Yachting, Vol. 1

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 2½-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 2½-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).

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 2½ '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 2½-, 1-, and ½-raters.'[8]

The Minima Sailing Club was established in the same year, 1889:

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—

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 2½-rating class.

Racing Records, 1890.

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:—

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.

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 2½-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 2½-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,' 26½ 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.

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 ½-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 phœnix 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.

'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.

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 7l. 15s. 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 2½-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 ½-Raters, 1891.

Just as the 2½-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 ½-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 15½ 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.

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 ½-rating,' and 'exceeding ½-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.

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.

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.