1931 International Championship – Western Long Island Sound 

1931 International Championship – Western Long Island Sound 

The following results are from George Elder's book "Forty Years Among The Stars". In common with the early Logs, it is interesting to note that in his results Elder does not give the yacht numbers of the boats which participated in the World's, but only just their names. It was not until the 1950 Log that yacht numbers were included in the results. From 1950 through 1976 both yacht numbers and names were given but starting with 1977 frequently only yacht numbers were given. The last time both yacht numbers and yacht names were given was 1989.

In later years, sometimes fleet designations were omitted. In these cases, some of the more obvious fleet designations were supplied. Also, from time to time only last names were supplied. First names, where known, were added.

Abbreviations etc: Dsa - Disabled. Dsq - Disqualified. Dns - Did Not Start. 
Wdr - Withdrew. Ch - Chairman. B - Builder. * - Defending Fleet. 0 - No points, reason not given.

1931 - ON WESTERN LONG ISLAND SOUND

*Won sail-off. Winning yacht No. 333. B - Bear & Egerton, Glenwood Landing, N. Y., 1926. Ch. Meeting and I.R.C. - G. W. Elder.

Regatta Report from the 1932 Log

If perseverance is deserving of reward, no man is more entitled display the golden star of victory upon his sail than William J. McHugh, Jr., veteran of the early gaff-rig days, founder of the Central Long Island Sound Fleet, and who, as skipper and crew has sailed in more Star Internationals than any other individual. As for Joe Watkins, crew of the Colleen, he has maintained for the past three years this Fleet's almost unbelievable record of never having finished worse than third in an International Series since 1926. It is no wonder, therefore, with this wealth of experience in the boat, that Central Long Island’s tenth consecutive attempt to lift the title was crowned with success. From start to finish, McHugh and Watkins handled the Colleen consistently well in both light and heavy weather and won a well earned and impressive victory.

No less credit is due to those other valiant sailormen, who fought their way through that record breaking field of twenty-six entries, to win a Series prize in the 1931 Internationals. Among these Colin Ratsey, who sailed the Joy. for the Solent Fleet, holds center stage for placing second and being the first European who has ever seriously threatened to take the big cup across the Atlantic. California can always be counted upon to produce at least one dangerous contender, and this rear it was Fink and MacCrate representing the Long Beach Fleet, who sailed Zoa into a tie for second place with Joy but were defeated by the British yacht in the sail-off. Fourth and fifth prizes were taken respectively by Wings, sailed by the Plug brothers-the Great South Bay boat being almost unbeatable in the rough going--and the Great Lakes Champion, Majella 11, of the Illinois River Fleet, whose high point score was built up by Bradley and Howland on the lighter days. Thus, the major honors were divided among four widely separated localities, demonstrating the equality in competition that has been developed throughout the Star Class in recent years. 

The Series itself was sailed on the Western end of Long Island Sound from September 12th to 17th inclusive and was favored with deal weather conditions throughout. There were light, medium, and heavy breezes, giving every competitor a taste of weather to his liking, but there were no calms, gales, or squalls, to inject the element of luck that so often mars a Series of this character; there was only one shift of wind which, however, did not affect any of the leaders. While there were more fouls than usual, and the disqualifications played havoc with the point scores, neither the elements nor the Race Committee were to blame for this, and the Series was probably the fairest ever sailed.

The new home of the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club, at Port Washington, was the headquarters of the Association. This magnificent structure, of Georgian architecture, faces the land-locked harbor of Manhasset Bay. From the bulkhead, which terminates a sloping lawn in front of the Club, the flags of the six competing nations were flown on separate poles. Towering above them was the Club burgee and the banner of the Association, while across the lofty veranda were displayed the lags of those nations which have fleets in the Association, but which were not represented. At night, a spotlight played upon these flags, the dock and the open-air swimming pool were illuminated, and a huge red star in electric lights marked the entrance to the clubhouse. The whole scene was one of enchantment that lent to the Internationals the most deluxe background it has ever had.

