The quest of the Golden Star attained such proportions in 1925 that the International Series eclipsed all else in the realm of yachting for the quarter century. In magnitude, wide spread public interest, and publicity it surpassed every series of the past. Western Long Island Sound had an “ACE” up its sleeve and, despite all predictions, won again, for the man who played that “ACE” played it with the greatest of skill. With the exception of the final outcome, the series of 1925 differed in almost every respect from all previous ones. The entry list was almost double that of 1924. The little band of veterans who have for years battled for the honors with but one or two additions to their ranks, gave way to a new group of heroes. Skippers of different races and speaking different languages, for the first time put in an appearance. It would be impossible to relate all the many interesting incidents and thrills that were crowded into that glorious week on Long Island Sound. It would be impossible to draw a word picture that would do justice to the event. It was like a three ring circus with so many things occurring all at once that no one individual could possibly see them all.

The weather was ideal, that is from the point of view of the spectators and there were many. Five days of beautiful sunshine and cloudless skies. The contestants were, however, not so impressed with this particular state of affairs for it must be admitted that the Sound even outdid its own reputation for light and fluky winds. The challengers, who for the most part, came from localities favored with steady or trade winds, fussed and fumed over these conditions which they were not used to and which they felt, with some degree of justification, favored the defender. The fact is, though it may not be credited by many, that the defender himself was unable to fathom the vagaries of those capricious zephyrs, and at this point we wish to correct a most unjust rumor that has been in circulation to the effect that “ACE” won by luck. The “ACE” is fast in light air and weather conditions without question favored the defender but that is not luck. Had there been five days of strong winds and had “MOVIE STAR II” or “RHODY”, both considered heavy weather boats, won, one might say with equal justice that their victory had been due to luck. Adrian Iselin sailed a remarkable series. The breaks were by no means in his favor. Many a time he found himself far to leeward or in some most disadvantageous position and worked out of it and won. Adrian is a veteran Star sailor and has sailed since the very earliest days of the Class. He is not a light air sailor but adapts himself to conditions as he finds them. The “ACE” is not the only Star that he has sailed and won with. In the past he owned others and has won Sound Championships and Larchmont Race Weeks and has had heavy weather boats and been as anxious for wind as any of the challengers in 1925. While light airs may have favored the “ACE” we must keep in mind that Adrian Iselin sailed the “ACE” and sailed her to perfection and that had many among the challengers been at the helm of that very “ACE” they would not have won the series despite her drifting proclivities, for quite aside from weather conditions that may have existed it takes more than the boat to win three firsts and a second out of five starts in an International series against the pick of the small boat talent of the world. Just keep that in mind and also remember that W. L. Inslee is a ghoster of no mean experience and that his knowledge of the Sound is as complete as Adrian’s and that withal he was beaten by some of the Stars that were heralded as heavy weather craft. Adrian Iselin and his crew

E. Willis have been sailing and winning in Star boats before many of the challengers even heard of the Class and while we may rightfully say that the “ACE” was favored by the prevailing weather we cannot say that Iselin won by luck for that is not the truth.

Race Week opened with the Annual Meeting, held at the Port Washington Y. C., on Aug. 30th. The new Association flag was broken out and while speed boats were dashing about among thousands of yachts of all kinds over the Gold Cup course on Manhasset Bay, the delegates assembled and tried to concentrate upon the business of the Association. This meeting was held beneath the Stars and Stripes and the Canadian and Cuban flags. The delegates dined together and the meeting continued until late that night. The second session was held the following night and lasted until after mid-night. During those two days the measurers were busy from morning until night but finally were able to report all boats and all sails 0.K. with the exception of a few booms that had to be sawed off and other minor corrections of that nature. By Tuesday morning all contestants had arrived, Central Lake Erie being the last to put in an eleventh hour appearance after all hope of having them in the series had been given up, and with the challengers were many supporters. Narragansett Bay alone brought with it no less than twenty four ardent fans for the “RHODY.” There were visiting members from almost every Fleet even those who were not entered in the Series. Far off Hong Kong was even represented. Before the first race, the contestants assembled on the P.W.Y.C. dock and movies were taken of each team. Then the Flotilla of convoys, Regatta Committees boat, Marker Yachts and Observation yachts of all kinds started for the line five miles out in Long Island Sound. The I. E. C. representatives, with their blue badges, boarded the Bayside Committee boat, the defender under tow and flying the Fleet colors of W. L. I. S. came into view, signals were set, and amid the cheers of the expectant throng, the first race of the epochal series of 1925 was under way.

