Aug. 13, 1893.] 



FOREST AND STREAM. 



129 



The Isle of Wight Races. 



DtjRCNO the past week the attention of the yachting world has been 

 concentrated on the small pieee of water about the Isle of Wight, 

 *here the historic "Cowes Week'' has assembled the entire British 

 fleet and the American ohallenger Navahoe. Although a number of 

 races have been sailed, the result is disappointing, thanks to the con- 

 Statit riiishajJS which attend the colossal racers, and also to the 

 antiquated conditions surrounding some of the principle prizes, there 

 haS beeti but obe race in which the five new yachts all sailed. 



The accompanyibg chart, reproduced from "Our Silver Streak, " by 

 Mr. Arthur Underbill, shows the Isle of Wight and the waters on 

 which the races are sailed. The central point is the Royal Yacht 

 Squadron castle at West Cowes. most of the races starting here. The 

 old "Queen's course" is from off Cowes, around a flagboat between 

 Yarmouth and Lyniington, around Hill Head buoy, then around the 

 ]^ab Lightship, ,^50 miles. Another course is from off Cowes ai-ound 

 the Lepe buoy, then eastward and around the Warner, back to Cowes, 

 two rounds making 50 miles, naut. Still another course is around the 

 Isle of Wight, the course sailed in 18.51 , when America won the Royal 

 Yacht Squadron, since the America Cup, The races of the Royal 

 Southampton Y. C. and Royal Southern Y. C. start up Southampton 

 water, those of the Royal London Y. C. start at Cowes, near the R. 

 Y. S. house, those of tlie Royal Victoria start off Ryde, those of the 

 Royal Albert 'V . C. off Southsea, and those of the Ro^al Portsmouth 

 Corinthian Y. C. off Spithead. The principal marks, the Warner, 

 Nab, Lepe buoy, Hill Head buoy, Neman, Spithead, Brambles and 

 Needles are given on the chart. 



The regular fixtures for the remainder of the season are as follows: 

 Tuesday, Aug. 8, Royal Victoria Y. C, four days' racing off Ryde. 

 Beginning Monday Aug 14, the Royal Albert Y. C. has three days' 

 racing off Southsea, after which the fleet sails to the westward, racing 

 at Weymouth, the Royal Dorset Y. C, on Aug. 18-19. Then follows 

 the Toi-bay Royal Y. C. on Aug. 21, the Royal Torbay Y. C. on Aug. 

 22, and the Royal Dart Y. C. at Dartmouth, on Aug. 25, followed bj^ 

 the Slart Bay Y. C. next day, also at Dartmouth, On Tuesday, Aug. 

 at), the Royal Western Y. C. regatta is sailed at Plymouth, and next 

 day the Port of Plymouth regatta. This ends the regular races of the 

 season, leaving the Royal Victoria Y. C. cup and the two American 

 cups to be sailed for early in September. Valkyi-ie will sail few more 

 races, the last bemg on Aug. 11, as she must begin to fitout very soon, 

 but the other three, Britannia., Satanita and Calluna, with probably 

 make the full round of races, as above, Navahoe accompanying them. 



The reports cabled from Cowes and London of the races last week 

 are very incomplete and unsatisfactory, and pending fuller reports by 

 mail it is imp'^ssible to say just how Navahote has acted. The first 

 race; bf the Royal Lohdon Y. C; was sailed on Monday, July 31, the 

 course being from o& Cowes arotmd the WarHer, then around the Cal- 

 shot Light and the Lepe Buoy and back to the start, two roundSj .50 



raUes. naut. The starters were : 



Navahoe, Royal Phelps Carroll, Capt. Charles Barr 163 



Satanita, A. D. Clarke, Capt. Tom Jay 161.49 



Britannia, The Prince of Wales, Capt. John Carter 151.00 



Valkyrie, Lord Duuraven, Capt. Wm. Cranfleld 147,70 



Calluna, P. Donaldson, et als, Capt. A. Hogarth 140. T5 



Iverna, J. Jameson, Capt Wm. O'Neill 114.00 



Satanita and Navahoe sail on even terms, both allowing Britannia 

 Im. 3s., Valkyrie Sm. .3s., Calluna 3m. 10s., and Ivema 7m. 9s. 