From headquarters to the starting line on Long Island Sound is some four or five miles and the local Fleet is to be complimented upon the efficient way it provided for the towing of yachts to and from the line. Likewise due tribute must be paid to the U. S. Coast Guard, under the able direction of Commander Roach for keeping the course clear of the heavy New York traffic in commercia vessels and the many spectator yachts that followed the races daily to say nothing of their cooperation in placing a fleet of seven boats at the disposal of our visiting members.

The competing yachts did not arrive at such an early date as in previous years, Zoa, the first to appear, being about ten days in advance. Then they began to roll in rapidly on trucks that brought them from the New York docks. Old friendships were renewed and those new to the Internationals were quickly initiated into the ways of the Star Class. The days were spent in conditioning their precious craft and at night the strains of Whiskey Johnnie emerged from the tap room and were carried far out across the placid waters by the evening breeze. It took two solid days for the 78 suits of sails to be measured on the ballroom floor of the Knickerbocker Yacht Club two blocks away, and for all spars, skegs, and rudders to be checked.  As is usually the case, the weather during these days preceding the Series was unbearably hot but this fact did not prevent a record-breaking attendance at the Annual Meeting, the night before the first race.

THE FIRST RACE

On Saturday morning the sun was shining brightly and a fresh breeze from the North East gave promise of strengthening as the day wore on. Crowds began to arrive early, and the Club was soon overrun with Star members from many parts of the world. The usual group picture was taken of the restless racing crews, anxious to get away to their boats. The dock was black with people and in their midst was Commodore George Corry, gesticulating frantically, in an attempt herd them together in small groups and send them out to their respective observation yachts. A Coast Guard boat, displaying a huge blue I.R.C. flag, was waiting out in the bay. The Committee launch flying a replica of the same flag, was waiting at the North float and in it were seated a few of the I.R.C., who had just about made up their minds to push off without the two missing members. On the stroke of 11:30 however, C. Harry Reeves appeared in all his glory, wearing Kelly’s 1930 red pants. At the same moment, a Navy plane dipped down out of the sky and landed in the Bay. Its sole passenger was the Hon. Prentice Edrington, of the once Virgin Islands, ex-Vice-President the Star Class. A gun from the shore barked out its message that the I.R.C. was leaving and that all yachts must follow it out to the starting line.

A stiff E.N.E. wind was blowing against an ebbing tide, kicking up a nasty sea, when the yachts gathered off Execution Light. The course selected was to windward and return, three times around, totaling 10 ½ miles. A postponement was ordered to allow the competing yachts time to reach the line and bend on sail, which was no easy task with the tide holding their boats broadside to the wind. The start was a little ragged, due to most of the skippers being gun shy on the first day, but they got off well bunched on the starboard tack. Kittiwake, kept from going about by the starboard tack boats, was not quite pointing the bow of the Committee Boat and came crashing into it, her skipper waiting too long before easing sheet in a last desperate attempt to pass astern. Darling, the Paris entry, broke a turnbuckle and made a late start, eventually being forced to withdraw. Tim Parkman, who had waited until the last moment to hoist sails, lost his jib halyard up in the sheeve. He tried, but in vain, to reach it, finding it almost impossible to go aloft in the heavy sea. The Course Official came dashing back with report of the incident, but the preparatory signal had already been ma and the I.R.C. had no power to postpone, hence Fleet Star did not start.

The yachts had not gone far on their first thrash to windward, decks awash and crews hanging over the side, when it became quite evident that Wings was running away with the race. The light blue yacht from the Great South Bay was well ahead of Rhody and Vega at the weather mark and the Pflug brothers increased their lead down the wind, in fact they were never even threatened throughout the remainder of the race. Vega, handled by the youngest skipper and crew that have ever sailed in an International, passed the veteran Comstock on the first run with Peggy Wee right behind her.

