SMALL YACHT RACING ON THE SOLENT
By 'THALASSA'
As Lord's is to the cricketer, St. Andrews to the golfer, Newmarket to
the lover of the Turf, so is the Solent to the yachtsman--the Solent
in its largest sense, not the West Channel only, but the whole of the
waters inside the Wight, bounded by fifty miles of shore line, and
covering an area of over fifty square sea miles. The West Channel,
twelve miles long, is nearly twenty-four square miles; the East
Channel, eight miles long, is equal in area; and Southampton Water,
six miles long, covers three square miles. Nearly all of it is
navigable to yachts, the Brambles being the only midwater shoal which
interferes with small vessels of moderate draught.
The water of the Solent is clear as crystal, the air healthy as
Switzerland, the scenery nearly as beautiful; here are watering places
with mirth and music; cities with docks and shipping; men of war and
men of peace; clubs and hotels; piers, slips, jetties, and hards;
building and repairing sheds; yacht designers and agents; skippers and
'hands'; sail, flag, and rope makers; yachts' ironmongers and
purveyors, &c. &c. &c., which etceteras include several snug
anchorages and small harbours for those who wish to escape from the
general hubbub during the yachting and excursion season. And the whole
of this within a two hours' journey of London!
Curiously enough, the advantages of the Solent for yachting have only
been fully appreciated during the past few years. It is true that the
Royal Yacht Squadron was started early in the century, and the Royal
Southern and Royal Victoria Yacht Clubs early in the forties; but
yachting on the Solent as we know it now was not dreamt of, and the
Thames held for many years the leading position as the centre of this
essentially English sport.
Many things have combined to drive yachts from the Thames. Manure,
marmalade, cement, gas, and other manufactories now line its banks;
the Barking outfall fouls its waters, and an enormous steamer and
barge traffic obstructs them. No wonder the yachtsmen deserted the
Thames. But this is not all; a new sport has been born--the racing of
small yachts, for which the Thames is peculiarly unsuited. Steam
yachting has caused this development of small yacht racing. Men who
would otherwise have built or purchased large sailing yachts now
prefer steam, and, although they may themselves race but little in any
craft, their action has destroyed our fleet of large sailing yachts,
and with it the market for outclassed racers of any considerable size.
Moreover, the very perfection to which racing has been brought tells
in the same direction, because few men can afford to build large
racers year by year to replace those which are outclassed. Yacht clubs
have increased both in numbers and wealth, and the executives find
that racing brings grist to the mill and repays the cost and the
trouble. This especially applies to small yacht races, the prizes for
which are not a severe tax on a club's exchequer, and can therefore be
given more frequently.
Owners were not slow to avail themselves of the sport offered, which
on trial proved to possess many advantages over large yacht racing.
In small craft an owner is more his own master, and frequently steers
and sails his own boat. Corinthian hands can form all or a large
portion of the crew; ladies can take an active part; the sport is
less costly and better fun than with large craft; there are more
races; fouls and accidents are less dangerous; and people can get home
to dinner.
In short, the advantages are so numerous and real that one marvels at
any men preferring to act as passengers on board their own yachts in
the more ancient sport. Even this adjective belongs really to the
boats, as prehistoric men no doubt owned and raced canoes for ages
prior to the existence of larger vessels. But we as moderns are
concerned with the nineteenth century, during which sailing boats have
certainly raced frequently on the Solent. The square stem and stern
boat used by the Itchen ferrymen for fishing in Southampton Water and
the E. and W. channels is still a favourite type, and during the
seventies became almost a class for small yacht racing, inside lead
ballast, moulded, being first introduced, then lead keels, until in
1878 heavy lead keels, with fore and aft overhang, became the fashion
with racing owners, and the Solent 'Length Classes' were introduced to
the yachting world; 21 feet, 25 feet, and 30 feet L.W.L. being the top
limits of each class.
A scale of time allowance for length was made by the Y.R.A., and the
boats developed into great 'brutes' which were efficient sail-carriers
if nothing else, the final outcome being over 70 square feet of canvas
to each foot of L.W.L., whereas a modern rater in the small classes is
driven almost as effectively with 20 square feet per foot of similar
hull length.
There being no limit to sail in the length classes, it was not a
difficult matter to outbuild the crack boat of the year every winter.
Each succeeding boat had longer overhang, greater beam, draught, and
displacement than her predecessor, and consequently won, being a
larger boat and carrying more sail. The table of Solent racers prior
to 1886, appended to this chapter, gives some details of interest.
A few races were given every year for what was termed the 27-ft. class
('Sorella,' 'Whimbrel,' &c.), also for Itchen punts and for
fishermen's boats; and, early in the eighties, races under various
conditions were provided for small yachts by the Royal Southampton
and Royal Portsmouth Corinthian Yacht Clubs, under the energetic
direction of their respective Honorary Secretaries, Mr. Wolff and the
late Mr. McCheane. These clubs may fairly claim to have started that
small yacht racing on the Solent which now employs so many hands in
building boats in the winter and sailing them in the summer, and
affords so many people a healthy pastime for their leisure hours. The
rest of the Solent clubs were not long in following suit, first one
then another giving races for small yachts, until in 1891 'The
Squadron' so far forgot the distich:
Nothing less than 30 T
Must ever race with _our_ Burgee,
as to permit two 'extra' races for 5- and 2-1/2-raters, the prizes
having been subscribed for 'privately' by some sporting members of
this distinguished club. The same recurred in 1892 and 1893, but it is
impossible to feel overwhelmed with gratitude, as the manner of
granting the concession was too like that of an old lady introduced
sorely against her will to people and things she deems _infra dig_.
On the other hand, the Royal Victoria, or the 'Red Squadron,' as its
friends delight to call it, has since 1890 taken to the sport with
becoming enthusiasm, the committee being said to possess more
knowledge of the requirements of yacht racing than the Y.R.A. itself.
This has produced some strange realities which the racing owner may
see for himself at Ryde, in the shape of drums, time-post and
semaphores galore, together with a 500-guinea cup and other remarkable
'Gold cups in waiting,' if he step ashore and can make friends with
the good-natured secretary. The club gave several special days in 1892
and 1893 for matches in the Solent classes, and the Royal Albert did
the same at Southsea, in addition to similar races at their annual
regatta--a two days' affair. The Royal London and the Royal Southern
Yacht Clubs followed suit. In short, these elderly dames of the Solent
are acting in a very proper spirit by adopting and assisting to
support the offspring of their younger relatives, requiring them
simply to belong to something 'Royal _or_ Recognised'--a peculiar
distinction somewhat rough on the former word.
One caution to the unwary. Some of the senior clubs are very proud of
their ordnance, but racing boats of _modern_ construction should give
them a clear berth, or the concussion may cause damage. One of the
cracks had to proceed to the builder's for repair soon after a race at
which that great artillerist the hall porter of the Royal London Yacht
Club shook Cowes to its foundations. Certain it is that some racing
boats are now built far too light for safety if caught in a gale on
the open sea.
Returning to the clubs, the table at the end of the chapter gives some
prominent facts at a glance, so it will not be necessary to repeat
them.
An aspirant to fame in any of the small classes should belong to the
Royal Southampton Yacht Club. It has plenty of members, of vitality,
and 'go.' Its house is good and comfortable, with a fair cuisine and
attendance, and its position is excellent for the racing sailor-man.
