Squadron
the largest in that year being :- Yacht.
Brilliant..
Mischief Kestrel Jeannette Alarm..
Rig.
Tons. with short bluff bows and long fine run. The "Arrow" was 61 feet 9 inches long, by 18 feet 5 inches beam, and 8 feet 8 inches depth of hold.
Yachts in those days were ballasted with pig iron, iron ore, or even stones, outside ballast being unknown. A crusade was initiated against this type of craft by Mr. T. Assheton Smith, Mr.
William Simons, and Mr. Scott Russell, but their endeavours to introduce a fine entrance and hollow bow in the place of the old bluff nose did not find much favour until the visit of the American schooner "America" to our shores.
Mr. Assheton Smith was actually the first to introduce the hollow bow, in his yacht the "Menai" of 163 tons, built in the early years of the last century, but as she did nothing remarkable in the way of sailing she failed to dispossess the old type. Mr. John Scott Russell's wave line theory found another exponent in the "Mosquito" cutter, built in 1848 on the Thames by Mr. Mare of Blackwall.
She was 59 feet long by 15 feet 4 inches beam, the greatest beam being 4 feet 6 inches abaft the centre of the load water-line length.
The "Mosquito" was built of iron, and yachtsmen probably paid more attention to this than to her designer's departure in form, and did not credit the speed she possessed to her long hollow bow.
Scotland must take credit for the most striking departure of the period; in 1850, Mr. William Simons, a Renfrew shipbuilder, turned out "Tiara," whose dimensions were :- Length on L. W.L. وو over all ...
Beam extreme Draught extreme Draught forward ... 38 ft. 6 ins. 45 ft. 10 ft. ... ... 7 ft. 3 ins. 4 ft. "Tiara" was therefore a much narrower vessel than her contemporaries, and, in addition to having a fine long bow and clean fair after body, she was a long way before her time in the matter of a shallow draught of water forward. The Royal Clyde Yacht Club possesses a very interesting model of her. a But little impression, however, was made upon the old form of hull until the arrival of the "America" in 1851. It is a matter of history how the new clipper took English yachtsmen by surprise, and an hour's trial with her did more to open the eyes of yachtsmen than several years' preaching from Mr. Scott Russell and from the designers of "Menai," "Mosquito," and "Tiara."
It may be interesting to recall how the cup, which was presented by the Royal Yacht Squadron for a race round the Isle of Wight with no time allowance, was won in 1851.
The following were the starters, and it will be seen that they were not a particularly level lot in the matter of tonnage and rig:- دو ...
Owner.
Sir W. P. Carew.
Mr. J. L. Craigie.
Mr. T. Chamberlayne.
Duke of Marlborough.
Mr. Almond Hill.
Marquis of Conyngham.
Sir H. P. Hoghton.
Mr. Joseph Weld.
Lord Alfred Paget.
Mr. G. H. Ackers.
Yacht.
Tons.
O.M.
Rig.
Beatrice 161 Schooner..
Volante 48 Cutter Arrow..... 84 Owner.
Wyvern 205 Ione 75 Schooner..
Cutter Constance 218 Schooner.. ...... 393 Mr. G. H. Ackers.
Gipsy Queen.. 160 221 Sir H. Hawley, Bart.
Alarm........... 193 Cutter 202 The Earl of Yarborough.
Mona 82 ११ 186 The Earl of Egmont.
Brilliant...... 393 Bark ... 193 Mr. Joseph Weld.
America 208 Schooner..
Bacchante 80 Cutter Mr. B. H. Jones.
Freak Mr. Wm. Curling. " Eclipse Aurora Mr. H. S. Fearon. وو دو وو Mr. J. C. Stevens.
Bark Schooner..
Yawl Schooner..
Cutter Previous to this date, the last-named gentleman, who was a most enthusiastic yachtsman and yacht designer, had built the famous old cutter "Arrow."
She may be taken as a sample of the most approved form of the type known as the "cod head and mackerel tail," a barrel-bottomed craft Mr. Marchant Thomas.