The First Race—Bayside Yacht Club

The light Southeaster scarcely moved the flags which drooped and hung to the masts of the various craft about the starting line. The first leg of the triangular course was a broad reach. All fifteen entries were well grouped about the line as the gun which misfired, should have gone off. “HOKULELE” became mixed up about that time and sailed away from the line at the moment she should have crossed it. “DORIS” went over too soon and was recalled. The rest crossed in a bunch and it would be impossible to say who was in the lead. “MOVIE STAR” took a leeward position and gradually worked up with the ebbing tide until it rounded the first mark in the lead. “SONNY” and “ACE” were right behind the Californian. The next leg was a beat. The “MOVIE” trimmed too flat pointed high but made no headway over the bottom and was soon crossed by several. “SONNY” sailed in a masterful fashion, over the dead spots established an ever increasing lead at the next mark and at the end of the first round. “ACE” seemingly outclassed trailed. The second reach did not affect the positions materially. When Inslee rounded the Southerly mark, he did not close haul but squared away toward the East. “ACE” hauled on the little wind there was and in a remarkably few minutes had overcome that four minute lead and passed “SONNY.” Tack for tack they fought it out, the “ACE” covering. When “SONNY” rounded the last mark Inslee headed out into the Sound and “ACE” again covered but it was almost Iselin’s undoing for the wind suddenly hauled to the North and freshened. “TALITA” rounded just as this occurred and with eased sheet, squared away for the line for what appeared to be a New Orleans victory. “ACE” far to leeward close hauled and raced for the line and was able to nose the Southerner out by 6 seconds for the first race. “AURIGA” of Vancouver slipped over third and “MOVIE” overtook “SONNY” and crossed 7 seconds ahead of the Gravesend Bay challenger. “RHODY” was a disappointment in this light going but finished 7th. The rest of the field was strung out and virtually eliminated from the series at the very outset. “TALITA’S” second and “SONNY’S” fifth, were the outstanding surprises of the day. The evening found all hands at Bayside, where they were entertained by one of the famous Bayside Vaudeville Shows, that surpassed all others and played to a house that was crowded to capacity. Not a protest was filed or a foul reported and the day from every angle was a most successful one.

The Second Race—New Rochelle Yacht Club

The wind was in the Northwest but was even more fluky than on the previous day. The race was started on time again and without a hitch. The first leg of a triangle, the reverse of the day before, was a run. “RHODY” went into an early lead. “MOVIE” and “SONNY” were over a bad last but soon were able to pick up the main bunch. There ensued a most uninteresting period of drifting during which the yachts scarcely moved and the spectators anchored their craft and had lunch. Finally the “RHODY” reached the mark and there was exactly 28 minutes between her and the last boat to round, though the actual distance was but a couple of hundred yards, which gives some idea of the snails pace at which the yachts were moving. The wind then came out of the South and the “ACE”, “RHODY”, “PORPOISE” and “AURIGA” went into it on their port tack while another little group went off on their starboard tack into what looked like a breeze but was only an overshot. “DORIS” selected the compromise course and took little short tacks for her mark, by far the more reasonable thing to do under the circumstances but it proved of little avail for the port tack group rounded first, “ACE” leading squared away for home. The “SONNY’ and the “MOVIE’ rounded but as they did, the wind dropped out altogether and left them becalmed. Then followed another period during which one boat after another rounded and drifted back past the mark only to repeat the procedure again. At last the wind went back to the Northwest where it had been at the start of the race. It freshened and stayed there. “ACE” and “RHODY” were far out in the lead with ‘‘AURIGA” sailing a poor third. Thus they went into the home stretch, another dead beat. “ACE” and “RHODY”, the former, to the weather had a hard fight. It was tack for tack, with only a few feet separating them all the way home. Try as they might the down Easters were unable to shake the “ACE” and get a clear wind. They took little short hitches. Tried fake ones and everything they could but it was useless, “ACE” hung on like glue. While this was going on the Vancouver boat was making hay. Phillips kept sailing for the line and within a couple of hundred yards of it became a contender. Iselin was forced to choose between “RHODY” and “AURIGA” and selected the latter. By skilful tactics, the Canadian was able to nose in between “ACE” and “RHODY” for a second place right at the line. It was the prettiest fight ever seen in an International series race. “PORPOISE” came next and then the field with “SONNY” 9th sounding the death knell to Gravesend’s hope. “COOPERSTOWN” nearly lapped, withdrew. “AURRERA” on the first sound went about under the Hawaiian boat and was unable to fill away being swept down on the mark and was disqualified. “HILDY,” at the finish, tried to slip by the “SAYONARA” but misjudged the distance, fouled and was disqualified. Thus three Fleets were credited with a goose egg in the score for the second race. All contestants and members crossed the Sound that night, the majority in the Chesapeake lighter, and were entertained at the New Rochelle Y. C. with a dinner and vaudeville. Not only the contestants, but every person wearing a Star button and the ladies who were with them, were the guests of this most hospitable club.

