The Pneumatic Rolling-Sphere Carrier Delusion: A Race to Santa Cruz -- February 9, 2018

Friday, February 9, 2018

A Race to Santa Cruz -- February 9, 2018

San Francisco Call, 28-June-1895

The drawing is from the 28-June-1895 San Francisco Call. William A Coulter did many maritime drawings for the newspaper. John D Spreckels was a San Francisco capitalist. Captain William Matson named his daughter Lurline after the yacht. Later the Matson Navigation Company named three ocean liners after Lurline Matson Roth.

A RACE TO SANTA CRUZ.

Big Regatta Under the Auspices of the Pacific Yacht Club.

AN EVENT OF THE SEASON.

The Glorious Fourth to Be Royally Celebrated at the City by the Sea.

Arrangements for the cruise of the Pacific Yacht Club and the spending of the Fourth of July at Santa Cruz have all been completed except to measure the boats and classify them. Commodore Caduc of the Pacifics has been at work to make the ocean race one of the events of the yachting season, and success has crowned his efforts. Nearly all of the large craft in the bay will go, and the sport promises to be merry from here to the City by the Sea.

Before Commodore Caduc's plans were perfected, many of the other clubs had made different arrangements for spending the Fourth, but the commodores entered heartily into the proposition, and lent what assistance they could. Among the vessels which have been entered and all of which are almost certain to go, are the Annie, flagship of the Pacifics, Commodore Caduc; Lurline, ex-Commodore John D. Spreckels of the Pacifies; Rover, Commodore Bruce of the Californias; Whirlwind, Admiral von Schmidt; Idler, Captain J. C. Wilson; schooner La Paloma, Captain E. G. Carrera; Nellie, Captain Dave Dean; Ripple, Captain Harry Goodall; Grade, Captain Hill; Lily L, Captain Donald Ross, and the pilot-boat Gracie S.

Besides this fleet a number of other boats have been promised, but as they have not been entered they are not counted upon. The Oakland Canoe Club was also to have participated in the festivities at Santa Cruz, but the burning of the clubhouse and the destruction of a number of the small craft have made this impossible.

It was at first proposed to have the yachts towed out of the bay until they caught the wind. John D. Spreckels, however, proposed to make it a beat down the bay from the foot of Powell street, where the time would be taken. The proposition was hailed with favor by all the participants, and Commodore Caduc readily assented to the change. This will add to the interest of the race, for it is more than probable that the run down to Santa Cruz from the heads will be before the wind, and the beat out will be the only chance given for windward work. The start will be made at 5:30 o'clock on Tuesday morning, and if there is no wind the original plan of towing will be adhered to.

The yachts will be divided into classes, according to their sailing length, and the start will be made by gun-fire. With a good breeze blowing the start should make a pretty sight, but there will probably be few up to see it. The yachtsmen will sleep aboard their yachts all night on the 1st, so that there will be no delay getting under way.

In the first class it is expected that the fleet Lurline will lead the way, but Donald Ross promises to give her a pretty good chase with the Lily L. The latter was once a famous sealer and boasted of great speed when Uncle Sam's revenue cutters were in her wake. The Lurline is the fastest yacht on the bay, although the Annie, with a liberal time allowance, came very near beating her once. She will be handled by Mr. Spreckels, and her old sailing master, Alec Svenson, will go along for the fun of the thing.

The craft which is likely to give the Lurline the hardest race she has ever had will be the pilot-boat Gracie S. The latter is the especial pride of the pilots and has been cracked up to the skies as a racer. That she is a swift boat cannot be denied, for she has outsailed the pilot fleet many times. She was built for speed as well as endurance, and is hardly to be classed as a pleasure boat, but the yacht-owners have no objections to her and she will race for all that is in her.

It was at first intended to have a regatta from Santa Cruz to Monterey, but the pleasure there will be confined to sailing and receptions on the yachts.

How long it will take to reach Santa Cruz depends on the weather.

The glorious Fourth will be observed in regal style. All day long the yachts will be thrown open to visitors and at night the craft will be illuminated and from every deck there will be a gorgeous display of fireworks.

A number of the yachtsmen favored racing home, but as some of the others could not spare the time the idea was abandoned. It is over twelve years since such a big gathering of white-winged craft has been seen in Santa Cruz, and the event promises to be a memorable one in the history of yachting.