The tides about the Isle of Wight are very swdft and uneven, but 

 Navahoe carried one of the best or the local pilots, Capt. Tom Diaper, 

 an old racing skipper. The wind was N. N. W., making a rua over the 

 first leg, a beat to Calshot, a reach to the Lepe Buoy and a free reach 

 and a run to the Warner again. All carried club topsails, Navahoe 

 standing up well. As stated last week, Navahoe sailed a very good 

 race, but was Im. 23s. astern Britannia and 20s. astern of Valkyrie at 

 the finish, or 2m. 26s. and 8m. 25s. respectively corrected time. For her 

 first race, and with five yachts to beat, this is a very good showing, as 

 she was well ahead of Satanita and Calluna, Iverna giving up. Had 

 she been defeated in this race it would have caused little surprise. 



The next day the Queen's Cup race took place, the course being 

 from otr Cowes around the Bullock Patch Buoy, to the eastward of 

 the Nab Light, then back and around a markboat off Yarmouth and 

 home, 50 miles naut. The starters were Valkyrie, Britannia, Meteor 

 <TL'hi8tle), the j'awl Viking (Wendur) and the 40 rater Mohawk. Meteor 

 received about 15m. handicap from the two racing yachts. The wind 

 was light from the west, maldng a run to the Bullock Buoy, Meteor 

 holding Britannia and Valltyrie. On the next leg, reaching. Meteor 

 fell astern, and on the beat to the Yarmouth mark Valkyrie dropped 

 her some 1,5m., besides leading Britannia. On the final run home 

 against the tide Meteor gained on the newer boats, the finishing being 

 timed : Valkyrie, 3 57.55, Britannia, 3.56.25, Meteor, 4.12.25. Valkyrie 

 would have won but it was discovered that she had passed a mark on 

 the wrong side, so the Queen's Cup went to Meteor, Britannia failing 

 to make up her handicap. 



At the same time that this race was being sailed Navahoe was hav- 

 ing it out with Satanita and Calluna iu the regatta of the Royal South- 



carry her present outfit. Yesterday she shaped worse than any yacht 

 ever did that we can remember. With the first strong puff she fell 

 down, filled her decks and ran off against her helm in a fearful and 

 dangerous way. She came to just as wildly. Her masthead was 

 sprung, but the true cause of her giving up was that she had become 

 unmanageable and was in a dangerous condition." 



The report that the mast was sprung proved incorrect. Mr. Carroll 

 has ordered a new mainsail of Wilson & Silsby, to be shipped as soon 

 as completed. 



The torn mainsail was ready and bent on late at night, and on Fri- 

 day Navahoe was ready at the' line, with Valkyrie, Calluna and Satan- 

 ita, for the R. Y. S. race over the same course as on the previous day. 



"SATviNiTA," CUTTER. 



Designed by J. M. Soper, 1893. 

 Ptom a photo by West & Son. 



The wind was light S. W. at the start, but breezed up, with rain squalls, 

 blowing very hard at times. Satanita led all daj', finally beating Val- 

 kyrie by 4s. corrected time. Navahoe sailed fast at times, but laid 

 down on her side to a degree unknown in other American yachts. The 

 times were: 



FIEST ROUND. 



Satanita 12 25 44 CaUuna 12 28 00 



Valkyrie 12 26 05 Navahoe 12 29 35 



FINISH, 



Satanita 2 31 36 Calluna 2 .35 56 



Vallcyrie 2 33 45 Navahoe 2 38 10 



On Saturday the second race of the Royal Southampton Y. C. found 

 only Calluna and Navahoe at the line. The course was from off Net- 

 ley'. just below Southampton, arOund a mark boat between Lymington 

 and Yarmouth, then around the Warner and home, 42 nautical miles. 

 With a good N.W. wind, each turned in a reef and set jib headers. 

 Calluna was over the line too soon and lost some time in recrossing. 

 They ran off under spinakers, then came by the wind, the breeze fall- 

 ing until each shook out a reef. The times at the Lymington mark 

 were: 



Navahoe 12 35 30 CaUuna 12 39 18 



There was a long reach and run to the Warner, the wind falling so that 

 each shook out her reef. Spinakers were set when they passed Cowes, 

 the wind freshening a little. The times at the Warner were: 

 Navahoe 2 .35 35 Calluna 2 40 00 



The finish was timed: 

 Navahoe 4 31 .39 Calluna 4 42 54 



Navahoe allows Calluna 2m. .S4s. 



