The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-07-04
Eleven Entries Are Taking Part
in Annual Marine Mara
thon to Pensacola.
AMERICAS LONGEST RACE
Southern Yacht Club Members
Will Be Guests of p. Y.C,
Over the Holidays.
(6y LUCKY BALDWIN,

The supreme yachting event of the
south and the second longest race in
American yachting circles is being run
today. Eleven entries are enroute from
New Orleans TO Pensacola and the
first boat will cross the finish line
here late this forenoon.
Every yachtsman in America knows
of the annual Southern Yacht Club
marine marathon event to Pensacola,
a distance of 1870 miles. part OF which
is across the open gulf and all Of
which requires seamanship of the
highest order to navigate successfully.
Only one other yachting event in
America is longer in distance than
the gulf coast classic and that is the
New York Yacht Clubs New York 10
Bermuda race, a distance of some
thing like 800 miles, mostly an open
Atlantic voyage.
The course being sailed by entries
from the West End Club and from
the Pensacola yachting organization
is out across Lake Pontchartrain.
through the Rigolets into. Mississippi
sound. along the coast by the inside
passage from MerrilIs sho9l to Mobile
bay, thence through the open gult 10
miles to Pensacola bay.
Amy motive power. steam, gasoline.
crude oil or electricity, may be used
by the boats but none under 80 feet
in length is permitted to enter.
For seven years now the Southern
Yacht Clubs annual long distance
race has been the feature yachting
event of the gulf coast II was started
in 1912 when Commodore William NJ.
Carrie offered a beautiful cup to be-
come the permanent property of the
owner who should win the race three
successive years with the same boat
This year the rules have been
slightly changed. The Carrie cup has
become the permanent property of
Vice Commodore e. b. Fox. who won
it three times with Brenda III, and
now the s. L. G. has offered a hand
some bronze shield three feet high,
to become the permanent property of
whoever shall win il three times.
though not necessarily with the same
boat. For each leg won on the trophy
a miniature replica of the shield is TO
be presented.
With the yearly advancement in
boat and engine building, as well as
the rapid increase in membership in
the Southern Yacht Club and the
growth of enthusiasm in its races. IL is
believed that seven or eight years will
be required TO retire this trophy. the
more especially as seven were need
ed to retire the Carrie cup, notwith-
standing the fact that two of the an
nual races during the war were run
TO Biloxi, distance of only eighty
one miles, as against the 100 must be
run for the Southern Marine Marathon
cup.
Under the new starting system
.trled Tor the first time last year and
found both efficient and effective. the
slo"est boats were started first from
West End, leaving, at a fixed hour
the afternoon of July 3, and being fol-
flowed by those a little faster and 20
on until such speedsters as W. r. Gill
cans Half Moon and Theodore Gryne-
wald's Creole Sue, which were last
some time I'm the night of July
rms system gives all the boats their
nome waters TO run in during the
hours OF darkness; they are thus
handicapped at the New Orleans end.
at the start, rather than at the fin
ish, and will complete the race more
or less closely punched making a more
enjoyable and thrilling finish than II
they came struggling in one at a time.
the race TO Pensacola ordinarily de-
Neiops into a weeks cruise, as well
as a delightful social event at New
orleans and Pensacola. After the ar
rival of the S Y. c. fleet here there
VIII be dinners and balls. Then the
cruisers will race back 10 Biloxi for
the julius Werner cup in the handi
cap contest and the Biloxi club win
nave two-day sailing regatta July
2 and g. Following the Biloxi events
"aVeiand and Pass Christian will en-
tertain the yachtsmen and the sail
ors VIII arrive at New Orleans. end
ing the cruise, about Saturday.