Evening star., 1903-08-25

where 1t was liable to catch the full force
of the wind on the reach and hold It,
Reliance's mafnsail showed hardly a
wrinkle and looked half as big again as
that of the Shamrock.
Capt Wrnse was evidently In sood
spirits after his sail was fitted. He paced
the deck with the New York Yacht Clubs
representative, smiling and joking.
Reliance's sail was got up quickly and at
$50 both boats were taking aboard the
days provisions for the crews.
a Reliance Raises Club Topsail.
Reliance raised her club topsail at s:a2
and. after the trimming Of yesterday, it
fitted perfectly.
Mr.. Herreshoff, the builder of the Re-
liancG who passed the night on his steam
yacht Roamer. which was anchored IN
Sandy Hook bay, went aboard Reliance
after taking aboard an extra topsail.
Reliance dropped her moorings just be-
fore 8 o'clock and, under mainsan and club
topsail. was ready to go to the start.
She started on the port tack. broke out
her staysail and jfb and caught the breeze
beautifully. rounding the Hook like great
white bird. AS she went out the passengers
on the Kaiser Wilhelm der Crosse, which
was coming in from Cherbourg, gave her a
cheer.
Shamrock at 9 o'clock took line from
the CruiZer. her tender. and was towed out
with her mainsail set. At this time the
wind was blowing seven miles an hour
from the south and was very steady. 1t
was not, however, increasing in velocity
as much as the yachtsmen would wish.
Left Under Sail for First Time.
The American yacht left under sail for
the first time. On Thursday and Saturday
OF last week she had the services of a tug.
Before going out No club top
sail. one of the largest the boat was
sent aloft, and, breaking out two lower
headsails. she slipped away from her
moorings and easily rounding the point OF
the Hook stood to the eastward through
the main ship channel Two or three miles
off the Hook the Reliance took line from
her tender, dropping her fore staysail as
she picked up the tow-line.
About this time the regatta committee,
on board the tug Navigator. and accom-
panied by the other tugs of the club fleet,
the CoaStwise and the John Scully, came
down from New York and passed out by
the Hook.
Vanguard Of Excursion Fleet.
Far up the bay the vanguard of the ex-
cursion fleet could be seen coming down
through the Swash channel with four or
five revenue cutters in the lead. An hour
and a quarter before the time set for the
start the sky, although partially cloudy,
gave little indications of any disagreable
weather during the day.
The wind which had been about south
southeast during the early morning hauled
a bit to the southwark, blowing a point
or two east of south.
= 1t still continued, however. at about
seven-knot gait, and these conditions
seemed to prevail over a wide stretch Of
prospect that the race would not only be
started on time, but that the boats would
be able to cover the course within the time
limit Of five and a half hours.
Both at Lightship.
d Soon after 10 o'clock both yachts had
rived at the lightship and cast of their
tows. Nearly an hour remained before the
starting gun to be fired, and the
yachts sailed back and forth about the
iightship which the committee boat did not
reach until some time later.
When Shamrock dropped her tow she i'm
mediately broke out her jib and. holding
away from the lightship on the port tack,
sent up her largest club topsail.
u The crew worked Smartly and inside of
ten minutes all the large sails were placed.
Is The topsail Reliance set while inside the
Hook proved somewhat smaller than the
weather conditions warranted, and Capt.
Barr. finding the smooth and the wind
comparatively light, decided to change for
a still larger one.
~ The tug, therefore. kept her head up into
the wind while the sail was sent down and
the bigger one substituted. This work con-
sumed about fifteen minutes.
Signal for Triangular Course.
r AT 1925 the signal was hoisted for a tri-
angular course, the regatta committee tug
Navigator coming to anchor about half a
mile to the westward of the lightship
At 1880 the course signals were hoisted.
Five minutes after the regatta committee
had set the signal for a triangular race the
three sets of flags were broken out on the
trtatic stay, denoting the direction of the
three legs.
As read from shore, the first leg was
south. giving the boats a beat down the
Jersey shore.
The next was northeast by east. one-half
east. which, under the conditions of the
wind prevailing at the time, would give the
yachts broad reach from the first to the
second mark on the starboard tack
The next leg was northwest by west to
the finish at the iightship, another broad
reach on the port tack.
Preliminary Signal at 1O:45.
The preliminary signal was fred at 1O:45
and Immediately after the fight for position
began AS usual Reliance followed Sham.
rock in her various maneuvers about the
line neither boat going very far away from
the starting point
When the preliminary gun was fred both
were to the eastward of the lightship a bit.
but returned and began sailing up and down
the line. When the warning signal was fired
at 1855 the Shamrock was close to the
committee boat.
She Immediately headed along the line on
the starboard tack and Reliance coming
down from the windward attempted to
blanket her. Both boats. four minutes be-
fore the start were holding across the line
on the starboard tack with Reliance on
Shamrocks weather quarter
Then they both wore back with Shamrock
IN the lead and came for the eastern end
OF the line on the port tack. Reliance, how
ever kept right after her.
Forced to Hold Away.
In the meantime great tank boat came
plunging between the yachts and Reliance
was forced to hold away She went to the
stern of the committee boat and swinging
around headed for the line on the starboard
tack
Contrary to his usual custom, Can't.
Wringe kept away and was two or three
hundred yards to the westward of the COM
mittee boat when Reliance coming under
Meath the stern of the committee boat
crossed the line at 11O02T (unofficiaD.
a" Capt. Wringe held away too long before
coming about and heading for the line. with
the result that he was under the stern of
The committee boat when the handicap gun
was hred two minutes after the start He
ran up on to the line on the sta rhoa I'd 70 clr