New-York tribune., 1921-06-12
Close Firlisl,es
Feature Races
Off Manllasset
Ogden Reds Lena Loses
by Three Seconds in Test
for n. Y. Y. C. 3O-Eooters
By lack Lawrence

The New York Yacht Club fifty-foot-
ers were seen in action here TODAY
for the FIRST time since 1915, and the
five whte-winged giants entered in the
stellar event of the Manhasset Bay
Yacht Clubs annual regatta provided
shout as thrilling 81 sporting spectacle
as was ever seen on the, waters OF
Long Island Sound.
Propelled by slaSning breeze that
cane rolhcking out of the southwest
the big fellows doomed down the last
mile of the triangular fifteen-mile
course SO closely grouped that it was
difficult, even with glasses, to distin-
ruish one from the other. In a des
perate drive for the finish line Com
modore j P. Morgan's Grayling, sailed
BY Junius Spencer Morgan, managed
to nose out L, C. Hammersley's Acushla
by a scant twenty-seven seconds.
laundering along almost dead abeam
of Acushla was Carolina, owned and
sailed by George Nichols. Until these
three yachts were within 800 feet of
the finish line it looked as though
they were going to to battle dead
heat.
Grayling, even though she was to
leeward of the others, seemed to catch
g few extra putfs of wind that put her
across. She was handled perfectly, and
the time for the flight of fifteen and :.
half nautical miles is ample proof of
how fast she was travelling.
Winner Is Handled Well
II was probably the fine work of her
young Corinthian skipper and the
handled her sails that gave the final de-
cision to Grayling.
Atmospheric conditions could hardly
have been mere perfect for racing
then they were to-day, and as result
the fine card of the Manhasset Bay
Club provided some Of the best sport
ever enjoyed or tha Seund Practical
ly all the finishes were nin and tuck
affairs and. like the main event, were
not decided until the contestants en-
tered the last quarter of mile.
As usual, the sturdy thirty-footers
OF the New York Yacht Club engaged
in one of their old-fasnioned duels and
this race was even closer and more
exciting than that between the ffties
The struggle between NJ. Z, Hatfield's
Nautilus and Ogden NJ. Reid's Lena
was won and lost in the last 100 feet
of the contest. Nautilus swept across
the line Just three seconds ahead of
Lena. Houqua, owned by W. G.. Low
jr,. was good third
From the bridge of the committee
boat Nahama, owned by Charles B.
Dillingham;, it seemed as though Mr..
Reid'S little flyer had the situation we'll
in hand as the yachts came tearing
down TO the finish line Members Of
the committee seemed to think that
she was leading, although this may
have been due to the fact that they
were viewed from an angle.
At any rate, Lena's apparent ad-
vantage was swept away in the last
hundred yards and by fine generalship
the skipper of the Nautilus was able
TO get his bow over the line first by
the narrowest sort of margin. Houqua
was an interesting third and pressed
tire other two from start to finish.
Pamparo Leads Forty Footers
showed the way to H. Wesson's Sha-
wara in the event for the forty footers,
while H. N. Curtiss's Mongolia finished
first in the Victory Glass. This race
provided another tight finish, less than
minute separating the first three
yachts as they swept over the line
0tranto, owned by r. NJ. Meyer, fin
ished second and the A. f. F., owned
by D. Cowl, was third.
The 50-footers made a magnificent
picture as they were sent away on THEN
fifteen-mile journey All have recently
come off the ways and were in the
finest possible condition. The start
was practically perfect, as viewed from
the committee boat, although the black
hull of the Grayling rolled over the
line at a slight disadvantage in posi-.
ton.
Smooth work on the part of her crew
in making sail, however, quickly made
up for this. The first leg of the tri-
angular course was almost a run dowr
the wind. The second leg was beat tc
windward and the third broad reach
for home. All five starters broke out
ballooners and set their spinnakers i'm
mediately after going across, and ir
this maneuver the Morgan boat had ths
edge on the others.
Commodore Morgan was on boarc
and apparently took a lively part in di.
reetlng her course.
The five yachts were so closel,
grouped in the first and last legs that
man might have jumped from one tx
the other. Their towering club top
sails were visible from the anchored
committee boat for practically the en-
tire distance.
The big fellows were sent over {
course that took them to and arount
the Blue Fish Shoal buoy off Por-
Chester and from there to a spar buo,
of Weeks Point From there They
made for the finish line.
The smaller craft sailed shorter
courses.