'IREX'
64 tons (John Jameson, Esq.) Designed by Alex. Richardson, 1884.
The wind was light from the south-east. The professionals in the 'Quickstep' were the first over the line, but it was before the gun fired, and they had to recross it. This was not taken advantage of by the 'Enriqueta,' for the yacht, just as the gun fired, was, for some unaccountable reason, kept in irons quite two minutes by her helmsman. The 'Enriqueta' was steered by her owner and Major Urquhart. The 'Quickstep' won by 12 mins. 13 secs. On the following day the conditions were identical, except that the yachts were exchanged. The tide, wind, and weather were the same as on the Tuesday. Both yachts crossed the line at the same time. 'Enriqueta' held the weather berth, and, hugging the mark-boat, went about at once; but 'Quickstep,' by a very pretty piece of steering on the part of Mr. Maxwell Heron, was put about and brought on 'Enriqueta's' weather. 'Enriqueta' got away again under 'Quickstep's' lee, owing to the latter having her sails too closely pinned in. This error was fortunately rectified, and the 'Quickstep,' with sheets slightly checked, at once sprang ahead and forereached on the yawl, but not sufficiently to prevent the 'Enriqueta,' when off Southsea Castle, from going about and crossing 'Quickstep's' bow, a proceeding which, had it not been for the fine helmsmanship displayed, must have ended in a collision. When the yawl tacked the next time, however, the 'Quickstep' was to windward once more, and led round the Warner Lightship by 4 mins. The mark-boat was rounded at the end of the first round by the 'Quickstep' 14 mins. 15 secs. ahead of the 'Enriqueta.' On the second round the wind fell light, shifting and flukey, and, except that the 'Quickstep' won, offered no very interesting points of sailing worth noting. Such matches as the foregoing are worth repeating; for it is when acting in competition with men who make fore-and-aft sailing their business that amateurs find out the value of their seafaring knowledge, and can accordingly gauge their strength and learn to amend their weak points.
In 1885 the first regatta—and regattas now took place once a fortnight regularly—was memorable for the maiden races of the 'Elma' among the service boats, and the 'Syren' in the 25-ft. class. The 'Elma' had been an open whale-shaped admiral's barge. She was rigged with dipping lugs, and manned by sub-lieutenants from H.M.S. 'Excellent.' The writer had the privilege of seeing her work her way to Bembridge late in the season, and the smart manner in which the boat was handled, and the lugs lowered, dipped, and hoisted, was one of the prettiest sights of the season.
The second regatta witnessed the début of the two latest additions to the 30-ft. class—the 'Curtsey' and 'Yum Yum.' The 'Curtsey' proved herself the best boat of her year.
It was during this year that the new A, B, C classes were, for the first time, given a prominent place in the regatta programmes. These severally were supposed to include the full-blown racer, the out-of-date racer, and the ordinary cruiser. The idea was to try to create a method by which all yacht-owners might have an opportunity of joining in yacht racing. The system proved only a partial success, and the real gainers by the innovation, if there were any, were the sailmakers, who were kept employed, owing to many an 'old box' requiring spinnakers and other light muslin quite foreign to their original sail-plan.
The fourth regatta of the season took place away from the port, and off the new watering-place, Lee-on-Solent. The principal course started from over an imaginary line lying between the committee vessel and a flagstaff at Lee-on-Solent, round the north-east and east Middle buoy, the west Middle buoy, round the Bramble buoys, omitting the Thorn, Calshot Lightship, and Hill Head buoy, to pass between the committee vessel and shore, leaving all marks on the starboard hand; three times round.
On July 25, the first club match round the Isle of Wight took place. It was open to all yachts of 9 tons and upwards in the B and C classes. Two of Fairlie's old clippers came out in new feathers for this race, the 'Neptune' and 'Fiona'; and the former not only in this, but in many another thrash round a course during this and the following seasons, kept well in the van and showed that age had in no way been detrimental to her speed. The Royal Regatta was again held off Bembridge on August 8, when for the 10-tonners' prize the 'Queen Mab,' and in the 5-ton class the pretty 'Cyprus,' showed their wonderful weatherly qualities. The day is one that will long be remembered by those who took part in the trips round the Nab. The course, for all the classes from 5 tons and upwards, was from an imaginary line between the committee boat and H.M.S. 'Speedy,' round the Warner Lightship, the Dean Tail buoy and Nab Lightship, leaving all to starboard, to finish between the committee vessel on the port hand and the 'Speedy'; twice round. The weather was boisterous, with half a gale of wind blowing from the southward and westward. There was a nasty cross sea off the Nab, which frightened more than one hardy salt from making a start, and the owners of the 30-ft. yachts did their best to have their course shortened. The only accident, which might have turned out disastrous, was the capsizing of the 'Elma,' when making a board off the Nab Lightship. She was, however, righted, bailed out, and one by one all her crew got on board.
