The news & observer. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1894-current, 1903-08-28
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conds, for which Fife had sacrificed so
much in sail spread for time allowance
Both boats, it is true, went over after
the handicap gun, but where both are
handicapped, it is only the sternmost craft
which actually suffers.
1t was not a pleasant day on the water,
and the observation fleet which put out
to sea to witness the race, was hardly
more than half as large as on the preced-
ing days. The dark water of the ocean
was as smooth as a floor and a light breeze
of about four knots blew out Of the south
west. The course was laid fifteen miles
dead into the wind and return.
At the end of the first hour Shamrock
was beaten and the interest waned. After
rounding the float for the run home and
setting big ballooners, the wind, which
had strengthened to six or seven knots
on the beat, died down and the towering
clouds of canvas drifted lazily down an
ocean lane, a mile wide, between the two
divisions of the excursion feet.
Even in the light air, it was astonish-
ing how the defender slipped through the
placid seas With the gentle breeze dis
tending the surface of her pure white
sails and her stern crowded with tars to
hold her head up, she moved along as
serenely and peacefully as if in a dream
less sleep. Yet the gap between her and
the challenger steadily widened until two
miles separated them. Half an hour from
home when the spectators had abandoned
any idea that the finish line could be
reached in time, the wind suddenly fresh
ened and Reliance came bowling down at
a merry clip But the wind had come too
late, and when still a few hundred yards
from home the gun on the tug Navigator
doomed across the water. The excursion
boats held on until she crossed the line
to give her a rousing welcome and then
scampered for New York Sir Thomas,
who, heretofore, has always followed his
champion into the Hook, sent his steam
yacht, the Erin, ahead at full speed as
if to drown out the memory of the in.
glorious licking he got today. The next
race, which will be like the one attempted
today, fifteen miles to leeward or wind
ward and return. will be sailed on Satur-
day.
THE RACE IN DETAIL.
New York, August 27.-When the prep
aratory gun sounded at 1915 the racers
were sailing parallel to the starting line
and to windward of it with Reliance to
windward, where Barr wanted her AT
the end of the line Shamrock III luffed
and tried to force Barr about, but the
Yankee would not yield and Wringe had
to give it up and fill away again.
They crossed to the opposite end of the
line outside of the line, Shamrock III
dropping back and uffing to windward
of Reliance on the way. That was the
only time Barr was caught to leeward
Luffing hard he sailed a circle around the
challenger blanketing her as the starting
gun sounded, bore off around under the
stern of the hghtship and luffed across
the line with a handicap of forty-onc
seconds Shamrock III followed. hand-
capped by one minute and forty-two sec
onds one minute and one second of which
was dead loss. The official starting time
for both boats was II :O2 but their actual
start as timed by the regatta committee
was as follows:
Reliance II 102:41; Shamrock III II :03 AZ.
Captain Wringe had lost the best part
of his time allowance. The Reliance was
leading by about three hundred yards.
Twenty-Five minutes after the start, Sham
rock had lost ground and as they lay about
the same course, was a quarter of a mile
astern of the American craft. At 1902
when the turning mark was rising above
the horizon five miles away, Reliance ap-
peared to be a good mile ahead of sham
rock and gaining. AS she went about the
mark Shamrock was vet mile distant
and coming at a slow pace in a very soft
wind.
The time at the turn was Reliance,
1:5S:10: Shamrock 2:O7.40
Once heading homeward balloon jib top
sails were broken out and spinnakers set
TO port on both. They dawdled along in
exasperating fashion, while an hour slip
ped away. Reliance was losing her race
against time.
A freshening breeze revived hope, but
Reliance was still quarter of a mile from
the line when the race was declared off.
The summary:
Name. Start. Turn Finish
Reliance ............11:02 1:55:10 4:3S:45