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Category: 1930 : CHALLENGE N°14
Resolute as a trial horseDuring the previous winter Commodore Clark had generously offered to sail Resolute against Enterprise as a trial horse and to have her in commission by May 10. Walter Clark was better than his word, as he had Resolute not only in commission but ready to race us on May 10.
Many yachtsmen had maintained during the winter months that the old cup boats, Vanitie and Resolute, would show a clean pair of heels to the new contenders. They said that the new boats, owing to far heavier construction requirements, would lack the speed and stability requisite to defeat the old ones. Another argument was that the new boats would not have sufficient sail to drive their larger hulls in light airs. Consequently, the old salts were very much interested to see how we would sail with Resolute.
FIRST RACE WITH "RESOLUTE," MAY 10The course selected for the race was 25.8 miles long from the starting buoy N.2 off Glen Cove, 9.1 miles to windward around buoy N.34 off Greenwich Point and return. The second round was 3.8 miles to windward and back, buoy N.A. being the designated turning mark. A light puffy northeast breeze was blowing at the start. Enterprise finished 4 minutes 8 seconds ahead of Resolute (average speed: 7,55 knots).
The course selected was 22 miles long, comprising a windward leg of 3.8 miles (buoys N.A. to N.2), a leeward leg of 9.1 miles (buoys N.2 to N.34), and a second windward leg of 9.1 miles (buoys N.34 to N.2). A fresh southerly breeze was blowing when the yachts were sent away at 2:15. Enterprise soon sailed by Resolute to windward and gained on her steadily all the way around the course. Enterprise wins by 9 minutes 15 seconds ahead of Resolute with an average speed of 8,28 knots.
FIRST RACE WITH "VANITIE," MAY 13The following day, Tuesday, we raced Vanitie for the first time. About five o'clock, after a long wait for wind, a very light northwest breeze came up, and a course was signaled for a race from the starting buoy N.A. to Oak Neck buoy, C.19 (4.8 miles to leeward) and return. Both boats got away to a good start. We jibed too soon when approaching Oak Neck buoy and Vanitie beat us around it by 1 minute 6 seconds. In spite of a problem with a spreader, Enterprise passed Vanitie about a third of the way up the windward leg and won by 2 minutes 26 seconds (average speed: 3.81 knots).
The course was laid from buoy N.2 off Glen Cove, around N.A. 3,8 miles a reach, then a run of 12.2 miles to buoy C.13 off Eaton's Neck, and home via the same route, 32 nautical miles. Resolute finished 9 minutes 46 seconds astern, so that with her head start Enterprise defeated her by 11 minutes 46 seconds.
The course was a beat from the starting buoy N.A. to N.2, 3.8 miles, then a run to N.34, 9.1 miles, and a beat to the finish at N.2, 9.1 miles, a 22-nautical-mile race. The start was a beautiful picture, according to the spectators. All three yachts crossed the line together at the gun with wind clear. Enterprise to windward, Resolute to leeward and Vanitie in between. Enterprise finished at 4:45:10, 7 minutes 22 seconds before Resolute and 8 minutes 45 seconds ahead of Vanitie, which Resolute had passed on the beat home.
FOURTH RACE WITH "RESOLUTE," MAY 21The course was from starting buoy N.2, a close fetch to N.A., then a broad reach to Oak Neck buoy C.19, followed by a short beat across the Sound to N.34 and a reach to the finish at N.2, distance 22,5 miles in a light northerly breeze. Enterprise rounded the weather mark more than 13 minutes ahead of Resolute but none of them finished the race because a black-looking rain squall approached.
In the afternoon Enterprise had an unsatisfactory race with Vanitie and Resolute. Enterprise had a little the best of the start at buoy N. 2. All three boats carried ballooners and later set spinnakers as the wind hauled from south to southwest. Off Mattinicock Enterprise had a good lead on Resolute and a slight one on Vanitie. Shortly afterward the wind died out altogether and we lay becalmed, while Vanitie and Resolute, closer to the Long Island shore, fanned along slowly. They both beat Enterprise handsomely to the leeward mark (buoy N. 34).Enterprise leaves the race
Starting off Castle Hill, Newport, at noon Enterprise had a 9-mile beat dead to windward due south, out around Bystander, which, following instructions, had anchored 9 miles at sea. After rounding her, Enterprise ran back to the finish line off Hog Island, near Bristol. Resolute was over 7 minutes astern at the weather mark and finished the 30-mile course 27 minutes behind Enterprise, on elapsed time.
From June 3, Enterprise tried out a new duralumin mast but finally restepped the light wooden mast on June 7.
FIRST RACE, LONG ISLAND SOUND SERIES, JUNE 11June 11 was a beautiful day, with a light steady E. by S. breeze of from 8 to 12 miles blowing. The starting line was established at buoy N.A. near the Connecticut shore. There were hundreds of motor boats of every kind and description, a large number of yachts and two big excursion steamers, one of which had been chartered by the New York Yacht Club. Collectively they presented an imposing spectacle, an evidence of the public interest in the outcome of this, the first meeting of the cup-defense candidates.
The race, a special one for the J class only, was given by the New York Yacht Club. Weetamoe, Whirlwind, Vanitie, Resolute and Enterprise participated — Yankee had not yet come down from Marblehead, where she had been tuning up. The course was a 23.5-mile triangular race, a 7.5-mile beat, a 5-mile close reach to buoy N.26 and an 11-mile run.