The Third Race—Larchmont Yacht Club

Whitecaps and a brisk Easterly wind were the order of the day as the little flotilla crossed the Sound to the Larchmont starting line. The challengers were in high spirits at the first prospect of having their lee rails awash. There was a fifteen minute postponement due to the line being further away from headquarters than on other days. The course selected was windward and leeward but just as the yachts crossed the line the wind hauled a little making the fist leg a close reach rather than a beat. “HOKULELE” went out into the lead and for some time held it but the “MOVIE” with a weather position soon began to pull away from the field and show her stuff in her own weather. “RHODY” went about on her port tack into the entire fleet being in second place at the time. Finding “PORPOISE” directly under her lee “RHODY” again put about quickly as the former did the same. Gidley hailed the skipper of the Chesapeake boat and asked if he had forced him about. It was one of those cases that neither party concerned could possibly have been certain of, but on hearing that in his opinion Kenney could have touched him, the Narragansett Bay challenger eased her sheet for home, withdrawing from the race and sacrificing her chances in the series. It was the most sportsmanlike act in the history of the Internationals. “MOVIE STAR” made the first mark without taking a hitch and ran for home, jib winged, and “AIJRIGA” right behind and gaining. The Californian out jockeyed the Canadian at the home mark and again rounded in the lead but on the gibe carried away the “MOVIE’S” starboard shroud. The wind had hauled back a little so that on the second leg none of the yachts could make the mark without at least one tack. “MOVIE”, forced to luff because of her lost shroud, worked well to windward but was not footing. “AIJRIGA” took a short hitch to cover “ACE” which had been in tenth place since the start and had not bettered it and in so doing lost her position. “SONNY” then began to show speed and came out from under the “MOVIE’S” lee. Inslee judged his mark to perfection when he came about, while the Californian overstood it just a bit but that bit was enough to allow “SONNY” to round first and once around Inslee virtually ran away with the race. “MOVIE” had great difficulty in holding her second place on the run to the line and was fast being overhauled by the “MAIA II” and the “PORPOISE.” The critical point was reached just as they were about to cross the finish line and Schauer was forced to throw the “MOVIE” into the eye of the wind to prevent Bedford from passing him and then bear off suddenly and cross the line, only 4 seconds ahead of the Central Long Islander. Then followed “PORPOISE” and “WINDWARD” and next “AURIGA” in sixth place. It tied the Series with the “ACE” which was beaten in by “HOKULELE” and “SAYONARA” but it also lost the Series for the Canadian, who had he held his second place would have probably won it. The New Orleans boat by falling down to a 10th was practically eliminated from the picture. The “MOVIE”, however ended the day within one point of the two leaders, The Otsego skipper did not put in an appearance at all that day and the Cuban skipper was taken sick and their substitute, E. Junkadella, had to be rushed into the boat, which, by the way was also a substitute, for the original “AURRERA” had developed a leak rendering her use impossible. That night the contestants and officials enjoyed a much needed rest.