It became a tight and interesting fight for second place with the positions changing frequently. Vega maintained a slight advantage on the next beat, Colleen moving up into third place. The California boat pulled out ahead on the run, with Dixie and Zoa bow to bow and somewhat to the North, slipping in between her and Colleen. McHugh to a jibe, and with his boom on the opposite side began to overtake Vega.

The youngsters also tried to jibe but their sail caught and broke two battens. Before they were able to get their boom across the Colleen had established an overlap, which is an important point in view of what then occurred. As Vega finally completed her jibe, she shot into the wind as if her youthful skipper had lost control, converging at a sharp angle with Dixie and Zoa and thus forming a wedge into which the Colleen was forced to sail. Vega did not bear off in time and the Central Long Island boat sailed into the Dixie. The I.R.C. later held that Colleen had established her rights as an overtaking yacht to leeward and that Vega's luff technically constituted bearing down on a yacht that was entitled to a free passage to leeward, wrongfully forcing her to hit the New Orleans boat.

For what he did at the end of this same second round, a round which proved so disastrous for all the sons of California, Eddie Fink's name will forever be linked in history with that of the gentleman who forgot to touch second in a World Series baseball game some years ago. Zoa's bow passed the stakeboat two seconds after that of Colleen, with Dixie and Vega also overlapping. As the others rounded the mark for their last beat to windward, Fink sailed over to the Committee and casually inquired where he had finished. When informed that he had not finished at all and that there was still another round to be sailed, he spun the Zoa about and went after his rapidly vanishing competitors, but his failure to read his instructions had cost him six places.

Wings came boiling along to flash across the finish line an easy winner, with two minutes to spare, over the luckless youngsters from Newport Harbor, giving to the Great South Bay, its first International victory. Colleen was next to finish after Vega, gaining second place when the latter was eventually disqualified, and Rhody placed third. Needless to say, it was a grand and glorious day for the Great South Bay and a great night too, for it came to pass that on that very evening the visiting members were to be entertained at the home of Doc Pflug, proud father of the now famous Carl and John.

The affable parent stood (Yes, he was still standing) by the portals of his hospitable domicile, his face wreathed in smiles, welcoming his guests of the Star Class from near and far but, strange to say, few among them recognized the Doc-he wore shoes and a boiled shirt. Nor did the evening end there, for after the members had been thoroughly refreshed they returned to headquarters where a dinner dance was in progress. Those unfortunate enough to have been quartered at the club itself will testify to the fact that up to 3 A.M. they could still hear the Doc singing the "King of the Cannibal Isles" and relating the history of the Spanish War- "Am I right boys?"

THE SECOND RACE

Sunday was overcast with a light air from the southwest and gave every indication of being, what a visitor would consider, a typical Long Island Sound day. The I.R.C. took the yachts down opposite the Larchmont breakwater to establish the starting line and signaled for a three times around triangular course, all marks to starboard, giving the contestants a long beat and two reaches. There were flat oily patches on the surface of the Sound when the twenty-six entries started off on starboard tack, but the very light air was steady and kept them moving all the time on their long beat against the ebbing time.

Colleen crept out into the lead followed by the Great Lakes Champion Majella II. Rhys-Price and Doyle brought their Venezuelan entry around in third place and Paris would have been next if de Piolenc had not put the Darling in irons right at the mark and let a dozen boats, headed by Peggy Wee slip past him. The next two reaches were uneventful, Colleen finishing the first round in a little over an hour, about a minute ahead of Bradley.

As the second round started the wind grew lighter still, the oily patches increasing in size, and there seemed little behind it. Colleen kept moving and had established a four-minute lead when she again rounded the windward mark, the Defender having passed Majella and Fleet Star maintaining her fourth place with Zoa now up in fifth. It was in the same order that they finished the round and in fact the race.