The race was started to the eastward, and the yachts went out by Bembridge Ledge, with the wind from west-south-west. Working past Bonchurch to Ventnor, "Volante," "Freak," and "Arrow" were all ahead of "America," but "Arrow" got ashore, the "Alarm" went to tow her off, and later on "Freak" fouled "Volante" and knocked the bowsprit out of her, so that the leading British yachts were altogether in a bad way. There was a light wind, and they had to beat to the westward down to the Needles. 66 America," who was not doing much good in short tacking with the small cutters, made a long cast off, and with a slice of luck fetched the Needles some six or seven miles ahead of "Aurora" and "Freak."
On going through the Needles, "America" had a fair wind, but meeting the ebb tide in a light breeze she made but little headway boring against it, whilst the ebb was fetching "Aurora down the back of the island to the Needles hand over fist. By the time the tide eased, the stern division had just got round the Needles point and consequently were the first to feel the young flood when it set in. Although this brought them up pretty close, "America" kept ahead, and finished at 8.30 p.m., eighteen minutes ahead of the 47-ton cutter, "Aurora." no Although "America's" victory afforded decisive test of merit, on account of the weather prevailing and the disablement of her principal opponents, there is no doubt that the schooner, designed and built by George Steers, the son of a Devonshire shipwright who had settled in New York, was a great improvement on any vessel previously constructed in this country.
Her design combined the peculiarities of "Tiara" and "Mosquito," and in addition she had the advantage of a suit of canvas the like of which even the old salts, who were ready enough to condemn her lines, admitted had never been seen in Cowes roads.
These elements were the secret of her success; indeed, as that veteran yachtsman, the late Marquis of Anglesea, said when he saw her for the first time, "If she is right, we are all wrong." In 1852 and 1853 scores of yachts were hauled up in the yards to have the old bow cut away and the new American type of bow built on to them. The schooner for the first time became the most popular rig in our waters, and Mr. Joseph Weld had his cutter "Alarm" brought up to date by being lengthened by the bow and converted into a schooner. The "Alarm" is often quoted as being a craft of much renown, but if her performances from the year 1830, when she first came out as a cutter, to 1869, when she finished her racing career, be analysed, they will not strike the yachtsman of to-day as being in any way remarkable. In the 39 years she was fitted out she only raced 38 times and won 21 prizes, which nowadays is but an ordinary performance for a racing yacht in a single season. Mr. Weld, her original owner, whom we have already mentioned as the builder of the old "Arrow" in 1823. was one of the most distinguished yachtsmen of the time; he also built three cutters, "Julia" in 1820. of 60 tons, "Lulworth," of 130 tons, in 1827; and "Lulworth II.," of 80 tons, in 1856. Mr. Weld really built the second "Lulworth" because his big "Alarm" overpowered all antagonists, and could find nothing to race against; he was most successful, for the little "Lulworth" won a wonderful reputation for soaking out to windward of the big schooners and cutters of those days. a In 1858 Mr. Weld had "Alarm" out again, and in the month of August of that year, when her Majesty and the Prince Consort visited Cherbourg, took part in remarkable match across the Channel, which was sailed under the auspices of the Royal Yacht Squadron. This race is specially interesting to the modern school of yachtsmen, who know little and care less about the doings of these old-time craft, because the Royal Yacht Squadron decided to rate the vessels by sail area, and arranged for a time allowance scale of of a second per square foot.
Eleven yachts started, six schooners, four cutters, and a yawl. "Zara," schooner, was the largest in tonnage, measuring 312 tons and having 8,677 square feet sail area; but "Alarm" set the most sail, having 8,891 square feet of canvas to her 248 tons (she had been increased when she was lengthened and turned into a schooner from 193 to 248 tons).
The distance, 65 miles, was done by "Alarm" at an average speed of about 12 knots per hour, so it may be imagined that the old vessel was driven hard. It is recorded that there was a fresh wind a little forward of the beam, and the large craft carried whole mainsails and housed topmasts, while the small vessels were all reefed down. The prize went to "Ursuline," yawl of 112 tons, and 4,115 feet sail area, who, with her snug canvas, was 41 minutes astern of "Alarm," but was in receipt of 48 minutes' time allowance.