The Fourth Race—Port Washington Yacht Club

History nearly repeated itself. The Committee boat developed engine trouble on the way out and the start was necessarily postponed an hour but there was no wind any way and after it did reach the line an additional 15 minute postponement was ordered. Even then it was the subject of much discussion as to whether there should be a start or not. There was just a suspicion of air from the N. E. as the signal was given but it soon died out altogether and eventually came around to the S. E. The “ACE” ghosted along through this like a witch. The “TALITA” somehow was able to hold her within sight at least for a long time but was finally outdistanced. It was another listless drift from start to finish with the only real fight being between the “ACE” and the time limit and the former only won it by a scant eight minutes. Night was falling as “ACE” drifted over the line. Four minutes later the Canadian, who had made a wonderful come hack, crossed in second place and brought the score to 52 to 51 in favor of the “ACE.” “MAIA II” crossed next but as she did so the red B Flag went up and it later developed that she had fouled “RHODY” at one of the marks and was disqualified. Chesapeake took third place on the official records and then came Inslee, hopelessly lost at the outset of the race, old “Bill” had changed jibs during the race and worked back to within almost striking distance of the leaders. The tailenders began to withdraw and “AIJERERA”, “SAYONARA”, “DORIS,” and finally ‘COOPERSTOWN.” (Much to the relief of the R. C. who had visions of being out all night) were picked up and towed home. A great smoker was held that night at the Port Washington Y. C., the one and only stag party of the week, and a most successful one from every angle, even the Central L. I. Crew was full of the spirit of the occasion.

The Last Race-—Manhasset Bay Yacht Club

The last day dawned with every indication of a British Columbia victory. Only point separated the Canadian from the defender and there was a fresh North East wind blowing in gusts, some of which had quite a kick behind them in the early hours of the morning. Windward and leeward was the order of the day. The course was up towards the North shore of the mainland and return. The start was delayed 15 minutes because it was not known by the committee that the “DORIS” had withdrawn and her crew had gone home the night before. W. T. Hyde and his “COOPERSTOWN” took the lead for a few brief moments. The entire fleet went off on the starboard tack except the “AUTRIGA” which crossed too soon and lost her position and was forced to take a short tack into the tide. It lasted but a few seconds but during those few seconds the Canadian yacht was as if anchored and with them went all hope of the 1925 series. “RHODY”, having a clear field and her own weather, showed for the first time what she really could do and ran wild. In so far as “RHODY” was concerned it was practically a sail over from then on. “PORPOISE” was second and doing well and like all the others kept well in out of the tide. “AURERRA” and “HILDY” did so to such an extent that they passed inside of the buoys that mark Hen & Chickens Reef and the little red flag went up, they were disqualified. At the end of the first round “PORPOISE,” “SONNY,” and “MOVIE” hauled on the wind in the order named, the two last named having gained considerably upon the Chesapeake yacht. “ACE” was down in about seventh place and while Iselin had the Vancouver boat, which was almost last, well covered, there still remained the “MOVIE STAR.” If the Californian could finish second and the defender did not better its position it would mean a tie for the series. Again all stood in under the shore but almost every yacht was forced to take one short hitch because of a power boat that was anchored on the course. The wind was still fresh but puffy and on the long beat “MOVIE” moved up into second place and rounded the weather mark just ahead of “PORPOISE” and “SONNY” and then to the surprise of all the “ACE” rounded, having cut down her rival’s lead to almost nothing. The Narragansett challenger was almost out of sight and with a lead of nearly a mile over all the field crossed the finish line as whistles blew and bells sounded in honor of her popular crew. On the run home “MOVIE” and “PORPOISE” luffed a little keeping to windward while “SONNY” and “ACE” bore off well to leeward of them. The two last named beating them across the line. Once again the red flag went up and it was found that “PORPOISE” and “TALITA” had also gone inside the poultry lot and, though no one could at first believe it and all felt that the hard week must have affected their reason, “SONNY” was added to the list of offenders. This gave the “ACE” second and the “MOVIE” third place in that race. As each yacht crossed the line they were given a gun, for it must be remembered that each and every one of them was a champion of his district and whether finishing first or last, was entitled to a great ovation for the splendid showing made. Western Long Island Sound had again won, English Bay was second and Southern California third and the 1925 series was at an end. That night a crowd of nearly four hundred gathered at the Manhasset Bay Y. C. to bid farewell to this little band of sportsmen who had traveled thousands of miles for the sake of the finest sport in the world. One hundred and twenty-four were wearing Star Class membership buttons. Moving pictures of past International Series were flashed upon the sail of the first Star ever built, which was beached broadside to the Club. It was both picturesque and very appropriate. Commodore G. A. Corry presented the prizes and each crew in turn was called upon to receive series certificates. And so, amid the cheers of the hundreds assembled, the music and the dancing, the greatest of all Star Class weeks became history.

