The New York herald., 1921-07-31
N. Y. Y. c. FLEET IS
in NEWPORT HARBOR
Sailing Craft Encounters All
Kinds Of Weather in Run
From New London.
POWERS ESCAPE TROUBLE
The Shawna Wins Commodore
j. P. Morgan's Cup for
Schooners.
POWERS ESCAPE TROUBLE
BY ARTHUR f. ALDRIDGE.

of the New York squadron after two
strenuous days are now tugging at
their anchors In this harbor. II yacht
ing and yacht racing were just simple
sailing over summer seas In light
winds and bright sunlight it would
lose much of its attractions to many,
and while the experiences Of the last
two days were trying and full of dan
ger. they will long be remembered and
furnish topics Of conversation around
the club house fire.
On Friday morning the squadron left
New London harbor at 10 o'clock. The
wind was so light that the sailing craft
took advantage Of their power tenders
and towed out to the line, which was
at Sarahs Ledge bell buoy, and then
there was wait for wind. The run
was to the light on the Great Salt Pond
breakwater at Block 1, % miles away.
and an early finish was looked for.
Before the yachts reached the great
varieties OF weather. Gains, drifts and
Salt Pond they had sailed through oil
fresher winds, sharp squalls. accompan-
led by lighting, thunder. torrential rain
and thick fog. Quite variety for one
day. The yachts with power had COM
parative little trouble, but the sailing
yachts competing for the Commodores'
cups had many trying periods. and by
midnight very few had finished and the
others reached their harbor hours later.
The start of the race was made just
before noon. at which time the wind
was very light from west-southwest.
This gave q reach with a beam wind to
Race Rock Light and then sheets would
be eased for broad reach to the finish.
The schooners went first with Vice-C Com
modore Harold S. vanderbilt's Vagrant
leading and the Queen Nab and Vir-
gtnia next. Commodore J. p. Morgan's
nifty footer Grayling. reaching to IN
line with her balloon jibtopsail drawing
well. swept across the line almost with
the signal and well ahead of the others,
whose shippers seemed to be gun shy.
Fortfes I'm Close Company.
The forty footers and other sloops got
away in close company. Alice, sailed by
Ray Finlay, led the thirty footers
Vagrant and Queen Nab led the schoon-
ers and Grayiing led the sloops. but as
these neared Race Rock the tide swept
them In toward Fishers Island and they
had to tack to ger off the lee shore.
The fifty footers passed the schooners,
and Acuss.x and Istalena. which had
held hign VI the course. were leading
at Race Rock. VIII ch was passed shortly
after ] o'c.ock. Virginia was next and
the others wero &ose up, with the Gray
ling last. The others followed. but all
had more or less difficulty with the
tide.
Then the trouble began. Istalena held
to the southwest, Mr.. Pynchon, who
sailed her, looking for n wind from that
quarter Commodore Morgan carefully
worked Grayling into second place. but
did not go as far west as Istalena,
while the Spartan was next. The others
stood southeast and the whole fleet was
scattered. Some shippers were looking
for the wind to come from one direction
and some from another and then they
had to battle with the tides of Block
Island Sound.
At 1:45 the wind came In from the
northwest and gave the Grayling the
commanding position in the race II IL
strengthened and held. 1t soon died
away and later came south. and then
for hours the yachts had little more
than storage way. The writer was on
George NJ. Pynchon's power yacht Va
santa. That vessel kept close to the
fifties. particularly Istalena, in case the
squall which had been threatening
should break.
Commodore Asks for n Tow.
About o'clock Commodore Morgan
asked Tor a tow. He was anxious TO get
to the Corsair for the evening entertain
ments he had planned. but was disar-
pointed at having to retire from the race.
The Grayling In tow of the vasantn
started off. Then the rain came. II
was deluge and, with the fog, made IL
impossible TO see far ahead. For nearly
two hours the Vasanta felt her way
toward Block Island and finally made
the land and towed the Grayling into the
harbor. Then she put to sea again to
find the Istalena. All hands kept watch
to find the yacht. The whistle was
blown at intervals. and occs sionaliy out
OF the misty blackness would come the
faint sound of fog horn. Then tho
vasanta would fell her way through the
fog until a lookout would shout Light
on the starboard bow!' First the Maui
titus was picked up. but her skipper was
happy and contented and merely asked
the course to the Big Salt Pond Light
The forty Squaw was spoken and then
other yachts were seen, until. Satisfied
that the 1stalena was TO the eastward.
tHc Ndbdutd put DaCk.
IL was tickish work watching for
sailing vessels to navigate back. but
night signals from the Corsair. the
screech OF her siren and later her
searchlight showed the way. In the
meantime Istalena and Spartan battied
on for the prize. The wind came from
all points. The rain fell for four hours
In torrential downpour. In the end
the Spartan pushed n little ahead OF the
Istalena and then came Carolina. One
by one the yachts entered the harbor
were made snug and all hands turned
in. The Alice was the last to arrive and
was timed at o'clock this morning.
Dervfsh and AcushIa Win Cups.
The only schooner timed was the
Dervish. She Is credited with winning
the Ross Commodore cup for schooners
II. r. Plants Acushla won the cup
for sloops
There was not much rest for any one
last night. The race committee were up
all night to time the yachts. The harbor
start from Block leland was ordered at
8 :30. but wher the yachts left the Salt
Pond the fog was still thick and the
wind very light from the east. was
driving Il In from the ocean. IL wes
afternoon before the eun had burned
I'D the fog. and at IL 40 the warning
signal was made from the Corsair The
wind at that time was from the south
east. which gave the yachts a reach
with booms to port. Later on the wind