The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1909-06-14
By Jack Densham.

KAHULUI, Maui, June 12.-Commo-
dore Wilder had it figured out just
right when he said that the Hawaii
would be off Kahului before shutdown
on Friday evening and that the Kane
hameha would give the Hawaii the
hardest rub of any of them in the beat
TO windward.
1t was well before dark when the
Hawaii, with sheets Stacked to run
down on the harbor, passed the good
Kamehameha, with a split mainsail,
and crossed the line between the stake
boat and the American girl black buoy,
just three minutes to the good.
The first part of the race was all for
the Kamehameha. She did remark
ably well on the night beat to wind
ward after leaving Honolulu, and, when
daylight came on Friday morning, she
was to windward and probably two
miles ahead of the Hawaii.
At this time, from the Luka, we could
see only the Concord and Hawaii, as
we were way to leeward, although near
er to Lanai than any of them. The
Kamehameha was too far to windward
for us to even get sight of her.
The Concord was to windward just
under the lee of Molokai, and we could
not understand how she came to be so
far behind, for it was evident that if
we were to split tacks we would easily
cross her bows.
1t was only this morning that we dis
covered the reason. 1t seems that when
day broke the Concord was just under
the lee of some land that looked SO
much like Lanai that they supposed
they must be too far to leeward to
make the channel and so put back. In
stead of Lanai, however, it was Molo-
kai, and they found out their mistake
when they saw the Hawaii coming
along and making for the channel.
This set the Concord back probably
three hours-that is, taking the Pirate
Kid IS estimate of it, and he is nothing
if not conservative in these matters.
Before the sun had been up very
long we could see that the Hawaii was
just eating up the short chop of the
channel and evidently getting smart
breeze; she was heeled over and racing
along at a fine speed
AS for the Luka, she had but little
wind, and the Concord, with a much
fresher breeze and better slant was
soon well to windward of us and MAX
ing a quick lead. Then began the mo-
notonous beat up the channel between
Maui and Molokai. The wind soon
freshened until we had good eighteen
knot breeze, but the schooner did not
seem to make up the wind like the
other two yachts, and before noon, we
had given up all hopes of overtaking
the Concord.
Although we did not know it, the
good little Gladys and Kamehameha
were way ahead of us. Not sighting
them at any time, we thought they
must have taken the weather course
round the other side of Molokai. but
not bit of it; both sloops were doing
splendidlv in the short, nasty sea of
the channel and holding their own with
the laroer sehOoners.
The last we saw of the Hawaii was
when she put about after her last star
board tack and saw she could easily
clear Honolua point and get round into
Kahului harbor before dark. AT this
time The Kamehameha was ahead OF
her, but was overtaken before she
could reach the finishing line, due prin
cipally to the accident which ripped
her mainsail
The Luka began to have trouble be
fore we were we'll in to the mouth Of
the channel. The first was when W,
started to put about under the lee Ot
Molokai and missed stays. This meant
wearing ship, and much time was lost
We came about after the next tack al
riqht, hut. on the next leg across to the
Molokai shore the flying jib sheets
gave way and the sail had to be doused
That was nothing very much as TIL
sheet was easily made fast again. bu
before this could be done the peak hal
yards on the foresail gave way and tn
gatf dropped and thrashed around i
way that threatened to tear the sal
at any minute. Down came the fore
sail and there we were with only maiI