Republican farmer., 1920-07-23
Shamrock Leads In Light Breeze Despite Blundcr

to seven knots an hour and gave every indication of holding.
 At 11:s0 the regatta committee hoist ed the ''G,, signal flags. postponing the start of the race until later in the day, evidently in the hope of a strong CT wind. '
 At 11:42 a. m. the committee hauled down the postponement flag. The committee then set signals for today's triangular course:
 First, a reach south south east; sec ond, beat west by north, and third, a reach to the finish northeast by north.
 The preliminary signal was sounded at noon for a start at 12:15 over tri- angular course leading out~to sea, back toward the Jersey shore to a point off Shrewsbury rock, thence back to the Ambrose Channel lightship. The breeze had dropped to three knots, giving the yachts just steerage way.
 Resolute came down and tackled underneath Shamrock. Then both stood along with only 50 yards be- tween them and Shamrock to weather. Then Shamrock broke away and headed back to the ligh tship. followed by Resolute. The wind was very soft and the yachts moved slowly.
 Shamrock led. across the line at 12:15:4S, followed by Resolute at
  the challenger to start first, the Lip ton craft had trouble with it's ballooner which would not break out and was promptly hauled down, the Brit ish sailors working feverishly to clear the fouled sail.~~
 Nearly catching Shamrock five min utes after the start. Resolute sailed | past her to leeward at 1922. Having cleared the fouled jib topsail, the | crew of Shamrock set their spinnaker. | It did not draw well, and Resolute sped on with her big ballooner out and the other head sails drawing well. | It was evident to observers that sail 1 handling on the challenger had been | bungled. The spihhaker was taken | in at 1925 and a smaller one set This
 also failed to fill quickly ana 10 min utes after the start Resolute was lead 1 ing by 50 yards At 12:30 her lead 1 was 200 yards. She was slipping along g | smoothly and fast under main sail, | club topsail and big ballooner. Sham 1 rock was steadily dropping behind be- 1 cause her headsails refused to fill and 1 1t looked as if her skipper was in 1 trouble again.
 | At 1928 Shamrock lowered her fore staysail and jib and set an Eng
 fish bowsprit spinnaker or balloon | 1 reaching jib topsail. By this time | Resolute was 300 yards ahead.
 | At 12:50 Resolute was sailing along
 easily with her ballooner drawing | splendidIy while Shamrock was flap | ping the wind dut of her small reach
 ing jib topsail and the little fore topsail that looked like a fishermans
 fore topsail as it was hoisted only
 half way to the cross trees. Yachting
 experts couldn't understand why
 Burton did not set his ballooner.
 At 12:55 the breeze began haul ing to the south. Resolute broke
 out her jib and prepared to beat te
 the first mark. Shamrock was hal } mile astern, but somewhat tc l weather.
 At 1 D. m. Resolute ran into sof spot and Shamrock drew up within a quarter of a mile of her. At 1:10 Shamrock passed Resolut to windward- and took the lead again At 1925 with her little fisherman staysail set ahead of her mast draw ing nicely, Shamrock ran a quarte of a mile ahead of Resolute. Sh | picked up a puff of air and saile' around Resolute to windward, lucl 5 being with Shamrock for the frs , time.
 Resolute still chung to her balloone , which seemed to draw well. but coul - not, apparently, compete with Sham = rocks baby fore topsail
 s Two afrplanes raced up and dow 6 the course, coming closer to the GU
 craft than usual. Overhead hovere = a big naval dirigible.