Yachting Volume Ii Part 29

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'Doreen,' 1892.]

Among the larger cla.s.ses everyone looks out for Mr. Jameson being first over line, with O'Neil at the tiller, famed for his special gift for quick starting and weather berths. A good start is a grand beginning. So long as one is leading no explanation is required why the good ship is not showing her best form, or how it is that she is not in her right trim. By this time the fleet is getting sorted; with a good sailing breeze the large craft draw out ahead in many cases, and it is well to do so; the large cutters are started, say, a quarter of an hour ahead, and the forties together. In 1892 the forties were very strongly represented, 'Thalia,' 'Reverie,' 'Queen Mab,'

'Corsair,' 'Creole,' 'Varuna,' 'White Slave.' This gave most interesting sport, far preferable to handicapping, which is only adopted to bring vessels of different tonnage together. A curious instance of this occurred at Cowes, when 'Irex,' 'Genesta,' and 'Lorna' all came in together within five minutes, and having brought up, stowed canvas and dined, it was discovered that 'Sleuthhound' was coming in, almost saving her time allowance of about 53 min. It is certainly most uninteresting to the spectators on sh.o.r.e to see the first fine craft come in close together, and returning from afternoon tea to perhaps discover that the real winner is just sailing in round the flagboat and getting the gun.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'Irex,' midship section.]

By this time the 'sun is over the foreyard' and all are settling down for a fine race. Sailing in a race affords excellent opportunity for noticing the other competing craft and admiring the goodly company a.s.sembled around. The big cutters are leading, and some of the forties astern. That 'Queen Mab' will hold her own with the best is a point upon which we feel happily confident, her racing flags being proof of her capacity--thirty-six is the number she showed at the end of the season. This yacht, as mentioned elsewhere, was built with a centreboard, but instead of a huge part.i.tion in the centre of the saloon, the board came under the main companion, and was quite unnoticeable. As with Mr. Jameson's 'Irex,' 'Mab's' centreboard was discarded, and each became the crack of her respective season.

'Varuna,' also a new boat this year, designed by Mr. G. L. Watson with a Watson bow, as in 'Mab,' was a beautiful craft, really perhaps the designer's favourite. These bows, with those in 'Corsair' and others, elicited sighs and groans from the old school of yachting men; for what with the schooner bow, the Viking bow, the inverted Roman nose bow, the bottle-nose bow, the Fife bow, and the canoe bow, one's idea of what a bow should be became somewhat confused. However, overhang forward carries the day up to 200 tons. 'Corsair,' 40-rater, designed by Mr. Arthur Payne of Southampton, was a grand boat, with less beam than 'Mab,' beautiful counter, long boom, very workmanlike all round.

She was built for that enthusiastic yachtsman, Admiral the Hon. Victor Montagu, a dear lover of all good English sports. 'Thalia' was a fine craft, by Fife of Fairlie, a splendid sea boat. Many is the good race Mr. Inglis has sailed in her, with Carter, who sailed 'Britannia,' 1893, at the tiller.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'Irex,' built for John Jameson, Esq., 1884.

Length B.P. 88'0"; length L.W.L. 83'6"; beam extreme 15'0".

Tonnage R.T.Y.C. Rule 88. tons; tonnage register 74.67 tons; Y.R.A.

Rating 98 tons.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Longitudinal elevation.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Cabin plan.

Corsair (Admiral the Hon. Victor Montagu), 40-rater, 1892. Designed by Arthur E. Payne.]

We live in an age of rather rapid development; 1892 becomes ancient history in 1893, still it seems sad that when one has a good vessel like 'Thalia,' she should so soon be outcla.s.sed. Fashion always runs to extremes; now that fashion has attacked yachting, the belle of one season is extinguished in the next. 'Sic tempora et naves mutantur.'

In old days enthusiastic yacht-owners lengthened their pets, almost rebuilt them sometimes, as in the cases of 'Alarm' and 'Arrow'; the a.s.sociations were retained and duly cherished.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'Corsair,' midship section.]

