THAMES, HARWICH, AND CINQUE PORTS COURSES.
A very fine open-water match was that of the Royal Thames Club on June 10 from the Nore round the back of the Goodwins to Dover. The usual tale of five of the national rig and the schooner 'Amphitrite' made up the entry, and all mustered at the rendezvous. It was a cheerless morning, the sky being heavy and of slaty hue, whilst a brisk north-easter blew cold off the water. The schooner had a yard-topsail set, 'Calluna' her No. 2 jackyarder, and the 'Britannia,' 'Valkyrie,' 'Satanita,' and 'Iverna' their jibheaders. Reef-tackles were ready to pull earings down, but the breeze veered to the east north-east and did not harden. They had a beat to the Tongue with a swinging weather tide, 'Britannia' made a capital start, and twice crossed ahead of 'Valkyrie'; but exactly half an hour after the start, off the 'West Oaze,' 'Britannia' found her sister marching clear ahead. 'Calluna' had been in Tilbury Dock since her inglorious performance at Harwich; she was there lightened of tons of dead weight, and the syndicate ship was very much livelier, and infinitely more able at breeze squeezing; while the turnings were too short for 'Satanita' to be cutting a dash. 'Britannia' jumped up on 'Valkyrie' every time the long leg on port came, and at the entrance of the Alexandra Channel 'Valkyrie,' on the bearing tack, had to come about under the lee bow, the Prince of Wales's cutter thus becoming 'bell wether.' 'Valkyrie' stayed for 'Britannia,' which was however on port, but the former was clear enough ahead before getting abreast of the beacons on the Girdler. The two leading boats worked shorter tacks than the rest down the Alexandra to the southern pitch of the Shingles, and they were consequently getting picked up a little by 'Calluna' and 'Satanita.' After a long leg on port, the last tack was made for weathering distance of the Tongue Lightship, and on passing this mark after a beat of 19 miles with a weather tide, the 'Valkyrie' led 'Britannia' 2 mins., 'Calluna' 7 mins. 30 secs., 'Satanita' 9 mins. 30 secs., and 'Iverna' 15 mins. 30 secs. It may be said that the distance was covered by the leader in 2 hrs. 18 mins. After allowing for a sweep of fair tide they had a broad reach off to the North Sandhead, and although 'Britannia' raced up on 'Valkyrie,' she stopped directly she began to yaw about on the leader's quarter sea, and was half a minute astern at the North Goodwin Lightship. 'Satanita's' was a remarkable piece of sailing, as according to the 'distance table' it is 14¾ miles from the Tongue Lightship to the North Sandhead, and she was timed officially as taking just over one hour to do the distance; it should be added that the tide was running about two knots, and setting under the weather quarter, whilst it is worthy of note that between the marks 'Satanita' had two luffs with 'Calluna' and shifted her jibheaded topsail for a jackyarder. In a run to the East Goodwin main booms were carried to starboard, and 'Britannia,' running the nearer to the sands, was placed to cover 'Valkyrie,' when an inevitable gybe came off at the East Goodwin. 'Valkyrie' came over all standing just after passing the lightship, and unluckily for her the parts of the mainsheet got under the counter. 'Britannia' was also gybed in a hurry, and, covering her opponent, she slipped past into pride of place, while 'Valkyrie' was unable to pull her boom in and luff; oddly enough, however, 'Britannia' was in the same mess as her sister, and it was some time ere both had mainsheets running free through the blocks. With the North Sea tide swinging along hot, a fine head of speed was kept up, and about the Calliper head-sails were taking well and spinnakers were got in. Although the wind was quarterly from the Southsand Lightship home, 'Britannia' made but a very trifling gain on 'Valkyrie,' and, according to official clocking, crossed the line with a lead of 17 secs., and, having 13 secs. to allow, thus won with 3 secs. to spare—a remarkable finish of a grand race. 'Satanita' was 5 mins. 52 secs. astern of the leader, 'Calluna' 7 mins. 26 secs., and 'Iverna' 18 mins. 32 secs.