The Field of July 29 comments as follows on Navahoe and Valkj'rie: 

 "Valkyrie has been entered and will sail in all available matches up 

 to the end of the Royal Victoria week at Ryde, Aug. II, after which 

 date she will prepare for her voyage across the Atlantic. Up to the 



Satanita. 



One of the important points of modern yacht racing is that it is ex- 

 pected to instruct as well as to amuse; yachtsmen are not content as 

 of old merely to see good races and close finishes, but they as a rule 

 look further, and expect that a season's racing will furnish substan- 

 tial results in the way of proving or disproving certain theories of 

 design The equality of size which maintains in the smaller classes, 

 such as the 40 and 46ft., the 21ft., and the British 21^, 5, 20 and 40 rat- 

 ing, tends to this end; and a boat which wins is almost certain in 

 doing so to prove the success of some expei-iment or another. In the 

 case of the new racing class of this year, the same is true as regards 

 the five American boats, all being of nearly the same length and meas- 

 urement; and any marked superiorty or inferiority is quite Ukely to 

 be ascribed to its true cause. 



With the four British boats however, such is not the case, and the 

 results at the end of the season are likely to be far less definite. Two 

 I of these boats, Valkyrie and Britannia, are within a reasonable excess 

 of the stated Umit of 85ft., in fact, it is probable that a difference of 

 3ft. of length would include Navahoe, Valkyrie, Britannia, Colonia, 

 Jubilee, Pilgrim and Vigilant, and taking the performances of Nava- 

 hoe and Valkyrie, it should be possible to gauge quite closely the rel- 

 ative merits of the seven. It happens, however, unfortunately, that 

 two important boats are so far from standard dimensions that their 

 good or bad performances must be largely discounted as due to mere 

 difference of size. What makes this matter of more importance is 

 that each of these is the first venture of a successful designer in a 

 larger class than he has before dealt with. 



The Fife cutter. Calluna, whose photo appeared last week in the 

 Forest and Stream, is but 81.95ft. on the waterline, which with 

 10,305sq. ft. of sail makes her rating 140.75, so that she is from 5 to 6ft. 

 shorter than Britannia and Valkyrie, and also the American boats. 

 This difference is enough to interfere with a close estimate of her 

 merits, and to make the inequalities of the allowance tables and the 

 weather important factors m her losing or winning prizes. In the 

 case of the other new boat, Satanita, the difference is much greater, 

 but in the other direction, her waterline being 97.65ft., or 10ft. longer 

 than the longest of the others. With this waterline she has a small 

 sail plan of but 9,923ft.. a little less actually than the others, and much 

 less relatively. Her rating at the same time is 181.49, or about equal 

 to Navahoe. 



The work of Mr. Watson has been so thoroughly accepted as the 

 standard in the largest class that the first efforts of other designers to 

 excel him are of more that ordinary interest, and had Satanita been 

 anywhere near the size of Britannia and Valkyrie, the racing would 

 have been far more exciting than it has proved and at the same time 

 of more real value. 



As compared with the two Watson boats. Satanita began the season 

 in poor condition, being ready too late for the opening races and after 

 she begun being delayed by alterations and repairs, so that it is only 

 within the past month that she has been in fairly good form. Of late 

 she has done some good work, but under conditions which make it 

 diflScult to say whether it is due to merit of design or to favoring 

 circumstances connected with her size. With her smaller rig she fails 

 to hold the Watson boats in moderate weather, but in a strong breeze 

 the length and reduced ^11 plan take her to the front very fast. 



Mr. J. M. Soper, her designer, has been for many years associated 

 with the firm of Fay & Co., of Southampton, having charge of the de- 

 signing and building, one of his earlier boats being the little 25ft. 

 cutter Daisy, once known about New York. Mr. Soper designed the 

 two racmg cutters Castanet and Reverie, both for Mr. A. D. Clarke, 

 owner of Satanita, and a number of smaller cmft; and Iverna, Lethe 

 and the first Valkyrie were built under his suTftrintendence. 