We have started, it should have been said, for the Australian Cup, value 50_l._, presented by Mr. Gibson Miller for yachts exceeding 20 tons and not exceeding 40 tons. The second prize, 30_l._, is given by the Royal Squadron. The westerly wind turned out very light, and without a good sailing breeze racing becomes peaceful repose. Much interest, however, is felt in the performance of 'Irene,' 40-rater, designed by Mr. G. L. Watson for Prince Henry of Prussia, who was at the tiller all day, heart and soul in it, longing for a breeze, and probably keeping up the old superst.i.tion by giving an unintentional whistle for one; but still it would not come. At 4 hrs. 0 min. 35 secs. 'Queen Mab' came in the winner, 'Thalia' taking second prize.

For real racing a true wind, such as we had in the race for prizes given by the Royal Southampton Yacht Club, August 6, is indispensable.

This was a small but sporting muster. 'Iverna' and 'Meteor' were sent away at 10.45 A.M., 'Iverna' crossing the line to a second. The forties, 'Corsair,' 'Queen Mab,' and 'Thalia,' were despatched half an hour later at 11 A.M., to a perfect start and a whole-sail westerly breeze, 'Mab' crossing two seconds after the Blue Peter was hauled down. The gun missed fire. We hailed the Committee Boat, 'Are we all right?' when the pleasant echo returned, 'All right, go on,' and away we went.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Lashing the Emperor's racing flag.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Our masthead man.]

It was a fine reach down Southampton Water, the three close together in single file. Pa.s.sing Calshot Lightship we hauled our wind and stood over for Cowes, feeling the westerly breeze which came sweeping up from the Needles; below Egypt we went about and took our jumps merrily--a nasty sea, if the sea can be nasty; our working topsail relieved her somewhat--for 'Corsair' and 'Thalia' were carrying jackyarders. It was a grand beat down to Lymington; the rain was heavy, but after a few hard squalls the sun came out and the Lymington mark-boat was rounded, 'Queen Mab' 12 hrs. 45 mins. 10 secs., 'Corsair' 12 hrs. 46 mins. 20 secs., 'Thalia' 12 hrs. 47 mins. 35 secs. As the mark-boat was neared all were astir. 'Get your gear on your spinnaker boom, my lads, and top him as soon as you can. Will you take the time, sir, of "Meteor" and "Iverna" rounding?' Before this our masthead man George had gone aloft by an acrobatic performance which is always interesting to the beholder: on the port tack with the port foot on a hoop, and the starboard foot on the sail, as indicated in the ill.u.s.tration. George was a good compact cheery hand, and must have been born for this particular function. By this time we are round.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'All aft, my sonnies!']

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'Another pull at the mainsheet, my lads!']

[Ill.u.s.tration: Close hauled.]

'Down spinnaker boom,' and now every thread draws and the whole sail is pulling hard. 'All aft, my sonnies!' and the skipper Parker seems to smile upon his pet. At this time bread and cheese and beer are served out, and form a very pleasant pendant to 'all aft' except the look-out, who took his mid-day in solitude by the unfilled foresail. A splendid dead run from the Lymington mark back to Cowes now takes place. See! 'Corsair's' spinnaker is here suddenly taken in, Sycamore, her skipper, having discovered that her mast was sprung, and he therefore went into Cowes. This was a great disappointment to us, and must have been to Admiral Victor Montagu, who so dearly loves racing, especially in a true wind. We were now cracking on for the Warner, our enjoyment only once disturbed by a hail from the look-out, 'Boat right under bow, sir,' and in the same breath, 'Only a photogger, sir,' and on we sped. Rounding the Warner 'Thalia' carried away her throat halliards, but soon continued the race. Rounding mark-boats and lightships is thrilling work, and beautifully it is done on 'Queen Mab.' It is delightful to see the judgment and decision, and how cheerily the hands haul on to the mainsheet; truly this is sport and excitement not easily beaten. 'Queen Mab' bends gracefully to it, and well it suits her; we are hissing through it. It is generally supposed that racing yachts are regularly gralloched and cleared out below; it is so in America and was done to 'Navahoe' in her races; but it is not so here. Everything is in its place, and when the head of the steward appears at the companion with the welcome words, 'Lunch, sir!' we find that all is well--but look out for the swinging table: touch that and there will be a ghastly crash. The 40-rater has the owner's cabin and the lady's cabin, with a very comfortable one for a guest, to say nothing of accommodation for sea bachelors who do not require sh.o.r.e luxury. The ladies' conning tower is generally the top step of the companion, but in the 'Seabelle' Mrs. Taylor had an armchair swung like a gimbal compa.s.s, in which she knitted comfortably at whatever angle the yacht might be in a seaway. After lunch we are close-hauled lying for Calshot Castle, hissing through it with a pleasant swish of spray, ever and anon making some of the hands duck their heads as they lie up to windward. Many is the dry remark and cheery yarn that one hears under these circ.u.mstances; not many words but much to the purpose, old recollections are revived, and there is always something to be learnt.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Real business.]

