Los Angeles herald., 1907-05-20
Venus Outsails Her
Class
What Promised at the Start to Be
Lively Race eliminates in Drift
inq Match-Yankee Meets
with Misfortune
nv JACK vIvARTTAS

Yankee, 2 hours, minutes 10 seconds'
This was the result of the South Coast
Yacht clubs first regatta this season
over a 15-mile triangular coulse aU S''-'
Pedro yesterday.
After a fine start and an exciting hrst
half the wind gave out and the hnisn
was largely a matter OF luck. WhaI
promised at the beginning to be real
test of sailing qualities and seaman,
ship resulted in a drifting match toward
the end. .
The Columbine was favored at JusS
the right time with a light putt Whlcn
sent her over the line four minutes
ahead of the valiant Michief II.
With circumstances most propitious,
the start was as pretty as has ever been
seen on the coast. After the prepara-
tory gun was fired at 1:25 o'clock there
was no jockeying for position.
All the yachts punched at the starting
line at 1870. Monsoon was first to cross
the line, followed closely by Mischief H.
Then the Venus shot out well to wind
ward and Skidoo and Columbine came
across the line together, with the for
mer to windward, followed by the
Yankee. The Valkryie and Osborne
brought up we'll astern and held that
unenviable position to the finish.
Mischief II quickly drew away from
her old rival Monroon, and gained a
lead of quarter of a mile, which she
held well around the first turn. Colum-
bine tried for nearly a mile to get away
from the lee of the Monsoon, but
Capt Wedgewood managed to keep ner
blanketed to the first turn, where
Columbine gybed into better position
and easily stood away from both Mon
soon and Skidoo.
At the start the Yankee set a large
balloon jib, but appeared to be having
trouble with it, and before the first turn
was reached it was replaced with a
small baby jib to the end of the first
round. Venus and Mischief 1 sailed
pretty race to the first turn, where they
gybed together, closely followed by
Yankee. A little later Valkyrie and
Osborne came about close together, but
well astern of the rest of the fleet.
coIumbine Shows Class
On the second leg the Columbine
showed remarkable reaching ability,
and by freer steering gained on Mis-
chief II and led the whole fleet around
the second turn, with Yankee second
and Mischief II third.
Mischief II and Yankee evidently
were unable to pick up the flag at the
second turn, for they headed we'll up to
windward of it and lost at least two
minutes to leeward at the end of the
first lag. d..
Venus sailed we'll ahead of her class
outpointing Mischief l, rounding the
second turn just astern of the Skidoo.
With Columbine in the lead on the last
leg of the first half followed closely by
Z Yankee and Mischief, there began the
real test of sailing qualities in a stiff
beat to windward.
Close hauled, the three stood over I O
Brighton beach, and in a few minutes
Mischief II had outpointed her rivals
and regained the lead she had lost on
the second leg. Monsoon had by this
time made the turn, and was making
very pretty effort to overhaul the three
leaders.
MISCHIEF first and Skidoo were next
the MISCHIEF losing her balloon over
board on the turn, but recovering 1t
quickly and without any great loss of
time. Got away just as the pluckv lit
tie Venus came about and stood I'D to
wlndWard, but the Valkyrie and Os-
borne had dropped so far astern as to
be well out of the race.
Mlschlef IL was first to come about
on the windward leg, followed shortly
by Yankee and then Columbine. the
Monsoon holding inshore a little longer.
with the Mischief 1, Venus and Skidoo
having sharp contest for place half
mile astern. After a short tack sea-
ward Mischief II was about again and
with Columbine and Yankee following
her lead, stood we'll over to Terminal,
the Monsoon holding the port tack
toward the breakWater. Off Terminal
Yankee was first to go about, but when
Mischief II followed suit a few moments
later it was apparent that the smaller
boat had far the better position Col
.umblne stooG inshore two minutes
longer to get the benefit of any extra
breeze that might be there
capt. Mitchell soon abandoned the
idea and went about fully a quarter of
mile to the leeward of the Mischief
II, which stood seaWard long enough
to get long tack to the flag at the
starting point, finishing the first half
at 2:55, followed by the Yankee forty
hVe seconds later and the Columbine
at 2:56 and seconds.
Monsoon rounded the turn at g
O'Clock, Venus, Mischief L and Skidoo
little later, leaving Valkyrie and Os-
borne to fight it out alone. The wind
was fast dropping and at the beginning
of the first les of the second round was
less than four miles an hour. Mischief
III led all the way to the first turn but
took too much room to southwark, with
the result that the Yankee was first
around, the Columbine a close second,
and then the Mischief.
Shortly after making the turn the
Yankee had the misfortune to split her
ballooner, and the Columbine quickly
forged ahead. The light weather was
evidently to Columbines liking, for in
spite of most strenuous effort on the
part of Capt. Fulton, the Mischief could
not cut down the lead. The smaller
boats were closing up the gap, with
Venus leading both Mischief l and
Skidoo at the first turn.
Columbine led at the second turn,
rounding it at 3:33:16 Yankee at 3:S4:4
and the Mischief II at 3:34:17. Colum-
bine pointed up much better in the
light air than she had in the fresh
breeze before, standing well inshore in
search of a breeze. Mischief II at once
gained on Yankee, passing to wind
ward of her in less than three minutes
after rounding the turn. Columbine
was first to go about, the Mischief II
and Yankee preferring to stand ovel
toward Brighton beach with the re.
suit that Mischief got becalmed there
Monsoon led the second division around
about fou~ minutes after the frs
bunch, Venus, Mischief I and SkidoC
in closs order, but the formation wal
.oc, da,,OraIizad and went TO piecei