When McHugh started around for the third and last time he was just maintaining an average speed that would have brought him home within one minute of the time limit, against which he was now racing. The first wisps of the mooring breeze (the breeze which, on a calm day, brings up after you are home and moored for the night) began to flicker across the sound before the Central Long Island entry had gone half the distance to the weather mark and Colleen finally slid across the line with twenty minutes to spare, the defender having picked up two minutes on the last leg and Bradley coming in for his first gold chevron.

One by one they came drifting in, nearly three-quarters of an hour separating the winner from the last boat that finished, Flapper having withdrawn. But where was Wings? Boat after boat glided past the Committee Boat and still there was no sign of the Great South Bay boat, which had been leading the series. A light blue boat was 13th but that proved to be Joy. Finally Wings crossed the line in 20th place and the loyal supporters from the South shore of Long Island curled up and died. It was later found that she had picked up a piece of rubber hose around her rudder. The day ended with Colleen leading, five points ahead of the defender who had 46 points. Zoa had 41 points and fourth place was a tie between Majella, Dixie, Gar, and Rhody, all with 39 points.

An account of this day would not be complete without mentioning an incident that occurred in the Committee room that evening, though it related to the previous day's race. Two Round Eddie was giving evidence before the I.R.C., the solemn and all-highest tribunal of the Star Class. He was arranging the little models on the table and explaining the position of the yachts, leading up to the eventful foul of the previous day, when he said "I seen that he was gaining on me, so I says to myself, says I, 'horsefeathers,' and I luffs him." The Chairman's gavel failed to restore order for many long minutes, and the meeting had to be adjourned until later that evening while the motion pictures of past Internationals were being shown.

THE THIRD RACE

The third race was started off Scotch Caps and was another windward and leeward affair, thrice around. The wind was still from the southwest but much fresher than the previous day. Only about half the number of spectator yachts appear but there were still plenty to keep the Coast Guard busy. This turned out to be one of the greatest races ever sailed, that is from that standpoint of yacht continually changing places.

Wings, Rhody, and Dixie, in order named, were first to round the windward stakeboat, followed by the defender and Winsome. Coming down the wind Knapp and Weed took the lead, Rhody holding her place, and Wings slipping back to third, Barby 4th and Joy next. On the next leg they continued to change places with almost every tack, the defender alone holding her lead. Dixie was now 2nd, Wings still 3rd, Majella 4th, and Joy still 5th. Once more they sailed down the wind, Joy working up into 3rd place and Dixie slipping back to 5th and the rest holding their places but all so close all the way down the line that the Committee had difficulty in timing them as they rounded for the last time.

Black clouds began to gather in the North and it looked as if a squall might hit before the yachts reached the next weather mark. It held off however until all but a few of the Pickle Division had rounded. So undignified a term would not be used if these skippers had not so christened themselves and gone about wearing badges with "Pickle Division" on them. Joy it was who was now in 2nd place with Majella 3rd and Dixie 4th. The New Orleans boat passed the Great Lakes champion on the run back and Fleet Star passed Rhody. The defender won by better than two minutes over the British entry, in a hard and well sailed race. The squall amounted to no more than a hard gust of wind from the North, which brought the leaders boiling home but did mix up things a little among the last half dozen yachts that had not yet rounded the mark. It died out as quickly as it had come up and the tail enders had hardly enough wind to finish. Colleen had fallen back into 12th place and Peggy Wee now was leading with 72 points, a six point lead over Colleen, but something had occurred at the start, in fact before the start, which altered all this, though it was not known until the members returned to headquarters.

About 30 seconds before the start, the Peggy Wee and Dixie had been loafing along the line, ready to make a starboard tack start. The defender was overtaking and moving a little faster, the boats being about on a parallel course. As Knapp was passing the New Orleans boat, Peggy Wee must have gotten a slight knockdown for her sail swept across the Dixie's backstay. Later in the same race Rhody tried to skim past Dixie, the former being on the port tack and the latter on the starboard. As a result both Peggy Wee and Rhody were disqualified, the I.R.C. not reaching its decision, however, until the following evening, Tuesday being a rest day. That gave Colleen a big lead in the Series with 68 points, with Dixie leading Majella 64 to 63 for 2nd and 3rd places respectively.

