The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1905-05-16
OCEAN RACERS START TO-DAY
CJ,OSE CONTEST EXPECTED FOR
ENPERORS err.
Daring shippers VIII strive for HOnors
--.Oficiais Figure on Twelve Day Trip
Ac:,st the A'iap,Ic Enhymlon Crow
ins In Eayor-IIow 90 Tell Boats.

Ing In FaNOr-itOw 20 Teii boSts'
Several Of tho ocean racers anchored
last night in the Horseshoe, just inside OF
Sandy Hook. while ct hers remained in the
upper bay, and will be towed down early
his morning. The Utowana, Valhalla'
S nbeam. Hi.feyia'e and Thistle wee
towe! down in the evening, aud the Fleur
te Lvs sa le Gown. The yachtsmen and
sailors got their last good nights rest IN
sight Of land and are well prepared for the
hard cont est that is to begin this afternoon.
Hard work and sleepless nights are ahead
for all unit the coast Of England is sighted.
and that il nearly 800 miles away from
the Sandy Hook lightship.
Eleven boats will start in the race this
afternoon for the Emperor's cup. and the
battle will he one that will last long in the
memory of all those intereste ed IN yachting.
1t IL bait lie where model and rig enter
largely, and one. too, in which skill "
handling. experience in navigating cnd
pluck also cut a large fgure
The boats will start in bunch md tho
scene will be brilliant one. They will
race along the shores of Long Island until
Montauk Point is passed, and then in all
probability scatter. Some will go on In
close company passing Nantucket Shoals
iightship. and then each skipper will select
course he thinks the best, and 1t is prob
able that they will not see each other until
the finish ia reached
Some will take the northern passage
and brave the perils Of ice and fog. Others
will keep further south, preferring not to
take chances with ice, and trust to getting
fresher winds and SO make up what they
will lose by keeping to the south. For
day and night perhaps for two weeks all
sail will be carried and the boats driven
on to the finish.
The scene off Sandy Hook this afternoon
will be a memorable one. big fleet OF
boats will be there to see the racers start.
and these racers will present picture that
few can paint.
Every one is hoping for a west wind
and then the square nggers will set their
studding sails and raffees and smothered
in canvas they will sweep across the line.
The race is one without restrictions.
The boats sail just as their owners may
choose. There is no time allowance. No
racing rule will bother the skippers-only
the rules Of the road at sea will govern. and
the first boat in will win. They will b
started at 2:l5 o'clock and may finish IN two
weeks.
The boats range In size from the small
Fleur de Lys to the ship Valhalla The
Fleur de Lys Is q schooner OF 30 tons
and the vaihala Is OF 647 tons. A chip
rugged yacht is novelty, and II her weather
is found she will make Roadway when the
other boats are hove to.
The little Fleur de Lys will be an attrac-
ton, too, to-day because OF her skipper
and crew and the record they have made.
Tommy Bohln is the skipper. and he Is
known as a daring Gloucester fisherman
He claps on sail and then before turning
in he SAYS, Call me If it moderates." Most
shippers want to be called If 1t breezes on,
but Bohlin is not of that kind He has with
him crew of fishermen. andJ. b. Connolly.
who made Bohlin famous through whiting
of record breaking trip, Is also on board
as a guest OF DR.. Stimson. This yarn as
spun is out of Gloucester. and Is the story
of trip of fisherman from Nor
wegan port to Gloucester made In gale OF
wind. Capt. Bohlin is called Capt Tommy
Ohlsen in that story, and this extract will
show what kind of man he Is:
six hundred and fifty miles and forty.
eight hours to go. She'll make it, says
Tommy, the Mamie will make 1t. Let the
breeze hold out and Well make her do 1t.
All hands come aft and listen to me. split
yourselves into two gangs and stano by
from now on to trim sheets night and day.
No more card playing for'ard, no more
poker. nor forty-fives. nor whist. nor no
more takn' it easy in your hunks when
you're not on watch From this out no moro
sleepin' for anybody aboard this one-not
until we get into Gloucester. And II there's
ANYBODY amt in oilskins he'd better get
into them for it's wet decks and everybody
standin' by from now on. No more sail
comes down unless it blows down. Them's
your orders il I'm not on deck at any time
he SAYS and looks around to make sure
everybody heard him, Sway up. he says.
and we begins to sway up. Everybody
heaves away on the halyards and when We
couldn't pull another inch when everything
was as flat as boards, he goes around deck
and takes an extra half hitch to every hal
ward Now they won I slip he says, and
there was the devil in his eye
That's the way the Fleur de Lys will be
sailed, and Capt, Bohlin is doing to drive
her over the northern course. He has
all his crew in oilskin uniforms, and 1t will
be drive her. from the start.
Capt Loesch of the Endymion Is an
other daring sailor and his experience on
the Atlantic will help his boat very much.
Capt Barr Of the Atlantic is racing skipper,
but the others are all deep sea sailors.
Commodore Tod Of the Thistle is the only
amateur in charge of his boat. Conn
modore Tod will do his own navigating
and sailing and his crew are so enthusiastic
that they are sure the Thistle will be prom
inent at the finish, and all amateurs and
good yachtsmen hope so, too.
1t was chiefly through Commodore Tod's
efforts that the race was arranged. He
had given prizes for several long distance
races and induced Sir Thomas Upton to
offer a cup for race across the Atlantic
Sir Thomas Withdrew his offer when the
Emperor made his.
Promptly at O'Clock this afternoon the
preparatory signal will he made from the
tug Yigilant. on board of which boat the
starting committee will be. This committee
is Commander II. g. Hebbinghaus !. G, NJ;
Commander W. F, Halsey L, S. N; Oliver
F.. Crom~ell Fl. &c B, Parsons, Newbury
y. Lawton and Edward H, Wales. 1t
u hat thar