Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-22
NEW YACHT WASP
SAILS FINE RACE
VENUS IS VICTOR IN SOUTH
COAST TRIAL
JOE FELLOWS LATEST CREATION
SHOWS SPEED
Lack of Sufficient Ballast and Tuning
Up Causes Loss of First Racing
Test-Crews Show
CIeverness


at 1856 yesterday the elite of the yacht
ing world of the southern coast lowered
about the Sweetheart and watched the
dainty white-sailed racers jockeying for
the best berth to get across the line
without a seconds delay in the maiden
race that was to be the tryout OF the
Wasp.
Venus, the old-time favorite and the
champion of the southern seas for
years. came in a winner with margin
of nine minutes to the good.
Joe Fellows, designer and builder of
the Wasp was not at all discouraged
by the result of the race. He also built
fbe Venus. and he is confident he now
has designed boat that will beat MS
earlier creation.
"a little more ballast and a little
more tuning up and we will see,' was
about all Joe had to say. He is too
old campaigner to go into long ex-
are necessary.
The Muriel in the r class defeated
the Portola. The latter boat found the
same difficulty as the Wasp when she
got outside where the breeze blew at
20-knot clip. She lacked ballast. The
little boat has the speed and was beau
fifully handled, but was not able to
stand UP like the Muriel. This fault is
s. simple one and will be easily cor
rected, Mr. Mellen had as a companion
G. M. Richardson of the Myth. The
latter boat, in the r class, was disabled
and did not start. The Muriel was
sailed by her owner, v. B. Stewart. J.
M. Wallace and L. v. Brown acted as
crew.
Wasp Crosses Ahead
When the starting gun doomed the
Muriel was headed down toward the
Sweetheart She crossed ahead and
was quickly followed by the Wasp,
slightly in front of the Venus. The
Portola was last, but they were all
close together. The Wasp led down the
light breeze with balloon Jib set. She
held her lead to the bell buoy and
turned fifteen seconds ahead Of the
Venus Joe showed the way to the
breakwater with an additional gain.
On the dead beat to the windward the
Wasp surprised the white-winged fleet
by holding her own at first and then,
as they tackled in and out Of the break
water, drew away from Venus. Tho
new boat turned the outer mark one
minute and fifty seconds ahead of the
old champion.
Here the Wasp's first real trouble be-
gan. The boys broke out the balloon
lib smartly and a second later, in some
way, 1t went adrift on them. When the
sail was hauled inboard the Venus had
almost overhauled the singer. With
the ballooner back In position, however,
the Wasp held her own and kept her
lead until the breakwater was rounded.
On the reach to the bell buoy the
Venus picked up more and the Wasp
returned to the bell with fifteen Sec
onds' margin, exactly the same position
and time as when she first rounded this
mark.
Hot Blankets Wasp
At this point the Venus luffed to the
windward of the Wasp and gradually
passed her unC took the windward
berth. Joe was forced to gybe out of
the hot blanket. The wind was fresh
ening every minute and the Wasp was
unable to carry it. Skipper Fellows
tackled, but the Venus held right up
into the eye of the wind and gained a
strong weather position that carried
her, in two tacks, to the red flag. At
the end of this, the first round, the
Venus gained lead of 1:21 and never
was again headed. The freshening
wind was now all to the favor Of the
Venus. The lads in the red caps got
out the ballooner in a leisurely way.
but, once set, they used ell the wind In
that part of the bay. One of the anna
teur tars held the sail in position with
an improvised spinnaker boom and
visited for more wind. The Wasp's
ballooner was quickly in position, but
the sail did not seem to draw. Quarter
of mile ahead the Venus was drawing
away. while the Wasp's big jib tapped
in an exasperating way for half a
minute before it filled in a satisfactory
manner.
Joe Fellows and his crew sailed the
Wasp for all there was in her yesterday,
but the lack of ballast told again when
they rounded the bell buoy on the way
out. Outside the breakwater the Wasp
found the weather heavy, but on long
port tack they gained on the Venus.
Then the Wasp went on the starboard
tack and lost time. Her big mainsail
did not seem to act well and did not
do the boat justice. When she came
about she seemed to gain again, but
away. The thrash to the whistling
buoy was not all to the Wasp's liking
and she held in close to the break
water.
Venus the Victor
The Venus rounded the whistler four
minutes and fifty-eight seconds before
Joe gybed around. Again the singer
<boys showed their speed with the bali
looner, but it didn't break out like a
well trained sail should do.
All the way home it was Venus. The
crimson caps bobbed UP for the final
tack around the red flag, and on the
gun the judges on board the Sweet
heart figured 1t 6:33 actual time and
9:14 corrected time The Venus crossed
at 3:56:00 and the Wasp ar 4:02:33. The
time allowance, Wasp to Venus, was
2:41 More ballast In the Wasp will
wipe out the time allowance and stiffen
her. With the turning up process the
Wasp Will gain speed, and before the
season is over there will be some hot
contests between the old champion and
the new boat.
A. M. Squires, owner of the Wasp,
was we'll pleased with her performance.
He is confident he has the speediest
boat on the south coast. He watched
the race from the deck of the Sweet
heart.
The Wasp was sailed by Joe Fellows.
His crew consisted of J. c. Farnham,
r. M. Fulton and Bert Brown.
Venus was sailed by her owner, X. r.
Bradley, with Lee Bradley, e. G. Be-
zell and Walter Callaghan as his crew.
NEBAhM VAULT AHkI0 RIIn