Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-22
ALL CLASSES WILL START IN
TopAYs REGATTA
COURSE A PUZZLE TO MANY OF
THE SAILORS
Three Miles to seaward, Thence TO
the Whistler and Back the
Same Way Is the New
Game
BY JACK vIvARTTAs

While not the last race Oh tne sedsvn'
today's regatta of the South Coast Yacht
club marks the termination OF long
period of racing inactivity in home wa
ters. For this reason 1t will probably
lack someeof the interest which attended
those earlier in the summer, though the
rivalry is still sufficiently keen to pro-
vide a good contest in all classes.
Another singular feature of today's con-
test is the course which may be called
four-sided triangle-whatever that is-or
a square course, with this exception
only two sides of the rectangle are COW
ered the yachts returning over the same
course instead of. going all the way
around. What's in a name, anyway?
A similar race was sailed In the Santa
Barbara regatta and met with about the
same disapproval as is heard of this one
that it lacks windward work enough
to make it a good test of seamanship and
sailing qualities. Quite properly, 1t is
claimed by certain of the amateur tars
that any old tub can go to leeward If the
wind blows hard enough, but 1t takes a
real yacht, and racing craft at that,
to beat to windward.
But all sailors are naturally polemic, SO
what's the use of picking flaws in the
shape of the course? If the left handed
lTldnSle Is d Dll Sudhy Wldt thC I'LL
ference, so long as it's racing? Besides
having beat to windward 1t affords q
broad reach and a spinnalxer run, SO there
will be plenty of work for the light sail
artists.
Detroit and CoIumbine
One other point in favor of the race, it
includes five classes, A, b, G, p and the
yawls. In the A class Detroit should win
over Yankee, though the course is not
long enough to permit of any unnecessary
delay by Capt. Dodge. Yankee has taken
but one race this year, that at Venice,
when Detroits throat halyards parted at
time when she was well ahead. Since
| then the two big sloops have met several
| times, but the centerboard has ever showed
| her heels to the fin keel
| class will have more competition, il
the number of boats entered has any bear
| ing on results, but usually 1t hasn't. Mis-
chief II, Columbines and Monsoon will
meet for the first time in several months,
excepting only the race to Birds Rock,
which Columbine won on time allowance
from Detroit and easily defeated the rest.
Columbine should be an easy winner to-
day, there is so much leeward work in the
course as laid out. OF this class Mischief
has Jared rather poorly, having but one
victory to her credit. Monsoon did a little
| better, winning two long distance events
|
| then at Santa Barbara.
| Columbine has a long string of scalps
| on her belt, and in picking a winner a
careful prophet should take into consid-
GRAFTON only past performances, so it is
but logical to expect her to finish first
| today.
Venus will more than likely add the
c class trophy to her already well filed
locker, notwithstanding her heavy time
allowance to Valkyrie, which she greatly
overmeasures. So far as the past sea-
son is concerned the latter has won
more prizes, but only because Venus has
not been entered.
Venus Family Boat
Venus is fast being relegated eto the
family boat class along with Skidoo,
which fact the racing fraternity siren
uously deplores, for both are good racing
craft. The Bradley boat is probably the
best of her size on the Pacific coast,
and it is really too bad to see her made
carryall for pink teas and SUCH
With the d class there has been so
little racing that it is difficult to tell
which is the better boat. On the Fourth
of July these little craft went to Point
Vincente in a good stiff breeze, and no
doubt will make pretty race today If
enough of them are entered.
If any condition more than another is
reSpODSlDl6 lOr Lll6 liitllllSA cnCC All SOddJ .
race it is the difficulty of getting crews
for the racers. AS the larger boats usu-
ally get theirs first poor little d class
has to take what's left, whatever that is
Minerva will probably win over Arrow
this afternoon, for since the British adj
miral sold her to Captain Spaiding the
smaller of the two yawls has given
good account of herself Hay Is better
acquainted with Arrow now, however, and
may make things exciting for the older
boat before they get all the way aroild
the block. Arrows greatest drawback is
that she is an auxiliary and has to dcag
her propeller in the races.
The two yawls broke about even in the
seasons racing, Minerva going around
Catalina about as far ahead as Arrow
went to Santa Barbara. They make
pretty race, these two with their Jiggers
and main staysails set
The course starts from a line between
the southeast corner of the Miner bulk
head and flag mooIed to the southwark.
three miles east to stake boat, thenre
to the wnlstling buoy off Point Ffrntir.
Rounding the whistler, which is left to
starboard, the yachts in all classes douh'e
back over the starting line.
Start for G and d classes at 1880, pre-
paratory gun at 1925 and yawl classes
get away at 12:45, preparatory gun ct
1910. A class will start alone at o'clock,
the preparatory gun being fired at 1885.
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