The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-08-23
HOW THE RACE WAS SAILED.

HOW THE RACE WAS SAILED.
Shamrock's OPENING Advantage Lose
--Rellanoe's Beautiful Homewsrd Flight.
There was spanking southwest breeze
yesterday morning down at Sandy Hook,
when the yachtsmen turned out early
and the prospects for a good race were
fine. Every one was jubilant. and the
sailors turned out to work with vim to
prepare the two racers for the contest.
The two crews went over from their tenders
TO the racing yachts shortly after o'clock.
Mainsails were hoisted and headsails were
sent up in stops.
Then the amateurs boarded the two
boats. On the Reliance we're c. Oliver
Iselin, W. b. Duncan, Jr., Newberry ID.
Thorne, Herbert c. Leeds Woodbury. Kane,
DIR. Monahan and Nat &. Herreshoff.
besides II. NJ. Mciidowny, who represented
the Royal Ulster Yacht Club, On the
Shamrock were William Fife, Col. Neill.
and Robert Bacon, who represented the
New York Yacht Club.
The Reliance was lowed out by the tug
Guiding Star, and the Shamrock followed
a little later in tow Of the Cruiser When
near the lightship Reliance sent aloft her
club topsai It was one of intermediate
size. a No. 2. As soon as it was set the tow
line was cast Of the headsails were broken
out and the yacht began to sail around
near the starting line.
The Shamrock cast Off her tow before
sending her club topsail aloft, those on
board waiting until the last minute be-
fore selecting the sail to be used. A large
club topsail was sent up, larger than the
one used on the Reliance; and then the
yacht sailed around, those on board care
fully inspecting everything.
GOOD WIND FOR BOTH BOATS.
The wind Was about ten miles an hour,
blowing from the southwest, and there was
a short, choppy sea. The conditions were
such that, barring any shifts in the wind,
the contest would be fair for both yachts.
The Shamrock's mainsail did not fit at
all we'll 1t was fiat alutf and quite full
on the leach, very different from the style
of sails favored by American yachtsmen.
Reance's mainsail set beautifully; the
draught was Just in the right place, and
the leach was fiat and smooth. Sham
rocks headsais were beautiful specimens
of the sailmakcr's art and sci perfectly,
while the jib and fore staysail on the Re-
lance were full of wrinkles AZ the clew.
Shamrock had five battens in her mansal
to keep the leach fiat, but even with these
there was sharp curl on the leach. The
Reliance had four battens in her mainsnil.
STARTING LINE SHIFTED.
The regatta crmmittee, 5. Nicholson
I Nj ylUn and
II. Wales, on board the big tug Navigator,
were early on the scene. Finding il i'm
possible to lay wiGdward and loeward
course from the lightsl,ip with the south
west wind, a signal was hoised announcing
that the position Of the starting line would
he changed. The Navigator, Followed by
the tugs Sculy, Coast wise and Unique.
steamed of to the eastward The racing
yachts followed, reaching along with the
wind over their starboard quarters, the
Reliance leading and Shamrock sticking
close TO her. 10 change being made in the
relative positions Of the two boats AZ they
iea h al along
Shifting the starting line necesst ated
n post ponment of the race, and the COM
mittee 40 sgnallei. The big Il et Of ex-
curson steamers, steam yachts and tugs
which had come down from the city fol-
lowed after the yachts, the procession eng
led by the revenue cutters.
The Navigator steamed about five miles
east from the lightship, and then sgnalled
for tie tug Unique TO anchor to mark
one end of the line, The course signal
was then hoisted fifteen miles to windw8-d
and return. A few minutes later the coiu-
pass course was announced southwest.
This Was ITO o'clock. The Navigator
anchored southeast from the mark boat
Unique, making the starting line at right
angles to the course.
The wind had !reshened considerably.
1t was blowing seventeen miles an hour,
and the sea wGs much rouBhcr off shore.
ShamroCk's club topsail did not stand n all
we'll II had stretched ont considerably.
Men were sent aIoFt to cast loose the lash
ings, and the big piece of canves was low
cred to the deck, while others Of the crew
bent on another sail to the spare spars that
were on deck The sail was soon sent aoft
and shccted down, II was smaller one
than that which she had up originally,
and about tho Same size as that carried by
the Reliance.
The So,lly started off to loE the course,
and the ClastwiSe followed SLOW ~ after to
at rs gllli,taJout to tne racGrs. The rev
Gnue cutters and the fas; yachts that had
heen impressed into the guar snip service
formed an are Of oiroiH with Tie stating
line IN tie centre, and the g.. Ursiun steam
eIs and Yachts were force, ha 'll in order
to give the IA" ing hcats ilHnty OF room
IN which to I'M -. vrc.