The fees are not heavy,[7] and the sport is good.
[Footnote 7: This club has raised its fees this year (1894), finding
it impossible to exist on the income derived from nearly seven hundred
members, whereas formerly it lived joyously on half the amount.]
The beginner will do well to make the acquaintance of the leading
members of the committee, for their sound advice and local knowledge may
be of service to him; but he may be cautioned not to disturb them after
the racing with written memoranda about rounding buoys; the soul of man
is not to be worried by such frivolities when absorbed in the worship of
crab, tap, or Nap in the cosy cabin of the Committee-boat--and this
applies with more or less force to all sailing committees and club
secretaries. Some shrug the shoulder and vent an expletive, the more
pious sigh deeply and glance to the zenith, while many impose a heavy
fine on that enemy of peace and quiet who dares to protest against a
breach of the regulations. An exception, however, is said to prove a
rule; and the committee of the Castle Yacht Club administers the law
with strictness, and perhaps severity. If this policy were general, many
of the difficulties connected with yacht racing would disappear, as a
large percentage is due to irregularities which sailing committees might
easily correct, instead of scanning them with a blind eye at the
telescope end. Real sportsmen like rules to be strictly observed and
administered, and the discipline enforced at the Calshot racing has, if
possible, increased the popularity of the club which was started in 1887
by some eccentric enthusiasts who considered that small yacht racing
required further encouragement. At that date the idea was not so
preposterous as it now appears; but whether this and other clubs
assisted materially in the production of modern racing, or were
themselves the products, is a problem for the Macaulay of sport to solve
in the dim future, when he writes on the pursuit of pleasure in the
nineteenth century.
The adoption of the present Y.R.A. rating rule in the winter of 1886
practically killed the 'Length' classes; for, although the Solent
clubs continued to support them for another year, no more 'lengthers'
were built, and, the existing boats gradually dropping out, the racing
with 'footers' collapsed.
* * * * *
The year 1887 was a turning point in small yacht racing on the Solent,
as elsewhere.
There was much diversity of opinion as to the suitability of the new
rule for small yachts. Mr. Clayton declared in January that
2-1/2-raters would soon be 29 or 30 feet long. Mr. Dixon Kemp, on the
other hand, so late as 1881, when the sixth edition of his book was
published, gave 'the lengths of water-line ... possible in the classes
... as follows':--
60 raters, 60 to 70 feet, their 1892 developments being 68 feet
40 " 50 " 60 " " " 59 "
20 " 40 " 50 " " " 46 "
10 " 30 " 40 " " " 38 "
5 " 20 " 30 " " " 34 "
2-1/2 " 16 " 20 " " " 28 "
1 " 10 " 12 " " " 21 "
This forecast erred in the three smallest classes, where prophetic
utterances, if only for six months, are extremely hazardous. The fact
gives additional piquancy to small yacht racing.
The Solent clubs most interested in this racing began the year 1887
with a conference on January 28 at Southampton, and another on
February 2 at Portsmouth, when it was finally agreed to recommend:--
I. The continuation of length class racing for the season of
1887.
II. The adoption of two new classes of square-sterned boats
to race under the new rule, viz.--
_(a)_ 2-1/2-raters not exceeding 21 feet L.W.L.
_(b)_ 1-1/4 " " " 17 " "
In both classes an overhang limit of 1 foot and a mainsail
limit of 55 per cent. of the total sail-area.
SPECIAL RACING, 1887
Two new boats were built for class (_a_), Miss Cox's 'Madcap' and
Colonel Bucknill's 'Thalassa' (see table). They were well matched, the
rig being the same, viz. sloop with a small topsail of about 80 square
feet. They were capital 'day boats,' with roomy wells, and fairly good
performers in a sea-way. At first 'Madcap' proved the faster, but
towards the end of the season 'Thalassa' won most prizes, and captured
the class medal of the R.S.Y.C.
Mr. Campbell's 'Merrythought' was the only new boat in class (_b_),
but she failed to beat 'Tootsie' (afterwards named 'Minnow'), which
belonged to Mr. Payne, and was altered to fit the class. On the whole,
the racing in the new classes was somewhat disappointing, owing to the
small number of competitors and of races. See the following table,
which also includes the races for the 'Solent Classes' in 1888 and
1892, and shows the great development of the sport during the past
five years.
The actual races only are recorded, as clubs deserve but little
credit for offering prizes hedged in by such conditions that owners
will not compete for them.
_Races in the Solent Classes_
+----------------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
| 1887 || 1888 || 1892 |
+----------------------+------------++----------------++------------------------|
Yacht Clubs and |21'2-1/2 || | |2-1/2 || | |2-1/2 | | |
Sailing Clubs | |17'1-1/4|| | 5 | | || | 5 | | |1/2| |
| | |Tot.|| 10| | |Tot.|| 10| | | 1 | |Tot.|
+----------------------+------------++----------------++------------------------|
Royal Yacht Squadron | 0| 0| 0|| 0| 0| 0| 0|| 1| 1| 1| 0| 0| 3|
Royal London | 1| 0| 1|| 3| 0| 3| 6|| 0| 1| 2| 2| 2| 7|
Royal Southern | 1| 1| 2|| 2| 2| 2| 6|| 0| 2| 2| 2| 2| 8|
Royal Victoria | 0| 0| 0|| 0| 0| 0| 0|| 1| 3| 9| 7| 7| 27|
Royal Albert | 0| 0| 0|| 2| 0| 2| 4|| 0| 6| 6| 6| 6| 24|
Royal Southampton | 7| 6| 13|| 4| 2| 8| 14|| 4| 8| 8| 8| 8| 36|
Solent Yacht Club | 0| 0| 0|| 1| 0| 1| 2|| 0| 3| 3| 1| 3| 10|
Royal Portsmouth | | | || | | | || | | | | | |
Corinthian | 1| 0| 1|| 7| 1| 7| 15|| 0| 4| 9| 7| 9| 29|
Castle Yacht Club | (started) || 5| 0| 8| 13|| 1| 12| 12| 9| 7| 41|
Island Sailing Club | --| --| --|| --| --| --| --|| 0| 0| 9| 9| 9| 27|
Minima Sailing Club | --| --| --|| --| --| --| --|| 0| 0| 2| 12| 9| 23|
Bembridge Sailing Club| --| --| --|| --| --| --| --|| 0| 0| 2| 1| 13| 16|
+----------------------+------------++----------------++------------------------+
Totals | 10| 7| 17|| 26| 6| 34| 66|| 7| 40| 65| 64| 75| 251|
+----------------------+--------------------------------------------------------+
CLASS RACING, 1888.
Early in 1888, delegates from several of the Solent clubs met at the
house of the Royal Southampton, to settle the difficult question of
the classes of small racing yachts to be encouraged on the Solent, it
having become clear that racing under a rating of length alone was
played out.
The Y.R.A. recommended that 10-, 5-, and 2-1/2-rating, by the new
formula L. × S.A. ÷ 6,000, should be encouraged as the small classes,
but the Scotch and Irish clubs favoured 6- and 3-raters as better
suiting their 3-tonners, which had been produced under the 1730 rule,
and were about 6-rating. After a lively correspondence in the 'Field,'
in which the Editor steered a middle course between the Southern buoys
and the Northern shallows, the conference at Southampton decided to
adopt the classes recommended by the Y.R.A., and there has been no
cause to regret this decision.
