New-York tribune., 1903-07-22
LITTLE WIND FOR YACHTS
TAKE TURNS LEADING.
Reliance. Columbia and Constitution
Each First as Breezes Strikes Them.


Of the New-York and Eastern Yacht clubs from
New-Londou to Newport Saturday at the rate
or twelve miles hour deserted them to-day on
the run from Newport IL Vineyard Haven, and
heavy fog which up 40 o'clock this after
noon kept the leaders out till long after sundOwn
while many of the smaller yachts were compelled
TO anchor for the night in Tarpautn Cove. After
many shifts of wind. in which the three yachts
ran beat and reached. and long periods OF calm In
which they remained motionlcss. the Columbia.
near Vineyard Sound Lightship picked UP favor
ing southwest breeze. and o'clock. after which
no time was taken. leading by half an hour in
Tune and nearly mile In distance. The Reliance
was next and the Constitution not far behind her
On account Of the varying conditions of wind the
race mad some interesting features, inasmuch as
each Of the leaders took turn at showing the way
tons Reef hghtship to West Chop buoy, leaving
Vineyard Sound lghtship to port and Lucas Shoal
and Middle Ground to starboard. The wind at the
start. which was made at 2:9O O'Clock, was blowing
ABOUT seven miles hour from south-southeast-
II the breeze had held that direction it would have
been beat for seventeen miles east-sOutheast TO
Vineyard Sound lightship and reach for twenty
miles up Vineyard Sound to Vineyard Haven. The
wind, however, held neither its strength it's
direction In less than an hour after the SO-footers
had started the breeze died out fiat, and the only
motion of the yachts in response to the gentle
heaving of the CLASSY sea The Reliance got over
the line first. followed by the Columbia next and the
Constitution last At o'clock. after half hour
with the Reliance half mile ahead OF the Consti-
tuition and half mile to windward OIL her. The
Columbia was abreast Of the Reliance. but was
mile TO leeward. The Reliance gradually increased
her lead for fifteen minutes. until the wind. which
had backed to southeast. left them entirely. and it
was anybody's For hour and more the
three shippers exhausted their ingenuity In trying
to catch the faint breezes.
RAIN FALLS IN TORRENTS.
At colors, rain was falling in torrents. and it was
thick outside, signals were sent up the
flagship Delaware Shortly afterward the sun
came out but the signals ordering the feet pro-
ceed TO Vineyard Haven were not hosted until
e:45 a. m As the signals shown the
committee boat Riverie started to BrentOn's
Reef lghtship
The 90-footers started out about lO:15 o'clock the
Reliance being the first to leave her mOorings in
tow The Columbia followed after. while the
Constitution was the last to go out. All had No.
clubtopsails up. as there very little air in the
haroor AS they dropped tow lines the yachts
found an increasing breeze about southeast. This
showed so much promise of strength that No
clubtopsais taken in the SO-fOoters and the
intermediate size substituted
Following close upon the heels Of the SO-footers
came the great fleet Of steam and sailing yachts,
fairly blocking the eastern passage to Narragansett
Bay. All of the yachts in the cruising classes
gathering about BrentOns Reef Hghtship when the
preparatory gun fired board the committee
boat at u;45 o'clock The breeze was about south
southeast and blowing about seven miles hour.
The sea was lively with something of a roll. but
there chop.
THE COSSACK CROSSES LINE FIRST.
The gun for the start of the sloop class and
Glasses I. and K was fired at u:55 o'clock. The
Cossack the first of this division to get to the
starting line. and the of the yachts well
punched. The second boat to cross was the As
pirant. and she followed by the Een.
Aimosa II. the Mira, the Queen Nab. the Effort.
the senta, the Isolde and the Challenge. All crossed
the line the starboard tack and split tacks soon
after crossing the ne most of the yachts standing
to the southwark on the port tack. The tide
setting to the westward taking the yachts on the
port tack the weather bow. while those which
started 10 follow the shore had 1t more nearly
ahead. The Effort pulled out ahead of those which
followed the shore while the Queen Nab headed the
offshore division.
At L o'clock Glasses G and were sent away.
The Vigilant the only yacht in her class. and
the Nicola being out of racing commission by yes
terday's accident the WeetamOe was the only
yacht of Glass H to show up. OF the two the vigi-
liant the first yross. 10 leeward of the Weeta-
Schooner Glasses c and D made one of the best
starts that have been seen for years All went to
the starting line on the starboard tack jammed
in so closely that 1t seemed If some of them
would surely rub sides.
Clever handling prevented this. however. The
Mavis first TO cross. followed by the Qussetta.
the Elmina the Katrina. the Valmore. the Puritan,
the Hope Leslie and CRUSADER IL
FINE START FOR CLASSES A AND e
Another fine start was made in schooner classes
A and B. The Ariel with Captain Hank Haff at
the wheel. was first TO head for the line the
starboard tack. The Ariel held Up to get the
Ingomar's weather and then went for the line She
crossed first and the Emerald went by the IngOmar
and hauled across the line in the weather position
The Corona followed the Ingomar. The Hide
garde led the Resolute across in the time in
schooner class A. The Ariel and the Ingomar took
the shore and all the rest of the schoOners tackled
the southwark
The sO-footers were started at 12:3O o'clock. and
in manoeuvres for position the Reliance kept
busy in trying to get the better of both the Con
stftutiOn and the Columbia at the same time. When
their preparatory gun was fired the Reliance and
the Constitution standing to the southwark
on the port tack with the Columbia far to leeward
of both. The Reliance travelling the fastest
Of the three and she pulled by the Constitution
that vessel tried luf out but the Reliance bore
away and passed 10 leeward of the committee boat,
taking the wind out of the Constitutions sails and
stopping her. All up baby jibtOpsats in stops.
MUCH JOCKEYING AT THE START.
After much jockeying a the starting gun
fired the Reliance carried the Constitution along
the line under her lee. blanketing her until her
headway was checked. and then hauled across. In
the mean time the Columbia up and crossed
second at the windward end Of the line. The Con-
stitution stood along down the line. taking her
fun two minutes. and hauled across Just before
the handicap gun was fired
A squau made in the west but il took long
time to spread on shore At 2:Sz the Reliance set
her balloon jbtopsan To port The squall
mad struck the rear divisions OF the yachts
Columbia then four miles south Of Vest Island, got
the westerly breeze nTst SHs syoed 20 S'a' 60 ]e
squan struck the Reliance, and minute later ths
trimmed down their balloon jibtopsails
The Constitution; being furthest IN snore got tne 3
reacher set. She was then vel out on ne weather