Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1920-10-30
AMERICAN CRAFT
LEADS IN BIG RACE
Contest Off Halifax in Inter-
national Fisherman'S
Regatta.

HALIFAX. October 80 tby the AS
sociated Press).-The American
schooner Esperanto and the Canada n
two-sticker Delawana dashed Off on
their first race of the international
fsherman's regatta at o'clock today.
Both schooners carried mainsail.
foresail. jib topsail and main gan
tOpsail when the start was made in
Halifax harbor. Both were half "A
mile from the starting line when the
warning signal was sounded.
Both shippers broke out their fore
gaff topsails and as they approached
the line. the American slightly in
.Iockeying for position over. the two
fishermen swung a point or two off
the wind and headed for the first
mark.
This first leg. from Point Pleasant
breakwater to the automatic buoy, SIX
and half miles down the harbor
showed neck-and-neck struggle.
When the first mark was rounded
however. the Nova Scotian was lead
ing by a length and a half. The
turning times were: Delawana
S:35:10: Esperanto, 1882
Canadian's Lead Cut.
The Esperanto began cutting down
the Canadians lead on the second of
the five legs. demonstrating that she
was considerably faster than Della
wana off the wind. AT $50 Espe-
ranto was fully minute ahead of
Delawana.
The American rounded the second
mark ahead of her rival. after having
taken the lead on the second leg Her
turning time was I0:14:50. and Della
wana's. 10:17:54.
After rounding the second mark the
american took in his foregaff top
sail DelaWana followed suit. After
half the run to Shut-In island had
been completed the Gloucester craft
seemed to be holding her lead of three
minutes.
To start the fourth leg Capt. Marty
ordered his foregaff topsail set and
the Yankee sailormen handled their
sails in fine fashion.
The Gloucester skipper chose the
starboard tack in beginning the
eleven-mile beat ahead of him, but
Capt. Zimmerman split with him and
held his schooner inshore.
When Esperanto later came about on
the same tack with her rival. it seemed
as if she was pointing higher. Capt
Zimmerman promptly swung around,
heading out to sea and splitting tacks
again. After continuing well inshore,
Esperanto came about again and both
craft headed for Sambro Lodges.
Full Sails Set.
Both craft were carrying full sails
awash- The Canadians mainsail set
like a charm. but the Americans head
sails seemed to be pulling better At
III 80 both boats were still heading sea-
ward on the starboard tack. 1t was
estimated they were approximately six
matte buoy, with Esperanto apparently
mile to the windward and the Can
adam a half mile further on the tack.
De}awana seemed to be riding easier
than her rival which. to observers, APP
peared to be somewhat down by the
head.
With the American stiu leading and
about five miles from the inner buoy.
both vessels swung to the port tack.
1t seemed as if Delawana had been
able to cut down her rivals lead some
what on the beat to windward.
At 1925 Delaware headed for the
inner buoy. On their long starboard
tack the schooners had worked out
about ten miles to sea, and. from the
press boat following the race, they
were almost hull down. Esperanto APP
peared to be about a mile and half
10 weather, pointing higher and foot
ing faster.
At 1:25 schooner shippers on the
press boat Tyran estimated that Es-
peranto was leading by about five
minutes.
The veteran sailormen expressed the
opinion that neither craft could make
the buoy without another tack, as
there were indications that wind of
Chebucto head would haul more west
erly.
Fisher folk who put out to sea to
watch the race. and observers gathered
on the shore. followed the contestants
with intense interest. Bronzed men,
who have followed the sea all Their lives.
evinced more interest in this hastily
planned match between two craft with
which they are familiar than in the
Americas cup races off Sandy Hook
last July.
In this case the race was stripped of
all its technicalities. There was no
time allowance to be figured, for there
ID none.