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1934 International Championship - San Francisco, CA, USA

1934 International Championship - San Francisco, CA, USA

The following results are from George Elder's book "Forty Years Among The Stars". In common with the early Logs it is interesting to note that in his results Elder does not give the yacht numbers of the boats which participated in the World's, but only just their names. It was not until the 1950 Log that yacht numbers were included in the results. From 1950 through 1976 both yacht numbers and names were given, but starting with 1977 frequently only yacht numbers were given. The last time both yacht numbers and yacht names were given was 1989.

In later years sometimes fleet designations were omitted. In these cases some of the more obvious fleet designations were supplied. Also from time to time only last names were supplied. First names, where known, were added.

Abbreviations etc: Dsa - Disabled. Dsq - Disqualified. Dns - Did Not Start.
Wdr - Withdrew. Ch - Chairman. B - Builder. * - Defending Fleet. 0 - No points, reason not given.

1934 - AT SAN FRANCISCO

Skipper Crew Yacht Fleet
Race 1
Race 2
Race 3
Race 4
Race 5
Pts.
H. Beardslee M. Lehman By-C Newport Harbor
1
1
4
1
1
72
J. Arms J. Abberley Andiamo III C. Long Island Sound
3
5
2
2
6
62
A. Islin E. White Ace W. Long Island Sound
5
2
6
5
3
59
A. Bown B. Sumner Whitecap San Diego Bay
4
4
5
8
7
52
J. McAleese H. Peterson Corinthian 4 *San Francisco
2
3
Wdr
6
2
51
H. Meislahn R. Bowden Sunbeam Moriches Bay
6
7
1
10
10
46
G. Gray A. Libano Jupiter New Orleans
Dsa
10
3
4
11
36
G. Dillingham H. White Memo Waikiki
10
6
8
12
9
35
L. Pirie S. Pirie Gemini Lake Michigan
11
12
11
7
4
35
W. Soule W. Baldwin Barby II Santa Barbara
12
8
12
3
14
31
E. Thorne L. Thorne Mist Great South Bay
9
11
13
13
5
29
F. Lippman L. Benzini Pat Riot Long Beach
Wdr
9
10
11
8
26
H. Dowsett Jr H. Dowsett Chip Hawaiian Islands
8
13
7
14
23
26
R. Lampoon O. Lamson Alcor Puget Sound
7
Wdr
9
15
15
18
Mrs. Balken J. Fullerton That's That Villefranche
13
14
Wdr
9
13
15

Winning yacht No. 1052. B - Douglass Canoe Co. Newport Beach California.
Ch. I.R.C. - Sampson Smith. Ch. Meeting - H. M. Dowsett.

Regatta Report from the 1935 Log

The 1934 Internationals passed into history in a blaze of glory with I "Hook" Beardslee and Myron Lehman breaking a record of long standing by winning four daily firsts and the championship of the world in their new By-C. With a combined weight that is only surpassed in Star circles by Atwater and Lawton, they sailed a consistently careful and skillful series, making the most of their opportunities. Andiamo III would have won most any other series under the able handling of John T. Arms, Jr.; but in this International Championship the By-C combination was not to be denied. Of the fifteen entries from the United States, Hawaii, and France, no boat had to be called back from the starting line, although they were always close to the gun. Many exciting and close brushes between contestants were in evidence at the marks particularly on the three days of brisk to strong wind.

The I. R. C. had its chief difficulty with the newspapers, who were unable to understand why the races were not sailed in the tricky tides on the San Francisco side of the bay where the local regattas are held. Here the race committee stands on the shore and the start and finish are within 100 yards of the spectators standing on the Marina. However, the Series proved that the Internationals were sailed over courses as free from tricky tides and winds as it is possible to find in this entire area.

A big surprise was the poor showing of Mist and Chip, who placed second and third in last year's Series and did not seem to be able to get under way at all this year. Mist was eleventh and Chip, thirteenth, in the final ratings. Jupiter had tough going, being forced out after Pat Riot's foul in the first race. Gray sailed his best race in the heavy half gale during the third race, when he finished up near the top. The Pirie boys, who trailed Gemini 1500 miles from Chicago behind their auto, found the balance of their sloop all wrong in salt water. After moving the mast 8 inches aft with a considerable rake, she traveled well in the last two races only to be luffed off the course in the final. This maneuver of Corinthian IV gave a third place chevron to Winsor Soule of Santa Barbara, who sailed his best race in the light air oi this day.

The third race was a thrilling battle and heavy going after a dead calm for the entire morning. Meisiahn and Bowden handled Sunbeam in masterful fashion all through this contest, finishing ahead of Andiamo, who came in with a broken spreader and sprung rigging. That she finished without breaking her mast is proof of the skillful sailing of Johnny Arms. Whitecap and Ace came boiling across the line fifth and sixth in this high wind to demonstrate their ability to take the heavy going as well as light breezes. The ability of Bown to sail Whitecap to a fourth in this Series with a brand new boat, after only sailing a new rigged Star in six races before his challenge, makes him a new threat in the Class. Madame Balkan was outclassed but stuck gamely through the Series. Alcor of Seattle did fairly well in the heavy weather but could not fathom the light airs in the last two days.

On the last night over seven hundred people attended the Regatta Dinner which was held in the Palm Court of the Palace Hotel. A novel setting was featured with 1933 champion, Three Star Too, on By-C's trailer, fully rigged and under full sail at the end of the room. After presentation of the cup to the new World's Champion, Beardslee, the gold Star sails of 1933 were hauled down and a suit of sails bearing the number, 1052, of the new champion were run up.

