Los Angeles herald., 1910-06-11
YACHTS START
ON ANNUAL RACE
Leave San Pedro BreakWater at
Noon Today for the Trip
Around Catalina
NINE BOATS ARE NAMED TO GO
Mah-Pe, Winner Last Year, Han
dicapped in Favor of the
Smaller Candidates
BY BERT S. COLEMAN

Nine yachts of the South Coast
Yacht club will leave the breakwater
off Los Angeles harbor this morning
at the crack of the starting gun at IL
o'clock for the annual race around
Catalina island for the Whitley cup,
won last year by the big sloop Mah-pe
Two of the entries, the Skidbladn1r
and the Columbine, have withdrawn
from the race because they were not
put into commission in time to start.
The Skid" Frank Garbutt's big
schooner, was to have made her initial
appearance as a racer in this event,
but her light sails had not arrived IN
time to be stretched for the starting
gun. The Columbine was not ready
because work on her this year was not
started until a few days ago.
The other entries are Mah-pe, Win
some, Sweetheart, Mischief 1, Wave,
Mike, Royal, Seabird and Shadow.
These boats range in size from twenty
two to fifty feet water line, and there
are not two boats OF the same descrip-
ton in the race. All Of them have
been given a handicap by the Mah-pe
on account Of her superior size, but it
is claimed that the race belongs to
any one of the yachts entered.
The race is really not q test Of a
boats speed, for the reason that the
winds in the channel and around the
island vary so much in places that
luck plays a large part in the event.
AS a rule little boats which could be
towed by the bigger boats in a general
breeze nose in ahead of the big ones
by sheer luck. This is especially the
case around the east end of the island.
where the hills shut out the ocean
breezes, which split up and strike the
south side of the channel in spots.
If a boat secures one of the dabS of
wind and 1t carries her far enough off
the land to catch a fair breeze, she
sometimes gains miles before other
boats are fortunate enough to catch the
wind. This has been shown in the
previous races around the island, when
some of the faster boats have left the
fleet almost hull down after the first
few hours sailing. They strike a
calm spot and lie there until the slow
er boats come up, when 1t is shown
that speed does not count for much.
This performance, when experienced
several times during the race, causes
shippers severe pains at times, es-
pecially those on the faster boats which
lose the race.
On the tedious beat up the southern
side of the island, however, matters
are Strengthened out somewhat. The
yachts beat up the outer coast of Ava
Ion nearly all night long and it is this
part of the race which tries the mettle
of the yachtsmen. They don't get
much sleep, because they are frequent
ly needed on deck to "'bout ship"
when the stick is jammed hard a leei
The run home from the west end of
the island generally is with the wind
aft and is quite comfortable after the
seance In the heavier swell of the Pa
ci1c off the island. Each boat car
ries everything she will hold for the
long run back to the harbor.
The nine boats entered will be ready
this morning and when the f1ve-min-
ute gun roars out, they will be in line
to negotiate for position at the start,
which takes place at IL o'clock sharp.
The return depends on the quantity
of wind, and may be anywhere from
seventeen to thirty hours. 1t is ex-
pected, however, that most of the
yachts will be in by Sunday noon, the
first being listed to arrive about 9
o'clock, If there is a fair breeze.
The Mah-pe, Mischief and Wave are
the favorites in the race, as it Is un-
known what the other boats will do.
The Sweetheart, in her new rig, is an
unknown quantity and may prove a
surprise, and Francis Hays craft, the
Winsome, is also new in the racing
game. The Wave has been doing some
good work this year and with her
handicap has become quite a favorite
among the yachtsmen as a possible
winner.