Only the approximate dimensions of Satanita have been published, 

 but she is about 130ft. over all, 24ft. beam, and carries some 90 tons of 

 lead in her keel. As the photo shows, she has the modern bow- and usual 

 cutter counter, her underwater body is triangular in its fore and aft 

 outline with a great rake of sternpost, and the midship section shows 

 a good bilge, a strong hollow in the floors, and a wide lead keel. She 

 is sailed by Tom Jay, a sailorman of repute who has done very good 

 work in the races in spite of a discouraging start to the season. Her 

 owner, Mr. A. D. Clarke, is a well-known yachtsman. It ia probable 

 that Satanita instead of Valkyrie will be called on to defend the Cape 

 May cup, in which case the chances for a good race are rather un- 

 promising; she and Navahoe will sail on nearly even terms as regards 

 time allowance, but in a moderate breeze the big rig of the latter is 

 likely to set her far ahead, while if it blows hard Satanita, with 10 or 

 12ft. of extra length and a small sail plan, will be at her best, while 

 Navahoe will probably be overpowered. 



Model Tacht Kacing. 



Glenwood L.w^ding, July 31.— Editor Forest and Stream: Even at 

 this early date I have received letters from members of two model 

 yacht clubs in relation to my offer of model yacht as a prize for (if 



^ 2 Lights m ont.dUn «A# XWiiiu 



ampton Y. C, the course being from off Netley. in Southampton 

 water, down and around the Brambles, then around the Lepe Buoy 

 and home, two rounds. The wind light westerly at the start, 

 freshening later. After a rather poor start Navahoe soon ran ahead, 

 the fleet being under spinakers. She was once headed by Satanita in 

 the first round, but finally beat her by 12m. Iverna gave up and 

 Calluna burst her bobstay and also withdrew. 



On Aug. 2, Wednesday, the race for the Meteor Shield was sailed, 

 around the Isle of Wight, only BritAnnia and Satanita starting and the 

 former winning by about half an hour. After this race Britannia 

 went into dock at Southampton for a new mast, having spriing hers. 



On Thursday the race for the town prize was sailed, the course 

 being twice around the Warner and Lepe marks. The starters were 

 Satanita, Navahoe. Calluna and Valkyrie. There was a strong 

 westerly wind, soon increasing to a very stiff blow. Valkyrie housing 

 her topmast while the others reefed. Beating out to the Lepe Buoy, 

 Navahoe payed off and took a knockdown under the heavy puffs, re- 

 fusing to answer her helm. Finally the jaws of her gaff broke and 

 the mainsail tore, so that she was compelled to give up and run for 

 Southampton. CaUuna was in collision with the steam yacht Cleopa- 

 tra, at anchor in Cowes Roads, breaking her gaff and tearhigher main- 

 sail, so that she too gave up, leaving Satanita and VaUcyrie to fight 

 out the long race alone. Under the foregoing conditions Satanita 

 won by 8m., the 46 mile course heing covered in 3h. 42m. 



In running for Southampton, Navahoe passed the Massachusetts 

 schoolship Enterprise, and in answer to her isignals a steain launch was 

 sent out, the men from the Enterprise aiding iu unbending the torn 

 mainsail and hurrying it ashore, where a force of sailmakers set to 

 work to make repairs 'in time for the next morning, her other sails 

 being carefuUy examined. It is impossible to tell from the cabled re- 

 ports what reaUy happened to Navahoe, but it seems to have been a 

 bad knockdown, the main sheet beuig rim out and the gaff broken. 

 It is also stated that she was tmmanageable in the strong wind, and a 

 good deal of nonsense has been uttered about her nearly capsizing. 

 The Timeif'g report is as follows, but it must be taken with some allow- 

 ance: 



••probably her spars-wiU_have to be dipped, as she cannot safely 



COUBSES ABOUT THE ISLE OF WIGHT. 



present she has started in twenty matches, and won eleven first prizes 

 and three second prizes, of the total value of £930. The Cape May cup, 

 which was attached to the Earl of Caledon's yawl Viking Clate Wen- 

 dur), has been handed over to Lord Dunraven to defend it with Val- 

 kyrie, and he wished the match for the cup to be sailed Aug. 5. Mr. 

