New-York tribune., 1901-08-17
CONSTITUTION WINS DRIFT.
COLUMBIA MooRED TO A DEAD CALM
AT FINISH.
THE NEW DEFENDER SAILS AWAY FROM
THE OLD IN FITFUL BREEZEs
AT IARCHMONT

airs that were most htful and treacherous in the
last round Of the course. Owing 10 a Northwestern
ly shift OF wind. which removed the need OF peat
ing the six miles OF the second leg OF the course
the Constitution was able TO finish the thirty miles
in fairly good time but long before that time the
Columbia had been effectually knocked out by bad
luck the essterly mark Of the second round
where the interest then ceased to exist
The DAY showed again that in perfectly smooth
water and in airs that leave the water CLASSY the
Constitution is a wonder. and her other races have
suggested that her ability TO beat the Columbia
generally ends in these conditions. Thus. although
the procession in the last two-thirds OF the second
round was rather tedious. il so through no
fault Of the Larchmont Yacht Club. whose ar
raneements were perfect. Howard W. Coates or
the Larchmont committee. as busy as ever IN
looking after the welfare and enjoyment of the
club members and guests the chartered steamer
and was fun OF regret that hard luck left the Co
lumba so far in the lurch.
The crews Of the two big defenders began early
al the work Of preparing the Constitution and the
Columbia for their first contest of the Larchmont
Yacht Club series, and there was hot haze over
the Glen Cove waters the sails were hoisted
Just catspaw was tinting the waters Of Long
Island Sound the yachts sailed across toward
LarchmonJ The time that this short passage
occupied contained sufficient prophecy of the way
the DAY would turn out The Constitution was the
first 10 appear of Larchmont soon after o'clock,
and the Columbia soon afterward seen from
the broad verandas Of the clubhouse
BY the time yachts had swung away into the
Sound the wind had hauled westerly and had in
creased slightly. Still, at II o'clock. when the
judges boat had taken UP her position at the start
It not blowing over two knots hour. Both
yachts spent long time in sailing about under
nnainsaf two head sails and cubtopsails. The Con-
stitution had her large No. up. but the Columbia
her No ? Just before Il 80 o'clock the Colum-
bia toward Hampstead and changed her No
for her No. clubtopsail At the time set for the
start. 1l.30 O'Clock the wind had died TO almost
a calm. and the judges decided not TO send the
yachts or until there were better prospects Of
breeze. At noon there was not much Improvement
the committee waited while longer. During
this time two yachts were curving about, their
shippers being busy in clearing the collected fleet
There were hundreds Of small craft out TO see the
racing. and among these about twenty large
steam yachts There air moving of the
weakest possible description On the Constitution
were August Belmont. F G. Bourn. c. Oliver
Iselin, ". Butler Duncan, jr- Newberry D. Thorne,
Ralph n. Ellis and several other and two
women. On the Columbia Edwin D. Morgan seemed
almost alone with his skipper and crew.
The course for the yachts thirty miles in
length, being first six miles east, three-quarters
north, then six miles southwest, fve-eighths west
and then north-northwest three miles TO the home
mark on Larchmont- This hfteen-mile triangle
was sailed twice round
AT 1:2o Barr set a No jib topsail in stops and
there were one two shifts both boats before
the first signal given. This was TO be at 80
O'Clock, and Barr took the Columbia out TO wind
ward OF the starting line and Of the Constitution
The light air southwesterly.
hen the gun went at 1:SO o'clock both boats
came down neck and neck toward the line, the
Columbia 10 windward AS both were ahead Of
time, the Constitution gybed round toward the
north. Barr did the same. and then headed up
and again Tapped the windward side OF the Consti-
tuition. They then both payed away northerly and
at l:S2:4o the Constitution gybed her boom to port
and headed round slowly for the line. Barr gybed
also and bore down toward the Constitutions
weather quarter. One minute before the gun he
headed for the line. when the Constitution coming
up from the leeward with the weight of the wind
in her sails moved at good pace toward more
~lnoWard part OF the line Barr headed up also,
but not with so much way on. and then Rhodes
parted company with the Columbia and bore for
the line after the 1:S5 signal start.
This was not, usual at Larchmont a regular
one-gun start, and the times We're taken by the
committee. The Constitution crossed first and 70
leeward at 1861. the Columbia crossing further
10 windward the line and fifteen seconds later
at 1876. They here had the south-southwest wind
several points abaft abeam. as they moved fast
over the oily water. In expectation Of a lufing
match that might have TO be fought TO close
Jam, Rhodes was only carrying small lib topsafl
Barr was carrying larger reaching lib topsail
that extended from truck 10 bowsprit end. and he
was careful not to provoke any lufhng match for
which he had not the right sail. Still he did get
lufed out quite little from the due course II
was noticeable that the Columbia's main boom was
much closer in than the CONSTITUTIONS which was
pretty wide on in comparison. Barr seemed to
hold Rhodes about even in the first half of this
run, but lost ground when the wind fell
lighter further toward the easterly mark They
both had 70 pay of bit meeting a long line Of
three barges While they cleared this tow Rhodes
was looking for blanket and eating out but Barr
pointed more for his lee and did not court luf-
mig match At l:49 both were running OF the
more breezy streak and l:52 80 Constitution
lowered her sDinnaker boom TO starboard for use
when they both payed of to their course Five min
Utes later the wind still lighter. and the Con-
stituton drawing out a little ahead. She payed
off to her course at 2:Ol and her headsails fell in
Both set their spinnakers to starboard and
they were nearing the eastward mark the Constitu-
ton began preparing for her windward work and
set her smallest jb topsail, while the Columbia
seemed to gain again. and aiming for her
rivals starboard side so wind her in the
ming She did not pull up much, however, and at
zaz Rhodes dowsed his spnnaker and worked in
his mainsheet before coming TO the mark.
She took the mark at 2l5:4S the Columbia fol-
lowing ! minute and Is seconds later az 2:l7:l6.
The Constitution stayed round the mark and
went into port tack place herself directly to
Windward Of the Columbia when she came by the
wind. Barr did not follow this lead, but slipped
away fast for the Long Island shore. getting his
wind clear before the Constitution could turn 10
blanket him While directly behind the two racers
on this course. II could be from the tug that
the Columbia heading a point higher than
her rival and il the wind lasted il seemed 10 need
but short time find her 10 windward, but
IN this calm water. with its surface fiat a
mirror. the Constitution could go at great pace
though NOT pointing high. AT 1888 she stayed
the Long Island shore and the Columbia held
Constitution gained. and she went shoreward again
2:3e. Al 24S Barr went southery again. but
went about on his weather bow at 80 but as soon
the Constitution was committed the
board tack Barr slid away to the port tack
tack and Went aios 10 The westward ,e G Ba&r s@r
a