The Port Washington Yacht Club entertained the visitors that evening with a stag smoker. Aside from one of the Coast Guard officers slipping in the launch and having to return home for another pair of  pants, there were no other casualties as in those days of old, which some of those present could still remember, but everyone had a grand time. The following day was a much-needed day of rest, followed in the evening by the last session of the Annual Meeting.

THE FOURTH RACE

A strong wind from the northeast, which had been blowing most of the night, had whipped the Sound up into one of those usual days that mark the fourth race of the Internationals. It was not a typical Black Thursday, being Wednesday anyway, but the seas were high and the Sound was white. The I.R.C. decided that it was too rugged off Execution and went over towards the mouth of Hempstead Harbor to  establish the line, wireless telephoning back to the rest of the Coast Guard boats to lead the competing yachts to that point. This made possible a twice around windward and leeward course, the twice around  courses having been requested by some of the contestants.

Winsome from the Peconic-Gardner Bays, was first to round the weather mark after a long and wet thrash. Rhody and Vega were next but this was destined to be a rather disastrous day for many of the  entries. Peggy Wee took another unexpected knockdown and touched the stakeboat, withdrawing. Fleet Star, on her port tack, did not see Darling, and though both boats managed somehow to get about and  avoid a serious accident, Parkman's sail touched the French boat and the former withdrew. A few moments later the Comte broke his tiller and also withdrew.

Coming down the wind to finish the first round, Rhody was leading with her roller reef working to good advantage. Vega, Winsome, Joy and Zoa were next all overlapping as they reached the stakeboat, and In the order given. The two middle boats, Winsome and Joy, touched as they rounded and later each protested the other, the Winsome being disqualified. Gar forced Dixie and Virgo about wrongfully and withdrew at once. Mabuya, now being sailed by Patterson, who was substituting for Gamba, was floundering about disabled and was picked up. To add to the chaos, the I.R.C. disqualified the Lone Wolf for having been tied up to her tender for an appreciable time after the preparatory signal had been made.

The old Rhody, sailing her sixth International Series, came soaring home for a Narragansett victory. Joy, another roller reefer, was second, and the boys from Newport Harbor brought their Vega in for a popular third. Zoa was next to finish ahead of Colleen. Dowsett distinguished himself by going overboard as the Menehune crossed the line and then did a surboard exhibition while being towed by the main sheet, but not intentionally or any too gracefully.

The score now stood: Colleen 90, Dixie 84, Zoa 83, Joy 82, and Majella 79. True to the tradition that no defender could repeat, Peggy Wee was now definitely out of it. The evening's entertainment was held at the Bayside Yacht Club and lasted well into the early hours of the following morning.

THE LAST RACE

The wind had gone back to the South and was blowing a nice full sail breeze. A twice around triangle was selected, with the start off Parsonage Point. Wings once again took an early lead on the beat and held it on the next two reaches. Fleet Star was second and did likewise. Dixie was third at the first mark but fell far back on the reaches that followed, Vega replacing her for third honors. Sounds traveled far that day and the Coast Guard had to keep the boats, having ladies onboard, at a great distance from the Fleet Star, as her crew was carrying on a debate in no uncertain language with the nearest boats.

Wings kept in front until they rounded the weather mark the second time and then Parkman passed him. After that there was no holding the Gravesend boat which came sailing home to an easy victory, giving another of our International Officials his golden chevrons. The Pflugs finished second and once more the California kids took third place with their Vega. Joy pushed her nose across the finish line eight seconds ahead of the Zoa, to bring about a tie for second place in the Series. Juno was next and then came Colleen, having sailed a careful and safe race, for Central Long Island's first International Championship, a winner by the safe margin of five points.

