(MARI)TIME WARP! 1924: THATCHER'S THE SPY TAKES SEWELL CUP

​Noses Out Tamwock in Classic Event on Barnegat Bay; Mary Ann, Inquirer Regatta Winner, Is Third

by Levi Wilcox

SEASIDE PARK, N.J., Aug. 9.
Battling a stiff breeze from the southward The Spy, owned by Commodore Thatcher, of the Seaside Park Yacht Club, captured the historic Sewell Cup here today in one of the greatest races ever conducted on Barnegat Bay.
So close and interesting was the race that The Spy only nosed out Tamwock, of the same club mate, by the scant margin of seventeen seconds. That was not all, however, for these two boats kept so close together during the entire course of thirteen miles that at no stage of the race was there more than half a minute separating the two boats.

Although it was conceded that the famous Mary Ann, winner of the Sewell Cup race last year and which has done some tall winning this season over identically the same course, was the outstanding favorite prior to the race, all that the noted Island Heights entry could accomplish was third position.

The breeze kept increasing from the southward throughout the entire race and on the second lap it was very doubtful if the boats could carry their large Marconi rigs to windward. All the boats had to lug sail and the three leaders proved not only that they had the speed, but that they were able to stand up under a stiff blow and face a heavy sea.

So stiff was the breeze under which the yachtsmen battled that five of the smaller boats capsized and, of course, were out of the running in their respective races. The Bat, which was fourth in the Sewell Cup race, the feature event of the day, almost went over on the last leg.

The Bat made quite a showing on the first leg of her journey, but when she started to poke her nose on the second round she couldn't stand the wind. In fact, she was almost overturned gibing around one of the buoys and one of the crew very nearly fell into the water. He managed to hold to the craft and regained his stance. This was a mighty close shave for the Bat, which sports the colors of the Toms River Yacht Club, for had he fallen overboard she would have been put out of the race.

​Big Crowd on Hand
Never before in the history of this historic event has there been such unusual interest in the result. With ten of the most highly developed catboats in the world facing the starter, all of which are considered the acme of perfection insofar as craftsmanship and rigging are concerned, the Sewell Cup race brought together not only the great racing craft, but also the greatest crowd in the history of the race for the last twenty-five years, a crowd which witnessed every inch of the course with a fond hope of catching a glimpse of the various entries as they poked their noses into the home stretch.

Excitement was intense when the Spy and Tamwock first came into view on the last leg of the race. The boats were not more than half a length apart on the last half mile. They kept together for several seconds before the expert maneuvering of the sheet tender on The Spy, together with the splendid judgement of Commodore Thatcher, who sailed the boat with remarkable skill, just about decided the issue.

Mary Ann kept plugging along, but not once during the whole race did she look like repeating last year's triumph and also that of July 4, when this same boat won the Inquirer Regatta. Mary Ann was also handled remarkably well by Judge McKeehan, but she did not exhibit the same speed over the heavy going as she has done heretofore when the sailing has not been so rough as it was today.

The Seaside Park Yacht Club entries conclusively proved that they are built and were properly handled for such heavy sailing.

Tamwock, let it be noted, was the only catboat competing in the big event today, which previously had won three legs on the $1000 trophy. This trio of victories all happening in three consecutive years, 1911, 12 and 13, constitutes a record that her owner, F.B. Larkin, who has sailed the seven seas, is mighty proud of.

​Many Clubs Represented
Mr. Larkin, however, after the race today, even though he finished second and, as stated was so jubilant over the result that he informed the writer after the grueling battle that even second place against such boats was far more noteworthy in his estimation than the three previous races in which he piloted his boat to victory.

With every yacht club along the North Jersey coast participating in today's regatta, the many victories captured by the Seaside yachtsmen today were most convincing. The sloop races brought together the Barnegat entries against the Beach Haven sloops, with the former sweeping the bay by taking first, second and third prizes, although the Beach Haven boys were anxious prior to the races for a good stiff breeze.

For the first time in Ardo First and Ardo Second meetings during the last two years, the sloop sporting the title Ardo First turned the tables, the latter winning the race with such remarkable ease that she crossed the line approximately four minutes ahead of her rival. Both boats represented the Seaside Park Yacht Club.

The first of the Beach Haven one design boats to finish was the Cesco, sailed by Mr. Johnson. Cesco had the satisfaction today of defeating her sister ship over the line by eleven seconds.

This was one of the closest races of the afternoon, with the exception of the Sewell Cup event.

Seagull Shows Speed
One of the most popular victories was that of Captain Pennock, sporting the home club's colors, with his sneak box Seagull. Ten boats faced the starter in this event, but four of the entries capsized through trying to accomplish the almost impossible in such heavy going by carrying too much sail. Second place in this race went to the Allure, of Lavallette.

In the Class B catboats, which are the old type racers, the winner turned up in the Stepper, property of Herk Atkin, representing the Seaside Park Yacht Club. She was closely followed by the Vim, a scant fifteen seconds behind. The Stepper, however, was never headed, maintaining a steady speed, and was also splendidly handled over the entire course.

Twenty-two boats crossed the starting line in the fifteen-foot one design, this race being won by C.U. Later, owned by Mr. Dale, of Bay Head, N.J

At the conclusion of the regatta the Sewell Cup was presented to Commodore Thatcher by ex-Senator William T. Read, of New Jersey. The presentation which was made before a huge gathering in the well-adapted club rooms of the Seaside Park Yacht Club proved a fitting conclusion to such a noteworthy event.
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Those who so successfully managed the regatta today were the following: George B. Ferrier, Henry Coles and Hon. William T. Read, Seaside Park Yacht Club; Benjamin Adams and Frank Henry, of Island Heights Yacht Club.

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