Evening journal., 1915-09-27
NAOAIEOWNERCbAIM
RACE OFFICIAL erred
McNamee Enters Protest
Against Awarding Trophy
TO Pickaninny
FOUND ERROR
IN BOATS RATING

William McNamee. OF the racing
yacht Naomie, the first of the tour
boats in the recent DUPONT trophy
race to cross the finish line. but dis
allowed by reason OF the discovery OF
an error in her rating, has filed a
vigorous protest against the finding
of the Regatta Committee. the cor
respondence OF which was made pub
lie yesterday. Mr. McNamee in his
fight is backed by the officials of the
Riverside Yacht Club. The Whining
ton Yacht and Automobile Club Is also
taking a hand in the contest. all OF
which promises some interesting de.
velopments because OF several points
involved.
The DUPONT trophy race was held
on September Is, the course being
from the Camden MOtorboat Club TO
Ship John Light and return, q dis.
tance Of 10 nautical miles. The con.
'tcstants we're the Naomie. of the
Riverside Yacht Club; pickaninny and
Jenny s., of the Camden Motorboat
Club. and the Gniwe of the United
Boat Club of Wilmington. The Cam
den Motorboat Club is the holding
club OF the trophy. and the race was
rum under the management and d.
rection OF the Regatta Committee of
that club.
The boats were started on their
handicaps. the NaOmie starting at 4
a. m. having an allowance of 4 hours
81 minutes and ga seconds. on rating
Of 1924. Prior to the race the Naomio
was ordered to remove ballast which
she had in icr hold and be remeas-
ured. II was on this remeasurement
that she obtained an apparent rating
of 3l.24. The boat was not measured
until after nightiall on the evening
before the race, the owner telephon-
ing the rating TO the Camden Club
In order that the starting time might
be figured. and then handed the ofh.
cial rating certificate TO the commit
tee on arrival az the club just prior
to the start, upon which she was give.
her clearance papers, including racing
number, Instructions and hour o
start.
e While the race was IN progress th
e figures were checked mp by the commit
G tee and the error was discovered, Whic
n changed her rating from 3l.2l to BIS
d making difference of ij minutes and
seconds in her time allowance, aud I
2 her disadvantage. With this amount dl
Quoted from her finishing time the ra,
was awarded TO piclSaninny, and Naon
was set back 10 third place The ownt
! and crew were greatly disappointed. an
| at once began some calculations ON thel
, own account
As result q formal protest was pre-
pared aud filed at once with the regatt
committee, a copy OF which was ais
forwarded 10 General n. Coleman du
! pont. the donor Of the trophy.
A letter rs been received from Mr.
McNamce from General dupont, in whicl
hc saws that he does not recall the con
ditions under which the trophy WAS do
mated. but that he has taken the mattci
tip and has written 20 the proper persons
10 ascertain the facts in the case. Mr.
McNamcc set out iu his protest that ih'
committee had violated tho deed Of gift
in that they changed the length of the
race from what the donor stated in th'
deed of gift of a distance not less thar
80 miles nor more than - miles. an'
made it 10 miles.
4 reply has also lccn received from !
c. Nanderslcc commodore Of the Cam
den Motor Boat Club. la which he &C
/ kilUWlfnEfN lNf If'fiIA w NH' INNA''Ni
and promises that IL will be referred &
the regatta committee
Since filing the protest it has bee
discovered that the protesting partic
are In error as 10 the fourth point q
] claim as set forth in the Official pape
The deed of gift says the course shall
r. not less than 80 or more than 100 sta
!. ute miles.
The deed OF gift for the duPor
= trophy race. as printed in the circula
!. OF rules and conditions for the secon
|, race held i'm 1918. by the Wilmingto
Yacht and Automobile Club. reads !
part; "All races shall be subject [
the rules OF the American Power Boa
Association existing at the time Of Oh
said race" Il Is this clause in the dee
e of gift on which the owner and hi
}, advisers bank their case The clail
). is made that there is nothing in tn
p American Power Boat Associntio
l. rules which defines what shall be IN
e proper amount OF ballast to be use,
r nor that forbids the carrying Of ba
last so long as that ballast is carrie
= to properly trim ship, and is nc
: placed there for the purpose OF ol
Z teining a lower rating for a give