Los Angeles herald., 1907-06-30
by JACK vIvARTTAs

1
| ]VX TITH the ink on the log of tn
| wv Catalina island race scarcel
| dry, the South Coast yachts
men are fathoms deep in the prepara
| ton for the fifth annual race for thu
Times cup next Thursday, the glorious
Fourth.
Detroit at present holds the cup, hav.
ing won against the entire fleet las
year; Venus has won it twice anC
Mischief once.
AS the Times Gun race is free for al
event, there will be long list of start
ers, in comparison to the other races
of the season, all classes sailing for the
trophy Detroit and Yankee of the A
class will be the scratch boats allow
ing all other boats handicaps in pro
portion to their size. Interest centers
of course, about the crack sloops of the
thirtyfoot class, Columbine, Monsoon
and Mischief II, but Detroit and Yankee
are not to be reckoned lightly with
and Venus, with her proportionately
large time allowance, will be a. factor.
No official information as to the num-
ber of boats entered, nor the exact time
allowances, has as yet been issued by
the regatta committee, but there will
be no considerable change in the rules
governing club races.
The course will be from the whstline
buoy off Point Firmin to the whistler
off Cape Vincente, thence to a flag near
the end of the San Pedro breakwater
and back to the Point Firmin whistler
distance approximately twelve miles
On this course. which with prevailing
winds should be a windward and lee
ward leg, followed by short beat to
windward, the racers have nearly equal
chances and no doubt sharp competi-
tion will result.
Mischief II Hoodooed This Year
Barring rough weather, Columbine
should have good prospects of finishing
first, the race not being long enough
for Monsoon's luck to get to working:
and Mischief II seems obsessed by a
hoodoo this season in the matter of
winning, even after acquiring safe
lead. 1t is hard luck, but Skipper Fol-
som should have invested in a rabbits
foot instead of picked pigs feet when
he grubbed IN for the Catalina race.
AS the writer has never seen Detroit
under way, it is impossible to speculate
III this article on her chance of repeat
ing last years victory, but for Yankee
think there is too much windward
work in the fore part of the race. In
racing a centerboard boat against a
fleet of fin keelers it is to the advan-
tage of the former to have leeWard
start, for stern chase is always a
long one, and distance lost on wind
ward leg is harder to regain than in
beating, when so much depends on the
handling Of the boat.
From the excellent performance of
Venus in two races this year 1t isn't
unreasonable to expect her to win on
time allowance. OF Valkyrie or Merlin,
no such felicitous forecast would be
pardonable, and as for the thirty-foot-
ers. Mischief 1, Skidoo and Marie, no
one really expects them to win. OF the
last trio Skidoo will probably lead the
second division home, Mischief I not
having been handled this season in a
manner that world justify her former
good record; nor has Marie been a
very dangerous competitor for Captain
Wedgewood's bridal coach.
All things considered there is prob
ably a better cl Ance for a good race
than Jat any time this season, the out
side course insuring the yachts of all
the wind there is, and the fact that
neither Detroit nor Yankee has raced
before this season being added incen
tive.
The yachts will be in full view at all
times from the casino at Point Firmin
all the way to the breakwater, and as
Thursday is universal holiday large
crowd is expected.
Fourth of July is a banner day for
yachtsmen in all climes, and inter-