The result was the cause of much discussion, and for the future "sail area" races were regarded with dissatisfaction, although as a fact Langsa on lood Line. 900. Orestest breadth, 100. 10te.. Orastet draught. 130. Na From Yacht Architecture (1885), by kind permission of Messrs. Dixon Kemp and Horace Cox. "JULLANAR" YAWL, DESIGNED AND BUILT BY MR. E. H. BENTALL. the race was undoubtedly one of the most satisfactory matches on record. In 1859 and 1860 a controversy, almost as heated as that which has disturbed the rest of yachtsmen in the last two decades, raged over the tonnage rules and time allowances; however, the clubs, unmindful of the sail-area rating in the Cherbourg race, reverted to the old method of handicapping on merits as a way out of the difficulty. 66 From this time forth yacht racing began to flourish. In 1863, 113 races were sailed; and in 1870 the number had risen to 168. It was during this period that schooner racing came to its height. The most successful schooners were "Aline," built in 1860 by Camper and Nicholson, of Gosport; "Pantomime," by Ratsey, of Cowes, a straight-stemmed craft which for some years was a noted vessel, and in 1873 won 19 prizes in 25 starts; "Egeria," by Wanhill, in 1865; and subsequently Mr. Ashbury's famous "Cambria," which defeated the American craft "Dauntless."
Cetonia" was built by Ratsey in 1873, "Sea Bell" in 1874, and "Miranda," owned by Sir G. Lampson, by Harvey of Wivenhoe, in 1877.
This was about the last great year of schooner racing, and "Miranda" had the name of being the fastest and most weatherly schooner ever built. She rather frightened away the rest of the class, which dwindled down to very small dimensions in the early 'eighties. "Miranda," however, often joined in the hunt with the cutters and yawls, and proved herself as good as the best of them. In eight consecutive seasons she started in 144 matches and won 95 prizes, valued at £5,010.
Her career in America, where she afterwards went, was equally successful, for she completely CC 2 outsailed the centre-board schooners in anything like a rough-water trial.
Racing amongst the big 100-ton cutters, including the fliers "Kriemhilda," "Oimara" and Cythera," was popular in the 'seventies, whilst some grand matches were sailed in the big yawl class led by "Florinda," "Surf," "Gertrude," "Condor," and others. In 1875, "Vol-au-vent," designed by Ratsey, came out and carried off the palm in the big cutter class. She had the name of being a very fast vessel in light weather, and gave the schooners a rare dressing round the courses inside the Isle of Wight. In 1876, "Neva," a comparatively small cutter of 60 tons, built two years previously, had a wonderful "IREX." a completely cut away and she was the first yawl built with a clipper stem. A notable feature in "Jullanar's" design was her raking midship section-that is to say, the greatest beam of each succeeding waterline was further forward, or, as the old salts say, the vessel was slightly "clubfooted"; thus the entrance and run of the yacht were harmonically blended. "Jullanar" proved herself to be a marvellous vessel in thrashing to windward in a hard wind and heavy sea, but in light breezes the balance was in favour "Florinda." of The season of 1878 was chiefly notable for the advent of "Formosa" in the big cutter class.
She was an extremely beautiful vessel above water, though below she was hardly as perfect in form. Be that as it may, however, she was too much for "Vol-au-vent" t" and the other new cutters, and, curiously enough, her principal adversary during the next two seasons, in which she was in the zenith of her fame, was the venerable old cutter "Arrow," built some sixty years before, but entirely reconstructed by her owner, Mr. Tankerville Chamberlayne, with the exception of her midship-section. Year by year during this period, longer, narrower, and more powerful vessels were gradually coming into fashion.
Designers began to learn the value of outside ballast in the shape of heavy lead keels. Experience had taught them the eccentricities of the tonnage rule, and it was found that they could turn out a craft of 90 tons more powerful than vessels of the older type which measured over 100; and "Formosa," which had been bought by the Prince of Wales, was completely overpowered, outclassed by "Vanduara," designed by Mr. G. L.
Watson, and built of steel, in the year 1880, and "Samœna," designed by Mr. Richardson, her most formidable rival.
