The Washington times., 1901-07-30
COLUMBIA BARNS,FHE RACE
The Constitutions Defeat Fair
and Square, Beating.
Cup Defender Not to- Sail in Her
Present Rig Again-Mr. Duncan's
Explanation of the Yachts Lack
of Speed-To Go to Bristol Mt Once.

|
Explanation of the Yachts Lack
of Speed-TO Go to Bristol mt Once
+ NEWPORT, r. l., July 29.-The Column
bia, in the sloop class, and the Elmina.
in the schooner class, were the winners
of the Astor Cups today and everyone
is now talking of the defeat of the Con-
stitution. In a fair breeze varying In
force from ten to fourteen knots the Co
lumbia beat the Constitution, boat for
boat. by two minutes and flfty-four sec
onds over thirty-eight mile course.
| The Columbia gained over each leg of the
course, beating the Constitution thirty
two seconds in thirteen and a half miles
| before the wind: two minutes nineteen
seconds beating eighteen miles, and three
seconds reaching on the last leg, which
was six and a half miles in length.
The sea was comparatively smooth, a
northeast wind early in the morning
knocking it down. 1t was a fair and
square beating and no one has any ex-
cuses to make for the Constitution There
We're no fiukes, no interferences. and no
hardening or softening of the wind, ex-
cept on the first leg, when the Columbia
made quite a gain through bringing up
fresEening breeze. This would have
been overlooked by all If the new yacht
had been able to hold the Columbia turn
ing to windward. but, she did not and this
was very disappointing
The trouble with the Constitution seems
to be that as she Is now rfgged it is i'm
possible to keep her gaff from swinging
off and she does not trim as fiat when on
the wind as she should. The weight of
wind in her club topsails swings the gaff
off and this makes her go to leeward in
stead of pointing high and footing where
she looks. This error is to be remedied,
if possible, and the Constitution will at
once, go to Bristol to have her new rig
stepped.
The new spars are ready and it will
not take long to make the change, and it
is expected that when the yacht races
again she will be very much improved
and able to give the Columbia a good
beating. 1t Is possible that some changes
may be made in the trim of the yacht
while she is at Bristol. W. B. Duncan,
Jr., was seen on board the tender Mount
Morris shortly after the Constitution had
reached her moorings. Speaking of the
race, he said:
The Constitution was beaten because
she was not fast enough. The boat would
not so, and l don't know what is the mat
ter with her. l fully expected that the
Constitution would out-rlIn the Columbia
at least five minutes:to the leeward mark.
Instead, the Columbia beat us. She
brought up better breeze. and, perhaps
/ made a mistake in NOT ,luffing out
Il shall not race the 1Genstitution again
in her present shape. 1t is simply waste
of time and to no purpose. l think that
the fault of the boat. IS that the gaff
swings too wide and stops here going to
windward. The neHn rig for the yacht is
ready at HerreshoY.s and 1 shall teIe-
graph the riggers at once to get to work
This new rig will not alter the yacht s
sail plan at all. The lower mast is five
feet longer than the present one, but the
topmast will be shorter than the one now
on the boat 1t has been stated the boom
is to be shortened. This is not so. The
object Of putting ina longer lower mast
Is to change the lead of the peak hal
yards. and I think dwheff the osheets are
trimmed Hat with the new rig, We shall
be able to get the. gan in, and do much
better when going to windward. .-....,
The mainsah will have no more hoist
and the yacht will not have an inch more
canvas. | think that il will take about
week to make the change and then we
shall be ready for more racing"
According 10 the new measurement of
the yachts the Constitution had to allow
the Columbia 1 minute "a seconds time al
lowance over the course so that she was
beaten on corrected time by 4 minutes %
seconds. The race was a fast one. The
first leg of the course, which was dead
before the wind for thirteen miles, was
sailed by the Columbia in 1 hour 81 min
utes and SO seconds. The second leg, a
beat of eighteen miles, took l hour As
minutes and % seconds. They only made
three tacks to fetch the weather mark.
making two short starboard tacsz and
one long port tack.
The third leg. a reach of six and one
half miles. was sailed in % minutes 1S
seconds, which is a little more than thir-
teen knots an hour. The yawl Navahoe
started with an allowance of IL minutes
"a seconds. She was long way behind
at the finish and was beaten by the Co
lumbia 80 minutes seconds.
The Independence. although not eligible
to compete took a trial spin over the
course. IT seemed a pity that Mr.. Law
son had not made the proper arrange
ments to enter his yacht in the contest.
Had he done SO it would probably have
made the Astor Cup race of 1901 one of the
most memorable events in the history of
yachting. The Independence did not join
the racers until the second mark was
turned. She was ABOUT a mile TO IeeWaru
and much nearer the llghtship when the
Columbia turned the second mark, and
was waiting to have try with the two
on this point of sailing
When the Columbia got almost on even
terms with her she bore off with reach
ing jib tcpsail set. and reached on
course parallel with that over which the
racers were sailing. She sailed very fast
and kept in front of the Columbia until
the finishing line was reached, when she
ran down her lib topsail just as if she