Long Distance Race To The Poughkeepsie Yacht Club, 1914

The following article provides an intriguing historical perspective on the gentlemen’s sport of racing on the Hudson and of the Poughkeepsie Yacht Club in 1914. This original article was from the perspective of the owner of the ship “Flyaway III”—a non-PYC member. Noteworthy points—it was faster at the time to travel by boat than car, there were waking issues even then from commercial steamship traffic, and also there were some unique aspects of one of our previous and influential PYC members.

To sail on Flyaway III on a long distance race is a rare pleasure. Going through the water at 20 miles per hour is not phenomenal speed in this age of the near-mile a minute hydroplane, but eating up the miles at this speed in a comfortable cruiser without the noise and bumps of the hydro is more ideal. The only disadvantage is that there is no competitor fast enough to make the race exciting and it is simply a question of racing against time, for in a few minutes after the start all the other contestants are hull down astern and are not again seen until some hours later after the finish. As there was no way for the committee to reach the finish line at Poughkeepsie for the finish of the first leg ahead of Flyaway, E.. Knowles was delegated to sail on boat to take our time.

The start was at 9:30AM and we crossed the line at 5 seconds after the gun at the head of the fleet, and finding strong head tide we made for the Jersey shore keeping close in under the Palisades. Spuyten Duyvil was passed at 9:43; West Point, 42 miles, at 11:40; Newburgh 50 miles, at 12:05, and the finish line of the first leg of the race off the Poughkeepsie Yacht Club at 12:51:38, making the run of 65 miles in 3 hours, 21 minutes and 38 seconds.

The run up was without incident. The weather was ideal and the trip was most exhilarating, and it was found that we had beaten by 34 minutes the newest Hudson River Day Line steamer the WASHINGTON-IRVING, which started at the same time from her pier at 130th street. We were entertained by the Poughkeepsie Yacht Club, which has a fine location on the river at the foot of the hills below the city. They have a very attractive club house and grounds with ample space for storing members' boats and electrically operated ways. This club was organized in 1892 and now has 260 members. 85 of which are power boat owners. The officers are Commodore W.H. Frank; Vice Commodore, Alfred Traver; Rear Commodore G. C. Saltford; Secretary, E. Penny, and fleet captain, E. Gidings.

After spending the afternoon at the clubhouse and seeing the other boats finish, we went to one of the hotels for the night, as we were told that the club anchorage was not a pleasant place to sleep on boat, for the river is narrow at this point and the tide holds the boats beam to the steam swells. There are eight steamers that pass between 10:30pm and 3AM at about half-hour intervals and it was said that each of the would roll one out of his berth, so we decided on passing up the "Rocked in the cradle of the deep" stunt.

The crew of Flyaway several hours to loaf we visited several cruisers belonging to the club, among them being Clara, owned by Commodore W.H. Frank, ex-Mayor of Poughkeepsie. This handsome cruiser is 60 feet over all and as roomy as a house boat. She is equipped with a 6-cyl heavy duty Standard engine giving the speed of 12 miles per hour. She was built entirely by hand by Geo. E. Buckhout, from designed by Whittelsey & Whittelsey, and although four years old, looked as though she had just recently left the hands of her builder. This is due largely to the fact that her owner had a basin constructed, entirely enclosed by a large building in which to keep her when not actually in use. An ingenious arrangement is to used to allow for the rise and fall of the tide and consists of four 100-pound weights which keep the yacht exactly in the center of the basin at all stages of the water. A set of six differential hoists are also arranged that two men by can raise the boat right out of the water for repairs or when ice forms in the fall. Leaving at 1PM, they won the return trip and hence the race.

Power Boating Magazine, Vol. 11-12, 1914 Written by H.W. Loweree.

- Michael Quick (PYC Historical)