It is worthy of note, too, that correspondingly successful innovations in type were made in the forty class about this time. "Annasona" and "Sleuth-Hound "-built off the same scrieve from lines by Mr. Fife-and "May," a Watson boat, came out in 1881. "Annasona" was the crack of the three, winning fourteen matches to her sister ship's six, and "May" also was superior to the latter. "Samœna" and "Vanduara" again had things pretty much their own way in 1882, when "Erycina," another go-ton cutter by Fife, was built, but did not come up to expectations.
Star," designed by Richardson, joined the forty class, but was not in it with "Annasona." "Silver season, and saved her time on many occasions off "Vol-au-vent," "Cuckoo," "Arrow," and the other cracks of that year. "Neva" and "Volau-vent" had the winnings of the big cutter class pretty much to themselves, and "Florinda," a yawl which came out in 1873, for the fourth year in succession headed the yawl class, winning altogether 21 firsts and 23 seconds in 64 starts. "Florinda" was almost without a rival until 1877, normally heavy displacement, raced through the when Mr. Macleay bought the famous "Jullanar," designed and built by Mr. Bentall, of Maldon, on the Blackwater. "Jullanar " was an entirely new departure in yacht building, and a comparison between her and her famous opponent inda" may be interesting. "Flor- "Florinda." 'Jullanar."
Length of load water-line 85.9 Breadth... 19°4 99 16'10 Draught 5 ft. from stem 73 29 Draught Draught extreme 119 13.8 Mean draught 10 94 Displacement in tons..
Area of midship section 106 sq. ft.
Ballast 54 tons Area of lower sail 5,257 106 sq. ft. 79 tons 4,988.
The new yawl had an extremely rockered keel and long immersed counter. Her fore foot was 1883 saw one_of Mr. G. L. Watson's masterpieces, "Marjorie," of 68 tons, joining in the fray, and also a new yawl "Wendur," 124 tons, by the same designer; "Tara" a 40-ton cutter designed by Mr. Beavor Webb, a vessel of abseason against the old cracks in the 40 class, but her qualities were not properly brought out until her second season.
In 1884 Mr. Richardson designed "Irex" for Mr. J. Jameson, and "Genesta" was built from lines by Mr. Beavor Webb for Sir Richard Sutton, Bart. "Genesta" in her second season went to America to compete for the Cup, and "Irex" had a very successful racing career in home waters. She was a remarkable vessel, surviving the strain of class racing for four successive seasons without having her wings clipped, and racing for six seasons before being put down into the handicap class, a fate which overtook most of the first-class cutters in a much shorter time. "Irex," "Genesta," and "Marjorie" were the finest vessels built of the old narrow type, and the latter was the most weatherly narrow cutter ever produced; but really very little improvement in yacht architecture could be claimed for them over the yachts of ten years previously, beyond the introduction of outside lead ballast, the extension of the buttock lines, which gave them a more sightly appearance, and the rounding off of the fore foot, after the example set by "Jullanar," which lessened skin friction and made them quicker in stays. The success of the yachts, as racers, was accounted for by the fact that they were longer and, as has been said, narrower and more powerful vessels, with greater sail spread than their predecessors. The climax was reached in 1885, when "Irex" was the top of the big cutter class, by "Galatea." She was the longest and most heavy displacement vessel in proportion to her Y.R.A. tonnage that had ever been built, and it was anticipated that she would create an epoch in the annals of yacht building -in fact, be a second "Jullanar." However, surprise and disappointment were general when the new steel cutter turned out an unqualified failure. The "Galatea" had rather a light draught for her proportion of length to beam, her draught being only 9 of her greatest beam, and her proportion of length to beam was 58.