10-, 5-, and 2-1/2-raters consequently became known as the 'Solent
Classes,' and the limits on S.A. in mainsail and on L.O.A. were
quashed, no objection being raised by vested interests.
_The 10-Raters, 1888._
The 10 class racing this year mainly consisted of a duel between Mr.
Clarke's new 10, the 'Dis,' and Mr. Arabin's 6-1/2-rater, the
'Lollypop,' built for cruising, but a very fast and capable boat (see
table opposite).
The lengthers 'Verena' and 'Frolic,' each about 7-rating, tried their
luck on a few occasions, but they were soon proved to be outclassed
under the rating rule. 'Little Nell,' 'Raven,' 'Ina,' and 'Jenny Wren'
also competed. 'Dis' finished the season with the excellent figure of
merit 52.2, and 'Lollypop' with 34.6. This figure of merit is found by
the formula proposed by Colonel F. J. Smith, R.E., in 1890, viz.:
M = 100P ÷ (N + [V¯]N + 2)
where M is the figure of merit
N is the number of starts
P is the number of first prizes,
all referring to class races only. Colonel Smith subsequently
elaborated the formula by allowing points for sails over, and for
second prizes when three boats started; but it is practically
impossible to get such records with accuracy, and the resulting order
of merit is the same whichever figure of merit be adopted. Hence it is
best to employ the simplest formula in which first prizes alone count,
as in the one just given, which will be adopted in these pages.
Further details of the 10-rater racing will be found in a tabulated
form on p. 488 of 'Land and Water,' Oct. 20, 1888.
_The 5-Raters, 1888._
Mr. L. M. Ames attempted to start the 5-rating class by building 'Fair
Geraldine' (see table of dimensions), but the class received but
little encouragement from the clubs this year, and there were very few
purely class races. The 'Flutterby,' 4-rater, designed by her owner,
Mr. Fred. Hughes, Mr. Farmer's 'Chittywee,' and Mr. Newton-Robinson's
'Rose' were the only competitors available.
_The 2-1/2-Raters, 1888._
Mr. Waller's 'Lady Nan,' Mr. Manning's 'Ada,' and the late Mr. Sidney
Watson's 'Chipmunk' were the new boats in this class, the first named
being a great success at a moderate cost, the usual oak timbers, bent
ash frames, and pine planking being used in her construction. Her
lines are given in Mr. Dixon Kemp's 'Yacht Architecture,' second
edition. 'Madcap,' her chief opponent, had been slightly lengthened
during the winter, and a counter added; thus improved, she was able to
turn the tables on 'Thalassa' (see following table).
_Racing Records, 1888._
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| | | Prizes | Figure |
| 1888 | Starts |-------+-------+-------| of |
| | | First | Other | Total | merit |
|-------------------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
| _10-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|Dis | 29 | 19 | 6 | 25 | 52 |
|Lollypop | 17 | 8 | 4 | 12 | 34 |
| | | | | | |
|_2-1/2-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|Lady Nan | 31 | 19 | 9 | 28 | 49 |
|Madcap | 24 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 26 |
|Tottie | 6 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 19 |
|Thalassa | 34 | 3 | 11 | 14 | 7 |
|Fairy | 21 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 7 |
|Minnow | 10 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
The feature this year was the birth of the heavy lead fin-keel. Mr.
Payne tried it in 'Lady Nan,' and Captain Hughes had a similar keel
placed on 'Fairy,' thereby improving both her speed and power.
Another excitement was caused by Mr. Simpson very gamely sailing his
'Tottie' (4.5 feet beam) round from the Thames, so as to try the
Solent 2-1/2-raters. 'Tottie' was designed by Mr. G. L. Watson for a
special class, 21 feet L.W.L. and 500 S.A. She won easily in this
class on the Thames, but only scored on the Solent in light weather,
and soon found it expedient to return to her muddy headquarters.
'Minnow' also won a few prizes in light weather by means of her time
allowance; but 'Chipmunk' 12 starts, 'Ada' 4, 'Titu' 2, and
'Cormorant' 1 start, failed to score for their figure of merit.
The season's racing was good, and the class evidently established
itself in public favour. The Castle Club, then at Hamble, gave a
number of races for the class, and several members of the club agreed
to build 2-1/2-raters for the coming season.
For the results see the record table for 1888 (p. 231).
CLASS RACING, 1889
_The 10-Raters, 1889._
The owner of 'Lollypop' being encouraged by her performances in 1888,
commissioned Mr. Arthur Payne to design a racing 10-rater; whence it
came about that the swift and handsome 'Decima' was launched from the
Belvidere yard in the following spring. She was a few inches shorter
than 'Dis,' but in every other respect a more powerful boat--more
beam, draught, and displacement, also a larger mainsail.
The 'Drina' was built at Cowes about the same time, but she was
designed simply as a 32-ft. L.W.L. day boat, and her owner, Prince
Batthyany Strattmann, only decided to race her when she was already in
frame. The lead keel was then dropped 1.8 foot and the sail increased
400, to 1,800 square feet. Unfortunately for 'Drina' it was a windy
summer.
Mr. Ratsey tuned up his fine square-sterned yacht 'Dolly Varden' with
a lovely suit of sails. Captain Montagu lengthened 'Lil' and converted
her into the 9-rater 'Nety'; and Mr. Clarke brought out 'Dis' from her
padlocked abode and did all that he could to make her win--but in this
he was disappointed, though when beaten he stuck to the fight as only
a true sportsman can.
Towards the end of the season the attention of Clydesiders was drawn
to 'Decima's' long string of successes, and the sporting owners of the
old 'Doris' and the new 'Yvonne' sailed them round to do battle in the
Solent lists.
_Racing Records, 1889._
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| | | Prizes | Figure |
| 1889 | Starts |-------+-------+-------| of |
| | | First | Other | Total | merit |
|-------------------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
| _10-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|Decima | 39 | 28 | 6 | 34 | 59 |
|Yvonne | 32 | 13 | 12 | 25 | 33 |
|Doris | 38 | 12 | 7 | 19 | 26 |
|Dis | 28 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 8 |
| | | | | | |
| _5-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|Lollypop | 10 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 33 |
|Thief | 3 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 29 |
|Thalassa | 12 | 5 | 3 | 8 | 28 |
|Fair Geraldine | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 15 |
|Cock-a-Whoop | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 |
|Blue Bell | 9 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 7 |
| | | | | | |
|_2-1/2-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|Humming Bird | 38 | 25 | 4 | 29 | 54 |
|Queen Mab | 12 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 28 |
|Cosette | 19 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 15 |
|G.G. | 13 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 11 |
|Nadador | 21 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 7 |
|Madcap | 26 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 6 |
|Thalassa | 13 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 6 |
|Thief | 16 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 5 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
'Yvonne,' designed by the famous son of Fife, was narrower and shorter
than 'Decima,' and had 45 square feet more sail, which placed her in
the van in light weather. But 'Decima' beat her five times in eight
starts, and beat 'Doris' eleven times in fourteen starts.
The results for the season are given in the record table.
It was a red-letter year for the 10's on the Solent, nothing like it
having occurred either before or since.
