The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1904-06-14

The approaching Fourth If July
regatta is exciting more than usual
interest among club members, espe-
cially the true sporting contingent,
which numbers quite a few of the
real article" One evidence of the
latter fact is that there is always a
member Of the club ready to bring
out a new boa to down some other
fellow that has begun to get "cocky"
about a yacht that has ~vaaquished all
corners a time or two. This season
finds prominent among the true
sports Captain J. Van B. Nets and
that veteran yachtsman, Captain
Walter L. Parsley, both of whom
have new boats that are scheduled
to run down" Captain S. P. Cowan's
Sadie" and Captain NJ. S. Wizards
*. M. B." The latter now holds the
club flag, she having signally defeated
the fleet in last September's race. OF
course, there are several boats in last
years fleet that would have beaten
TX. NJ. B." if so and so hadn't hap
pened." 1t is proverbial among
yachtsmen that each fellow has a
IF"
Just drop into the Carolina club
house. which is one of the most de-
lightful places on Wrightsville Beach,
and you will not be there very long
before Captain S. P. Cowan will be
telling you how it was that his
Sadie" was beaten by Captain Will
lard's parody. What Captain Cowan
says will be "swore to-" and then
double-geared by his able first
mate, r. c. DeRosset, whose early
training before the mast in the IA
NOUS Restless" has made him a most
fertile "~emphasizer."
Next you will meet Captain R. A.
Parsley, and, if you will just give him
room and time. he will tell you a
dozen different reasons why the
Question" failed to win in the last
dozen races. They do claim that
Captain Parsley, excepting only Com
modore J. K. Williams. is the most
plausible yachtsman that halls from
the %eel-grass fields of Masonboro.
Captain II. S. Willard, of the class
of '03. seems rather to avoid this
scribe, and, like Bre'r Rabbit, "he
amt got much to say" The captain
stands charged by club members with
bringing into the fleet the homliest
monster in the shape of a supposed
to be yacht that ever invaded the
club course. The "old salts" on the
sound say tina all the devi.-fish and
swelling-toads AVE left these waters
since this freak" arrived. Like
many other She's" though, it is a
case OF pretty is as pretty does" and
the homely tx. M. B." has convinced
the knowing ones that she will be
hard to CATCH this season. h has
beaten Sadie" only once, however,
and the latter still holds an enviable
record.
Those that watch the ace closely
| say that Sadie" will show a "clean
| pair of heels as long as Sam" Cow
an pulls her tiller. Then, too,
Sadie" is a favorite with the ladies.
Some say this is because she carries
in her crew three h~en-pecked u
| bands and three matrimonial candi-
dates. She also carries a chemical
| engine" for bailing purposes, which
| sometimes excites interest among the
| coveys of sweet things" from the up
country.
The Question" still has to be
| reckoned with, too. Though some
what outclassed by eve boats. she
often makes things interetting fol
| the winning boats. Some think that
still be in the winning class. This
yacht bears the distinction Of beng
| the first of the freak "Skimming.
dish boats brought to these waters
There was CONSERVATION in h nee
on the Fourth of July, '9S OIL '99
when Captain Walter L. Parsley, hel
owner and builder, himself frighten'
ed by the hideousity Of his craft, hid
behind a clump of marsh grass, ir
company with Captain Henry Savage
(who built that old time freak. ths
~"Isabel'), and sent forth his boat tt
deal a death blow to the graceful line:
and high sharp bows of the handsome
old style boats. Question" was in.
vincible for several seasons, but fl.
nally had to lower her colors to thu
Sadie"
What is true of. the Question" il
true of all the other freak boats. They
have to be watched, for you can tel
when they will do something exciting
boys and their Lark" They havs
a boat that keeps the spectators %
tinually guessing which end goe!
first. When h starts off ONE way
you can find a dozen people to swear
she should go with the other END
first. In the races. she keeps your
nerves on a strain, and yachtsmer
pick her for a winner, when all tb.
other boats break down and she her.
self don't turn over which she is apt
10 do il Captain Thomas w. Davis l.
at the helm. according to the rec.
ord, PIP. 81, Is; vol. % The Davi
Lark" is the most interesting boa
the club has had since the days Of
ex-Commodore F. A. Lords sub,
marine air-ship The Bill"