Most of her rivals went up to 116 for proportion of draught to beam, and this may in measure account for the dismal failure which resulted. She was a cumbrous vessel and greatly over-sparred. We have only to look at the result of the 1885 season's racing to get a clear idea of the "Galatea's" qualities. "Irex" "Marjorie " "Marguerite" "Galatea" ... 19 first prizes. .. 13 4 دو وو وو دو 2 second prizes. some In 1885 and 1886 the long narrow flat-sided type had reached its height in all classes, and the exaggerated plank-on-edge overcrowded with sail was becoming unpopular. Hardly any class racers were built during these seasons, and matters had come to such a pass that the proverbial something" had to be done. The something" consisted of the institution of what were then known as the A., B., and C. classes, with the object of bringing together a large number of unclassed racers. In the B. and C. 66 66 classes a limit was put on the sail area allowed to the vessels, and, although this new idea worked well and resulted in many sporting matches, and even to a considerable increase in the number of matches sailed during the last year, it sadly deteriorated first-class yacht racing. A natural tendency manifested itself to clip the wings of A. class yachts so as to get them into the B. class, and to cut down B. yachts so as to make them eligible for the C. class. Under these circumstances it was generally felt that the time had arrived for a new rule of measurement to be devised, and the length and sail area rule, propounded by Mr. Dixon Kemp, was introduced in the year 1887 by the Yacht Racing Association.
The first big vessel built under the new rule was the "Thistle" from the lines of Mr. G. L.
Watson. Though built under the rule she was also intended to compete for the America' cup, to which match the rule did not apply, and as her designer was, so to speak, serving two masters, he was probably somewhat hampered in turning out the best possible exponent of his views.
However, Mr. Watson took advantage of the new rule to give his Cup challenger a considerable increase of beam as compared with the proportions obtaining under the previous rule. The "Thistle" was 85 feet L.W.L. against "Irex's" 83.54 feet and had 20.30 feet beam against "Irex's" 14 99. "Thistle's" performances against "Irex" in 1887 were in every respect creditable to her designers, for the pair met thirteen times and the new cutter won eleven matches to "Irex's" two. The following year "Thistle" was an absentee, and old "Irex" had her sail area reduced, which, although it spoiled her chances in light winds, was rather an advantage to her in a blow of jib header strength; and, as this was the kind of weather in which the old narrow type of ship stood the best chance of winning a prize, she was probably rather improved.
The new first-class cutters consisted of "Petronilla" and "Yarana," and the one addition to the forty class was "Mohawk." "Yarana" was designed by Mr. G. L. Watson and must be taken as his first venture purely under the length and sail area rating rule. She was a composite-built vessel of 60 rating, and was built by Messrs. D. and W. Henderson, of Glasgow, as was also the "Thistle": she had a clipper "VALKYRIE I." stem, and a neat elongated counter. Her dimensions were: 66 feet L.W.L., beam 14.8 feet, and draught of water about 13 feet. Her chief successes were in light and moderate breezes, and "Petronin her first season, with "Irex" and illa" as her opponents, she won 24 first prizes out of 38 starts. "Irex" did very well against her in strong winds, and eventually won II firsts out of 31 starts; and yachtsmen will have a vivid recollection of the way the sole survivor of the old 1730 tonnage rule went when driven hard, and especially of the match round the Isle of Wight, when she did the course in 4 hours 50 minutes and 41 seconds.
Of "Petronilla's" racing career but little good can be said. She was not a success, winning only five first prizes out of twenty-eight starts, and in three out of these five wins she had not to meet "Yarana" as an opponent. She won at the Royal Cinque Ports Regatta at Dover, and at the Royal Southern Regatta at Southampton; but at that time the "Yarana" was round on the Clyde, sailing again "Irex," and "Petronilla's" opponents were reduced to the 40raters "Neptune," "May," and "Mohawk." She beat "Yarana" for the first time and practically the only time at Falmouth on July 23rd. She made a very good start, and in a fresh wind succeeded in keeping ahead of "Yarana" and taking the prize, but had to con- 39° The balance was in favour of Lord Dunraven's cutter whenever there was a fresh wind, but in light airs "Yarana" was generally the winner. tent herself with a view of "Yarana's" taffrail for the rest of the season. 66 "Ya- Her most creditable performance took place at Plymouth, in an amateur helmsmen's race, sailed in a whole gale of wind. "Petronilla," rana," "May," Neptune," and "Mohawk" started all under close-reefed mainsails, and with topmasts housed, in weather under which no sailing committee ought to have started a race.