Each hand is on the look-out in calm weather, scouring the horizon for a wandering catspaw, or in bad weather, watching the other craft to see how they take it. To note the skipper's face is a study; his eye on every leach and every sheet, keen and ready for any emergency, entirely absorbed in 'her' and how she is going and how he can best cosset her. Such was the impression left of Ben Parker at the tiller of 'Queen Mab.' He had done good work in Mr. Hill's 'Dragons' of the 20's. His first command was the 'Ulidia,' Fife's 10-tonner, after having sailed for some years under Tom Diaper and O'Neil, and his Channel race from Dover in 1892 will never be forgotten. It was a merry close haul back from the Warner to Southampton Water. As the wind was drawing down the river we had a beat up to the Committee-boat, which was reached, 'Queen Mab' 4 hrs. 9 mins. 57 secs., winner, 40_l._ and silver medal; 'Thalia,' 4 hrs. 58 mins., second prize 10_l._ 'Thalia,' built by Fife of Fairlie, had a rare good crew, and Mr. I. A. Inglis has sailed many a famous race in her with his skipper, Carter, whose season of 1893 in H.R.H. the Prince of Wales's 'Britannia' speaks for itself. We get the 'gun,' that great joy at the end of a good race. 'Down foresail,' and round she comes.

The cheering is over, so now to clear up. Unlash the dinghy, get back the cutter and gear, and fill in the Declaration, which has to be sent in by every owner or his representative immediately after a race is won. It runs thus:

_Y.R.A. Declaration that Rules have been observed_

I hereby declare that ... ... . . yacht whilst sailing in the ... ... . Race this day has strictly observed the sailing Rules and Regulations.

Date ... ... Signed ... ... .

The gig is by this time alongside, and it must have been delightful to the owner as he stepped into her and left the side of the victorious 'Queen Mab,' to look up and see five winning flags flying, representing five first prizes in five starts in one week.

It is not the purpose of this chapter to record all 'Queen Mab's'

victories, but it may be noted that she won the 40_l._ prize given by the Royal Dorset Yacht Club in August of this year--1892. The club was founded in 1875, and holds forth many inducements to yacht-owners to visit Weymouth. For small raters it is admirably adapted, as the Esplanade is of immense length, and the short courses can be seen from one end to the other.

[Ill.u.s.tration: Torquay.]

At Dartmouth also 'Queen Mab' had two fine races, in a hard wind round the Skerries. The first, August 26, was very good, but the second, August 27, was better, though only one round, at the end of which we found the flagboat bottom up. 'Queen Mab' won first prize on both days. At Plymouth, in the following week, continuing the 'Westward Ho'

procession, 'Mab' sailed over, with double-reef mainsail No. 3 and jib, no foresail, 'Thalia' and 'Corsair' not caring to start. Outside the Breakwater it was very grand, and outside Rame Head grander still, as the rollers came in after a 48 hours' gale. The pilot admired 'Mab' immensely, she made such good weather of it. The gale was great sport for us, and it was surprising to see how the small boats thrashed through it. 'Dis' carried away her bowsprit, and there was much harmless wreckage of gear. One lesson might be learnt, that with the short bowsprit produced by the overhang forward there is much strain taken off that very important spar. Plymouth often gets a hard blow about this time, which is the more to be regretted from the extraordinary variety of boats and cla.s.ses, from the 'Britannia' cla.s.s down to the rowing matches of the b.u.m-boat women. Devonport and the Navy training brigs and colleges all join the water frolic, and great is the disappointment when the weather is unfavourable.