The Atlantic Coast title also went to Adrian Iselin. “Bill” Inslee would probably have won it, as only the last three days counted in the point score for the “PANDORA TROPHY” presented Commodore Vance, but the unfortunate incident of Hens and Chickens prevented Gravesend from becoming the champions of the East. The same little red buoy robbed New Orleans of the “DAWNING TROPHY” for maiden Fleets and gave it to Joe Jessop, of San Diego. Phillips took the “DISTANT FLEET TROPHY” back to Vancouver to match its sister trophy won by Wylie in 1923. “ACE” besides the perpetual trophy won the Star model made and presented by Chas. C. Davis and a suit of sails with the GOLD STAR of 1925, presented by Louis Larsen. The “INVADERS TROPHY” presented by Robert Fraser and A. C. Kelley, went to Dowsett & Dillingham from far off Hawaii for making the best record among Fleets out side of North America proper. To M. deSena was presented a special prize for sportsmanship.

INDIVIDUAL SCORE OF EACH RACE

1925 INTERNATIONAL SERIES

Triangular courses were 10 ¼ N. Miles. Windward and leeward 10 N. Miles. Showing the position at each mark and the time at finish. M. means mark and R. means round. The yachts are given in order of finish. Where there are blanks, the mark officials’ scores were lost.

First Race—-Triang. Start 12:30

Fin.                  1M       2M       1R        4M       5M       Time
Ace                  3          2          3          2          1          3:28:02
Talita                6          6          6          6          3          3:28:08
Auriga              5          5          4          5          4          3:29:56
Movie Star       1          4          5          4          5          3:31:59
Sonny               2          1          1          1          2          3:32:06
Rhody              4          3          2          3          6          3:35:28
Maia II                                     9                      7          3:42:25
Porpoise                                   8                      8          3:44:52
Sayonara                                  7                      9          3:45:12
Doris                                        10                    10        3:47:28
Windward                                12                    11        3:47:43
Aurrera                                    11                    12        3:49:55
Hildy                                        14                    13        3:50:46
Hokulele           15                    13                    14        3:51:42
Cooperstown   14                    15        15        15        4:05:59 

Second Race—Triang. Start 12:30

Fin.                  1M       2M       1R        4M       5M       Time
Ace                  1          3          1          1          1          4:06:56
Auriga              5          2          3          3          3          4:07:28
Rhody              2          1          2          2          2          4:07:41
Porpoise           5          4          4          4          4          4:11:38
Maia II             3          5          5          5          5          4:15:30
Movie Star       6          6          7          6          6          4:24:35
Talita                7          9          10        10        9          4:27:04
Doris                10        7          8          8          7          4:31:15
Sonny               4          5          9          9          8          4:31:36
Windward        9          12        13        12        13        4:32:43
Sayonara          14        10        6          7          12        4:33:45
Hokulele           13        11        11        11        10        4:33:58
Cooperstown   15        15                                            Withdrew
Anrrcra            12        13        12                                Disql.
Hildy                11        14        14        13        11        Disql. 