The sea was too heavy to put out mark boatseven the large trawlers which are there generally used for that purpose, and the vessels were ordered to go round the buoys off Rame Head and the Mewstone. They had to stay round one and jibe round the other, and considering that these buoys are placed to keep vessels off the rocks, and that the sea was breaking nearly out to them, it was nothing short of scandalous to send vessels round such a course.
All the yachts, with the exception of "Yarana" and "Petronilla," gave up, after making a few terrific dives, soon after they got outside the breakwater. "Yarana" worked out to the weather mark, the Rame Head buoy, and then gave up, and "Petronilla" alone completed the first round and came in with two out of three shrouds burst on her starboard side. The committee proposed to sail the race over again, and "Petronilla's" refusing to agree, ordered her to complete the race and go round the course twice again; however, they thought better of this, and, relieving her from the necessity of going round again, gave her the prize. on The best that can be claimed for "Mohawk" in the forty class is that she was about on a par with the old 40-tonner "May" and the cruiser "Neptune," which had been converted into the 40-raters.
In 1889 Lord Dunraven brought out "Valkyrie I.," a cutter of 77 rating designed by VALKYRIE. I VALKYRIE II VALKYRIE I Mr. G. L. Watson; and the late Captain Nottage had a new forty "Deerhound" built from lines by the same designer. The last named completely extinguished "Mohawk," but "Valkyrie" and "Yarana" were pretty evenly matched. "MAID MARION" ("YARANA "). "Irex," although in her sixth season, and despite the change of rule, was not quite outclassed, for on her day, a strong wind and a reaching course, she not infrequently got the winning gun. "Yarana" won fifteen firsts in thirty-nine starts, "Valkyrie," fourteen firsts in thirty-four starts, and "Irex," eight firsts in thirty-three starts.
Mr. Jameson sold the "Irex" the following season, and she dropped out of first-class racing; in her place he built "Iverna," from lines by Mr. A. Richardson, who had also designed "Irex," and in the same season (1890) "Thistle" was fitted out again. "Thistle" had not raced in British waters since her first season, 1887, when she gave "Irex" such a dressing, and consequently had not met either "Valkyrie" or "Yarana." "Iverna" rated 118 and "Thistle" 121, so that they were much larger and more powerful vessels than "Valkyrie I." and "Yarana." The last named won ten first prizes during the season, chiefly by her wonderful qualities in light winds, but "Valkyrie" was between two fires, for "Yarana" could beat her in very light weather, and in strong winds she was overpowered by the big ships, and she only won three first prizes during the season.
The results of the matches between "Iverna" and "Thistle" were somewhat curious. The Richardson boat was at first fitted with a centre board, but she did not seem to relish this feature, for out of the first eighteen occasions on which she met "Thistle" the latter beat her no less than sixteen times. The plate was then the tables on "Thistle," and won fifteen out of removed, when she immediately began to turn the next sixteen races they sailed together.
In the forty class in the same year three new boats came out, "Creole," designed by Watson, "Castanet" by J. M. Soper, and "White Slave" 1 by Fife; the last was rigged as a lugger and, it is unnecessary to say, proved a complete failure. "Castanet" and "Deerhound" were about on a par in fresh winds, whilst the former was best in light weather; "Creole" turned out the crack and, like most of the Watson boats, her best point was sailing on a wind.
In the seasons of 1891 and 1892 no new firstclass cutters were built. In 1891 "Thistle " was an absentee, "Yarana" changed hands and was rechristened "Maid Marion," and was not given a racing fit-out. "Iverna" won fifteen first prizes and "Valkyrie I." eleven, each starting twenty-seven times; and the latter followed up her successes by going out to the Mediterranean in the spring of 1892 and winning eight firsts out of nine starts, sailing against "Deerhound," "Castanet," and "Blue Rock." "Valkyrie" was bought by the Archduke Carl Stephan of Austria, and "Thistle" by the German Emperor, who renamed her "Meteor." In 1892 the latter was tuned up to concert pitch for another set-to with "Iverna," but the balance remained slightly in favour of the latter, although the pair were very well matched. "Iverna" won thirteen matches and "Meteor" ten, whilst once, on the Clyde in a fresh wind, they sailed a dead-heat.
