The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-08-31
THE THIRD CUP RACE
Reliance. Shamrock III
Start II As :28 11:45:28
Outer Mark (unoficial). 3:0O:37 3:19:1O

be towed out as soon as the committee
signal was observed. Sharp-eyed men
with glasses kept watch Of the Narrows
for the appearance of the committee boat,
but at $3.50 it had not come in sight.
The Waves SubsIde.
During the early morning hours the sea
grew calmer. The huge mountains Of
green foam capped waves that sent terror
to the hearts of owners Of small craft, had
entirely disappeared and rolls that crested
only as they reached the beach took their
place.
1t is this sea, however. that racing
yachts do not take to kindly. If they are ;
carrying much sail 1t is apt to strain both
mast and rigging and cause a break SUCH
as occurred to Shamrock H. two years
ago when pounding down in heavy sea
she broke a stay and dropped her top
mast. At 9 o'clock both yachts raised
their mainsails and were waiting the ar
rival Of the Navigator with the committee.
aboard. The wind was blowing steadily
at ten miles at the Hook, but with 1ndi-
cations that 1t was not so fresh outside
OF near the lightship.
Yachts Leave MoorIngs.
At s:Os both yachts took tow line
from their tenders and started out of the
Hook so as to be down at the start In
time.
The storm which set In few hours
after Thursdays race had been called off,
for lack Of wind, had blown itself out, but
still number of weather sharps pointed
out that the wind, getting more to the
northward, had gone around the wrong
way and that there would be no pleasant
wea Their until the breeze again reached the
south.
Only once has Reliance faced anything
that compared with the heavy seas that
have prevailed off Sandy Hook since Fri
day morning. In July hast the Herreshom
yacht had race off Newport in half
gale and tumbling sea with the result
| that altho she, broke the record for thirty
miles over q. triangular course, she came
[ out Of the encounter-with- a sx-foot dent
six inches deep in hssr port bow.
l. With broken tumble of seq outside the
Hook and fresh breeze Shamrock had
every promise of just the weather In
which those in charge expect her to do
! her best. When preparations for racing
were started shortly before 9 o'clock the
wind had fallen rather under what Cap
tain Wringe would have chosen had the
selection been left to him, but there
still the promise Of a. fine fresh weather
trial with sea enough to test any weak
ness 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
|
water and foam over them. Reliance
pounded much harder than did Shamrock
| and made difficult work Of it. The com
mittee boat Unique followed both yachts
so as to assist in case of accident.
A "Bone In Their Teeth"
AS they got further out, their decks
were continually 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, ordered the
stake boat the John Scully, to her posi-
ton, and started for the lightship herself,
making it evident that there will be a
race. The wind at S:45 was blowing about
eleven miles from the northeast. AS she
went out past Sandy Hook the Navigator
|.signalled to Sir Thomas that the condi-
lions favored a start and that the commit
| tee would see him at the start. The Erin
had no special guests from New York this
morning, Sir Thomas having notified them
there would probably be no race to-day.
The Erin left the hook at 10 o'clock for
the starting point.
Start Is Postponed.
/ When the committee boat reached the
(lightship it was found that to start a race
from that point fifteen miles to leeward
or windward would be impossible and q,
signal was hOisted postponing the start
until line could be established sufficient
lily south Of the lightship to send the
l yachts off to windward.
The course was signaled at east to
4 northeast, which would bring the turn
4 southeast Of Long Beach, about six miles
off shore. The wind had dropped to about
4 Z knots and there seemed to be pros
i poets of long slow race. On the way
down to the new starting point Shamrock
snapped topsails, exchanging her No.
for much larger one. The sea was much
j calmer than when the yachts first went
out.
i Promptly at 80 the committee fired
! the preliminary gun which made the start
at 11:45 and gave the yachts until b:15
this afternoon within which to finish the
race.
Wind Falls OFF.
When the preparatory signal was fired
4 at 1870 the wind was still dropping of
and had strength Of scarcely more
i than five or six miles an hour. The con-
test for position at the start began before