The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-25
her tender. dropping her fore staysaii as
she picked up the tow line.


she picked up the tow line
Regatta Committee Arrives.
About this time the regatta committee.
aboard the tug Navigator and accom-
Gully, came down from New York and
passed out by the Hook.
Far up the bay the vanguard OF the
Excursion fleet could be seen coming down
thru the Swash channel with four or five
revenue cutters in the lead.
An hour and quarter before the time
set for the start the sky, altho partially
cloudy, gave little indications of any dis
agreeable weather during the day.
The wind, which had been about south
and southeast during the early morning,
hauled a bit to the southwark, blowing
a point or two east of south. 1t still con-
tinued, however, at about a seven-knot
gait, and these conditions seemed to pre-
vail over wide stretch of water, so that
there was every 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.
Both Yachts Arrive.
Soon after 10 o'clock both yachts ar
rived at the lightship and cast off their
tows. Nearly an hour remained before
the starting gun was to be fired and the
yachts sailed back and forth about the
lightship which the committee boat did
not reach until some time later.
When Shamrock dropped her tow she
Immediately broke out her jib and, hold
ing away from the lightship on the port
tack, sent up her largest club topsail
The crew worked smartly and inside OF
ten minutes all the large sails were
placed. The topsail Of Reliance proved
somewhat smaller than the weather con-
ditions warranted and Captain Barr, find
ing the sea smooth and the wind compar-
atively light, decided to change for a still
larger one. The tug therefore kept the
yachts head we'll up In the wind While
the big gear was substituted. Ih1s Work
consumed about fifteen minutes.
At 1925 the signal was hoisted for a
triangular course the regatta tug Naviga
tor coming to anchor about hall q mile
to the westward of the lightSh1p. AT 1880
the course signals were hoisted. Five
minutes after the regatta committee had
set the signal for triangular race the
three sets Of flags were broken out on
the triatic stay, denotlng 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
least, one half east, which under the con-
ditions of the wind prevailing at the time,
would give the yachts broad reach from
the first to the second mark on the star
by west to the finish at the lightshtp, a
broad reach on the port tack.
The Preliminary Gun.
The preliminary signal was fired at
I1O:45 and Immediately after the fight for
position began. AS usual, Reliance fol-
lowed Shamrock in her various maneuvers
about the line, neither boat going very
far away from the starting point 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 at
tempted to blanket her. Both boats, four
minutes before the start were holding
across the line on the starboard tack with
Reliance on Shamrock's weather quarter.
Then they both wore back with Sham
rock in the lead and came for the eastern
end of the line on the port tack. Reli
ance, however, kept right after her In
the meantime a 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.
h.. Story of the Start. 49,.
Captain Barr out-generaled his rival
Captain Wringe, at the outset He sent
the Reliance across the starting line one
minute and twentyfou rseConds ahead
of Shamrock III. More than that, the
American was full quarter Of a mile
to the windward of the British boat. The
start of to-day's race accordingly lacked
all of the thrilling features which made
the beginning Of Saturdays race a sight
long to be remem bered.
few minutes before the starting gun
was fired Shamrock III. seemed to &c
awry. For the moment it appeared that
something had gone wrong aboard. She
overran the committee boat on the lee
ward end of the line and when the start
ing signal was fired the Upton boat was
away to the leeward of the line. Experts
said it was amateurish. At all events
the American was off under encourag ine
conditions. The official time of the start
was: Reliance, 11:00:36; Shamrock, III.
HOP.
The wind at this time was puffy from
the south southeast and did not exceed
four miles. 1t hauled around more to the
southeast and half an hour later hae
freshened to six knots. The excursion
fleet was hardly as large as on Saturday
but the spectacle imposing. Thu
patrol fleet gave the yachts wide SET
room Between the first two guns a
the boats were running along to the lee
ward of the line, a. tank steamer some
what retarded the movement Of tn
yachts.
-Four minutes before the start the skip
per of the IRISH boat headed for the light
ship and rounded it to port. Captain
Barr allowed his opponent to go around
and then followed closely. The twt
yachts ran some distance close hauled OF
the port tack. Barr then held his boa
off and was in position to get over tn
line in short order. Meanwhile Shamrocl
rerran the committee boat Navigator
aking the leeward end Of the line. TIL