_The 5-Raters, 1889._
Energy in one class is often accompanied by stagnation in another, and
the 5's were certainly slow enough during 1889 to satisfy the most
exacting Puritan.
[Illustration: 'Cock-a-Whoop,' 2-1/2-rater. Designed by A. E. Payne,
M.I.N.A., 1889.]
The clubs did their duty, as fifteen races were given to the class on
the Solent. 'Lollypop,' cut down to a 5, was the most successful boat.
Next came 'Thief' (of which boat more anon); then 'Thalassa,' 'Fair
Geraldine,' 'Cock-a-Whoop,' 'Blue Bell,' 'Gleam,' 'Ada,' 'Dorothy,'
and 'Tar Baby' made up the motley crowd--the four last-named scoring a
'duck' for their figure of merit. 'Gleam,' however, caused a little
excitement by capsizing in one race, pitching her owner, Mr. Clayton,
with several of his friends, into the sweet waters of Southampton,
from which they were fortunately rescued with much promptitude by the
blue gig carried on board her Majesty's letter-bag boat, which was
steaming past at the time of the accident. The class was nothing more
nor less than a harbour of refuge for outclassed boats; and, as the
yachts differed in their ratings, the race officers were ever busy
calculating their time allowances, and growling inwardly at 'those
confounded decimals.' 'Fair Geraldine' was the only boat built for the
class, but, curiously enough, when she tried conclusions at the end of
the season she found herself 'between the devil and the deep sea,' the
2-1/2-rater 'Cock-a-Whoop,' with extra sail to qualify for the class,
beating her in light weather on September 14, and the cruiser
'Lollypop' beating her in a breeze on the 21st.
The broad results of the racing can be seen in the table of records
for 1889.
_The 2-1/2-Raters, 1889._
Now began small yacht-racing in earnest, and a determined attempt was
made to lower Mr. Payne's colours. Mrs. Schenley, the Earl of
Dunraven, and Mr. T. B. C. West all joined the class, all cared but
little what it cost to win, all sailed their boats well, all engaged
good crews, and all went to Mr. G. L. Watson for the designs. He gave
them enlarged 'Totties' (one with a C.B.), excellent boats in their
way, but distinctly inferior to the type developing on the Solent
under the motto, 'Payne and Pleasure.' Such a boat was 'Humming Bird,'
often called the 'Hummer,' nearly 3 feet longer than 'Lady Nan,' and
about 17 inches longer on W.L. than her Watsonite competitors, but
with little O.H. at either end. The fin-keel became more pronounced,
the M.S. and scantling were further reduced, and the lug sloop rig was
adopted--a combination which made her wonderfully fast on all points
of sailing in any but light winds. She was sailed faultlessly by her
owner, Captain J. W. Hughes, and made the excellent M. of 54 at the
end of the season (see table of records).
Another boat of the year deserves mention--the 26-ft. C.B. sloop
built and designed by Stephens of Southampton. She was purchased by
Mr. Garrett of plunging boat fame, and named the 'G.G.' She had 10
feet beam, and did best on courses where she could avoid a tide by
sailing over the shallows. 'Thalassa' was raced in the class during
June and July, after which she raised her R. and joined the 5's. She
had been lengthened 2 feet aft during the winter, and greatly improved
thereby, her speed now being equal to 'Madcap' and 'Lady Nan' (see
record table for 1889, p. 233).
[Illustration: 'Humming Bird,' Payne, 1889.]
'Heathen Chinee,' a yawl of peculiar design, and 'Minnow' and
'Chipmunk' raced on a few occasions, but failed to win any first
prizes.
SOLENT SAILORESSES.
This year was noticeable for the activity of ladies on the Solent.
Miss Cox continued to race 'Madcap'; her sister, Mrs. Rudston-Read,
purchased 'Lady Nan,' and raced her under the new name 'Nadador'; Mrs.
Schenley raced her new 2-1/2 'Thief'; Mrs. Sidney Watson, Miss Harvey
(now Mrs. A. Heygate), and the Misses Hughes occasionally steered in
the races, and the daughters of 'Thalassa' helped to work their
father's boat, and sometimes steered her.
Late in the season--in the series of matches, 'ladies up,' between
'Cosette' and 'Queen Mab'--the Earl got two 'daughters of the sea' to
help him, and Miss Harvey steered the 'Queen' for Mr. West.
It really looked as if ladies were about to take an active part in
Solent racing; but next year, although races for ladies were specially
provided in the programme of the Castle Club, some owners objected,
and this form of sport received a somewhat rude and unexpected check
from which it has never quite recovered.
Two sailing clubs were started on the Solent in 1889--the Island
Sailing Club at West Cowes, and a branch of the Minima Sailing Club at
Hamble. The former club arose during the winter of 1888, and Mr.
Barrow, its present hon. secretary, states that it was 'the outcome of
much boat-sailing talk in Cowes and in the "Field" ... on the superior
charms and advantages of open-boat sailing'; but, 'like many season
fashions, open boating soon found its level, and the I.S.C. has had an
uphill fight to get open boats together for racing.'... 'The influence
of small raters seems to have been too much for the open craft, and
though the club has offered very good prizes and a 20-guinea challenge
cup, ... yet the open-boat racing has been so poorly supported that
most probably next year' (1893) 'the racing will be entirely confined
to small raters, which have given much sport during the past season'
(1892). The first 'Commodore, the late General Baring, taking much
interest in the club, bought land adjoining the Customs watch, and
built thereon the present small but very convenient club house, with
its slipway, &c., where it has since passed a ... busy existence,
holding in the season its fortnightly races, which have been well
supported by 2-1/2-, 1-, and 1/2-raters.'[8]
[Footnote 8: The above was penned at the end of 1892, and applies to
that year. In 1893 the programme was enlarged by including races on
alternating days for the 5-raters and for handicaps with boats up to
19-rating, not being class racers. A few races were given in 1891 to
2-1/8-raters.--[Greek: theta].]
The Minima Sailing Club was established in the same year, 1889:
1st. To encourage the building, improvement, and sailing of
small boats, and to promote seamanship and sport amongst
amateur boat-sailers.
2nd. To arrange cruises and races both on the coast and
inland waters.
3rd. To give to members who may wish to visit a coast,
river, or lake which is new to them, facilities for
obtaining information as to harbourage, boatmen, housing of
boats, carriage of boats, and other local matters.
4th. To form branches or out-stations, and to affiliate
local clubs as such, or otherwise.
This club has adopted the motto 'Per Mare per Terram,' very
appropriate for an institution which encourages the transport of boats
by rail.
Commodore Hallowes is an Admiral, and settles disputes admirably. To
him and to Mr. Herbert Ridsdale, the hon. secretary for the Solent,
the success of the club in these waters is principally due.
Unfortunately for the Solent, Mr. Ridsdale departed for fresh seas and
outlets new in 1892.
A little club-house was erected in 1891 on the Hamble river-bank,
opposite Warsash village, and the races now start and finish at this
point, everything being done by miniature flags, &c., in strict accord
with the Y.R.A. rules--altogether a nice little club, well managed,
and possessing an excellent general programme which deserves to
succeed.
The Castle Club also jumped ahead with a fair breeze in 1889, and a
convenient house was built close to Calshot Castle, permission having
been obtained from the Admiralty and War Office after much
negotiation.