A smart easterly wind on the morning of the cross Channel match from Dover to Boulogne very naturally gave rise to anticipations that the time record for the course would be broken. The breeze came unsteady, however, and put a veto on the accomplishment of a fast journey either way, whilst a serious collision at the start, in which the 'Valkyrie,' 'Britannia,' and 'Vendetta' were involved, had the effect of utterly spoiling the race. A fleet of eight responded to the starting gun—namely, 'Britannia,' 'Valkyrie,' 'Calluna,' 'Iverna,' 'Mabel,' 'Lais,' 'Vendetta,' and 'Varuna'—and they ran in close flight for the line before a north-east wind, with booms to starboard and having a gybe to make immediately after crossing. 'Vendetta' got away first and was reaching off on her course when 'Valkyrie's' bowsprit end took the 40 on the port quarter and forced her round until she filled on the starboard tack, her topmast being carried away as she was slewing. There was not much room between the outer flagboat and the port side of 'Valkyrie,' but 'Britannia's' helm was drawn down—after gybing—to give her a chance of finding a passage. She fouled the mark, however, and through 'Valkyrie's' way being deadened when she fouled 'Vendetta,' 'Britannia' had the alternative of steadying her helm and giving 'Valkyrie' a sliding blow, or of keeping it a little a-lee and crashing right through the 40. The 'Britannia's' helm was eased, and she put her bowsprit inside 'Valkyrie's' rigging, while 'Vendetta,' after getting her bowsprit broken off by 'Britannia,' got some of the gear foul and dropped alongside the Prince of Wales's vessel, with her counter up about level with the big cutter's main rigging, and the stem even with the taffrail. The three vessels, locked together, sidled away towards shore, 'Britannia,' listing to the wind, pressed her mainsail on to 'Vendetta's' port crosstree, and the sail split up from boom to gaff. The trio laid thus entangled for ten minutes, but meantime 'Valkyrie's' crew had chopped away at 'Britannia's' bowsprit and headgear; eventually the spar broke, and then the three vessels at once got clear. Meanwhile 'Calluna' and 'Iverna' had been racing away for the French coast with a fine leading wind, and twelve minutes after they had crossed the line 'Valkyrie' started in pursuit. The wind was shy and very puffy after getting inside Grisnez, and 'Valkyrie' picked up six minutes on 'Calluna,' which had beaten 'Iverna' only 3 mins. 45 secs. in going across, and 'Varuna,' the leading 40, by 24 mins. 'Calluna' hung on to her jackyard topsail in a wonderful way, as some of the puffs laid her over until the lee decks were full. 'Valkyrie' passed 'Iverna,' but 'Calluna' well kept her lead, the wind easting enough for all to fetch clean full home. 'Calluna' beat 'Valkyrie' by 5 mins. 27 secs., 'Iverna' by 8 mins. 52 secs., and 'Lais,' the first of the 40's, by 46 mins. 6 secs.
'Calluna,' 141-rater (Peter Donaldson, Esq.)
There was a full muster of the heavy-weight cutters at the Royal Southern rendezvous, the club having a first-class match on June 17, the second day of its 'Jubilee' Regatta. 'Satanita's' light blue banner was carried nearer the water-level than in her previous racing essays, owing to the lower mast having been clipped 3 feet, and additional lead had been put on her keel. 'Britannia' had made good the damage sustained at Dover, and with 'Valkyrie,' 'Calluna,' and 'Iverna' the fleet was brought up to normal strength. It was a lovely morning, glorified by fervent sunshine, and softened by a gauzy haze, but a southerly chill was not strong enough to 'carry' the smoke of the starting gun, and the surface of the Solent looked smooth as burnished steel. With flying airs filling jackyard topsails, they started the race, and ere going half a mile 'Calluna' got aground on the Calshot Spit. 'Valkyrie' was lucky to strike the first of a gathering breeze, and went reaching fast from the fleet down the West Channel. She afterwards gave a fine display by the wind, and showed matchless form on a dead run. 'Valkyrie' eventually beat 'Britannia' by 5 mins. 32 secs., and 'Satanita' by 16 mins. 4 secs., 'Calluna' and 'Iverna' both being miles astern. 'Valkyrie's' was a good performance, but she was distinctly lucky in getting the first of the wind, and she likewise was kindly treated subsequently by Dame Fortune.
Rather singularly the Jubilee Regatta of the Royal Southern Club was followed by the Jubilee of the Royal Mersey; but the latter meeting, on June 24, did not open under such exhilarating influences as the Solent gathering, particulars having just come to hand of the 'Victoria' disaster in the Mediterranean, while the weather was dismally dull, and a tearing north-north-west wind blowing. Consequent on the prevailing stiff breeze an alternative course—three times round the Formby—had been plotted off overnight—probably not, however, from any tender consideration whether the racing vessels could cross the bar safely, the anxiety more likely being in regard to the Committee-boat and her freight. The inside course was named on the day, but, in spite of foresight and precaution, the racing was disappointing. The 'Valkyrie,' which had come round from Cowes with her mainsail an underdeck passenger, could not get the sail bent owing to the rain and wind; then 'Calluna' got her anchor foul, and being 25 minutes late, did not start. 'Britannia' alone was near the line when the Blue Peter came down, yet she lost 1 min. 50 secs., while 'Satanita' came 2 mins. later, and 'Iverna' a minute after 'Satanita.' There was wind enough to warrant second earings being hardened down, all topmasts were housed, and with the tide flying to windward the ground was sidled over very fast. The start meant victory—barring accidents—in beating out of the narrow Mersey channel, and although 'Satanita' worked right up under 'Britannia,' she was kept safely pinned. There was a short jump of sea, and the two new ships were giving a free display of the fore body, smashing the tidal combers into blinding clouds of sea dust. 'Satanita' had a rare drilling from 'Britannia,' and although she also ran the faster, she could not get through in such a limited stretch of water. Thus the game was played to the end, it being a flog out from New Brighton to the Formby, and a run back each round. Had the 'Satanita' got her opponent's start, she would probably have beaten the Prince of Wales's cutter fully 5 mins., as in such a breeze she was clearly the faster to windward. 'Iverna' was very soon done with, and at the finish 'Britannia' finished 2 mins. 19 secs. before 'Satanita.'