[Ill.u.s.tration: 'Queen Mab'

_40-rater_ (_T. B. C. West, Esq._) _Designed by G. L. Watson_, 1892.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: Channel Racing Westward.]

[Ill.u.s.tration: A close finish, 'Queen Mab' and 'Corsair,' R.T.Y.C., May, 1892.]

CHAPTER XI

YACHT RACING IN 1893

BY H. HORN

An exceptional year, alike in regard to weather and sport, for not within living memory has there been so fine a spring, summer and autumn, and there is no previous record of such a sequence of eventful and stirring racing. It is highly gratifying that sport so truly national in character as yacht racing enlisted more general interest during the past season than has ever previously been the case; in fact, it can further be said that the doings of the 'Britannia,'

'Valkyrie,' 'Satanita,' 'Calluna,' 'Navahoe,' and 'Iverna' arrested world-wide attention.

Lord Dunraven's commission, given in the fall of 1892, for a new 'Valkyrie' of about double the rating of his first cutter of that name, heralded a revival of big-cutter racing, and later on yachting enthusiasts were almost delirious with joy when authentic announcements were made that the Prince of Wales had given orders for a sister ship to the 'Valkyrie,' and that a big cutter was to be built at Southampton for Mr. A. D. Clarke, and one on the Clyde for a syndicate of Scotch yachtsmen.

Mr. G. L. Watson had a free hand in designing the 'Valkyrie' and 'Britannia,' which were built side by side at Partick by Messrs.

Henderson, and parenthetically it may be said they fitted out, moored together, and kept singularly close company in all their matches. The 'Satanita,' which was designed by Mr. J. Soper to sail on a 94-feet water-line, was built by Fay & Co., while Mr. W. Fife, junr. was responsible for the 'Calluna's' model, and the vessel was built by Messrs. J. & A. Inglis of Pointhouse, Glasgow, in an incredibly short s.p.a.ce of time. Although very certain that the 'Iverna' would be quite outbuilt by the new ships, Mr. John Jameson determined to bring her out, and 'Iverna's' well-tried antagonist, the 'Meteor,' was under orders to join the fleet later on.

Just before the advent of the new year, Lord Dunraven's challenge for the new 'Valkyrie' to sail a series of races for the America Cup was accepted by the New York Yacht Club, and about the same time came a notification from Mr. Carroll, a prominent American yachtsman, that he was having a sloop (the 'Navahoe') built by Messrs. Herreshoff, with which he intended to challenge for the Royal Victoria Gold Cup, and also make an attempt to win back the Cape May and Brenton Reef Cups.

The year was thus launched auspiciously enough in respect to big ship racing, and prospects were rea.s.suring in regard to sport in all the other cla.s.ses except the tens. There was a fining down however in number of the 40-rating division compared to 1892, and regrets were general that the sale of the 'Queen Mab' had led to her expatriation.

But Admiral Montagu was replacing the absentee 'Corsair' with the 'Vendetta,' a fin-bulb and balance-rudder craft, with a beam of about 17 feet, and Mr. John Gretton, jun., who did not get much fun out of the 10-rater 'Doreen,' had determined on having a 40 from a Fife design, the outcome being the 'Lais.' 'Varuna' was being fitted out again by Capt. Towers-Clark, and the 'Thalia,' which had pa.s.sed into the possession of Judge Boyd, was to be raced, but not to go all round the coast. The second cla.s.s was thus virtually made up of 'Vendetta,'

'Varuna,' and 'Lais,' which verily proved a militant trio, and their owners had plenty of racing, and no end of exciting and eventful sport. With the new 'Dragon'--the third of that name Fife's had built for Mr. F. C. Hill--Lord Dunraven's 'Deirdre,' by 'Valkyrie's'