Waterbury evening Democrat., 1903-08-31
Choppy Sea and Only a Slow
Breeze at Start.
RELIANCE TOOK LEAD EARLY


Start Was Not Made Until Nearly
Noon-Committee of Yacht Club
Afraid the Race Would Not Be Fin
ished in Time Limit, as Only Two
Miles were Sailed in the First Half
Hour.
New York, Aug 31.-An autumnal
storm which had kept Reliance and
shamrock for Seventy-tWo hours with
in the shelter of Sandy Hook bay, had
blown itself sufficiently out this morn
ing to enable the two racers to venture
once more into the open sea for a con-
tinuation of their races for the Ameri-
cas- cup. The gale, however, had left
as a token of its strength very heavy
swell, so that when the two boats,
with Shamrock in the lead, turned the
point of Sandy Hook they at once
bgean to roll and wallow like coal
barges.
The decision of the two owners to
stant the race and terminate If possible
the series was welcomed on all sides,
as the interest in the races had been
pretty we'll dampened by the number
Gus delays. 1t was not surprising,
therefore, that the fleet which followed
the two racers was mere ghost OF
that which saw the yachts in the pre-
vious contests, the uneasy ocean and
lowering clouds having little to Invite
any except the stoutest sailor.
The yachts hoisted their mainsails
before leaving for the start and We're
we'll out to the lightshtp by 10 o'clock,
an hour before the time set for the
contest On reaching the hghtsh1p
they found that the wind was about
east northeast, with a velocity OF about
ten miles.
Both racers at 1915 dropped their
tow lines and broke out their jibs.
They stood off and on about the light
ship trying the strength of the wind
and sea and then began setting small
club-topsafls. While this work was
going on the tug Navigator arrived
with the regatta committee and
stopped near the Mghtshlp while the
committee determined the direction OF
the wind and the chances OF starting
The race from that point.
CAPTAIN Barr of Reliance and cap
tain Wringe of Shamrock evidently De-
lieved the race would be sailed, Tor
the crews of both boats put up their
iibs and staysaiIs in stops and began
active preparations to go out. Slr
Thomas on the Erin smiled as ne salu:
ssWelI. / guess we're all pretty bad
Judges of the weather here. 1t looks
more like calm than breeze and
heavy sea-"
Captain Barr said that there would
be one objection to the day if the
breeze continued to fail and that wot
be the ehoppy sea, which would retaro
the boats and prevent their doing the
course inside the time limit.
The rain of the early morning nad
cleared at S:15 and along the horizon
was a streak of light that gave the I'M
preston that there would be plenty OF
bright sunshiny weather before the
noon hour arrived. The wind was ten
miles at $50 and both the racers were
ready to he towed out as soon as the
committee signal was observed. Dur
ing the early morning the sea had
grown calmer.
AT 8 O'clock both yachts raised their
mainsails and were waiting the arrival
of the Navigator with the committee
aboard The wind was blowing steadl-
ly at ten miles a.. the Hook, but with
indications that it was not so fresh
outside or near the lightship.
AT 9:08 both yachts took tow line
from their tenders and started out Of
the Hook so as to be down at the start
In time.
Reliance took a line from her tender,
evidently believing that there would be
a race Shamrock Immediately fol-
lowed and at 9:10 both left the Horse
shoe and rounded out to sea.
With broken tumble of sea outside
the Hook and a fresh breeze, Sham
rock had every promise of just the
weather in which those in charge ex-
pect her to do her best. When pre-
parations for racing were started
shortly before 8 o'clock the wind had
fallen rather under what Captain
Wringe would have chosen had the Sc
lection been left to him, but there was
still the promise Of fine fresh wealth
er trial with sea enough to test any
weakness that may exist in the hull of
either boat.
AS the yachts rounded out into the
open sea. both butted into the short
swells with terrific force, smashing
their heads into 1t in such way as to
dash masses of water and foam over
them. Reliance pounded much harder
than did Shamrock and made difficult
work of it. The committee boat
Unique followed both yatchs so as to
assist in case of accident. AS they
got farther out the decks were contin-
ually covered with the wash from the
head seas and in front of their bows
was a continuous "bone" of white
foam.
The Navigator reached the Hook at
$40. but finding the yachts gone, or
dered the Scullv to her position and
started for the lightship herself. MAX
ing 1t evident that there will be a race
unless the sea is too rough. The wind
at 9:45 was blowing about eleven
miles fresh from the northeast AS
she went out past Sandy Hook the
Navigator signalled to Sir Thomas that
the conditions favored a start of the
race and that the committee would see
him at the start. Erin had no special
guests from New York this morning,
Sir Thomas having notified them there
would probably be no race to-day. The