Delivery – Part II
Having conquered the first Fastnet Race in 1925 the
converted Le Havre pilot cutter Jolie Brise heads west to take part in the relaunched Bermuda Race. Clare McComb and a family tale…
On arrival in the USA Jolie Brise had quickly become star of the show for many east coast sailors, both because of the journalists who were now following her every move and the hundreds of visitors who came aboard from dawn until dusk; meanwhile, prestigious yacht clubs were throwing open their doors to welcome this gallant crew that had sneaked across the Atlantic, largely to take part in America’s own newly relaunched ocean race. Ironically, ‘arriving unannounced’ had
produced a blaze of publicity in both New York and Bermuda; George [Martin] him- self was noticed because of his ‘modest speech and unassuming manner that he had done nothing to be proud of’. By the off many US citizens were actively rooting for the stocky little pilot cutter, hoping she could win the race outright to reward the Brits’ quirky courage. Romance apart, few believed that she
actually had a chance, and some even thought her a bit of a joke. One of her nick- names was Jolly Booze (even though they were nominally a dry ship, out of respect for prohibition laws, carrying only a good supply of medicinal brandy…). American sailors admired her massive strength, her unusual cutter rig and the fact she had come through the long crossing unscathed; however, they saw little in her unfamiliar lines to flag her up as a racing boat. Besides, she was to compete in ocean-going trim, heavily laden for the return voyage, which left her a good deal deeper in the water than she had been for the 1925 Fastnet and thus at a serious disadvantage. On race day Jolie Brise’s new fans were
buzzing around her in powered and row- ing craft of every size and type… which was more than a nuisance. George knew his boat needed to be up and going early to make a strong run for the start off the Sarah’s Ledge buoy (New London) as she had almost double the displacement of most of the competition. As ever he made his own luck, just as
when he had smashed a win in the One Ton Cup 14 years earlier. With determina- tion learnt as a youth during hard-fought Brixham trawler races he forced a path through the mêlée, until the way they had gathered steadily got them into a strong position at the gun.
40 SEAHORSE And then an astonishing thing hap-
pened, Jolie Brise, spinnaker set and in absolutely smooth waters, began to ghost away from most of her much lighter rivals. Alfred Loomis, racing on another boat,
wrote that ‘as she walked through the fleet in a light easterly she got a cheer’, but they all wondered how on earth they ‘would be able to hold their overseas friend in a breeze of wind if she performed like that in a calm’. Much was due to George’s sea- manship, for he had been warned that on Long Island Sound breezes often begin high above the water: when their thin silk racing flag began to flutter they broke out skipper Brigg’s ‘pet’, the huge Yankee, from its stops and sped off. Some of the other yachts found their spinnakers caught slack, or their sheets to windward, when the breeze arrived, whereas George, 6ft 7in of tough competitor, had sensed it coming, even in unfamiliar waters. He wrote later that the conditions suited
his boat perfectly. Meanwhile, the rival helmsmen were confused – the visitor’s speed was
something they hadn’t
bargained for, even though they knew she was designed to carry pilots (where only the first to a ship would get the job, with no prizes for second). There was a proud moment when Jolie Brise met the race favourite, Dragoon,
which had gone about, and ‘crossed ahead of him to tack on his weather bow’. ‘Him’ was Bob Bavier, who had a national repu- tation as a helmsman and was racing with an expert crew – all of which added to the British satisfaction. While conditions held George hardly left the helm. Jolie Brise was heading the fleet and she was to hold that position for many long hours yet. And then disaster… With Dragoon a
mere half-mile under their lee they heard a loud crack as a shackle in their weather topmast stay came apart. There was a ter- rific jerk, but George quickly managed to get the boat head to wind, and then on to the other tack, which saved the day, if not the race. At this point they were flying both the big topsail and the second jib topsail, so were lucky the topmast didn’t break; but like everything on Jolie Brise it was solid – 7in diameter of stout Columbian pine at the upper cap on the masthead, and it held on. George said a hollow spar would have snapped immediately. From then on there were calms, flukes of
wind and an uneasy erratic swell that did not suit Jolie Brise because, as George com- mented, she ‘is heavy and must either sail at peace in smooth water, or be driven hard’. Gradually the lighter yachts stretched
away. There was, however, a nice private battle with Trade Wind; they were pleased
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