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1926
International Championship - Regatta Report |
1926 International Championship
Regatta
Results
The passing
of an old and crowning of a new champion, a most evenly matched field,
fresh breezes,
yachts that were works of art in finish and condition, and record
breaking crowds
from many parts of North America, were the outstanding features of the
International Series of 1926. Narragansett Bay
is the first
Fleet in history to have wrested the title from the Sound. Comstock and
Gidley
won an impressive and well earned victory. Those who saw their perfect
teamwork
and the little green flyer from Rhode
Island
perform are bound to have been convinced that
“Rhody” is today the rightful champion
of all the Stars.
In contrast
to former years when but two or three yachts might honestly have been
said to have
a chance to win, the exact opposite existed in 1926. With the possible
exception
of a couple of the Fleets that were making their first bow in the big
Series,
anyone of the sixteen entries might have won and each at sometime
during the
Series made a strong bid for either Series or daily honors.
“Rhody’s” victory
was decisive but the Providence
yacht was hard pressed each day, only by different boats. Were the 1926
Series
to be sailed over again tomorrow, and with our present knowledge of the
skippers and the yachts, it would be difficult to say who might win.
“Rhody” would
probably eke out another triumph but the slightest slip or break and
the last
might easily be first next time. That is how evenly matched that field
of
veteran Internationalists really were.
D. S.
Starring of Central L. I., sailing his first season as a Star skipper,
made a remarkable
showing in taking second place. “Ardara” actually
beat the “Rhody” in the
scoring for the last three days and thereby won the Atlantic
CoastSan
Diego
with “Dona Bertha”. Bainbridge and the
“Sayonara II” put Peconic Bays in the
lime-light ant nearly placed. President Elder was unable to make the
Defender perform
on the wind in the early stages of the Series but partially atoned by
bringing
one last victory to the veteran Sound Fleet as the Series left its
shores. Schauer
and Inslee were always among the leaders but owing to the former
suffering a technical
disqualification and the latter withdrawing from the last race, their
scores
are not indicative of their actual showing. Darlinson of Toledo took
the “Irex
Trophy” for Novice Fleets with Hubbard of Newport, Cal.,
second. “Hula Star II”
again gave Dowsett of Hawaii the “Invader’s
Trophy” and “Movie Star II” won the
“Distant Fleet Trophy”. The Cubans entries, those
from the Lakes and New Orleans
were constantly making strong bids for daily
honors but suffered bad breaks. The Massachusetts
entry alone trailed but it must be said for Mr. and Mrs. Curtis, the
latter being
the first of her sex to sail in an International Star event, that they
were doing
more than enter their first Series. It was Nahant’s first
contact with the modern
Star racing and they did not realize what they were up against but they
put up a
game fight with a yacht that was inferior in condition to the rest.
honors. Harry Fisher, another
newcomer, took third Series money for
The annual
meeting had it is usual hectic opening on Friday, August 27th
at the
Manhasset Bay Y. C. which was Star headquarters. On Saturday, New
Rochelle held an invitation race for
visitors which
was won by “Pat” Clancy and the
“Scrapper” of Detroit
with “Sonny II” of Gravesend
second, and Hubbard’s “Tempe
II” of Newport Harbor,
Cal.,
third. There was a dinner-dance at New
Rochelle
that night and the meeting was resumed on Sunday and late arrivals
measured.
BAYSIDE Y. C.
RACE-—Typical Sound weather, as pictured by the stranger,
prevailed up to
within a few minutes of the start. Then a stiff Northerly set in and
caught many
with their light sails on and too far from their tenders to negotiate
the change
in time. A premature gun resulted in a ragged start with the Defender,
who was
on line, taking advantage of it. The first leg of the triangular course
was a run
and “Rhody” was first to haul on the wind.
“Movie”, “Iscyra”,
“Sonny”, “Talita”,
and “Dona Bertha” followed and there was no change
in these positions throughout
the remainder of the race except for the Defender, which with sails
that looked
like a collapsed parachute, fell back until it was practically
eliminated as a
series contender. Comstock defeated Schauer by about half a minute
while
Inslee, three minutes later led in the rest of the field. Fisher
protested Blouin
for forcing him to hit a mark but, while the rest were enjoying the
famous
Bayside vaudeville show that night, the mark officials stated before a
hearing
that neither incident actually occurred and there was no
disqualification.
LARCHMONT Y.
