The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1901-10-04
STORY OF
GREAT YACHT RACE.

The tow-out of the racers from their
anchorage to the starting line was
devoid of interest. There. was no heavy
swell to cause shippers anxiety about
their bobstays Thus it was that the
Shamrock set the largest Of her club
topsails and nothing daunted, the Co
lumbia followed suit. When the pre-
paratory gun was fired it was clearly
evident that the Columbia cared little
for the start which was made to lee
ward on a close reach the triangular
course offering no benefit whatever to
the craft first away. There was no
true battle for position
The committee boat Navigator
dropped anchor in her usual place
south of the Iightship. at 1890. and at
that time both yachts in tow under
barepoles headed up in the wind and
hoisted their mainsails. Their head
sails were already in stops The Co
lumbia was first to cast loose from her
tug, and q moment later her headsails
were broken out from her stops and
she made a clean run for the lightship-
The Column ia. which had been hug
ging the easterly end of the line. eased
off sheets and stood for the mark. Sig
nails were hOisted from the committee
boat that the course would be triangu-
lar, which meant that there would be
two close reaches and one dead beat
to windward for home.
The yachts heeled to a scuDper
breeze, when the preparatory gun was
fired at 10:45. The Columbia far to the
eastward stood down before the wind
for the line; meanwhile the Shamrock
was circling round the lightship.
Shamrock Of First.
Before the warning gun was fired,
ten minutes after the preparatory sig
nal. Columbia was ahead, and not
wanting to cross the line too early.
xs-;fA har pFo
until she almost stood still. This put
the Shamrock in the better position
and. wearing close round. she crossed
the line almost at the gun. while the
Columbia elected to cross considerably
more than one minute behind. MANY
would be handicapped. but Barr was
on the alert. and sent her across the
line in time to save himself.
With the wind forward on the port
beam and with tiny jib topsail set
on the Shamrock and a much larger
and better pulling sail on the Column
hia, the boats started out on the first
leg of the triangle. During the first
few minutes it was impossible to saw
whether the Columbia was gaining OF
not In the gusts of wind she seemed
TO heel over less than the CHALLENGER.
and also appeared to steer a slightly
higher course.
The wind. though heading true from
north-nOrthwest. varied in violence
Occasionally a heavy squan would
strike one of the racers, causing her
to heel. but taking the mean of the
puffs, neither could be said to have
been favored.
1t soon became apparent that the
race was to be sailed in very quick
time The gain of the Columbia which
the tt.sn of the first mark proved she
had made was almost imrerceptible.
Toward the mark the wind freshened.
The Columbia. with a lesser sail spread,
seemed to stand sitter than her rival.
but there was little TO choose between
them. They smothered along toward
the mark, and when they rounded it
the Columbia had gained only twenty
seconds.
Craft Well Handled.
The gybe on both craft was well
done Epder the same sail as they
started they both stood for the second