New-York tribune., 1920-02-01

AheIe Is considerable mystery re-
garding the plans of the Junior flag
officer Of the defending club. 1t is a
fact, however, that Sherman Hoyt, an
other well known racing member of the
New York Yacht Club, will help Rear
Commodore Nichols sail Vanite.
Rear Commodore Nichols did not
seek the honor of sailing Vantie. 1t
was forced upon him. In 1914 he was
member of the after deck war coun-
Gil Of ResOlute. When Alexander
Smith Cochran gave his sloop to the
club it was imperative that some one
should have command of the era t, and
the cup committee of the club asked
Rear Commodore Nichols to race the
boat. Believing that Vanitie had an
excellent chance of being chosen, Com
modore Nichols consented to take
charge Of the yacht.
The situation in tho New York Yacht
Club regarding q defender is decidedly
interesting. Both RI olute and Nani-
tie are being managed by the same
syndicate Of yachtsmen No matter
which boat is chosen it will be the
club boat Rcsolute will again be
sailed BY Boston yachtsmen. Charles
Francis Adams I'd and Robert Emmons
viii be the master minds on board the
i-t PAU SE4 pHEb Will De Zap
tain Chris Christensen. The yacht is
beng htted out d the Herreshofs,
Bristol, 4. l.
Local Men in Control
It IS not generally known that the
Herreshoffs is practically owned by the
Yacntsmen who control the New York
Yacht Club. Several years ago, when
1t looked as though the famous wards
mes ht go under on account of the war,
several important members Of the or
ganlzation reorganized the plant and
placed 1t upon strong financial foot
ing incidentally, Rear Commodore
That does not alter the fact that he
hopes to be able TO defend the Amer
lca's Cup with Nanitie
Although he has not as yet decided.
C0mmodore Nichols has no intention
81 having the Herreshofs put Vanitie
into commission. He believes that the
yacht should be fitted out at some
other yards. At present the craft is
ut Jacobs Yard, City Island AS
hardly likely that Vanitie will be fitted
out there. No arrangement has been
made to move the craft. 1t is believed
that he viii be fitted out at some
other yard near New York
In all probability, the entire after
guard or board of Nauite viii be New
York saehtsmen. 1t should make the
boat ceedingly popular in the metro
poi1ar eis'rict, particularly as she
was De gned by William Gardner,
New York naval architect. The trial
races between Resolute and Vanitic
this spring will take on the nature of
inter-city battles between the best
yachting brains of New York and Bos-
Son.
Although Commodore Nichols has
lived IN New York for years and is
associated in business with his father
here. he is Harvard man and orig
inaly learned sailing down East" lie
Is well known in the racing game on
both Long Island Sound and Massa-
chusetts Bay. For many years he was
closely connected with the Seawan-
haka Corinthian Club of Oyster Bay,
at one time being the commodore Of the
club. He is a son-in-law of Commo-
dore J. 2. Morgan.
Abandon Marconi Rig
Rear Commodore Nichols's most i'm
portant racing yacht was the fifty
footer Carolina, which he purchased
had the craft altered and given the
Marconi rig. Under the new rig the
yacht was raced against Commodore
Morgan's Grayling. off Newport. After
the series it was believed that the de-
fender of the Americas Cup was going
TO use the Marconi rig. This has been
abandoned, principally because it
would cut down the allowance that
Shamrock will have to give to either
Resolute or Vanitie.
For several months the committee in
charge of the defense Of the cup has
been experimenting with Vantie. Be
ing on the committee, Commodore
Nichols knows every move. He is the
authority for the statement that there
Will be changes in Vanitie when she
slips into the water this spring, but
that these changes will not be radical.
The New York Yacht Club still main
The stand that the club has taken is
only one of good sportsmanship. 1t
felt that it could not very we'll make
public what it had done at a meeting
until Sir Thomas Upton had been Off
cinally informed.
Another detail Of the cup race Is
causing the officers of the organization
no end of worry. For several months
they have been trying to charter boat
who will want to see the race. 1t is
practically impossible to find such q
craft. The new laws governing boats
going 10 sea are so strict that there are
mighty few on the market The ones
that might do would cost so much that
It Is almost out Of the question to
think OF engaging them.
Also the committee is having consid-
cradle difficulty in finding suitable
tenders for Resolute and Vante. Each
boat viii carry 4 crew of from thirty to
forty men, not to mention the after
deck amateurs. They win have to be
fed and kept during the entire season
ard boats large enough TO supply them
with quarters have got to be found
Also the spare spars, sails and every
thirg else needed to race q big yacht
VIII have 10 be stored on the tenders
Mrs. L. II. Harriman's Sultana has been
menti ,ned as a POSSIBLE tender Of one
of the yachts.