The evening world. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1887-1931, 1920-07-15
RACERS SPREAD THEIR SAILS
PREPARATORY FOR The START
Shamrock's Crew Begins First but Resolute's
Men Quickly Follow-Crowds on
Shore and Pleasure Craft

hustling from behind and took posi-
ton ahead Of his yacht.
The off-shore haze was thlckening
fast at II o'clock. though an in-shore
breeze kept the belt inside the three
mile limit fairly clear. Thus the
Shamrock was visible TO the naked
eye. while the Resolute, a mile fur
Their out, was merely a tantalizing
ghost even through the strongest
glasses.
Every train arriving at the coast
stations turned out a swarm Of peo-
pie who hurried to the beaches and
the bulkheads for tens and miles.
Every road was crowded by men and
women hboring' slowly up In single
file to take stations in every open
lawn and bluff edge.
Tho Corsair was about tho last OF
the onlookers' fleet TO leave the
Hook. He overlook the racers by go
ing at tremendous speed, leaving q
flat black trail of smoke rolling away
TO the RockAways
The wind at 1850 was light west,
making southorly and dying down.
Through the haze the filing outlines
Of the yachts sails could be made out
as they piroueted and dashed to cor
ners OF the space back OF the start
at l1.S5. The gloom made II impos-
!, sible to be decided which carried the
flag of the New York Yacht Club
at her peak and which the green
trimmed yellow squaD flag of LIP
ten with the big green shamrock In
lite centre.
The haze lifted a bit at 1855 and
the Resolute and Shamrock could be
made out standing close together. the
Shamrock 10 the south of the starting
line and the Resolute to the north Of
II. Shamrock went about at 1853.
Shamrock showed her baby lib top
4 sail, stay sail, JIbs, club topsail, and
the Resolute wore the same sails, as
nearly as could be made out
I II there was a fishing powerboat
anywhere In the Shrewsbury River
or from any OF the beaches from
Gravesend Bay out to Long Beach
which was not heading toward
the Hook, 1t was dimcult to know
where II could be hidden. The
inner waters were hecked with them
like waterbugs on a mountain pool.
-
curslon boats which have compiled
, ! with the new Government regulations
, did not appear until hours later.
The nrst days racing is over Il
course as nearly as possible directly
into the wind and back before IL. II
ls the delicate duty OF the Regatta
Committee, Messrs. Parsons, McDon.
} ough and Spedden, assisted by the re.
doubtable veteran Sandy Hook pilot
, Capt. Connolly, who has sailed IL
, three cup races on victorious defend.
ers, 70 choose the course. They mus
/ not only decide on this first raclnt
day, but on those which follow which
course Is best suited TO give the fair.
|. est test to the yachts and their skip,
I pers.
They must be guided not only b,
the wind conditions prevailing Jus
before starting time; they must max,
J up their minds what the wind will
be for six hours after the start, 3,
r that the course will be laid into an,
: out OF the average direction OF tn,
d, wind while the race Is on.
= They may even decide that the rae
d shall be sailed with the first fifteei
Q miles a reach or a run before the win,
n and returning fifteen a beat, the boat
lacking In Eigzags to the homo goal
This decision must be given at leas
. half an hour before the starting tim
q from the committee boat, the tug Bar
ryton, by nag signals, which are no
d" only read by eager and impatien
spectators from every yacht. steame
a and motorboat In the great mobll
, gallery" afioRt and in the air, but b
= thousands on every roof top or highe
u elevation with glasses strong enoug
X 10 make out the strings OF tluttein
signals.
y, by the time the crews Of the tw
~ contenders were at their sails the ON
! clal boats were appearing ready I
IS escort or lead them TO the startln
"a point On the Eileen Morse sailed bi
and blum Capt. Louis Blk to fix tn
II float on which flies the flag tina
n marks the turning point at the ia
q end OF the course. Even the more dis
A tant observers could make out tn
= Orizaba, the biggest OF the eNcursio
N steamships, and the big Fall Rive
\ liner Plymouth, survivor OF III
e. days when there we're almost a
IA many steamers in the great creSceT
=. OF spectator boats as there are mote
Ia boats to-day. Others headed down {
81 on their way were the Corsair. j.
10 Morgan's yacht; the Nassau, man
big tugs, whose Identity could not /
% made out, and the Highlander, carr,
= ing the members OF the New Yor
lg Yacht Club. each one privileged
bring with him a single guest.
But there was no Taurus or q
&c pheus or Perseus or any other OF u