As the last boat crossed the line, to wind up the 1931 Internationals, each was given a gun and the I.R.C. heaved a sigh a relief. Not a protest had been filed, nor a foul reported, bar one, but Dixie, which had been in the right so many times during this memorable Series and had blasted the hopes of so many other entries, this time disqualified herself the moment the crew reached shore. The Knickerbocker Yacht Club was the scene of the festivities that evening, nor did the heavy downpour of rain-which had held off all week-dampen the ardor of those present.

THE SAIL-OFF

The Internationals of 1931 were over insofar as everything, but second place was concerned, but what Series would be complete without at least one sail-off? While the 1932 I.E.C. elect held its organization meeting on board the Coast Guard boat, Joy and Zoa sailed a race, about which the least said the better. Ed. Levanion, Chief Mark Official, on whose shoulders had fallen the major share of the work during the week-was operating with a substitute crew and took the mark so far into the teeth of the strong North wind that the course almost equaled the course sailed for the America's Cup and the race was just as interesting, only with the reverse english.

Ratsey got the jump on Two Round Eddie at the start. Then the two yachts went about a couple of dozen times as Eddie tried in vain to get out from under Joy's back draft. After that Joy went on about her business and built up a lead of 2 minutes and 27 seconds by the end of the first round. Zoa cut this down to a minute and three-quarters on the second round and on the last round Joy finally won by three minutes and one second.

The Farewell Banquet at the Manhasset Bay Yacht Club that evening wound up the Series in a blaze of glory. The dining room was decorated with the flags of the Nations having Fleets and the National anthem of each prize winning contestant was played as he stepped up to receive it from Commodore George A. Corry. Bill McHugh attributed his success to having lived a clean life, or so he informed the gathered multitude. The Distant Fleet Trophy went to Dixie, Hawaii carried off the Invaders Trophy for the third time, and Venezuela took home the First Challenge Trophy. Two Round Eddie did not survive so many rounds in the grill but was revived in time to receive his third Series prize, while Harry Reeves-well we'll not go into that. It was a great windup to a great Series and it did not break up until after 5 A.M.

SUMMARY

While the fouls were many in the 1931 Series, the disqualification did not establish any new record as claimed by the press. They were not the result of congested starts or jams at marks but due to the great equality in competition among about a dozen boats, the skippers of which took many long and rather foolish chances to gain a point or so, only to loose 26 points by their eagerness. They were not complicated fouls and in every case the decision of the I.R.C. was unanimous and based upon the facts as established by the skipper and crew of yacht that was disqualified.

If "IFS" counted, the results would have been very different. If Two Round Eddie had not stopped to ask where he finished, he would have won the Series as he only needed those six lost places to do so. IF Colleen had not established an overlap before Vega's jibe, the Cup would be on it's way to England by this time or with Vega to California. If Carl Pflug had not picked up a piece of rubber hose, the 1932 Series would be scheduled for the South Bay, as he would only had to have finished 12th or better that day and on all other days he was never worse than 7th. But IFS do not count, aside from the consolation some skippers may derive from them, and they play their part in all sporting events.

For down-right consistent sailing, Tim Parkman's Fleet Star made the fastest time of any boat for the races in which she sailed, with no worse than a 5th in her three starts. The defender was also remarkably well handled and it is safe to say that, IF it had not been for the disqualification, so experienced a skipper as Arthur Knapp, with a six point lead, would have never been careless enough to hit a mark in the fourth race.

All in all it was a Series in which the competing skippers, crews, and yachts were so evenly matched that it only could have been won by the breaks in the game. It is all over now, however, and the big Cup has once again started on its long pilgrimage from Fleet to Fleet, on its endless journey around the world, to bring together each year the best material in the Star Class and further promote the goodfellowship that has made this Class the greatest in the history of yachting.