'Queen Mab,' 1892.
'Doreen,' 1892.
Among the larger classes 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 shore 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.
'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 assembled 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 partition 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.