Again, Nina

It was the Nina last year. Then the 59-foot Marconi-rigged schooner, reversing the journey of the Nina of Christopher Columbus after which she was named, won the Queen of Spain's cup. There was a $20 gold piece nailed on the after-end of the dog house, a prize for the first to sight land after the U. S. coastline had narrowed to invisibility. Luis, the Norwegian cook, won it. When the ship arrived at Santander a smart swarthy person greeted her from the deck of his yacht and explained: "I am the King of Spain." The crew was embarrassed. Joint-Owner Elihu

Root Jr., son of an Elder Statesman, saved the situation. Said he: "Yes, Your Majesty, we recognized you." The other owner and skipper, Paul Hammond, kept his eyes on the sails. . . .

Skipper Hammond did not have his tactful partner aboard last week, but no similar emergency arose as the Nina won another great race, 475 miles from New London, Conn., to Gibson Island, Md. Twoscore other yachts sailed out of New London in a dripping fog the day after the Harvard-Yale crew race. During that thick night the Teragram missed the stern of Malabar VIII by a scant six feet. Then came clear weather, smooth sailing. Sachem and Nina, the first two yachts around Montauk Point, got the best wind after the turn. The Nina came in seven hours behind the Sachem, at night, but the Sachem had started at scratch because of her slight beam and because she carried no propeller. The Nina's time allowance was more than enough to put her ahead.