British Whig (Kingston, ON), 26 Jul 1898

p.1

THE BREEZE WAS SLOW.

Last Day of Yacht Races.

The final day's racing was started under a light easterly breeze, and the start was rather slow. The indications of the weather were for a fresher wind from the south. The yachts which sailed on Saturday were in the contests today, which were much tamer than any held since the regatta opened.

Thirty-seven footers were started at eleven o'clock, and the Dinah of Hamilton and Vivia got away almost together, the former crossing the line at 11:00:16, and the Vivia at 11:00:20, but to leeward. The course was followed first towards George's barn, and the yachts stood on a port track towards Point Frederick. Before the point was reached both came about on the opposite tack, and headed for Garden Island, the Vivia still leading but still to leeward. This position they retained until the island was reached, when the Vivia came about first and had a good line for the first buoy. The Dinah held on her starboard tack until she reached a windward position, but was some distance behind. The wind then dropped to the force of a breadth, and the yachts made slow headway. The Vivia rounded the first buoy at 12:02:30; the Dinah at 12:08:10. The Vivia set out her spinnaker and ran with free sheet for the club house buoy, gaining a further lead before the Dinah rounded.

Twenty-Seven Foot Class.

Twenty-seven footers followed the larger yachts at 11:10 o'clock, and the feature of the race was the start, the four boats, two local and two from Hamilton, coming up to the line in a bunch. The cross over was in this order: Verona, Hamilton, 11:10:20:; Kestrel, Kingston, 11:10:30; Hiawatha, Hamilton, 11:10:34; Geisha, Kingston, 11:10:50.

The Verona walked ahead quite lively under the light breeze, heading for Point Frederick. She was followed by the Kestrel, while the other two boats immediately came about on their starboard tack for the head of Garden Island. About three hundred yards out the Hiawatha came about on the port tack, while the Geisha held on for the other shore. The Verona and Kestrel sailed to within a few hundred yards of the point and came about heading for the foot of Garden Island, the Verona having gained a long lead. The light wind seemed to favor the Hamilton favorite. On the work to windward in reaching the lower buoy she increased her lead.

Twenty-Two Knockabouts.

The boats got away in this procession:

H. M. S.

Veritas, Charlotte 11 20 15

Euroclydon, Hamilton 11 20 28

Enid, Toronto 11 20 37

Chickadee, Kingston 11 20 42

The leading three headed for the point, while the Kingston yacht came about for Garden Island. The Veritas kept her lead and the Enid ran up into second place.

How The Yachts Stand.

At two o'clock the yachts had not completed the first round. They stood:

Thirty-seven footers - Vivia leading Dinah by half a mile.

Twenty-seven footers - Verona, Hiawatha, Kestrel.

Knockabouts - Veritas leading.

(continued on page 6)

p.2

NORMA LOSES BY A FOUL.

The yachtsmen have indeed been greatly favored this year in their annual races. Each of the four days of the regatta had its strong wind, and was free from serious accidents. The eminent success of the rendezvous has possessed the yachtsmen with the feeling that they would like to run their races in Kingston harbor every year. All the sailors speak highly of the harbor from a sailing point, for no matter from which direction the wind blows, the yachts receive the full benefit, without much sea to be encountered. The fast sailing of the yachts was due much to those conditions, although this regatta drew together most of the fastest yachts on Lake Ontario. The races have been profitable for many reasons, and it is with a feeling of regret that many citizens witnessed the last of them today. The contests seen since the opening of the regatta were the keenest ever seen, and some of the races were so closely and cleanly sailed that they stand without precedent on the inland lakes. The regatta has served to show Kingstonians what speedy yachts are identified with outside clubs, and what the local boats can do along side of them. It will serve to increase the interest in this clean sport, that feeling already permeating the atmosphere of the club house, probably affecting the younger members the greater. The local boats have done fairly well during the competition, landing some of the prizes in every class in which they were entered. In the thirty-two-foot class the Norma won two firsts easily, although an unfortunate but trifling foul disqualified her yesterday. The twenty-seven-foot class found the Kestrel in the fight and she carried off a good second. In the twenty-two-foot class the Gloria took a third, and in the knockabout the Chickadee won a second place. The most interesting races of the week were between the first-class yachts Canada and Merrythought, and between the twenty-seven-footers Verona and Kestrel. In the first contest the Merrythought beat the international cup winner by twenty-seven seconds over a course of twenty-four miles. The second race found the Canada leading by over two minutes, but in this race the Merrythought actually sailed the faster. The start lost her the race. Before the signal gun was fired both boats were close together and close to the starting line. To avoid a foul the Merrythought was forced to cross the line before the gun went off, and so had to come about and recross the line. This threw her nearly three minutes behind the Canada. Commodore Jarvis, owner of the former, is confident his yacht can outsail the Canada.