Enterprise got the best start and rounded the weather mark 2 minutes 20 seconds ahead of Whirlwind and 2 minutes 51 seconds before Vanitie. On the finish line, Enterprise beats Vanitie by 6 minutes 29 seconds. Whirlwind by 12 minutes 7 seconds, Weetamoe by 20 minutes 32 seconds and Resolute by 31 minutes 55 seconds.
SECOND RACE, LONG ISLAND SOUND SERIES, JUNE 12The next day was the Annual Regatta of the New York Yacht Club. The start was off Glen Cove, the breeze light from E.S.E., the first leg to windward, the second a fairly close reach to the Long Island shore, and the third a spinnaker run home. Weetamoe, closer inshore off Long Island passed Enterprise, rounding the outer mark with a lead of 45 seconds. The rest of the race was a procession. Weetamoe beat Enterprise by 1 minute 31 seconds, Vanitie by 5 minutes 37 seconds, Resolute by 16 minutes 19 seconds, Whirlwind by 22 minutes 39 seconds.
After this race, Weetamoe had proved she can be a dangerous competitor in light-weather conditions and smooth sea.
THIRD RACE, LONG ISLAND SOUND SERIES, JUNE 16The Seawanhaka Corinthian Yacht Club had arranged a special series of races for the J class on Monday and Tuesday, June 16 and 17. These races were started a half mile east of Eaton's Neck and run over a triangular course to the eastward. On Monday a moderate to fresh southwest breeze gave a reach on the first and second legs and a beat home. Whirlwind assumed the lead at the first mark, only 8 seconds separating the leader, Weetamoe and Enterprise. At the second mark Weetamoe was 18 seconds ahead of Whirlwind and 37 seconds ahead of Enterprise. There was a fresh breeze on the last leg, and Weetamoe beat Enterprise by 1 minute 13 seconds, Whirlwind by 1 minute 58 seconds, Resolute by 7 minutes 1 second and Vanitie by 21 minutes 47 seconds (Vanitie started late at 12:31:51).
On Tuesday, Yankee, just arrived from Marblehead, raced for the first time. The course signaled was the same as for Monday's race. The wind was light to moderate south, shifting to southeast, which gave a reach, a run, and a close reach on the last leg. All six boats got away to a fairly even start at noon. For the first 20 minutes, Enterprise
was in the lead, slowly forging ahead of Weetamoe. Then the wind hauled ahead a couple of points and the tables were reversed. Around the first mark, Weetamoe ahead of Enterprise by 15 seconds, Yankee by 32 seconds, Whirlwind by 1 minute 3 seconds, Vanitie by 1 minute 51 seconds and Resolute by 3 minutes 30 seconds.
The shift of wind had turned the second leg into a run with spinnakers and he race became a procession. Weetamoe beat Enterprise by 54 seconds, Yankee by 2 minutes 44 seconds, Whirlwind by 3 minutes 35 seconds, Vanitie by 5 minutes 58 seconds and Resolute by 11 minutes 16 seconds.
It would be hard to find three more perfect racing days than those which favored the Eastern Yacht Club series of races. Each day there was a light-to-moderate southwest breeze at the start, which freshened as the day grew older. The sky was clear, the sun shone brightly, visibility was good and the sea moderate.
FIRST EASTERN YACHT CLUB RACE, JUNE 23The course was 14.25 miles to windward and return around the buoy off Clay Head, Block Island. At the end of the windward leg, Weetamoe was 35 seconds ahead of Enterprise and 2 minutes 35 seconds before Yankee.
To-day was no exception to the rule, and Weetamoe not only made up the 2 minutes she had lost at the start, but acquired a sufficient lead to insure her first place at the finish. Later in the day, admitting his foul before the start, she withdrew from the race, which thereby became Enterprise's.
Enterprise finished 2 minutes and 9 seconds before Yankee, 4 minutes 19 seconds before Whirlwind and 5 minutes before Vanitie.
SECOND EASTERN YACHT CLUB RACE, JUNE 24The course was an interesting triangular race, a beat followed by two reaches. After the start, The fleet soon divided into two divisions : Whirlwind, Vanitie, and Resolute working the Narragansett shore; Yankee, Weetamoe, and Enterprise continuing on the offshore tack. When the two divisions met off Point Judith, Enterprise was well ahead, leading what proved to be a procession home, rounded the windward mark at 12:35:32, 1 minute 44 seconds ahead of Yankee and 2 minutes 30 seconds ahead of Weetamoe. After a mistake of Enterprise at the second mark which had been laid 2 miles farther on, as all of the other boats had followed she, the committee decided to allow the race, after consultation with the sub-chaser captain.
Enterprise finished with an average speed of 9,5 knots, 39 seconds before Yankee, 1 minute 36 seconds before Weetamoe, 6 minutes 30 seconds before Whirlwind, 7 minutes 18 seconds before Vanitie and 7 minutes 50 seconds before Resolute.
THIRD EASTERN YACHT CLUB RACE, JUNE 25The course was identical with that sailed on Monday, 14,25 miles to windward and return around the buoy off Clay Head, Block Island. Enterprise turned for home at 12:58:15, 1 minute 49 seconds ahead of Weetamoe and 3 minutes 45 seconds ahead of Yankee. Enterprise gained in distance on Weetamoe on the run home, on which she averaged 10,35 knots. Enterprise wins by 1 minute 34 seconds before Weetamoe, 3 minutes 15 seconds before Yankee, 7 minutes 30 seconds before Vanitie, 10 minutes 43 seconds before Whirlwind and 11 minutes 7 seconds before Resolute.
Enterprise won Commodore Charles P. Curtis's cup, a handsome silver tray, which went to the boat winning the largest number of points in the series, and Yankee the second prize, donated by Vice-Commodore Seth M. Milliken.
