During Sunday the fleet lay at anchor in Vineyard Haven. At a meeting of the captains, held on board the flagship Electra, it was decided to abandon the cruise to Marblehead for this year and to accept the offer made by the Newport citizens, of cups, to be sailed for over the Sow and Pigs course before the cruise terminated. It was also decided to go to New Bedford on the day after the race for the Martha’s Vineyard Cup, and then from New Bedford to go to Newport and sail the race for the cup offered.
Monday, August 13, was the day set for the race for the Martha’s Vineyard Cup, but after the flagship Electra had taken her position ready for the start the Regatta Committee decided to postpone the race. On Monday, therefore, the yachts lay anchored in Vineyard Haven, while their owners enjoyed themselves at Cottage City.
IROQUOIS—OWNER, T. JEFFERSON COOLIDGE, ESQ.
On Tuesday, the day was clear and bright, with a wind strong and fresh from the southwest. It was an ideal yachting day. The result was the finest race of the cruise.
The prizes were a series of valuable cups offered by the citizens of Martha’s Vineyard, as follows: $250 for keel schooners, $250 for second-class centre-board schooners, $200 for third-class centre-board schooners, $250 for first-class sloops, $200 for second-class sloops, $150 for third-class sloops, $100 for fourth-class sloops and $100 for fifth-class sloops.
The course gave a beat to windward of eighteen nautical miles to and round a stakeboat off Gay Head and return to starting line off Cottage City.
The starting signal was given at 10.10, and the Puritan was again first over the line. The Alert was next, closely pursued by the Sea Fox and Grayling. General Paine was aboard the Alert, and it was generally believed that his presence did not keep her back at all.
The wind increased shortly after the start, and soon a heavy sea came rolling in from the eastward, striking the big sloops first. The Puritan was still leading, but the Mayflower seemed to make better weather of the seas, and soon passed to leeward of the Puritan.