Ladies are encouraged to join the club. A room is set apart for them,
and the near relatives of members can join on specially easy terms.
This, a somewhat novel experiment, has succeeded admirably, and many
ladies now attend the races and take a lively interest in the club.
Tea at the club-house has become an afternoon function on race-days.
Intoxicating liquors are not sold, but the housekeeper can generally
put a square meal before a hungry mariner. The race officers have a
tower-room to themselves. The starting gun--a heavy double-barrelled
4-bore--gives as excellent a report in its way as Mr. Parsons, the
courteous correspondent for the 'Field'--sharp, clear, distinct, and
never a hang fire or a doubtful meaning.
* * * * *
We now pass to another year, but adhere to our present subject,
because in 1890 the Bembridge Sailing Club first attracted notice by
its energy under the diligent direction of its hon. secretary, Mr.
Blair Onslow Cochrane, to whom we are indebted for the following
characteristic account, which begins by claiming that--
... The Bembridge Sailing Club was started in 1886 under the
name of the Isle of Wight Corinthian Sailing Club, changed
in 1890 to the present name in order to avoid confusion with
the Isle of Wight Corinthian Yacht Club (Ryde) since
defunct.... Many men of moderate means, but fond of
boat-racing, thought a club whose leading features were:--
1st. Racing in boats of uniform pattern.
2nd. Racing in boats of small Y.R.A. rating (2 and under)
... would be a success, and in order to keep down expense
and to suit the harbour, draught was limited to 3 feet.
The first feature, which consisted of club boats,
sloop-rigged, with rolling jibs and mainsails so as to reef
easily, has been very popular; races in this class, both
single-handed and otherwise, taking place almost daily. The
subscription to these boats being only 1_l._, a member is
enabled to have a summer's racing and cruising for this
small sum, and can, if he be a fair hand in a boat, win good
prizes. The boats are as nearly as possible equal, and, lots
being drawn for them before racing, the best man wins as a
rule. These boats are moored just under the club-house, and
amusing incidents frequently occur.
A well-known man from the Emerald Isle, who is a keen and
successful yacht-sailer, was the cause of a hearty laugh.
Getting into a club boat, he set the mainsail, and, after
letting go the moorings, he jumped aft to the helm, but
unfortunately for him the hook of the mooring chain caught
in the bobstay and held the boat fast. Advice was freely
showered upon him from the club-house. 'Haul your port jib
sheet aft.' 'Push the boom over.' 'Roll up the jib.' 'Steady
your helm.' 'Get your hair cut,' &c., &c., amid roars of
laughter; but it was a good ten minutes before he found out
what was wrong, the boat sheering wildly all the time!
Races are also held in which each helmsman has to set sail,
pick up moorings, &c. &c.
The classes under Y.R.A., 1-raters and 1/2-raters, also
afford great sport, but resulted in the development of a
very expensive type of boat, the natural consequence of the
ascendency of the 'almighty dollar'; but these boats are
exceedingly capable and safe. In 1891 the racing was only
stopped one day on account of weather, and that summer was
peculiarly stormy.
These small yachts afford an admirable school ... which will
do more for the real sport of yacht-racing than anything
else. A man who can sail a 1- or a 1/2-rater will never be
out of place in a larger ship, or become a mere passenger,
for he won't race a small boat unless he loves the sport.
At Bembridge the club has a slipway and cradle, and members
can haul up their boats at any time, either for repairs or
drying, at no cost. This is a great boon to a small
boat-owner.
There are generally about forty races each season, of from 5
to 10 knot course. The starting is by semaphore, and recalls
are effected by blowing a fog-horn to attract attention and
then exposing the boat's racing flag painted on zinc ...
thus doing away with cards and enabling post entries.
The harbour, capable of much improvement, is in the hands of
a ... company....
There are two good boat-builders, a good sail-maker, and a
ship-chandler.
Tides run very slack, and the railway station, telegraph
office, steamboat pier, and first-class hotel are all within
fifty yards.
Classes for 2-1/2-raters and deep draught 1-raters have now
(1892) been started, and will race outside....
Further details concerning this excellent and flourishing Club will
be found in table on p. 286.
CLASS RACING, 1890
may be described in the words fives and two-point fives. 'Dis' and
'Decima' were sold and went away, the 10-R. class collapsed, and the
ones and halves were only talked about, not built. The 5-rating class
was thoroughly started this year, and a boat which devoured the cakes
for two seasons was launched in the 2-1/2-rating class.
_Racing Records, 1890._
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| | | Prizes | Figure |
| 1890 | Starts |-------+-------+-------| of |
| | | First | Other | Total | merit |
|-------------------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
| _5-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|Glycera | 43 | 19 | 12 | 31 | 37 |
|Alwida | 40 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 29 |
|Archee | 14 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 20 |
|Valentine | 26 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 15 |
|Quinque | 39 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 4 |
|Fair Geraldine | 13 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| | | | | | |
|_2-1/2-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|The Babe | 27 | 15 | 6 | 21 | 44 |
|Humming Bird | 33 | 12 | 3 | 15 | 29 |
|Dolphin | 26 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 21 |
|Cock-a-Whoop | 33 | 4 | 18 | 22 | 10 |
|Thalassa | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 |
|Mliss | 34 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 5 |
|Troublesome | 22 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 3 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
Lord Dunraven became Commodore of the Castle Club in the spring. He
was already an avowed champion for and a generous supporter of small
yacht racing, and during the winter--to be precise, on November 23,
1889--he wrote an epoch-marking letter to the 'Field' which produced
good fruit. In it he said:--
May I add a word about the small classes on the Solent? Your
remarks in your issue of the 9th inst. were, I think, rather
unfair upon the 5's. Roughly speaking, I suppose the cost of
a 20 is about three-fifths more than the cost of a 10; a 10
costs nearly two-thirds more than a 5, and a 5 would come
to about double the expense of a 2-1/2. The proportional
initial expense diminishes according to size; but the
converse is the case in respect of working expenses.
The crew of a 2-1/2 can sail a 5, but double the crew of a 5
will be found in a 10, and a 20 will require another couple
of hands and a pilot in addition to the crew of a 10.
The 5's and 20's appear to be the cheapest classes. Nothing
can be more delightful than a 2-1/2. It is the perfection of
racing of its kind; but the absence of any accommodation
below is a serious drawback under certain circumstances,
especially to persons living at a distance.
In a 5 you can change clothes, boil a kettle, and, on a
pinch, sleep.
_The 5-Raters, 1890._
Lord Dunraven's boat 'Alwida' and Mr. P. Perceval's boat 'Glycera'
were designed by Payne and built at Southampton; Col. Bucknill's
'Quinque' was designed by her owner and built at Hamble in a very
substantial manner by Luke & Co.
[Illustration: 'Quinque,' 5-rater.
(Lt.-Col. Bucknill, R.E.).]
Two new boats were designed by Mr. G. L. Watson--the 'Valentine' for
Mrs. Schenley, and the 'Archee' for Mr. McNish. The elements of all
these boats will be found in the table for 5-raters, and detailed
drawings of 'Valentine' are given in the sixth edition of Dixon Kemp's
'Yacht Architecture.' 'Archee,' the more capable of the two
Watsonites, was built at Wivenhoe. She was beaten on the Solent when
she first tried conclusions, but her sail-plan was improved and 5 cwt.
of lead transferred from inside to out, after which she made some good
matches with 'Glycera' and 'Alwida.' She scored four firsts for
fourteen starts in the Solent, and three more firsts in four ex-Solent
races. Her speed probably astonished her designer as much as other
people, and this surprise, combined with the success of the
2-1/2-rater C.B. boats on the Clyde in 1891, may account for the best
Watsonite in the large classes 1892 belonging to this reviled type.
