mci 
7 T 
-3 cL- 
[]-Li 
p—51 
‘—Zl 
1 
N 
Philadelphia-Bermuda Motor Boat Race 
For the James Gordon Benett Cup, Under the Auspices of the Yachtsmen’s Club of Philadelphia and Royal 
Bermuda Yacht Club of Hamilton, Bermuda. Date of Race, June 6, 1914; Distance 734 Nautical Miles 
T HE race from Philadelphia to Bermuda of¬ 
fers to yachtsmen an opportunity to take 
part in a contest of national wide import¬ 
ance. It will be the yachting event of the season. 
It is a race in which skill in the use of the 
compass, dead reckoning and chart work are the 
factors that will lead to success. 
It is, and in fact has in the past, promoted 
practical seamanship and navigation among Cor¬ 
inthians, and will teach those who go a safe and 
sensible appreciation of their duties. No one 
ever went through the fun of preparing for a 
long-distance race without learning something 
and in preparing for this National event there 
will be a thousand things to learn that will be 
of untold advantage to those who take part. 
Ocean races are the healthiest of all outdoor 
sports and tend not only to promote good fel¬ 
lowship among those interested, but develop real 
amateur yachtsmen. 
The fact that the race starts from an acces¬ 
sible pier in the center of Philadelphia’s water 
front gives the yachting fraternity and the pub¬ 
lic a chance to see the boats that take part in 
these off-shore races, that is, a healthy whole¬ 
some type of cruisers and not a flimsy racing 
machine. 
Off-shore racing should receive the support of 
yacht clubs generally, because it has been the 
means of developing a safe and comfortable type 
of boats and has always been the basis of im¬ 
provements in the construction of marine engines 
and boats. The Yachtsmen’s Club Havana race 
and the many past Bermuda races have brought 
out the present type of real cruisers and have 
gone a great way to prove the reliability of boats 
and engines. 
The Bermuda race is not a haphazard idea, 
gotten up without due thought and preparation. 
All the details have been carefully worked out 
and each year improved. 
Thomas Fleming Day has proven to the world 
that small cruisers are safe on any water and 
in all conditions of weather and rough seas, when 
under the guidance of a practical man. His two 
trips across the Atlantic has demonstrated to the 
world that off-shore cruising in power-boats is 
not only practical, but safe. 
It was Skipper Day who originally suggested 
the Bermuda race, and he was the first man to 
take a cruising power-boat to Bermuda. He was 
in command of the “Ailsa Craig” on her first 
voyage to the island, and was in command of 
one of the racers for the four successive years. 
The Tames Gordon Bennett Challenge Cup is 
a trophy presented for annual competition by Mr. 
James Gordon Bennett, of the New York Herald, 
and must be won three times by the same owner 
before being awarded permanently. 
The first race for the cup was held in 1908, 
and was won by the “Ailsa Craig,” of the Motor 
Boat Club of America. The second, in 1909, was 
won by “Heather,” of the Shelter Island Yacht 
Club. The third race, in 1910, was won by 
“Eronel,” of the Bensonhurst Yacht Club. No 
race was held in 1911. The race for the trophy 
was won by the “Dream,” of the Yachtmens 
Club of Philadelphia, in 1912. “Dream,” 1913. 
Through the aid of the United States Hydro- 
graphic Office, Washington, D. C., we have se¬ 
lected the seventh of June as the best date for 
this race, because at this time of the year storms 
in the gulf stream are unknown. Since 1873 no 
severe storms have ever been recorded from mid¬ 
dle of May to latter part of June. 
The finish of the race is at Five Fathom Hole, 
off St. David’s Head, Bermuda. One of the 
prettiest places on the Isle, and just inside of 
the harbor, protected by the hills of St. Georges 
and St. David, is the ancient but beautiful city 
of St. Georges, and the St. Georges Yacht Club. 
It is here that the visiting yachtsman gets his 
first idea of genuine hospitality—the kind that 
only Bermuda yachtsmen alone have the secret 
of dispensing. Your welcome by the members 
of this club will linger long in your memory as 
one of the happiest times of your career. But 
this is not all, it is only the beginning of one 
continuous round of pleasure that awaits you. 
