The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-09-15

 Start Race To-day
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 vas, contest is an ungraceful silver pitcher, intrinsically worth per haps $50, known as the Americas cup. It is the most prized posses sion of the yachting world.
 The odds today were with the British boat, in the opinion of yachting experts who have watched both yachts cut the waters of Mar ragansett Bay. Their term for It is that Endeavor is the smarter. She has a cut to her that is the result not only of long study il, the theories of water friction, but of aero-dynamics. Sopwith is an airplane man and that's where he made his money. He is an engi- neer as well, and has used his knowledge of air, wind and waves to produce what he believes is the best boat for winds usually found off the Rhode Island coast.
 Neither yacht will do IA knots an hour. A good fisherman, on a reach, can do better than that But mile for mile, with the thou sands of feet of canvas they fly, these boats will cover mile after mile faster than anything else that ffoats-in sail. They are offspring of Yankee Clipper ships-modern result of years of ingenuity, ex- perimentation and daring.
 Shippers Must Decide
 With the boats practically equal, the contest may be determined by the shippers.
 Rainbow is skippered by Harold s. Vanderbilt, who is equally al home on yacht or at bridge ta- ble. Ever since he was IA years old he has navigated yachts, in stiil competition against millionaire friends. He has a mathematical | mind. He can figure stresses on z sail, exactly as he would figure hi! | chances of making small slam i doubled, vulnerable. He is cold stern, calculating Yankee.
 Sopwith. is daring, a brillian | yachtsman. He won the Harms worth trophy, in speed boat, oi ! two occasions, and that is cer tain test of courage and endur ance. He will be handicapped b. a lesser knowledge of the windi and currents off Brenton's Reef. Sopwith also will be handicapped | by an amateur crew. He fired hi professional crew when they wen on strike before Endeavour wa. | lowed across the ocean. He tolC his predicament to the world. The | next morning no less than 7( yachtsmen, from the Corinthiar and Royal yacht squadrons volun- teered to aid England.
 Amateurs have courage. but are not as smart" as professionals They haven't quite the knack of handling the sheets, of "coming about" as quickly as men who have done nothing else all their lives.
 Coming about" is important. That happens whe nit Is necessary to go on different tack, and the maneuver takes place at intervals throughout the race, except when the yachts are running with the wind. Every time it is necessary, the yachts lose headway. It may be from 30 to 50 seconds before sails fill out again. Consequently the crew that can complete the op- eration 15 seconds quicker gain just that much in the race and often a race is won by seconds. The yacht Yankee lost her last test against Rainbow, aand with it the honor of defending the Americas $ cup, by exactly one second.
 Sopwith Is Loyal
 Sopwith has shaken his head over Rainbow's expert crew, but is loyal to his own gang.
 They're a fine bunch of boys, he says, land we'll do we'll"
 Outside of the matter of per. sonnel, however, there was little to choose between. Each yacht car throw up within five square feet the same amount of canvas. Theii rigging is alike. Both use the lat. est devices for hoisting sails oi changing riggin. Both will try out a new fangled sail called a double clewed jib" which is an expert mental quadrilateral sail designed first for Rainbow and then adopted by Endeavour. Both carry Gen ca jibs," another development since 1880, when Tim Lpton's last sham rock came over for that sports mans last unsuccessful attempt to lift the mug" his description of the Americas cup.
 Newport harbor was a riot of color for the great event. There were half a billion dollars worth of yachts floating at their berths within half mile of the New York Yachts clubs exclusive pier. There were the Morgan yacht, the fa- nous Bliack Corsair, the Manville yacht, Hi-Esmaro, which looks like an ocean liner. There were steamers 800 feet long and little cat boats with red sails brough, up from obscure little yacht clubs along the clammy shores of Con. necticut and Rhode Island.
 There was spirit of cam. araderie, too. The riding lights .or the little fellows and hig felioW.