(See Mr. Watson's evidence before the Y.R.A. Committee, 1886.)
But we live to learn. Mr. McNish deserves some credit in this matter,
as he thoroughly believed in the centreboard when others (including
the designer he employed) were sceptical.
At the end of the season Mr. Payne's boats again headed the list, as
will be seen in the table of records (p. 241). They were built
lighter, they drew more water, and they were sailed better than the
other boats in the class; 5/8-inch mahogany planking was employed, but
they leaked freely at the garboards, and their floors had to be
strengthened.
'Fair Geraldine' only scored one third prize in thirteen starts.
_The 2-1/2-Raters, 1890._
This may be termed 'Babe's' year, as a boat of that name built for Mr.
W. A. Beauclerk from a design by Mr. Payne won fifteen firsts in
twenty-seven starts on the Solent. She was not the longest boat in the
class, but had a foot more than 'Hummer.' She had fairly good depth
and displacement, and in some respects was like her principal
rival--especially in the faultless manner in which she was sailed and
prepared for every race. Her owner a good helmsman and keen sportsman,
her skipper first-rate in every way, she came out of the builder's
yard as smooth as a bottle, and after two years' racing everything
about her was in the same high-class racing condition.
The 'Dolphin,' designed by Mr. Clayton, proved to be fast and capable.
In addition, she had the germs of a new type in her--viz. the
overhanging end to evade the measurement of length, which has since
developed such startling proportions. Drawings of this boat are given
in 'Yacht Architecture.' It is difficult to point to any defect in her
lines or general design.
'Camilla' and 'Janetta,' 26-1/2 feet, and 'Mliss,' 25 feet, were
designed by Mr. Payne, 'Mliss' only doing well. She belonged to Miss
Cox, whose sister, Mrs. Rudston-Read, had the 'Troublesome' built at
Fay's, from a design by Mr. Soper--a somewhat ugly boat with a counter
and flare bow. She was fast in light weather, and won the Challenge
Plate given by Mr. George Schenley to the Castle Yacht Club.
[Illustration: 'The Babe,' 2-1/2-rater. Designed by A. E. Payne,
1890.]
'Cock-a-Whoop,' built in 1889 for Captain Hughes's two sons, from a
design by Mr. Payne, was raced, as already stated, in the 5-rater
class at first, but in 1890 she was rearranged to fit the 2.5 class,
in which she raced.
[Illustration: 'SAVOURNA'
_5-rater. (H. L. Mulholland, Esq.) Designed by A. E. Payne, 1891_.]
Two of the narrow boats, 'Cosette' and 'Thief,' did not fit out for
the Solent racing, and the third, 'Queen Mab,' did not succeed in
winning a single first prize in six starts. The same remark applies to
'Camilla' with nineteen starts, to 'Janetta' with ten starts, and to
'G.G.' with five starts. Four boats, two being new boats by Payne, and
one a 'last year's boat' by Watson, failed to score a single point for
their figure of merit! These boats are consequently omitted in the
table of records, but full particulars of the racing can be found in a
table published October 20, in 'Land and Water.'
We now pass to 1891, which will be remembered as the 1/2-raters' year.
CLASS RACING, 1891
The 10-raters 'Dis' and 'Decima' raced in a few matches on the Solent;
but it was tame work, the old story being constantly retold. In the
end, however, 'Decima' was found to be over her rating and had to
disgorge her prizes. Hence the final results are only misleading, and
are not entered in the record table on p. 246.
_The 5-Raters, 1891._
'Valentine' was replaced by the 'Windfall,' and 'Glycera,' by the
'Savourna,' the two new boats being designed by Mr. Payne and built by
the new firm of Summers & Payne, which like a phoenix had risen from
the ashes of a disastrous fire at the Belvidere yards of A. R. Payne &
Sons and Black & Co. (late Hatcher & Co.).
Mr. Summers, having command of capital, bought up both these firms,
took Mr. Arthur Payne into partnership, erected labour-saving
machinery, rebuilt the premises in a very substantial manner, and
brought a good business capacity to bear upon the whole concern.
In the two new 5-raters the fin-keel, the lug, and the general
arrangements on the 'Babe' and 'Hummer' were carried into the larger
class with complete success. Mr. Langrishe joined the class with a new
boat, the 'Iernia,' built at Gosport and designed by the son of Fife.
She differed from Mr. Payne's boats in possessing considerable
overhang, in a flare bow, and a long counter. Her hull was somewhat
similar to 'Valentine,' and she was rigged as a lug sloop like
'Savourna.' 'Windfall,' however, sported the divided skirt in front of
the mast.
_Racing Records, 1891._
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
| | | Prizes | Figure |
| 1891 | Starts |-------+-------+-------| of |
| | | First | Other | Total | merit |
|-------------------------+--------+-------+-------+-------+--------|
| _5-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|Windfall | 40 | 22 | 12 | 34 | 45 |
|Savourna | 40 | 14 | 20 | 34 | 29 |
|Alwida | 29 | 6 | 8 | 14 | 16 |
|Iernia | 29 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 8 |
| | | | | | |
|_2-1/2-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|The Babe | 45 | 36 | 3 | 39 | 67 |
|Avadavat | 40 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 25 |
|Fiera | 33 | 7 | 9 | 17 | 17 |
|Janetta | 36 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 2 |
| | | | | | |
| _1/2-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
|Spruce | 12 | 6 | 2 | 8 | 35 |
|Tiny | 33 | 14 | 7 | 21 | 34 |
|Narua | 25 | 9 | 6 | 15 | 28 |
|Bairn | 29 | 9 | 11 | 20 | 25 |
|Dee Dee | 38 | 8 | 19 | 27 | 17 |
|Jeanie | 50 | 5 | 17 | 22 | 8 |
+-------------------------------------------------------------------+
'Katherine,' a new 5, built, designed, and sailed by Mr. Black (who
had retired from business), was a capable boat of 31 L.W.L., with a
straight stem and a pretty counter; but she failed to score.
'Quinque' had been altered during the winter, but was not improved.
'Alwida' was not changed until in August the lug was adopted, when the
same was done for 'Quinque.' Their sailing was improved, but not
enough to win.
[Illustration: THE 'BABE'
_2-1/2-rater. Designed by A. E. Payne, 1890._]
The racing proved the superiority of Mr. Payne's designs, which now
and for the third year headed this class. See table of records, which
shows that 'Windfall' and 'Savourna' competed in no less than forty
class matches. This was due to the senior yacht clubs like the
Squadron, Royal London, Royal Victoria, and Royal Albert giving extra
match days for the Solent classes. Coincident with this fashion of
giving numerous races there arose in some quarters a desire to do it
economically, one club being specially noticeable. For instance, at
its annual regatta, 1891, the second prize was not awarded to Lord
Dunraven, as only three boats started, although the prize was given to
the club by another owner and several rather heavy entrance fees had
been collected. In fact, the club cleared 7_l._ 15_s._ by the race.
