck cuts almost as
much figure as model seamanship. and
yesterday fortune was Enthusiastically
with the foreigner.
Columbia First to Get Out.
The course was an equilateral tri-
angle, ten miles to the leg. The Yam
kee skipper at the start outgeneraled
his adversary in a fine piece of Jockey
ing, crossing the line in the windward
berth 12 seconds ahead of the Brit,
Usher. This advantage Columbia held
for two hours. while both yachts
steered far off their course to the
southward hunting for streak CT
wind. Finally Barr declined to longer
continue the vainless quest. He put
his helm down and headed in shore
on the starboard tack. The Shamrock
at this time, after both had been sail
ing in the same airs was a beaten
boat and her skipper could afford to
take gamblers rance with fortune.
He held doggedly on and fortune
smiled upon him. Within five minutes
he got breeze out Of the south,
which ruffled the crestless seas and
waited him like ghost through the
, Columbia's weather. But this was not
. his best piece of good fortune. After
, this reverse. the Columbia, slipping
through the seas at an astonishing
pace, considering the lightness of the
breeze, had worked out ahead of the
Shamrock, but to leeward.
Wind Begins Its Antics.
When the two yachts were in this
, position, about two miles from the
first turn, cant of the wind threat
} ened to blanket Columbia and to avoid
such a possibility Barr went under
Shamrock's stern. Just as he did sc
) the wind hauled around more to the
No H~I, s1Sr I.
off and she seemed headed almost bach
/. for the lightship at the starting line
) The golden boat, favored by the same
; breeze, was headed in exactly the op
, posite direction. Then the shifting
wind backed again and when Barr go,
) the Columbia Strengthened out he was
!. a third of mile astern. In this po
t sition the two boats rounded the frs,
: mark, the Shamrock three minutes and
: eight seconds before Columbia, or g
! gain for Shamrock in the beat to wind
| ward, adding the IL seconds which
3 Columbia beat her over the line, Of
three minutes and twenty seconds.
During the next hour in close
reach for the second mark, the yachts
were able to cover about four and 6
8 half miles of the remaining 20 and as
only Is minutes then remained before
l. the expiration of the time limit the
1 race was declared off. After turning
!, the mark the experts thought Sham
rock increased her lead slightly. Thi.
l. gain may, however, be accounted fol
d by the fact that she carried large
l. reaching topsail, while Columbia wa.
a working close to the wind with small
r baby jib. mere handkerchief com
e pared to Shamrock's larger sail
Il When the excursion fleet headed bacl
d for home the only real race of the da,
r occurred. 1t was the race for New
York.
l. Both the Yankees and the foreigner.
:. are praying for good stiff breeze OF
l, Thursday. when yesterdays race viii
9 be resailed.
d. r.