The Washington times. (Washington [D.C.]) 1901-1902, 1901-08-20
AFRAID TO FACE THE WIN D
The Breeze Too Stiff for Yacht
Racing Yesterday.
Managers of the Constitution and
Columbia Decline TO Risk the
Boats-The Course Signals We're
Set. hut No Start Was Made.

NEW YORK. Aug. i9.-At / o'clock to-
day the wind off Larchmont was blowing
from the northeast. at about twenty-five
miles an hour. and the haze was thick.
so the managers of the Constitution and
the Columbia concluded not to risk their
boats in A race. They had been cruising
about in the Sound for half an hour under
lower sails only and then ran across the
Sound and dropped anchor OFF the harbor
at Glen Cove. The Long Island shore of
the Sound was visible from Larchmont at
the time. At o'clock the wind was
still strong, but it was quite clear. At
no time during the day did the wind get
up within ten miles of that of the day
when the Genesta aud the Puritan sailed
their second race The committee at
o'clock declared the race off. and the next
race, weather permitting, will be Thurs
day. over the Saawanhaka Corinthian
Yacht Club course.
For the first time in nearly ten days.
there seemed good prospect early this
morning of some smart racing between
the Constitution and the Columbia, in
their third contest of the Larchmont
ries. \ strong twelve-knot northeast
wind was blowing straight up the sound,
bringing with it a thick mist and rough
ing up the sea. so that some of the yachts
anchored at the entrance of the harbor
tugged hard at their anchors as they
pitched and tossed in the short rollers.
Because of the mist, very little could be
seen of shore.
The Long Island shore was almost COM
rletely obscured, and there seemed early
in the forenoon little prospect of a good
view of the race from land. Still num-
Der of yachtsmen assembled on the club
verandas early in the day. and decided
to join what is known the rocking
chair fleet, and see what they could of
the race from comfortable seat at the
clubhouse. At $50 o'clock the fog seemed
to be getting thicker, and, while the wind
still held true from the northeast and
fully as strong, some of the yachts out
near the entrance of the harbor could
just be discerned in the mist.
1t was SO thick on the sound at 10
o'clock that Mr.. Duncan sent word ashore
that he would not race the Constitution
until the weather became more favorable.
This decision was made after a consulta-
ton with MIR. Morgan. of the Columbia.
who had come over from Glen Cove about
half hour before. Mr.. Morgan was on
board the Constructors tender. Mount
Morris, for about fifteen minutes after
which he went back to Glen Cove. At
1920, however, the weather cleared mater
tally. The rain ceased and the fog lifted,
so that the Long Island shore could
easily be seen. The Regatta Committee,
in Difference to the wishes Of Mr.. Duncan,
waited at the clubhouse. but IN the
meantime came to the conclusion that IL
the wind held and the yachts decided to
race, the course would be the reverse of
the one sailed on Friday and Saturday.
This meant that the racers would have a
broad but short reach of three miles
across the sound to Hampstead, a beat
down the sound Of six miles to the club
mark and run back OF six miles TO the
starting mark, distance Of fifteen miles,
the course to be sailed twice
Just before IL o'clock the weather
cleared still more and the Mount Morris
ran alongside the Constitution. 1t seemed
as if preparations were being made for a
race The wind at this time was blowing
over twenty knots and the Constitution
was pitching and struggling at anchor |
just outside the breakwater. About II |
o'clock the sail cover was taken off the |
CONSTITUTIONS mainSail and her headSaiS |
were sent up in stops. These preparation |
meant race. much to the delight of |
score or more of the yachtsmen at the |
clubhouse
Although the weather thickened again |
by Il 30 the Columbia came over from |
Glen Cove, under all sail. including her |
No. or smallest clubtopsail: Fifteen |
minutes TIE CONSTITUTION uOlSIeu Htr
and just before noon the com |
mittee left the clubhouse for the start. |
The wind at this time was blowing almost |
a gale from the east northeast, and there |
were prospects of a fine race. heavy |
st was also rolling in from the eastward. |
The Columbia after sailing few min |
utes took in her topsail, and both boats |
prepared for the race under three lower |
sails only.
BY Il o'clock the wind had breezed up |
to twenty-five knots II came from the |
northeast and was the strongest breeze |
that the two ninety-footers had encount- |
cred. The committee boat took UP her |
position off the starting line at 2:05. The |
fog was quite thick at that time and 1t |
looked though the racers were in for |
a nasty thrashing.
At 1915 the committee set signals an |
nouncing that the race would be sailed |
over course No. !. The first leg was a |
beat east three quarters north, six miles. |
the second leg a broad reach southwest |
west. and the third leg a reach |
north northwest, three miles. The racers |
were to sail twice around the triangle. |
The race was declined. however, as stated |