This, and other cases of the kind, may cheer those who tremble at the
cost of giving races, and may even point a way whereby less wealthy
clubs may 'turn an honest penny.'
_The 2-1/2-Raters, 1891._
'Humming Bird,' 'Mliss,' 'Dolphin,' and 'Camilla' did not race,
'Hummer' eventually going to Ireland and 'Camilla' to the East coast,
'Mliss' and 'Dolphin' to Plymouth. The new boat 'Fiera' was designed
for Miss Cox by Mr. Payne, who also turned out the 'Avadavat,' 28 feet
L.W.L., for Mr. Wilson Hoare. Mr. E. N. Harvey had the 'Undine' built
at Cowes from a design by Mr. Clayton, and Sir G. Pearce the
'Squirrel,' designed by Stone. 'Janetta' was raced again.
Not one of them could touch the 'Babe,' which seemed to go faster than
ever now that her principal antagonist, the 'Hummer,' was out of the
way.
The record for the season will be found in the table, and 'Babe's'
figure of merit--67--obtained by thirty-six first prizes in forty-five
starts, was a wonderful performance.
_The 1/2-Raters, 1891._
Just as the 2-1/2-raters had been the outcome of an agreement among
some members of the Castle Club to build and start the class in 1888,
so the 1/2-rating class in 1891 was produced by a similar agreement
among certain enthusiastic boat-sailers of the Bembridge Sailing Club.
Mr. Payne was consulted, and quite a fleet of these little ships was
built in the Belvidere yards during the winter of 1890-91--viz.
'Narua,' 'Eileen,' 'Otokesan,' 'Dee Dee,' 'Idono,' 'Ladybird,'
'Kittiwake.' These were all capital little boats--miniature yachts, in
fact--with rather heavy lead keels of the fin type, and with good
displacement--some 11 or 12 cwt.--about three-quarters of it being
ballast.
Two more of similar type--viz. 'Tiny' and 'Dancing Girl'--were built
at Hamble from designs by Mr. Herbert Ridsdale, and the 'Coquette' was
built at Gosport from a design by Mr. C. Nicholson. A boat designed by
Fife, the 'Jeanie,' had a counter 4.6 feet long. Their L.W.L. usually
varied from 15-1/2 to 17 feet. The 'Mosquito,' designed by Mr. Soper,
was built of cedar; the others were planked with mahogany, and all
were good specimens of the modern art of boat-building.
Most of the sail-plans consisted of a large lug and a spitfire jib
secured to a roller which could be revolved on the forestay as an axle
by means of cords led aft to the well of the boat. Thus the sail could
be reefed by rolling it up like a blind. This was the invention of
Captain Du Bowlay. It is very convenient, especially for single-handed
sailing. By a further contrivance, the roller can be carried on the
end of an iron or steel arm pivoted in a goose-neck secured to the
front of the mast and worked by guys from the well; in which event the
forestay is rigged in front of the roller. Thus the jib can be reefed
or unreefed, or set at an angle, and converted into a spinnaker in a
few seconds. (See illustration on opposite page).
These little craft are wonderful sea-boats, and created quite a furore
of enthusiastic excitement throughout the season, several ladies
taking an active interest in the sport, and some of them steering
their own boats in the roughest weather. But they were not destined to
have all the fun to themselves. In the middle of the season a spruce
young gentleman arrived from the metropolitan waters with a
contrivance termed a 'canoe yawl'--a shallow, light, buoyant thing
having little or no ballast except the crew, who sat in a canvas-bag
arrangement to be emptied as occasion required on rough days. The
craft was as easily upset as righted; but the crew combined the
acrobat with the water-rat, and showed great skill in keeping the
little ship right side up.
[Illustration: 'Mosquito,' with roll foresail. Designed by Soper,
1892.]
The 'Torpedo,' another device of the kind, and owned by Mr. Stewart,
came from Oxford.
The owners of the Solent half-raters were not too well pleased to see
some of the prizes going into the lockers of these canoe yawls, and a
fine string of letters appeared in the 'Field'; but the excitement
moderated when it was found that the raters usually scored honours.
One other type was tried--the C.B. dinghy. 'Bairn,' however, was the
only example in this class. Many of the clubs limited the crew of
half-raters to two hands. This did not suit the 'Bairn' type, which
requires three or four hands to windward as 'ballast' in the usual
Solent weather.
It is impossible to give a summary of the racing in this class,
because it is very imperfectly reported in the sporting press, and the
club secretaries do not invariably retain correct records even of the
starters and winners.
'Kittiwake' was generally considered the best boat of the year; but
several others ran her close. The only boats recorded in the
'Yacht-racing Calendar' are 'Tiny,' 'Narua,' 'Bairn,' and 'Jeanie,'
and for these the figures are given in our table of records.
'Spruce's' record includes her Solent races only. She won numerous
prizes in other waters.
CLASS RACING, 1892
began, so to speak, with a conference of club delegates under the
hospitable roof of the Royal Southampton Yacht Club, on the last
Saturday in February. An amicable meeting agreed to encourage as many
open races as possible by withdrawing the restriction that owners and
helmsmen should be members of the clubs.[9] It was also decided that
the classes 'not exceeding 1/2-rating,' and 'exceeding 1/2-rating but
not exceeding 1-rating,' should be added to 'the Solent classes,' and
be supported by the yacht and sailing clubs on the Solent. Dates for
match days were agreed to, and the meeting separated.
[Footnote 9: The Royal Portsmouth Corinthian Yacht Club, however,
still continues to give races only to those owners who are members of
the club; and the Royal Southampton adheres to the condition that the
yachts in the small classes shall be steered by members of the club.]
The result was satisfactory, as better sport in the small classes was
seen on the Solent in 1892 than in any previous year.
_Racing Records, 1892._
+-------------------------------------------------------+
| | | Prizes | |
| 1892 |Starts|-----------------|Figure of|
| | |First|Other|Total| merit |
|--------------------+------+-----+-----+-----+---------|
|_5-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| Dacia | 31 | 23 | 4 | 27 | 59 |
| Cyane | 12 | 6 | 4 | 10 | 34 |
| Windfall | 9 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 29 |
| | | | | | |
|_2-1/2-Rating Class_| | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| Gareth | 9 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 36 |
| Faugh-a-Ballagh | 49 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 26 |
| Polynia | 25 | 7 | 5 | 12 | 22 |
| Papoose | 41 | 10 | 15 | 25 | 20 |
| Hoopoo | 44 | 9 | 17 | 26 | 17 |
| Cockatoo | 40 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 14 |
| Molly | 41 | 5 | 14 | 19 | 10 |
| Stork | 36 | 4 | 5 | 9 | 9 |
| Bud | 33 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 5 |
| | | | | | |
|_1-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| Doushka | 23 | 13 | 3 | 16 | 44 |
| Nansheen | 32 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 38 |
| Pup | 23 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 23 |
| Rogue | 45 | 11 | 11 | 22 | 20 |
| Mahatma | ? | 12 | 18 | 30 | ? |
| Barbet | ? | 1 | 12 | 13 | ? |
| | | | | | |
|_1/2-Rating Class_ | | | | | |
| | | | | | |
| No complete records| | | | | |
+-------------------------------------------------------+
_The 10-Raters, 1892._
An attempt to revive the 10-R. class was made by Mr. J. Gretton, jun.,
who built the 'Doreen' from a design by Mr. W. Fife, jun. She forms a
startling exponent of the modern racer.