Out On A Foul.

The regatta committee of the L.Y.R.A. met last evening to consider the protest entered by the owner of the Nox against the Norma for fouling the buoy at Four Mile Point. It was an unfortunate and exceptional foul, and even though the committee regretted disqualifying the Norma, the specific rules had to be recognized. The Norma in rounding the buoy was fully four feet to windward, but as she was passing a puff struck her and under it she lay over so that her mainsail touched the flag staff on the buoy. This was sufficient to throw her from the race. As soon as Frank Strange, the Norma's owner, finished the race, he reported the matter to the official officer, a proceeding which commended him to the admiration of all yachtsmen. The disqualification of the Norma from the race loses to her the Walker cup, which she properly won and the committee awarded the cup to the Erma, owned by J. Billings, jr., of the R.H.Y.C. The cup was competed for on points, both Friday's and yesterday's races being counted. Each boat was to receive one point for each start, three points for first place, two for second, and one for third. The Norma, Nox and Erma entered the first race, the former securing first place and the latter second. As only three boats entered the Nox was not entitled to a third place, as it was necessary for four boats to start for a third place to be allowed. Yesterday's race gave Nox first place and Erma second, with a starting point for each. The yachts then stood thus for the cup: Erma, 6; Nox, 5; and Norma, 5. The Walker cup was held by the Dinah, Hamilton, last year.

A Pleasant Entertainment.

The visiting yachtsmen were entertained by the local club at a smoking concert at the club house last evening. The house was crowded with young men, active in merriment. An abundant supply of cigars, cigarettes and tobacco was placed at the disposal of all, and the lovers of the water enjoyed themselves right royally. A musical programme was provided of an impromptu nature, and added much to the entertainment. Besides splendid music by the 14th P.W.O. rifles' orchestra, songs and readings were given by A.B. Cunningham, J.E. Cunningham, J.B. Walkem, G. Ferguson, F. Strange, T. Rigney, Mr. Brown of the Canada, major Galloway, W. Shea, H. Routley, W. Cochrane, J. Shea, and members of the visiting yachts. The proceedings were continued until a late hour.

A Tennis Champion Also.

A.G. Averell, the youthful owner of the pretty little twenty-two-foot cruising yacht Veritas, which won the first heat in its class on Saturday, is the champion tennis player of New York state and a lover of all outdoor athletic sports. The Veritas was designed by W.P. Stephenson, the famous draughtsman connected with Forest and Stream, New York. It cost over $2,000 to build the yacht, which is a floating palace. He is a member of the Rochester yacht club and is at present a student at Yale. He has two uncles who are rated at being worth $10,000,000 each. One of them, Mr. Watson, owns the famous schooner yacht Lasca, which sails in New York harbor.

Yachting Notes.

The yachtsmen in general express sympathy with the Norma's owner in losing the Walker cup, through what might be called a slight accident. Like a true sportsman, though, he acknowledged the fact of his touching the buoy, thus relinquishing his hold on the cup without a murmur.