THE FIRST RACE started at 11.30 A. M. with a brisk wind and choppy sea, but very little tide on the course, which was laid out to the east of the Berkeley Shoals buoy, twice around windward-leeward. The race was well sailed throughout except for the unintentional foul of Pat Riot when she ran into Jupiter while on a port tack on the second beat. This was hard on both boats, which were in 7th and 5th places at the time. Jupiter had to drop out with a torn main, and of course Pat Riot immediately withdrew. That's That took a long port tack at the start, which was an unfortunate move, and dropped her down to a bad last, from which Madam Balken was not able to recover any ground.

The first three boats staged a thrilling battle all around, By C winning by 20 seconds over Corinthian, and by 45 seconds over the blue Andiamo. A fine piece of sailing was done by Whitecap in pulling up from 7th at the first mark to 4th at the finish, while Ace duplicated this feat in pulling up from 8th to 5th.

THE SECOND RACE was sailed in a very typical San Francisco Bay southwest breeze through the Golden Gate, which kicked up a short choppy sea which bothered some of the contestants. It seemed to give the leaders very little trouble, as the By C stepped right out at the start and led the field all around the triangular course. Ace was right after her at every mark, however, and was only 12 seconds behind at the finish. Corinthian It also sailed a consistent race in third place for the entire distance but staging an interesting battle with Whitecap the second time around, when the San Diego entry by fine sailing pulled up from seventh to fourth-only 22 seconds behind the San Francisco boat at the finish. Andiamo had trouble with her rigging loosening up, but by clever handling held fifth place.

Mano sailed her best race this day to finish 6th. Sunbeam and Jupiter got off to bad starts, but each pulled up four places after rounding the windward mark the first time. Pat Riot did well on the first round, but dropped on the second beat, and finally came in six seconds behind Barby II after a thrilling battle down the wind. Gemini still had a bad lee helm and stayed in 12th position all day. Mist and Chip again disappointed their sup porters, as they were counted on to do well in this breeze. Alcor had to drop out with rigging trouble at the end of the first round. The orange boat from France did a little better but was still in last place nearly all the way round.

THE THIRD RACE was an unusual and very exciting race, which proved a big surprise for many of the contestants. The boats had to be towed to the starting line, as the surface of the Bay was quiet as a millpond from about 9.30 until shortly after 12. They drifted around during five postponements, with some of the skippers taking a swim and others indulging in song. A dark line of wind came through the Golden Gate shortly after noon, making fine sailing on the first round, but developing into half a gale during the second half. Sun beam worked out a good lead on the first beat and was never headed. Corinthian took a port tack immediately to try to save her mast and held it to the club house. This confused a few of the boats which followed her for a short time. Mist did her best sailing of the series on the first round, but then took an unfortunate long tack over towards the Berkeley Pier, and, with the tide against her, dropped way down.

There was lots of close work at the marks with just seconds between groups of boats in the heavy going, but careful sailing obviated any protests. Andiamo's rigging was still uncertain, and she finished without a jib, while Whitecap's mast blocks worked loose and had to be set again under the difficult conditions. Jupiter sailed her best race of the series, as was the case with Chip. By C got away to a bad start but pulled up nicely on the second round. This was too much of a blow for the That's That, and several of the boats had plenty of difficulty on the last run. They just seemed to fly past the committee boat. Ace was particularly well handled on this run.

THE FOURTH RACE started under ideal, though moderate, conditions with a light to moderate ebb tide running. The triangle was laid out from near Richmond Harbor mouth towards Raccoon Straights with the third mark in the upper Bay from Paradise Cove. The ebb tide favored the boats on the beat and so greatly speeded up the time. The wind dropped rapidly on the first beat and several of the boats, particularly Alcor, had a hard time rounding the first mark. Barby reached this in first place, but yielded to By C on the light reach, and the Balboa boat kept the lead thereafter. Andiamo sailed another fine race, going particularly well on the final reach and run, passing three boats. Corinthian IV was in the money until the last run, when she yielded to the temptation to luff Gemini off the course, which let three boats cross ahead of them and deprived Gemini of a well-earned third.

The Chicago boat now had her mast shifted clear aft and was going places in this race. Jupiter and Ace staged a hard scrap all around, as might be expected of two former International champions, and finally finished within five seconds of each other. That's That sailed her best race of the series, while Whitecap dropped to her lowest point in the light going. The rest of the fleet did not seem to be able to find themselves in this marked change from the first three races. Mamo cinched her lead over Chip for the special trophy for the two Hawaiian boats.

THE FIFTH RACE was a thriller from start to finish and a fitting climax to the series. There was just enough wind to make comfortable sailing, and though the tide was ebbing during the third round, it did not bother much. Jupiter, with everything to gain and nothing to lose, elected to take a long star board tack by herself at the start away from the fleet and lost heavily by it. Mist sailed her best race of the series but lost her sheet on a jibe on the final run and lost two places. Acc and Corinthian IV were just inches apart at the finish and only those directly on the line could tell who won. By C sailed her usually consistent race and beat Corinthian by 8 seconds. Andiamo's 6th place was her lowest of the series, but the closeness of the competition may be gathered when it is realized that the first nine boats crossed the finish line within one minute. Chip and Barby Il did well on the first round, but then dropped back and engaged in an exciting duel of their own, Alcor again seemed to be baffled by the moderate to light air and trailed for the last two rounds. Whitecap and Pat Riot did some clever sailing to pass several boats and finish in the middle of the fleet.

h. beardslee national championship world championship