Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-26
THRILLS MARK YACHT ELENAS 4
-. TRIUMPH IN ATLANTIC RACE
Squalls Rip Rigging as Vessel Speeds to
Goal in Spain. Calm Dashes Hopes
Before Close Finish.

dry rot and should have been replaced
before the race. The sailors In the
main cabin worked two days and two
nights repairing 1t,
The demand for light canvas became
so great that the chief steward con-
trihuted some old duck uniforms for
patching, the brass buttons first being
removed Another balloon lib, carried
for port to port racing along the
Spanish coast. was pressed into service,
but in two hours 1t split clear across.
While these events were taking place.
the Atlantic crossed us and finally
disappeared from sight during the
night. although judging from radio re-
ports, we soon regained our lead,
Chatting of Rigging.
Besides having trouble with our light
sails we suffered continually from
chatting on the rigging 1t is incredible
how soon both rope and wire rigging
tend to give way In ocean sailing de-
spite constant watching.
I will not soon forget the excitement
when the balloon staysail hslyard
snapped with a noise like the crack OF a
pistol and the sail. 100 feet high and
as feet wide, shot out TO leeward, AS
the middle watch raced across my deck,
which was the ceiling OF my room, to
catch the sail before it tore. 1t sounded
like 30 men.
Except for the Atlantic we saw only
four boats during our trip. three steam
ers in the distance and one freight
schooner, which evidently had suffered
from the same storm rs ourselves, for
her foremost had been snapped of
near the deck. Otherwise the only
signs OF life we're one shark, two sword
fish, dozens of porpoises playing around
the boat, some schools of flying fish
and five whales.
On one occasion the lookout shouted,
Whale ahead" We turned the Elena
lust in time TO see 1t cross directly in
front of our bow. near enough to make
us speculate on the consequence II we
had hit it.
Our provisions lasted we'll. except that
the refrigerator failed us during the
storm and worked too well another day.
freezing some lemons and cucumbers
solid. AS the fresh-water supply was
the chief care. on the fifth day out we
began boiling our potatoes in salt water.
Looked for Competitor.
Such rigid economy was being prac-
ticed in the fo'castle that the mate SAID
the sailors made every drop of water
do the service of bucketful, That
way the water supply proved adequate,
especially as the tanks were replenished
during the storm by some so gallons of
rainwater bailed out OF the lneboat
covers and out of canvas spread under
the main boom.
The chief topic of conversation
always was, Where is the Atlantic?"
The yachts exchanged positions by
wireless when no advantage could be
gained by such information. but ordi-
narily the locations were kept dark
secret. The attempts of the two wire
less operators TO get the expected in
formation from each other without
giving any proved very amusing Each
boat. of course. was anxious to md out
what kind OF wind the other was hav-
ing.
what kind of weather have you
found?" the Elena would question. Il
don't knoy. What about yours?" the
Atlantic would answer.
Haven't the slightest idea" our
operator would reply
What time have your" would come
from the Atlantic, realizing that our
actual time would give away our longi-
tude.
our operator would give Greenwich
time, and so the game would go on.
Exciting Finish.
The end of the race was as exciting
as the beginning. When about 700
miles from Spain we encountered an
exasperating period of calm. The Elena
wallowed around in a MINDLESS sea-
while her sails Slated uselessly. This
was all the more annoying as We be-
lieved ourselves slightly in the lead and
imagined our rivals might not be shar-
ing our hard luck. We pictured the
Atlantic and Guinevere enjoying love-
~ breeze and eating up the distance
between us.
At last a strong northerly wind
sprang up and we started for Spain
like streak. thrusting our boat through
the waves and scattering the spray
grandly. The evening before we nm
ished we received radio information to
the effect that the Atlantic was "a
miles astern and the Guinevere close
behind 1t. Our log showed that at that
time we had sailed 3.400 miles and the
"a miles between us seemed no great
margin.
However. we crowded on all sail and
ran for the line. The next morning
we sighted land and we're welcomed by
numerous fishing boats, blowing whistles
TO salute us and crews shouting and
clapping their hands.
Our greatest desire. of course. was to
make sure that our rivals had not
slipped away from US, but the captain
of one of the little fishing smacks
shouted Nina so we knew that the
smaller yacht Nina already had arrived,
while in our class Elena was first. When
the line was crossed We were welcomed
by small motor yacht. on which his
majesty the King of Spain and her