Third Race—W. & L. Start 12:45

Fin.                  1M       1R        3M       Time
Sonny               3          3          1          2:25:21
Movie Star       1          1          2          2:27:13
Maia II             4          4          3          2:27:17
Porpoise           5          5          4          2:27:32
Windward        6          6          5          2:28:08
Auriga              2          2          6          2:29:17
Hokulele           8          8          7          2:30:13
Sayonara          7          7          8          2:30:45
Ace                  10        10        9          2:31:13
Talita                9          9          10        2:32:17
Doris                11        11        11        2:34:26
Aurrera            12        13        12        2:35:34
Rudy                13        12        13        2:36:33
Rhody              -           -           -           Withdrew
Cooperstown   -           -           -           Did not start 

Fourth Race—Triang. Start 1:45

 Fin.                  1M       2M       1R        4M       5M       Time
Ace                  1          1          1          1          1          6:21:45
Auriga              5          5          6          5          2          6:25:47
Porpoise           4          4          3          3          3          6:30:30
Sonny               12        12        9          7          5          6:33:07
Rhody              3          3          4          6          6          6:35:39
Movie Star       10        10        11        9          7          6:43:27
Windward        6          6          7          8          8          6:55:41
Talita                2          2          2          2          9          7:00:35
Hokulele           7          7          8          11        10        7:02:12
Hildy                9          9          10        10        11        7:03:25
Aurrera            15        15        15        15                    Withdrew
Cooperstown   14        14        13        14                    Withdrew
Sayonara          13        13        14        13                    Withdrew
Maia II             8          3         4          4          4          Disql.
Doris                11        11        12                                Disq. 

Fifth Race—W. & L. Start 12:45

Fin.                  1M       1R        3M       Time
Rhody              1          1          1          2:56:47
Ace                  7          7          5          3:05:34
Movie              5          5          2          3:05:38
Windward        6          6          6          3:06:05
Maia II             4          4          7          3:08:12
Auriga              13        12        10        3:16:29
Hokulele           10        10        11        3:17:33
Sayonara          9          9          9          3:17:34
Cooperstown   14        14        14        3:27:28
Sonny               3          3          4          Disql
Talita                8          8                      Disql
Aurrera            12        13                    Disql.
Porpoise           2          2          3          Disql.
Hildy                11        11                    Disql.
Doris                                                    Did not start 

FINAL POINT SCORE

Fleet                          Yacht & Yacht Club        Skipper——Crew        Points
W.L.I.S.                    “ACE”                            Adrian Iselin                 66
                                 Port Washington              Ed. V. Willis

English Bay                “AURIGA”                     G.K.C. Phillips             61
                                 Royal Vancouver             C.G. Davis                  

S. California              “MOVIE STAR II”         B. Rey Schauer            59
                                 Los Angeles                    Ed. Gillette

Narragansett Bay       “RHODY”                      B.W. Comstock           49
                                 East Greenwich               W.H. Gidley

Chesapeake Bay       “PORPOISE”                 N.S. Kenney                45
                                 Gibson Island                  Tyler Kenney

Gravesend Bay          “SONNY”                      W.L. Inslee                  45
                                 Marine & Field                A.C. Webb

C.L.I.S.                     “MAIA II”                      F.T. Bedford                44
                                 Pequot                            W.J. McHugh

San Diego Bay          “WINDWARD”              J.E. Jessop                   43*
                                 San Diego                       John Sykes

New Orleans Gulf      “TALITA”                       Earl Blouin                    37
                                 Southern                          Ehlen Rau

Hawaiian Islands        “HOKULELE”                H.M. Dowsett              31
                                 Pearl Harbor                   C.H. Dillingham

Peconic Bays             “SAYONARA”              L.W. Bainbridge           28
                                 North Fork                      Wd. Gibb

Central Lake Erie      “DORIS”                        R.W. Walton                19
                                 Corinthian                        W. Frazier

E.L.I.S.                     “HILDY”                        Phil. Holden                  12
                                 Black Point                      G.S. Chapel

Flota de la Habana    “AURRERA”                  M. deSena                     8†
                                 Fortuna S. C.                  G. Alamilla

Otsego Lake             “COOPERSTOWN”      W.T. Hyde                     8
                                 Cooperstown C.C.          J.N.S. Brewster

† Winner: “Distant Fleet Trophy”
* Winner: “Invader’s Trophy”