 Royal Phelps CarroU, however, foimd this date unsuitable, as Navahoe 

 is entered for the Royal Southampton match on that day, and, more- 

 over, he probably wishes the matcli to be sailed at a later date, as, if 

 he won the cup in a match started on Aug. 5 it is pretty certain that 

 he would have to accept a challehge from Mr. A. D. Clarke, owner of 

 Satanita, by Sept. 4. Probably, as the match cannot be sailed on Aug. 

 5, the cup will be handed over to Satanita to defend. 



"The Navahoe has been sailing about the Solent since Tuesday, and, 

 on the whole, has made a favorable impression on the cognoscenti. 

 She certainly carries her canvas well in the moderate whole-saU 

 breezes prevaUing, and passes pretty cleanly through the water. 

 About her speed httle could be judged and guesses would be wide of 

 the mark. Her mainsail did not appear to sit as well as Britannia's or 

 Valkyrie's, but apparently it had not half done 'growing,' and when 

 properly stretched it may have quite a different appearance. While 

 the Navahoe was in dock at Southampton she was photographed by 

 Messrs. West & Son of Southsea, and the photographs convery a cap- 

 ital idea of the form of the yacht. The bow view shows a form some- 

 thing like our 'sraaU raters,' there being considerable hoUow from the 

 toe of the lead keel to the stem up to the load waterUne, where the 

 contrary flexure is well commenced, and ends in a rounded-up cut- 

 water like Britannia's and Valkyrie's. The stern view shows a pretty 

 fiat buttock line and full waterline, and in this respect she appeared to 

 us to somewhat resemble CaUuna Everybody hopes she will give a 

 good account of herself on Monday, and if there is anything to be 

 learned from her the sooner we know it the better." 



The first of the Royal Victoria races on Tuesday was for the Rear- 

 Commodore the Earl of Desart's cup, value £60, for yachts over 40 

 rating belonging to a royal yacht dub. The course was from off 

 Ryde around the Warner, a ma.k-boatoff Cowes, and a third mark, 

 two rounds 50 mites. Britannia finished first, Navahoe second. Satanita 

 third and Calluna fourth. 



possible) an inter-club race between representative yachts; from the 

 different model yacht clubs, and am encouraged to believe such a race 

 can be arranged. In a letter from a member of the Connecticut 

 Model Yacht Club, there are suggestions I would hive to quote for 

 perusal and possible discussion of any of your readers interested in 

 model yachting or my offer pubhshed in the Forest and Stream of 

 July 29. 



Suggestion 1. I quote: "1. The Brookyln Lake is too smaU, winds 

 uncertain from hills and trees. It wotdd be a fairer race if a good 

 water could be secured elsewhere on neutral ground. 



"2. The best test of speed is secured in a windward race. The 

 triangular course is a matter of luck, or good oarmanship in getting 

 around buoys. The race to windward is most easily managed and 

 gives less occasion to be handling and helping the boats." 



Now, I entirely agree with my correspondent in both his sugges- 

 tions. In regard to the first, 1 would second it and propose for a 

 course. Cor waters on which course is laid out) Hempstead Harbor. 

 A good race could be sailed oft' Sea Chff, which is a flourishing 

 summer resort and has every accommodation in the way of floats, 

 boats, etc. The winds are usually much more true and steady than on 

 a landlocked lake, and so far as location goes it is about half-way 

 'oetween Brooklyn and the Connecticut Model Y. C. headquarters. It 

 is also easy of access, both by rail and water, there being a daily boat 

 which is due there about 1 P. M. and trains arriving about every hour. 

 As to a windward course, I think a dead beat to windward the fairest 

 test always, as it brings out the valuable merits of a boat more 

 decidedly and does not make the handling of the boats quite such an 

 intricate matter so far as steering goes. These are only suggestions, 

 of course, for as the offer was made to the American Model Y. O. ; if 

 they accept the offer they will, I suppose, arrange a race in whatever 

 seems to them the fairest way. My correspondent from Connecticut 

 Model Y. C. states that "he has a model yacht 39aiin, on l.w.l., which 

 he would like to enter in case terms are arranged that will be satis- 

 factory to non-Brooklynites. I hope the race will be arranged with 

 a good fleet competing. G. G. Clapham. 



The kind offer to the American Model Y. C. by Sir. G-. G. Clapham. 