Although nothing was done in the years 1891 and 1892 in the big class, a great advance had been made in the second class (the forty raters); "Reverie," "Thalia," "Varuna," "Corsair," and 66 Queen Mab" had been built and they showed a gradual improvement on the first type of cutter built under the length and sail area rule. With increased beam and the continual cutting away of the fore foot and raking of the stern post, the natural sequence was an increase of overhang fore and aft; and the necessity of utilising the overhang by reducing the angle made at the stem and stern between the water-line and the overhang led up to long counters and the modern 66 pram" bow. The vessels built in 1892 and 1893 all showed this development, and, especially in 1893, the fore foot was cut away to such an extent that a hollow profile to the longitudinal vertical section was introduced. The second class is perhaps the best in which to observe the changes in dimensions and type, as new craft have been built to it in each consecutive year since the year 1888, and a table of the dimensions of some of the principal vessels is appended :- Date ...... 1888 1889 1890 1891 1892 1892 1893 1895 Designer C'ay- Wat- Wat- Yacht ... ton son Mo- Deerhawk hound son Fife Watson Watson Fife Fife Creole Thalia Varuna Queen Lais Isolde L.W.L. 61 23 58.85 595 59 14 14.5 13.5 116 9.5 588 58 Beam Depth ...
Displacement...( Mab 60 59 60°02 16.7 17 17.05 132 130 12 12'6 58 57 59 147 13.4 10.9 55 54.8 The splendid performances of "Queen Mab" in 1892, when she won twenty-four first prizes and thirty-six prizes out of forty-six starts from a powerful class of forties, gave designers a great insight into the possibilities of light displacement, and the advantages of the pram bow in skimming over the seas in bad weather instead of charging through them. "Queen Mab" was at first fitted with a centre board, but it does not seem to have contributed to her success. Though it cannot be said to have had the effect of stopping her, as "Iverna's" did, it made no perceptible difference to her weatherly qualities, and eventually it was taken out. In "Queen Mab" Mr. Watson may be said THE TATE LIBRARY, BRIXTON, §9. to have scored heavily, for she was the forerunner in form of his famous pair of first-class cutters, built the following year by Messrs. D. and W. Henderson, of Glasgow, for King Edward (then Prince of Wales) and Lord Dunraven respectively.
The season of 1893 was especially remarkable for its splendid series of matches sailed by the first-class yachts represented by "Britannia," MIDSHIP SECTION AND SHEER PLAN OF "BRITANNIA." "Valkyrie II.," "Satanita," and "Calluna." The deep fin keel was fully developed in these vessels, and, although the old-school yachtsmen proclaimed that the craft shared every element in construction and design that a yacht ought not to own, it can be truly said that the boats were faster and more capable in heavy weather and open sea, and enormously superior in moderate and light winds, to the yachts of any previous generation. 66 وو Excepting in a hard-reaching breeze, "Satanita" could not hold a candle to either "Britannia" or Valkyrie II.," and as "Calluna was also comparatively a failure, the honours fell mainly to the Watson pair.
In the twenty-one matches in which these two vessels met, "Valkyrie II." led home twelve times, and "Britannia" nine times, and, as far as can be judged from that trial, the former was a trifle the faster of the two.
To lend additional interest to one of the best seasons on record, the American yacht "Navahoe" came over towards the end of July, and was got ready to try the mettle of the British yachts.
Her first match was on July 31st at Cowes, when "Britannia," "Valkyrie II.," "Satanita," "BRITANNIA.' "Calluna," and "Iverna" were ready to try conclusions with the Herreshoff yacht in a fresh breeze, for the Royal London Yacht Club's prize.
Such a flutter of excitement had not been seen in Cowes Roads since the "America" made her début forty-two years before, and it was not diminished when the American cutter finished the first round, leading her five opponents. She kept ahead as they ran down the Warner Lightship, and rounded it for the second time, when the real windward trial of the match commenced. The breeze had freshened a little, and was blowing steadier than before, and "Valkyrie II." and "Britannia" fairly collared the "Navahoe," the "AILSA." 66 Prince of Wales's cutter taking the lead off the Horse Fort, and keeping it until she sailed into Cowes Roads, a meritorious winner. Valkyrie II." was second, and "Navahoe" in third place. "Britannia" repeated her success by beating "Navahoe" every time they met excepting in the case of the match for the Brenton Reef Cup.