Tonight the prizes will be distributed at the club house by the regatta committee and addresses will be given by several of the leading yachtsmen.

MARINE INTELLIGENCE.

The tug James A. Walker left for Montreal last night with two grain-laden barges.

The schooner Fabiola, light, cleared today for Charlotte to load coal for James Swift & Co.

The sloop Laura D., from Wolfe Island, is unloading peas and wheat at Richardson's elevator.

The steamer Hopkins and consort from Prescott touched here this morning to drop off the river pilots.

The sloop Minnie from bay points discharged a cargo of peas at Richardson's elevator this morning and cleared up the bay.

Called at Swift & Co.'s wharf: Steamer Spartan, Toronto to Montreal; steamer Algerian, Montreal to Toronto; steamer Arundell, Alexandria Bay to Charlotte.

The steamer Columbian cleared this morning for Alexandria Bay, returning at noon with a large excursion party aboard. The steamer Caspian, from Montreal, arrived in port at two o'clock and cleared for Alexandria Bay at three o'clock with the Columbian's excursionists.

Welland Canal Report.

Port Dalhousie, July 25th - Down: steamer Averill, Chicago to Ogdensburg, general cargo; steamer Topeka, Chicago to Prescott, corn; tug Shriver, Buffalo to Charlotte, light; steamer Iona, Detroit to Montreal, wheat; steamer McVittie, Chicago to Ogdensburg, general cargo.

Port Colborne, July 25th - Down: steamers Iona, Detroit to Montreal, wheat; McVittie, Chicago to Ogdensburg, general cargo; schooner Van Straubenzie, Toledo to Toronto, coal; steamers Badger State, Cleveland to Ogdensburg, general cargo; Baldwin and barge, Menominee to Oswego, lumber.

A Trip Down the Rapids - in str. America.

p.3 A Beautiful Spot - Nokomis Lodge being built on Howe Island for W.H. Nichols, president of the Nichols chemical company of New York; a fine boathouse for just completed steam launch Castanet, 98 feet long.

p.6

THE YACHT RACES.

(Continued from page one)

In the thirty-seven-foot class the Vivia drifted in for some distance and at 12:47 the Dinah pulled in her spinnaker and jibed the mainsail. The leading boat was fully a half mile in advance, and passed the home buoy at 1:14, and before the Dinah crossed at 1:29:12 she had gone well up the lake, and fell into a south-west breeze. The Dinah, after passing the home buoy, hoisted her balloon jib and balloon staysail, just as the breeze from the south-west met her. The yachts were over two hours in covering one-quarter of their course. It appeared rather strange to see the large boats working towards Four Mile light under a south-west wind, while the other boats came from George's barn with free sheet.

In the twenty-seven foot class the Verona drifted to the first buoy and rounded at 12:24:30 with the Hiawatha two minutes later at 12:26:40. The Kestrel at that time was lying idle in a dead calm. She caught a light puff of wind which sent her around the buoy at 12:41:45. The Geisha was then some distance off in calm water. The boats came home in slow procession, the Verona crossing the line at 1:45:42 and the Hiawatha at 1:48:28 and the Kestrel then was over a half mile behind.

At 1:45 o'clock the knockabouts had drifted towards home and were a short distance above Cedar island, the Veritas leading and Enid behind her. The other two were some distance in the rear.

The Latest Standing.

In the thirty-seven-foot class shortly after 3:30 o'clock Vivia finished the first round and braced away on the second. Dinah was about a quarter of a mile behind. If the yachts cannot finish the second round within the time limit the committee will decide the race on the results of the first round. The same will apply to the other two classes.

In the twenty-seven foot class the Verona rounded Four Mile point at three o'clock; Hiawatha at 3:04:55; Kestrel at 3:12:15. They were strung out in a procession on the run home, sailing under spinnakers.

The knockabouts had just finished one half the course at a few minutes past three o'clock. Enid finished first, Veritas second, Euroclydon third and Chickadee out of the contest.