Her mainsail, a lug, contains 1,061 square feet of canvas by Y.R.A.
measurement, her total S.A. being 1,572, her L.W.L. 38 feet, and her
L.O.A. 56.5 feet (see table for 10-raters). A fine, seaworthy craft,
fast in a breeze, but not so good in light winds owing to the absence
of a sky-scraper. She has the divided skirt forward, but the forestay
is taken through the deck some distance inside the stem-head, this
having an O.H. of 8.2 feet. This arrangement was used for a similar
reason on the cutter yacht 'Margaret,' 265 tons, illustrated in the
'Field,' 1853.
[Illustration: 'Doreen,' 20 (J. Gretton, Jun., Esq.). Designed by
Fife, 1892.]
The present owner of 'Dis,' Mr. Sparks, came forward very pluckily to
battle for some of the class prizes on the Solent and the South Coast,
and scored on a few occasions in light weather; in a heeling breeze,
however, 'Doreen' romped away from him.
[Illustration: 'DACIA'
_5-rater (Earl of Dudley). Designed by C. Nicholson, jun., 1892._]
Although the 10's form one of the 'Solent classes,' they do not
flourish. If men built to the class they would get plenty of racing,
as in 1889, but Lord Dunraven's letter, already quoted on p. 241,
gives ample reasons for the 5- and the 20-raters being preferred.
_The 5-Raters, 1892._
This may be termed 'Dacia's' year, when a young and comparatively
unknown designer succeeded in lowering the colours of Mr. Payne where
others had so signally failed.
[Illustration: Lord Dunraven's 'Cyane,' 1892.]
'Dacia' was built at Gosport for Mr. R. H. Langrishe from a design by
Mr. C. Nicholson (jun.). For her dimensions, &c., see table for
5-raters (p. 274). She carries her sail well, but is probably built
too light. In the middle of the racing season she had to lay up for a
time and have a new stem fitted, presumably because the bow was
straining. She carries a _deep_ fin-keel, which draws about 8.5 feet.
It is coppered. Her O.H. both fore and aft is extreme, and her sailing
length is thereby considerably increased when sailing even at moderate
speeds. But her success must also be due to a well-considered design
as a whole, because her strongest point is clawing to windward, which
she does in a marvellous way, blow high blow low, and her great length
cannot assist her much on this point of sailing.
She cost no more than other boats of the same rating, but when the
Earl of Dudley took a fancy to her, Mr. Langrishe sold her early in
the season for 'four figures,' it is said; and she was worth it, for
it is better to have one successful than two unsuccessful racers.
Early in September she raced a rubber of matches against the Clyde
crack 'Natica,' Tor Bay being selected as the 'neutral water.' The
stakes were heavy, and she won two out of the three races, being
steered to victory by her designer.[10] During the season Lord Dudley
generally steered her himself, but her designer steered at Tor Bay.
[Footnote 10: She subsequently lost the match on a protest, which was
referred for settlement to the Council Y.R.A.]
[Illustration: 'Windfall,' 5-rater. Designed by A. E. Payne, 1891.]
The 'Cyane,' about the same L.W.L. as the 'Dacia,' was built from a
design by Mr. Payne for the Earl of Dunraven, who, as commodore of the
Castle Club, and one of the first supporters of 5-raters, takes a
great interest in the class. 'Cyane' started well before 'Dacia' and
'Windfall' were launched, but afterwards only succeeded in beating
'Dacia' once. She was laid up in the middle of the season.
'Squall,' a sister 5, built for Mr. A. F. S. Crawford, was not so
fast, and failed to win pride of place in any race on the Solent.
'Windfall,' with her new owner, Mr. Gubbins, at the helm, did better
against 'Dacia' than any other yacht on the Solent, but she left for
the Emerald Isle early in the season.
'Savourna' was also raced by her owner, the Hon. H. L. Mulholland,
M.P., before going to Ireland, but she did not succeed so well as when
Mr. Perceval had her, or it may be that 'Windfall' went better than in
1891.
'Quinque' had been lengthened during the winter, and was greatly
improved thereby, but she failed to score until in July her keel was
lowered, after which she beat 'Dacia' twice in light weather, and won
twelve prizes before the end of the season.
The full history of 'Quinque' during her four years' racing is most
instructive to the student on account of her numerous alterations,
each of which afforded more trustworthy information on some special
point than it is possible to obtain from the examination of new boats,
however successful they may be; but the story is too long for these
pages.[11]
[Footnote 11: For further information and drawings of 'Quinque,' see
the _Yachtsman_ of July 20 and October 5, 1893.]
The records of the Solent racing are entered in the table, wherein it
will be found that 'Dacia' made the excellent figure of merit 59, in
spite of first two prizes lost by minor infractions of the rules,
before Lord Dudley raced her.
_The 2-1/2-Raters, 1892._
This year was full of surprises in the 2-1/2-rating class, as indeed
in all the small classes.
These were mainly due to two gentlemen, Mr. Nat Herreshoff of Rhode
Island, U.S., and Mr. C. Nicholson (jun.) of Gosport, G.B.
The success of their boats was largely owing to their long overhangs,
producing a sailing length greatly in excess of the length measured
for their rating.
[Illustration: 'Faugh-a-Ballagh,' 2-1/2-rater, 1892.]
Mr. Herreshoff also took full advantage of the power given by the
bulb-keel to give great stability to a boat of very small
displacement. He was therefore content to apply long overhangs to
boats of moderate L.W.L. as compared with the English boats in the
same class.
Mr. Nicholson, however, placed his long overhangs on boats of long
L.W.L., and used fin-keels. Complete success crowned both these types.
Unfortunately the 'Gareth' never met 'Wenonah,' and the crack 2-1/2 of
the year is therefore still a matter of doubt.
'Wenonah's' elements, so far as known, are added to this list of
boats, in order to facilitate comparison. She never raced on the
Solent. She is sloop-rigged, with a very short gaff, and a
fore-triangle, about the same as 'Faugh-a-Ballagh.'
[Illustration: Old Fashion.]
[Illustration: 'Quinque.']
[Illustration: 'Cyane.']
[Illustration: 'Dacia.']
'Gareth' is 3 feet longer on the L.W.L., but 0.8 foot shorter than
'Wenonah' in L.O.A. She is, therefore, a fairer boat than 'Wenonah,' a
greater percentage of her length being taxed for rating. It is an
insult to the intelligence of a designer to suppose that any portion
of the hull is useless. Consequently we must assume that all the 37.5
feet of L.O.A. in 'Wenonah' is useful, and, as the sailing length was
that which the Y.R.A. intended to tax for rating in 1886, the
'Wenonah' cannot be regarded as a 'short boat.'
[Illustration: Old Fashion.]
[Illustration: 'Lady Nan.']
[Illustration: 'Dolphin.']
[Illustration: 'Molly.']
[Illustration: 'Dacia.']
The ability of a designer is legitimately employed in evading a
measurement rule as far as possible, as did Mr. Edward Hammond Bentall
in designing 'Jullanar' in 1875, but the experience that is found at
the council table of the Y.R.A. should checkmate such evasions of the
spirit in which their rules are framed.