The ½-Raters, 1892.
This class suffered from the attention bestowed on the 1-raters. 'Kittiwake' had been sold to H.R.H. Prince Henry of Prussia, and 'Eileen,' 'Jeanie,' 'Bairn,' 'Narua,' 'Spruce,' and 'Torpedo' dropped out of the racing from one cause or another. 'Coquette,' 'Dancing Girl,' 'Tiny,' 'Dee Dee,' 'Mosquito,' and 'Ladybird' continued, however, to race on the Solent, thus forming an 'exhibition of Old Masters' and young mistresses, only one having changed hands during the winter, and Miss Sutton replaced her with the 'Pique,' a new boat by Mr. Payne.
The late Mr. Sidney Watson also purchased a new boat from Mr. Payne, and called her the 'Lilliput.' She was the last boat he ever sailed in. He much enjoyed racing her, and not infrequently led the little fleet. His sudden death in the prime of life was a great shock to all his numerous friends on the Solent.
English men and women are born lovers of sport, and attached to the tools they employ: the huntsman to his horse and hounds, the shooter to his dogs and guns, the turfman to his thoroughbred, and the sailing man to his yacht. A real devotion may exist for inanimate pieces of wood and metal. Especially is there poetry, and plenty of it, in a boat—that dancing, playful, wilful thing that only obeys the skilful hand. Ask any old crab-catcher. Yet racing seems to blunt the feeling. Many owners part with their boats and crews at the end of every season, and allow themselves no time really to care for any one of them.
Rather late in the season a new boat appeared designed by Mr. Herreshoff. She belonged to Miss W. Sutton, and was named very appropriately 'Wee Winn.' She and her owner certainly did win, in even a more decisive manner than 'Wenonah' on the Clyde. There was no mistake about it. The boat showed a clean pair of heels to the rest of the class in every sort of weather. She is a long boat, the true length being concealed in an excessive overhang—15.6 L.W.L., 23.9 L.O.A., M.S. like a canoe, small displacement, bulb-keel 3 cwt., draught under 3 ft. An approximate representation of her lines is given on p. 266, and the illustration on opposite page gives an idea of her appearance when racing.
Towards the end of the season Mr. Soper of Fay's designed and built a fast boat, 'The Daisy,' of somewhat similar type; about the same L.O.A., but longer L.W.L., and having more beam, depth, draught, and a heavier bulb-keel than 'Wee Winn.' They only met twice, and 'Daisy' was beaten; but she got away from the rest easily enough, and these two boats are certainly the fastest ½-raters on the Solent at the present time.[13]
Miss Sutton's 'Wee Winn,' ½ rater. Designed by Herreshoft, 1892.