The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1902-07-25
NOT GIVEN A CHANCE
EASTERN AUTHORITIES coNcEDE
CRUSADER TO BE BEST BOAT
IN TRIALS
COMMITTEE CALLED OFF
RACE IN A GOOD BREEZE
Experts Admit That st. Paul Boat
Would Have Stood Excellent Chance
of Winning on Second Day--com-
ment in Forest and Stream and
Other Yachting Journals.

Other Yachting Journals.
The return of the White Bear yacht
Crusader from Eastern waters, which
is expected to arrive here tomorrow,
has started anew the discussion among
local yachtsmen of the treatment of
visiting clubs at Bridgeport, Conn.,, in
the recent trial races for the selection
of challenger for the Seawanhaka
cup. Crusader was selected by the
White Bear club to try conclusions
with the crack Eastern boats, repre-
Senting a half dozen or more clubs,
and she was sent East about the mid
die of June. Previous to the date Of
shipment she had been given a num-
Der of trials on White Bear with the
ableSt of the fleet, and had won in
every brush, as well as the only two
races in which she sailed, and demon
strated beyond question that she was
one of the fastest craft of her length
ever built So it was not surprising
that local yachtsmen expect
ed Crusader to make a good showing
at Bridgeport, as those who had an
opportunity of getting a correct line
on her sailing qualities knew that she
was unusually fast and powerful, and
that her constructions was all that could
be desired. So
White Bear yachtsrnen are credited
all over the country as being in the
front rank when it3conAes to sailing
small yachts, and especially is this true
with respect to the scow type of boat
which has grown so popular in the
West, and which the East has just be-
gun to recognize as faster than the
old style cabin boats With fin keel and
large sail area. ie-l q
After having been lost in transit,
Crusader finally arrived 7at Bridgeport
only few days before the day set for
the first race, which did not afford
much time in which to get her tuned
up and put in fineL fettle. However.
after energetic effort, and under the
careful supervision of G.. M. Grfggs, the
boat was gotten into ra1r1y good shape
for the contests. ruD
Conditions Were Violated.
The Bridgeport club announced four
days of racing, beginning on June 80.
On the first day the wind was very
light from the southeast by east, and
the racing was anything but salts
factory, as in the fiuky breeze no def
mite conclusions could be reached.
Massasoit won out on points, Tecum-
sch second and Crusader third Seer
ess, Frontenac, Nutmeg, Filibuster.
and Monsoon finished IN order named,
1t was thevneXty day. that caused the
dissatisfaction among visiting yachts
men. On account of the f1uky wind
the first days races counted for moth
ing in the way of a test, but the Sec
ond day furnished a good reefing
breeze which would thoroughly try out
every craft. A fresh Northwest wind
was blowing off shore, and the yachts
men seemed pleased at the outlook for
a splendid race. The regatta commit
tee decided not to allow the boats to
| race, however, offering the excuse that
III not f1e h1
size and run the chance of a drowning
This action on the part of the regatta
committee showed one or two things,
either that they were incompetent to
correctly Judge the existing conditions
of wind and sea, or that they were
anxious to favor the two boats enter
| ed by the Bridgeport club; Massasoit
! and TecumSeh, which were virtually
| light weather craft. Capt. L. p Ord
| way, of the White Bear club, who pilot
! ed Crusader, was seen by T he G o b e
! upon his return and asked for state
| ment with respect, to the decision Of
the regatta committee; but beyond
venturing the suggestion that such a
| good wind favored Crusader, he pre-
| ferred to make no comment. All the
Eastern papers who had their yacht
| ing experts on the ground were loud
| in their criticism of the committees
action in calling off the race, and the
following paragraph from Forest and
| Stream will be interesting reading,
| coming as it does, from an unquestion-
ed and thoroughly reliable source:
Forest and Strean4'st Comment.
"The boats were to sail windward
and return course on the second days
race, and after the light and tickle
breeze that prevailed on the day previ-
Gus, the majority OF the owners and
crews were glad to see the fresh north
west wind that was blowing when the
boats went out to the starting line.
1t was a condition of wind and sea that
| was just suited to the type of racing
craft represented = i. e., strong
breeze and smooth water. The
contestants sailed around the bay
some under two and some three reefed
mainsails, waiting for signals from the
committee boat, but none appeared,
and the different boats finally ran up
to the judges boat to find out the cause
of the delay. When the committee an
nounced that the race had been post
poned on account of the weather, the
majority of them were astonished, and
protested in no unmistakable terms.
The committee argued that if any of
the boats capsized some one might be
drowned and as the wind was off shore,
they might be blown over to Long
Island; because there was no boat to
pick them up. They quite overlooked
the fact that the revenue cutter Dali
las never left her anchorage during the
races, and might have been used for
this purpose. Several of the men own
ing and sailing the boats who had par
ticipated in races at Lake st. Louis
felt tAat they were better qualified to
decide whether or not the conditions
were the same as were experienced IN
Canada, for none of those on the COM
n111v fr1,1 TOW. wit 1A
weather that boats are liable to meet
when racing in Canada.
Crews Were Dissatisfied.
The race was abandoned for the day.
and the dissatisfied crews hung around
ashore all the afternoon, Mr.. Joshua
Crane, one of MOnSoon'S crew, left for
home soon after getting ashore. Mr..
G. M. Griggs, one Of the White Bear
Yacht club men also left that night for
the West, being thoroughly disguised
with the committees ACTION. 1t was
a most unfortunate incident, and the
committee unquestionably made a very
great blunder."
In another paragraph the same au-
thority says: CRUSADER was perhaps
the best all-round boat in the collec-
ton. She was match TOR any boat
In the fleet in fresh to strong breezeS
and a sea, and had she had a good
light air sail she would have finished
a winner. She. was one of the best
built boats in the fleet and was able
to stand more pounding and racking
than some of the others"
The above is merely sample of the
items printed in the large Eastern
dailies, and carries with 1t neither IA
vor nor prejudice.
On the third and fourth days the
wind was fairly light, although one
reef was taken in on the last day,