The New York herald., 1921-02-06
PROPOSED OCEAN
RACE EXCITING
MUCH INTEREST
Speculation Over Type Best
Adapted for Cup
Event.
100 FOOTERS IN FAVOR
Brief History of What Little
and Big Craft Have Ac-
complished.
100 FooTERs IN FAVOR

Columbus sailed across the Atlantic
with his fleet of three caravels. the
old ocean has been considered the ideal
battle ground for wind driven craft.
still there have been very few races
from one to the other side of the big
ditch, principally because the average
~aohtsman has been unable to give
the time necessary for such brush
To race across the ocean and return
means the taking up of at least six
weeks of the most ideal sailing hours
Of the year. Again, it generally has
been believed that only large craft could
take part in such contest.
Although the former statement is
true. there is no particular reason why
race across the ocean should be linn
tied to large yachts Time and again
Ii has been proved that little boats can
cross the Atlantic an safety. provided
they are manned by real sailing men.
OF course. 3.00O-odd mile voyage in
a small boat is not particularly COM
Portable. There are things more en-
joyable than being housed up in little
yacht, without an opportunity of
stretching ones legs, for several weeks.
That is one of the reasons why only
the most enthusiastic sailors take an
interest in long distance races for little
craft.
The offering of a cup for race across
the Atlantic by the King of the Belgians
during the coming summer has created
more than passing interest in the world
of sport The non-nautical mind sees
something of the real sporting nature,
filled with unknown dangers, in a con-
y test from Sandy Hook to Ostend. The
deep sea sailor looks at it in an entirely
different light. To him the element OF
danger Is eliminated. He sees nothing
particularly dangerous in such brush.
particularly in July. Also. he does not
believe that the race is bound to be won
by one of the larger craft. Wind and
weather will have good deal to do
with finding the victor and should the
fleet run into light weather for any
considerable length of time it would
not be at all surprising to see the race
won by a little yacht
Element of Luck.
Again, the element of luck plays
very important part in race that Is
bound to last two weeks In that time
n fleet of yachts of various sizes. rigs
and designs Is bound to be distributed
over a wide sea area. Naturally. they
will encounter winds of varying
strength. The winner is going to be the
craft that finds and keeps the breeze.
There is a lot of bunk written about
the ability of shippers to nose out"
wird If skipper picks up a breeze
he Is lucky. That is all there is TO 1t.
The ones who saw the last races for
the Americas s Cup will remember that
sometimes the Resolute found breeze
and at other times the Shamrock was
the fortunate craft
In light weather. breezes come from
nowhere and last for varying lengths of
time. Yachts have been within a few
hundred feet of each other. one with
a breeze and the other in the doldrums.
That is luck-pure and simple-regard-
less of the belief that some shippers
always can find wind
Though the element of danger has no
particular bearing upon the subject and
although there is possibility of yacht
of any size and rig being the winner. it
is safe betting that the majority of the
entries will be yachts of more than 100
feet. The statement is made regardless
Of the fact that Capt. Thomas Fleming
Day, father of ocean racing for sman
boats. IL of the opinion that only thirty
footers should be allowed to enter. Capt
Day may enjoy spending a month or so
on thirty-footer. The average sailing
man wants something decidedly larger
Tor anything moro than an afternoons
sail.
A history Of ocean racing has proved
this TO be the case. In the history OF
the sport there have been four trans
atlantic races. Three from this TO the
other side and one from England 10
. America. The first contest was sailed
Tin 1856. IL was sweepstake fdr $40. 900
side Three yachts raced. They were
the Henrietta. the property of the late
mr. Afs
modore of the New York Yacht Club
and the owner OF THE NEW YoRK
HERALD; Fleetwing. which belonged TO
Franklin Osgood, and Vesta. the prop
erty OF Pierre Lorillard
Argument Caused Race.
The race was the result of an arcu-
ment between Commodore Bennett and
Mr.. Oscood over the ability OF their re-
spective craft. The yachts had met in
match race over Sandy Hook course.
and Fleetwing had been the winner. The
result did not please Commodore Bennett
and he offered TO bet $40. 900 that Henri
eta could beat Fleetwing in n race over
q real ocean course. The owner of the
Fleetwing accepted the challenge and Il
was decided to race across the Atlantic
The race created unusual comment
Such contest never before had been
attempted, and the owners were consid-
cred tho most daring OF amateur sail
ors. The time chosen for the race also
added TO the impression that the yachts
iren were tempting sure death in their
foolhardy" undertaking. Instead OF
crossing during the summer. when tho
Atlantic often ls az smooth az a mill
pond. the yachtsmen elected to race in
winter. and the date OF the start was set
for Dec. H.. 1866. one year after tho
ending of tho civil war
Pierre Lorillard another enthusiastic
sportsman. became interested in the con-
test and suggested making the race
--lree cornered sweepstakes at $4,000
corner. The other yachtsmen accepted.
and me much heraided brush started on
schedule time. the finish being off the
Needles. Isle of Wight England Moth
Ing was heard OF tho yachts until Com
modorc Benefits Henrietta arrived Off
the Needles at 8 :sJ p. NJ on Christmas
Day
Flcetwing finished about hours later
and then camo Nasta. which was about
sn hour and a hair astcrn OF the second
craft. Later. IL was fie~ovcrod that
Nesta really had ortsaiicd the other
Nachts. but an error w NAVIGATION had
lost her the race. The race showed the
world that tho contest was not a fool
hardy proposition and also that tho win
uer was not necessarily the fastest yacht.