The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-09-18
SLOOPS CAPSIZE
IN Wild SQUALL
Fish Class Boats Go Over When
Hurricane Strikes Bay
While Race is On.
ALL BO ATS SALVAGED
Capt. Witherell Saved His By
Running Before the Wind
With Jib Only Showing

I Two of the Fish Glass sloops Of the
| Pensacola Yacht club were CapsiZed in
Pensacola Bay yesterday afternoon by
the squall which created havoc at the
naval air station. Crews of the two
boats were rescued by launches after
| the men had been in the water for
more than half an hour. The third
boat, commanded by Dave WitherelI
succeeded in dousing mainsail and run
ming before the wind under lib to
the Country Club landing. Captain
Altink and Cottrell were in the boats
which turned over.
One race had just been completed and
| the second had been under way about
| 20 minutes when the wind, which had
been out of the northwest, died away.
I When it sprang up again it was out
| Of the northeast Two of the boats
were close together off the end OF
| Baylen-st wharf. Capt Altink in the
| Popeye. was off Palafox wharf, we'll out
toward a schooner anchored in the
stream.
The clouds were threatening and
when the first puff of the squall struck
| Capt. Cottrell decided to come about
and head in toward the slip at the fish
houses. He had just come around on
the new tack and was headed back to-
ward the Saunders wharf when his boat
heeled over until her sail dipped. She
righted but before the men could get
J out of the weather rail she went over
, again, this time to stay
In the meantime Capt. Witherell had
seen the squall coming and had taken
in SC III
struck him he ran before it under a
jib. and finally landed at the Country
| Club. He remained with his boat un-
I'll the sea had abated and then sailed
back to the slip.
Capt Altink in the Popeye tried to
douse his mainsail but his haliards
jammed in the blocks when it was
part way down. He ran before the
wind for half mile and finally cap
sized under the lee of schooner, which
was anchored in the stream.
As soon as the Scamp was seen to
| go over a hurry call for launches was
made. One of Hyer's open boats was
first to reach the Scamp. Rox Cowley
was the first man taken off and he was
Immediately brought TO the shore.
Saunders launch Evelyn took off
| Capt. COttrell and Harry Lurton. The
| Cupid went to the rescue OF the Pop
eyes crew and had taken them off
when her motor went bad. The Reba
got a line aboard the Cupid and the
Barbara took the sailboats crew
aboard and landed them at the Ed
mundson dock. The Reba next devel-
oped engine trouble and the Barbara
went to her rescue. With Capt Al
tink in the Popeye were Capt. ]. c.
Watson and E. C. SkottOwe. When
the Popeye turned over she made a
270-degree roll, her mast coming up
on the opposite side from that oD
which it went down.
Late yesterday evening Capt Watson
in the Annie w. with Capt Dan Shep-
ard, Capt. Cottrell and Bob Hixson sal
| vaged the Popeye and Scamp. The
| Popeye was comparatively uninjured
| She was found ashore at Little Bayou
| The, Scamp was worse off. having
drifted into the old Somerville wreck
near the G. F. & A. She had to be cut
loose, but it is believed she will be in
| commission in a few days. She was
| towed in by one Of Hyer's boats.