C. RACE—An overcast sky and puffy Northwester of almost
reefing velocity greeted
the skippers as, with booms on different sides and dead before the
wind, they headed
for the flash of the Coast Guard’s searchlight which
indicated the position of
the mark far to the Southard through the gloom. The course was leeward
and windward.
“Northern Light” held a brief lead.
“Iscyra” and “Rhody” then went
out but to
the East, while “Talita”,
“Alya” and “Gavilan” flanked
the field to the West.
After much gibing, the entire field reached the mark pretty much in a
bunch. Fouls
were narrowly averted as the skippers indulged in short hitches to get
clear and
the wind veered about. Some were favored and some headed on every tack.
New Orleans,
Toledo,
and Habana reach home first and with “Rhody” right
behind them 1ead the way back
to the leeward mark. Blouin, forced to decide between two evils,
covered Darlinson
and “Rhody” shot through for
Narragansett’s second straight victory followed by
“Ardara”. Schauer nosed Inslee out for
Larchmont’s third piece of silverware and
protested the Gravesender for wrongfully calling for room but the
protest was
not allowed. Gorrin having elected to sail a neutral course fell far
hack. The
Defender showed little improvement, Fisher drew another 5th,
and “Hula”
wrapped a wad of seaweed around her rudder and nearly filled from a
knockdown
as Doswsett crossed the line. Providence
was beginning to loom up as the probable scene of the 1925 Series
though Los Angeles
was only two points behind.
PT. WASHINGTON
Y. C. RACE—Being the third day of a N. W. wind it seemed
evident that the
weather would change and the R. C. was hard put to select a suitable
course. At
last a triangular one was decided upon. “Iscyra”
went over with the flash of
the gun. “Doris”
following a fraction of a second later
from the leeward end of the line. The lead alternated. The wind dropped
to
almost nothing. “Tempe”
finally won
the first leg. To the next mark was a very close reach, port tack.
Fisher moved
into the lead with Elder, Silva, Schauer, and Hubbard as named behind
him. With
three quarters of the distance covered, the wind went flat.
“Ardara”, which had
been last, took a hitch to the West and picking up a new wind from that
quarter
came along with a bone in her teeth. Fisher was favored with a little
lick from
the N. W. and sailed over to meet him start sheet. Starring and the
Californian
with a half mile lead won the merry-go-round. Then the others felt the
breeze and
led by Bainbridge followed. “Iscyra”,
“Talita” and “Scrapper” between
two winds
did not move. That day there were no protests, hot dog, but
“Alya” got a
knockdown when to windward of “Tempe”
and listing over touched her and withdrew. A smoker was held that night
at the
Port Washington Y. C. Mack was not there but Ed was.
NEW YORK Y. C.
EPISODE—A howling gale from the East and rain kicked up
mountainous seas
against the ebb tide. Tenders were unable to cope with it and eleven
entries
were forced to seek shelter in the lee of Sand’s Point. There
they bent on sails
but were told to remain there for further instructions. In the
meantime, and
contrary to the rules, the signals for a start were given with but five
yachts
within sight of the line. Inslee, Darlinson, and Clancy in order named
sailed
around an abbreviated course and were awarded the daily prizes offered
by the
Club and certainly deserved them but the race in many respects failed
to comply
with the rules governing races of the Star International Series and it
was ruled
as no race by the I.R.C. that night. Conflicting instructions and
failure to conform
with the rules on the part of the officials nearly resulted in a
serious mix-up
as the Regatta Committee went home after the race and did not listen to
the protests.
Fortunately the Star rules provide for such occasions and the
Association
settled the matter. A dislocated knee forced Ed. Gibb, Peconic crew, to
withdraw.
MANHASSET
BAY
Y. C. RACE—The Easterly gale continued
and the course was established to the west of Execution where there was
some protection.
It was leeward and windward. The wind began to moderate even as the
signals
were being given. Everyone had in a reef but
“Rhodv”, “Iscyra”, and
“Ardara” shook
out just before the start. Again the Defender went out in the lead at
the start
and was first to round the mark. Schauer and Fisher gibed into each
other and
became locked. A number of others had to bear away for them and up went
the red
protest flags. On the wind “Rhody” and
“Ardara” had a great scrap. On the
second run, all shook out and Blouin went over into the cold water of
the Sound
twice in the attempt. It is said that the Southerner cannot swim but
those who
saw him will testify that even Weissmuller could not have beaten him in
those
two sprints back to the “Talita”. The duel between
Comstock and Starring continued
and so intent were they upon it that Fisher slipped I in between them
for a
second place. When the wind died down on the second round, a number of
the
skippers figured that the long delayed Southwester was about due and
tacked to
the South to meet it but though they did get it for a few brief
moments, it
veered back to the East again. “Movie Star II” was
disqualified for fouling “Sayonara
II”. Many contend that the Los
Angeles
skipper had a good counter protest against “Dona
Bertha” but it was never filed.
