The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1908-08-02
HIDE AND SEEK"
SAYS COOPER
Commodore in Charge of Yacht
Hawaii Describes Search
for More Wind.

ssIe was a game of hide and seek,
said Commodore Cooper, referring to
the race to Hilo. eve were running
round, looking for wind, lodging
islands, and avoiding currents nearly
all the time.
Commodore Cooper and Prince Kuhio
left the yacht in charge of Charles
Wilder at Hilo and returned on the
steamer Mauna Kea, arriving in Homo
lulu yesterday morning.
The Prince was fairly bubbling over
with the enjoyment of the trip. He
proved himself reliable and sturdy
sailor, and says that he found pro-
digious appetite out there in the chan
mel already waiting for him.
Commodore Cooper is pleased with
the way the Hawaii sailed, and states
that the try-out afforded by the race
has shown where many more improve
ments can be made.
:. It is not so much case of taking
out her BALLAST said the commodore,
t.but disposing it around in the best
way to balance the boat. 1t is fatal
to take a yacht off the designed water
line, as, whether she be above or be-
low, she will not find her true lines to
sail on.
~ think that what is really needed
is to raise her center of gravity, and
this can be done by taking some of the
weight off her keel and spreading it
around inside the bilge.
During the race we experimental
as far as possible by moving the in
side ballast farther forward and spread
ing it up the bilge on either side. This
seemed to make quite a difference in
her windward work, and I feel conf
dent that she has not yet shown any
thing like all the speed that is in her.
.When we did have a good breeze,
the Hawaii sailed wonderfully fast on
the wind. We could not touch the
Luriine in light airs. but the Hawaii
can sail with any of them when the
wind blows. and she is wonder to eat
up the wind on a close reach. When
we passed Hama, we had good breeze,
and I expected to make Kohala light
IN about sig hours. the distance being
about thirty-eight miles, Instead of
six hours we sighted the light in three
hours and half, which is wonderfully
fast time for that distance.
1t was very trying work when the
wind fell light. The other yachts crept
by us while we were rolling round in
a very helpless manner We kept a
man on the lookout for wind all the
time. Looks like wind in shore would
come from the lookout, and so round
we would go and head inshore; then
word would come of a breeze farther
out, and we would put about again and
try to struggle out TO where there was
some air stirring. All this time the
lighter yachts were sailing away from
us.
ssMy idea of the best way to get the
Hawaii into condition to do herself
justice is to put here in the charge of
one reliable man, who thoroughly nm
derstands sailing, and have him take
her out when possible and tune her up
thoroughly, find out where the ballast
should be placed, how much should be
taken out or put in, and all the other
little details which make so much diff
ference to the speed of the yacht
Tt appears that the Kamehameha was
in fair way TO win the race until very
near Hilo. The sloop was well inshore
anu ABOUT an hour ahead OF the Luz
line, with the latter well out to sea.
Then Sinclair caught a puff from the
northeast, which steadied to a good
breeze. and the big schooner ran down
the wind and into Hilo well ahead of
the Kamehameha.
Taken all in all the race was a mark
ed success. 1t gave an opportunity to
try out the Hawaii under different con
ditions; it gave the people of Hilo a
chance to meet the good sportsmeI
who sailed over here in the race, and
1T helped with the impression that oul
Z visitors will take back with them They
viii have learned that sailing in this
island waters is no easy thing. ant
that, when little sloops like the Gladly:
and Kamehameha are sailed through
such weather and over such waters, the
people of the islands must. at any rate
be good sportsmen.
The log of the Hawaii. which fol
lows, was carefully kept during tn,
race and gives verv good idea of tn,
i. weather the yacht passed through ans
what showing she made under varying
conditions