Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-06-05
mist overhung the bay and the wind was
southeast and light.
Smallest a Mere Cockleshell.

AS usual in an ocean contest, the smallest
boat yies with the largest in the public in
terest. and in the present case the little
Zena has the distinction Of being the baby
Of the feet. This little Bermudian craft is
but SO feet long over all, yet she has a
mas that measures 81 feet Her rig with
leg-of-mutton mainsail. allows for the tall
pine stick and makes her a conspicuous
figure despite her size. She will sail against
the Hyperion, the Lila and the Arab for
the cup offered Jointly by three clubs-the
Brooklyn, New Rochelle and Royal Bermu-
da-while all the other yachts will compete
for the cup offered by Rear Commodore
Maier.
Just which yacht will be greeted first by
expectant British officials and natives on
the little islands that are miles farther of
the coast from South. Carolina, which is in
their same latitude than they are from
New York, is but guesswork to predict
One of the schooners, the Dervish, the
Shamrock or the Tammany, seems most
likely to arrive first. but, aside from their
size, for every advantage they have in
reaching with a good wind they would be
at disadvantage with the zephyrs blow
sea, while the fast sloops would then be In
their element.
Large Handicaps to Some.
Two boats, the Mist and the Flamingo,
have been allowed handicaps Of more than
a day. The Flamingo Is not fast boat
and will need all the time permitted under
the rule Of forty-five minutes for every foot
of length the yachts have to give. But the
Mist stands an excellent chance of winning
the prize even If she doesn't finish first
She was formerly the sloop Baboon and is
speedy craft
Both the Mist and the Flamingo are aux
iliaries, but their engines will be sealed this
morning before they start.
There usually is as much luck in an ocean
yacht race as there is In playing pinochle.
Oftt1mes when one racer is rolling in a
dead calm boat that happens to be ten
miles to the east or west will be favored by
breeze that will send her half day
a ah II Is al in the game. however, and
the smelling of puff of air and the knowl-
edge OF the tides are tricks of the trade.
The one thing in this race that Is certain
to happen unless the most unfavorable con-
ditions prevail is the breaking of the rec
ord. Last year the yawl Tamerlane estab-
lished new time for a sailing yacht between
here and Bermuda by making the trip in
five days, five hours and fifty-eight minutes.
much faster than the Tamerlane, and they
should make the passage well inside of
five days.
Distinguishing Lights at Night.
A watch will be kept even at night for
their arrival. and each yacht has been pro-
vided with Coston lights 70 burn at night.
By means of these lights to distinguish
them they are likely to be sighted and
ported during the race.
Just what courses they will take is being
kept secret by most of the shippers A
few have declared their intention of work
ing down the coast and then cutting across
for Bermuda in order to avoid crossing the
tempestuous Gulf stream diagonally. One
has said, on the other hand that the short
est way is the quickest, and declared his
intention of defying the warm but turbu-
lent waters.
Frederic Thompson has taken the small
boats off the Shamrock and she will carry
on deck two of the dories the Epdymion
had when she raced from Sandy Hook light
ship to the Lizard. England, in May. 1905,
for the kaiser's cup The Shamrock was
moored at Timer Park yesterday, while her
new sails We're bent She will have the dis
advantage of starting off with unstretched