After a short stop at St. Georges and picking- 
up a pilot you sail away through a paradise of 
ever-changing panoramic scenery, through the 
historic draw-bridge to Paget Bay, Harrington 
Sound, on past scenery that words are inadequate 
to describe and you are dumbfounded by the 
dazzling beauty and splendor of the many colors 
that all blend in perfect harmony. On through 
this paradise your pilot takes you to the harbor 
of Hamilton, the first city of the island. Here 
the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club members hail 
you and from the second that you anchor off the 
quay in front of the club you are one of them, 
and as you step ashore it is so deeply impressed 
upon you that the memory of your visit to this 
club will always linger with you. Both the Royal 
Bermuda Yacht Club and the St. Georges Yacht 
Club are making great preparations to entertain 
the visiting yachtsmen upon their arrival so that 
the event will have a big social side. 
Race Conditions. 
The race will start from a line established off 
Race street, Public Pier, Philadelphia, and the 
course will be down the Delaware River and 
Bay in the well-buoyed and lighted ship channel, 
where no trouble will be experienced in finding 
the way to sea, to a stake-boat anchored off St. 
David’s Head, Bermuda, a distance of 734 nau¬ 
tical miles. 
The possession of the James Gordon Bennett 
Challenge Cup. A handsome shield to every boat 
finishing. 
From the station of the Yachtsmen’s Club of 
Philadelphia Harbor, to a line between the Light 
House, St. David’s Head, and a stake-boat an¬ 
chored E % S from the light showing at night 
red over white—Day International Code. 
Open to seaworthy boats not over 60 feet wa¬ 
terline length, nor under 39 feet waterline length. 
A seaworthy boat is a substantially built, full 
decked vessel, having engines and living accom¬ 
modations housed in and being equipped with all 
the tackle and appliances necessary to enable her 
to perform a long passage in open water. 
Will be calculated under the 1913 rules of the 
American Power-Boat Association, with full 
time allowance. 
Any form of internal combustion engine may 
be employed for propulsion purposes. 
Boats must carry enough fuel to cover the 
distance one and one-half times between Phila* 
delphia and Bermuda. 
No ingredient shall be used to increase the 
power of fuel. 
Shall be figured according to the American 
Power-Boat Association time allowance table, 
the distance for computation for allowance to 
be on a basis of 734 nautical miles. 
Boats must be equipped with suitable spars 
and rigging to carry sufficient sail to give them 
steerageway in a moderate breeze. This sail can 
be spread in any shape, but must not exceed in 
square feet, the square of the over-all length di¬ 
vided by eight as a constant. Sail may be car¬ 
ried at all times. No additional sails will be 
allowed on board. 
Stores and water sufficient for thirty days for 
each man must be carried. This will be strictly 
•enforced. 
No boat will be allowed to start with less 
than six men aboard, one of whom shall be a 
practical navigator and one a practical engineer. 
At least one-half of each crew must be amateurs. 
Boat or life-rafts must be carried, to meet 
with the approval of the Regatta Committee. 
Also a ring buoy or life-jacket for each mem¬ 
ber of the crew. A full set of navigating in¬ 
struments, a spare compass, oil bags, chain cable, 
and at least one gallon of crude petroleum or 
other oil, and fire extinguishers must be carried. 
Suitable arrangements for fitting an emergency 
tiller must be made. An assortment of spare 
parts and gear to the satisfaction of the com¬ 
mittee must be carried. All boats must be 
equipped with the fittings and appliances pre¬ 
scribed by the Government. 
Fuel must be carried in at least two distinct 
tanks. Fuel for lighting or cooking purposes 
may be carried in separate receptacles. Water 
must be carried in at least two separate tanks, 
all tanks to be securely fitted and fastened to 
the hull of the vessel to the satisfaction of the 
Regatta Committee. 
Protests covering violations of sailing rules 
must be made in writing within twenty-four hours 
after finish of race. Protests regarding ratings 
213 
