The extravagances of Bermudian water frolics have been given here as very extreme instances of yachting enjoyments; still Bermuda is a splendid place for sailing. You can leave the island on a Friday for New York, arriving on Monday; leave New York on Tuesday, and in a week more be back in the old country.
Dutch ice boat of present time.
CHAPTER IX
SOME FAMOUS RACES
By R. T. Pritchett
'Waterwitch,' 331 tons (Earl of Belfast) and 'Galatea,' 179 tons.
The start for a race for 1,000 guineas, September 1, 1834.
In former days, matches were made between yachts as between horses on the turf, and the stakes were often heavy, but such events are now almost unknown; the increase in the number of craft has divided the attention of the public, and the performance of each vessel is so well known that there are no dark sea-horses to bring out as a surprise. The records of bygone matches are, however, far from easy to obtain, if, indeed, they are obtainable. Newspapers were formerly less numerous than they are at present, nor did there apparently exist much thirst for information and minute detail on the part of the public. Accounts remain, however, of some few of the most important matches. One for a thousand guineas, August 29, 1771, sailed between the Duke of Richmond and Sir Alexander Smith, the course being from Brighton to Beachy Head and back, has been already mentioned, but from this date much search has yielded scanty results. The war must have interfered greatly with the sport, for there is a long lapse of time when yachting scarcely came at all under the notice of the press. The Royal Yacht Squadron's fine class of schooners and vessels of large tonnage, however, created and revived rivalry. On September 1, 1834, a great race for one thousand guineas took place between 'Waterwitch,' brig, 331 tons, belonging to the Earl of Belfast, and 'Galatea,' schooner, 179 tons; in this race Mr. Charles Ratsey sailed, and he is now hale and hearty in Cowes. The course was from the Nab Lightship, round the Eddystone Lighthouse, and back. The start took place at 10 A.M., on the Monday morning, when the weather was fine, wind tolerably fresh from south and west. The first day, in the afternoon, the wind fell light, almost a calm at 7 P.M., the yachts being then only off Dunnose, Isle of Wight. The schooner at this time was two miles to windward. On Tuesday, at 7 P.M., the two yachts were off Berry Head, Torbay, the schooner 'Galatea' still to windward. About this time, as the breeze freshened, she had the misfortune to carry away her jibboom, and got too close under Bolthead by the Start, thereby losing her tide. They rounded the Eddystone nearly together; from which point, both running large, the brig gradually drew away from the schooner, and finally reached the Nab Lightship at 2 P.M. on Wednesday, September 3, 'Galatea' coming in at 2.20 P.M. The course was about 130 miles, and the time occupied 52 hours. The race, in August 1842, also round the Eddystone, in an easterly gale, between 'Corsair,' 80 tons, and 'Talisman,' 84 tons, is justly celebrated. 'Corsair' won by 1 min. 30 secs. Two pictures of this race were painted by Condy, of Plymouth. Running down channel 'Corsair' is represented with a mizzen, which Mr. Charles Ratsey informed the writer was stuck in at the last minute and was carried away turning to windward; she is therefore shown without one on her return.