Armitage replaced Gibb as crew in the Peconic boat.
LAST RACE—The
Association conducted the last race. It was another gray day and
white-caps dotted
the Sound. There was a stiff East wind, but a steady one, and good
sized seas.
In many respects it was the most ideal racing weather of the series.
The course
was again windward and leeward. All in a bunch on the starboard tack,
they
crossed the line, “Movie” leading. Peconic was
first to tack out into the tide.
The Defender then started to move. Finding itself for the first time,
“Iscyra”
worked out past “Rhody” and then as
“Sayonara” slightly overstood, rounded the
weather mark well in the lead. On the run the Defender increased that
lead and again
on the wind out-pointed and out-footed the field. On the second beat
“Iscyra” built
up a two minute lead. The last leg home was a mere formality.
Bainbridge beat Comstock
for second place.
EPILOGUE—It
was all over. Narragansett Ray had won. The Series had to leave the
Sound anyway
under the rules but how much better it was to have it go in this way by
a clean
cut victory. Western L. I. had gone down to defeat but in the last act
of that
great drama, the old Fleet had again seen her colors raised above the
rest for
one brief moment as the sun went down behind Execution rocks and the
first gun
ever officially fired by the Navy for an International yacht race,
indicated that
the hostilities were ended for another year. The largest crowd in the
history
of yacht racing swarmed into the Manhasset Bay Y. C. that night to pay
tribute
to the new champions and attend the dinner, dancing, movies, and
presentation
of series prizes. Hundreds were present and hundreds were turned away
unab1e to
even get in. On the morrow the survivors, who looked as if thee had
been
through a six day bike race, attended the meeting of the 1927 I.E C.
elect.
They put in an eight hour session as a heavy mist hung over the harbor
and all
were thankful that racing was at an end. Upon their return home,
Comstock and Gidley
were greeted by an enthusiastic throng of their fellow citizens who
staged a
torch light parade through the streets of the little town of Warwick
in celebration of the first International Championship that had ever
been brought
to their waters. By the old fireside, the boys have been singing
“Little Star
Boat of Mine”, through the long winter nights and have long
since forgotten the
barked shins, the nerve-wracking tension, and the ordeals of an
International Series
and are again eager for the fray. From every side, Narragansett is
being warned
to take a good look at the old Trophy while they have it because they
vow it
will be resting at the headquarters of some other Fleet by this time
next year.
COMPOSITE
POINT SCORE
Yacht
Fleet
Skipper
Crew
Club
Pts.
Rhody Narragansett Bay B.
Comstock W.
Gidley
Warwick
73
Ardara
C.L.I.S.
D. Starring
F. Bedford
Pequot
68
Dona
Bertha
San Diego
Bay
H. Fisher
H.
Denhie
San Diego
64
Sayonara
II
Peconic
Bay
L.
Bainbridge E.
Gibb
North Fork
58
Sonny
II
Gravesend
Bay
W.
Inslee
C. Byram
M. & F.
52
Movie
Star II
L.A.
Harbor
B. Schauer
T.
Parkman
Los Angeles
47
Alya
W.L.E.
V. Darlinson
Boice
Toledo
42
Tempe
II
Newport
Harbor W.
Hubbard
W. Hervey
Newport
H.
40
Iscyra
W.L.I.S. G. Elder
R. Finlay
Manhasset
39
Talita
N.O.G.
E. Blouin
O. Humphreys
Southern
34
Hula
Star II
Hawaiian
Island H.
Dowsett
J.
Woolaway
Pearl Harbor.
33
Doris
C.L.E.
R. Walton
J. Fraser
Corinthian
30
Lisa
Bahia
Cienfuegos F.
Desilva
F.
Villapol
Cienfuegos
29
Gavilan
F. De Habana
J. Gorrin
A. Bru
Habana
29
Scrapper
Detroit
River
F. Clancy
W.
Meuer
Detroit
25
Northern
Light Mass.
L.
Curtis
Mary Curtis
Nahant 11
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