New-York tribune., 1901-07-07

0tSsA Do&iu tetCh Ut I-.-' Inc constitution
opening out leeward lead the Columbia.
but not enough to enable her to cross clear II
on the port tack
LIGHT AIRS FOR THE RACERS.
The long ocean roll was coming from the
south and reaching the yachts on their star
board quarters. that on this tack none of
them were damaged by it. The wind was very
light as the yachts proceeded and the two
Herreshoff craft sailed for a long time like a
one design craft. neither gaining nor losing.
All three were carrying jibtopsans the Boston
boats being largest. ard it is a question whether
she would not have done better without it, The
sail seemed to make the boats lee helm even
worse
few minutes before O'clock the breeze was
better. and half of the Constitutions crew which
mad been placed to leeward to give the boat a
list were passed up to the weather rail. The
two Herreshoff craft got this increase of breeze
first, and travelled long way before the indie
pendence felt it. She came about on the mort
tack at 12:5S:30, and showed herself slow in
stays. She then pointed Just to where the
others were passing, perhaps half a mile ahead
and came into about the same line of wake about
l:o4. so that she could here be called about
five and half minutes behind the other boats
This meant less OF over three minutes since
she crossed the line. She went again to the
starboard tack at Ill, and here almost entirely
lost the wind
1t was light weather for all until the Constitu-
tion got freshening breeze close TO Sakonet
Point. where she tackled to port at 1:21 the
Columbia following at once. II st,n close
race between these two craft but the Constitu-
tion was Enthusiastically improving her position.
and passed her rival to windward, at 1:29
The Independence was now a long way be-
hind a day her first
ance could hardly be made. The wind in all this
long beating had been for the most part faint.
RHODES BLANKETS BARR
The Constitution and Columbia made a num-
ber of short tacks in their now better breeze
under the land. and Barr was doing his best to
get away from the blanket which Rhodes was
providing by going quickly to the starboard
tack. The Constitution followed. and when Barr
ducked back into the port tack. Rhodes
top of him with the Constitution. The m~n
the leader were watching every move on the
1890 defender. and for the first time in her
istence the Columbia knowing the troubles
of being little too old For while she might
as well have been under a big featherbed as
under the CONSTITUTIONS lee
At 1:4I the Constitutions jlbsheet got
hooked. but the sail was lowered, and the sheet
adjusted without delay Here the wind get SO
light that at 2:2O Barr SET up a mainbOOm guy 10
keep his big sail from swinging inboard in the
dead roll of the sea. the reefng tackle being
used for this. Then he sent down the small top
sail. and replaced it with q larger ore, after
which he crawled up little on the leader. there
being about a hundred yards between them.
The flash Of the swinging tin the
ffteen-mile mark was first seen on the Wanda
at 2:32 but the heliOgraph message came over
a long distance Both the white boats got
ind ia min fter q O'ClOCS when
they tackled in the direction of the Hen and
Chickens. and from here both made several
tacks till the Constitution dropped her working
jib at 3:2S:30 and sent up balloon 1ih in stops
before coming to the mark.
The official turning of the yachts at the outer
mark was: Constitution. 3:43;35; Columbia.
3:4J:4S. The leader guided round and broke out
her balloon jib at once heading north of her
course TO fill it The Columbia held to her three
headsaIes on the way back. and dropped out her
spinnaker boom. The big wing drawing
two minutes afterward. and the Columbia held
dead on her course for the home mark. which
was west The elapsed times to the outer mark
were: Constitution. 3;Oa:33; Columbia, 3;!3:3i
Independence (abouD 404:35. The COnstItu-
ton beat the Columbia minute and IS seconds
to the outer mark and the Independence about
~ minutes. ~ seconds. The outer mark was
found within sight of the Sow and Pigs light
ship
After running back about mile the 1nde
pendence which in the moisture laden air had
been totally out of sight. was picked up as she
beat for the mark. The Constitution ran out
her spinnaker In stops at 800 o'clock. but did
not set IT, Her crew all played to leeward.
and as she was running to the northward of
her course her balloon jib lifted her along at a
much better pace than the Columbia. which
was dead before II. Indeed. the contrast in the
run back repeated of the IO-foOter races
of last year. when the Rainbow, in taking two
long tacks TO leeward under balloon jib. with a
jib between. made much shorter time than the
rest of the fleet. which travelled directly before
the wind under spinnaker.
The Constitution was further assisted by the
wind changing TO southeasterly after she gybed
| 10 run for the common destination of both boats,
She broke out her spirnaker for while as she
paved away at 4:2I:30. to take the correct
course and at ~ she changed her spinnaker.
setting another. Here while before the wind a
new device was shown for keeping the main
sheet out of the water. A long hook was at
| tocbed 10 n light halyard and placed around all
tho dragging parts of the sheet. and this hoisted
| them all clear The Constitution gybed her
hoonn 10 starboard at 5:A -. and eight minutes
later the Columbia did the same. but the pecui-
| iarity was that after this the breeze coming IN
| from the southeast gave the Constitution an.
other lifting balloonlih for home. While TX
left the Columbia. which was way on 10 the
south with nothing except following spinnaker
breeze.
CONSTITUTION ADDS To HER LEAD
This pecuIir~ luck for the Constitution gave
| her n heavy lead on the Columbia at the nnish'
which does not represent the relative sallhs ol
those boats In this direction. On the way BACK
The Constitution was heading west-southwes''
| which showed how much she vas at first OH
fr, har l.