Leaving flukes out of the question, the Prince's cutter beat "Navahoe" on an average by five minutes thirty-eight seconds.
In the race for the Brenton Reef Cup "Britannia" finished fifty-seven seconds ahead of "Navahoe," but as she started fifty-five seconds ahead and by an arrangement made before the match the difference at starting was to be added or deducted, as the case might be, at the finish, "Britannia" had a balance in her favour of two seconds only. "Navahoe" protested that, the boatmark having been moved from its original place, the finishing line was not the same as the starting line, and that she had to sail over more water to reach it. This she claimed made a difference to her of several seconds, and after hearing the evidence the Royal Yacht Squadron, who were responsible for the alteration of the position of the mark, awarded the match to "Navahoe." The match, it may be mentioned, finished at night, and the captain of the markboat had shifted out of the fair way. The visit of another American yacht, the "Vigilant," to our shores in 1894 added greatly to the interest of yacht-racing. Her meeting with "Britannia" was looked forward to with much excitement, and the result affords a notable example of the uncertainty of racing. On public form, "Valkyrie II." was somewhat better than "Britannia," the former having beaten the latter twelve times in twenty-one matches, as already mentioned. "Vigilant was built to defend the America Cup, challenged for by "Valkyrie II.," and defeated the latter in New York Bay; and "Britannia" somewhat easily defeated "Vigilant" in British waters. Either "Britannia " must have enormously improved with age or "Valkyrie II." or "Vigilant" did not sail up to وو their true form on strange waters. The season was a very good one, but was, however, marred by an unfortunate accident on the Clyde. While manœuvring for the start at Hunter's Quay, "Satanita" ran down and sank "Valkyrie II.," and was herself seriously disabled. "Britannia" beat "Vigilant" eleven times, including a series of seven successive victories; and "Vigilant" beat "Britannia" five times, including the private match at Cowes on August 3rd. The result of this race, however, was not altogether satisfactory, as, shortly after the start, when standing in towards the mainland, the yachts having started to the westward, "Vigilant" hailed "Britannia" for water, and, owing to some misunderstanding, did not put about herself, and the error gave her a considerable advantage.
The most notable feature in the year 1895 was the production of the two large racing cutters, "Ailsa" and "Valkyrie III." The first-named. designed by Mr. W. Fife, jun., made a brilliant display in the Mediterranean, but subsequently was not so successful in home waters, while the third "Valkyrie" was from Mr. G. L. Watson's board.
The début of "Valkyrie III." on the Clyde left her practically an unknown quantity, as she only raced three times before she went across the Atlantic to compete for the America Cup. "Britannia" won thirty-eight first prizes during the whole year, out of fifty starts, and £3,039 in money, against "Ailsa's" twelve first prizes out of forty-one starts and £2,362, so "Britannia" was again the champion cutter of the year. However, Mr. Watson had not matters entirely to himself, for in the second-class (the "METEOR II." forties) there were two additions, "Isolde," by Mr. W. Fife, jun., and "Caress," by Mr. Watson.
The Fife boat proved by far the better all-round performer of the pair, winning thirty-one first prizes to "Caress's" seven. "Meteor," In 1896 Mr. Watson designed a new for the German Emperor, in the place of his old "Meteor," née "Thistle." The last named, having been rechristened for the third time, is now known as "Comet." The new cutter was built at Messrs. Henderson's, on the Clyde, the cradle of most of the crack racing yachts of later years. She was the first big cutter built under the rule which came into force in the season of 1896, and Mr. Watson may be credited with having turned out a magnificent and in every respect a highly successful vessel, a repetition, in fact, of his success with "Yarana" under the previous rule eight years before. as "Meteor" had some rivals worthy of her steel, "Ailsa" was showing improved form, and even had a better record at the end of the season than "Britannia." The result of the season's racing was briefly as follows:- Ailsa.
Meteor Britannia..