The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-06-28
HELENE WINS THE BECKLEY
CUP RACE BY FINE SAILING
Keen Race Proves That Whitney Can Sail a
Yacht---Exciting Finish--Bad Sail
Handling.

HaWau L % MINIS. D 11:24:03
After a magnificent piece of seaman
ship, Captain Whitney won the Beckley
cup race yesterday afternoon. Captain
Whitney sailed a grand race but the
same thing cannot be said for his crew.
The two features of the race were
the close finish of the Gladys and the
Helene, and the really poor way in
which the local yachtsmen set their
light sails. After rounding the Da-
mond Head buoy, or mark, there was
long hiatus during which the regatta
committee waited with bated breath to
see the kites break out. The kites did
not break out. There was a long period
of waiting after each yacht had round
ed the Diamond Head mark. Not a
single light sail was stopped. The
Gladys had an imitation method of stop
ping which did not work.
1t is hard to have to say it, but the
local amateur yachtsmen have no idea
of getting ready for race. Their kites
are not out in shape for quick breaking
out and it was to weep to watch the
four sloops and one yawl as they round
ed the Diamond Head mark for a run
to leeward.
On the Coast, or where they get some
keenness in sailing yachts, there would
have betI quick halyard lofting of
spinnakers in stops before the yachts
rounded the buoy. Then there would
have been the command tfStand by fol
sluffing off, Look out for spinnaker
sheets and tack. Hard aweather. Look
salt now you fellows and, when give
the word, break out that spinnaker
sheet and look out for the ballooner
stops.
But there was nothing of that kind
There was stopping done and each crew
acted as though it was being paid to
get back to New York.
This sounds like an awful knock to
hand in, but it is the goods. The writer
happened to be the forecastle handler
aboard the "Mischief H. for two
years. With four other men he trained
like they do for football game. There
was a ritual for every move. When
the old Mischief approached a mark OF
buoy, the whole crew went through a
regular ritual. ''Me for spinnaker hal
yards. - "Me for spinnaker outhawl.
"Me for ballooner sheet "Me fol
general standby" And so it was and
so it should be wherever yachtsmen get
together.
The yacht race itself was a fine ex
hbition of skipperishness. But the
crews were bad. They needed some be
laying pin dope and a few bites of the
sailor bug. After rounding the Dia
mond Head mark they took anywhere
from five to fifteen minutes in whicl
to hoist their light sails. 1t made one
Taught to see them swarm the mast tt
find where the spinnaker boom lift lee
to. They did it twice on one yacht anG
more than that on some of the other
yachts.
Ten cents worth of light cotton Some
early rising and little use of the hal
yards would enable the local yachtsmer
to break out light sails once a year.
The prettiest part of the whole race
was the finish between the Helene anC
the Gladys. The latter was well tC
windward coming down for the bel
buoy but Captain Whitney came VI
with a rap full to leeward and literally
soused through the lee of the lady anC
handed Tommy King one large lemon
as he barged along with all sails draw
ing and crossed the line FIVE seconds
ahead when he should have been behind
The Kamehameha sailed a poor race
Charlie Lewis was at the stick ant
should have got better work out of hi
crew. The sail handling was poor anc
the good old sloop did not do her hes
work to windward. 1t seems that Cap
tain Nicely was not on board to get on
and push when the wind fell light.
Vice Commodore Jaeger was there a