In 1876 the 'Phantom,' 176 tons, was built for Mr. Arthur Wilkinson, from designs by Mr. Weymouth. She was a handsome, roomy vessel, and was entered for a few races in 1876 and 1877, but as a racer was not a success.
Mr. C. Thellusson also brought out the 'Boadicea,' 378 tons, this year. She was built by Camper and Nicholson, but was intended for a cruiser rather than a racer, though she raced occasionally. One of the races in which she sailed was the memorable one from Torquay round the Eddystone and return, when the weather was so tempestuous and the seas so steep and heavy, that even 'Boadicea' and 'Latona' were compelled to run for shelter under the Start headland, and it was some hours before they were able to continue the race. 'Boadicea' beat the 'Latona' by two hours. Their competitors, unable to face the weather, were disabled, or retired very soon after they got round the Start and fairly into the Channel.
The following year—1877—the 'Miranda,' 139 tons, was built by Harvey, of Wivenhoe, for Mr. G. E. Lampson, and with Lemon Cranfield in charge proved one of the fastest and most weatherly of the schooner fleet. Her specialities were that she had large displacement, with a fine run aft, a considerable weight of ballast in proportion to her tonnage, and the mainmast placed far forward, so as to increase the size of her mainsail, and make her as near an approach to a cutter as practicable. She was raced for several seasons, and frequently competed both in the schooner and mixed races, with varying results.
In 1879 the schooner 'Fiona,' 150 tons, was built for Mr. E. Boutcher, the owner of the famous cutter of the same name; and the following year the 'Waterwitch,' 160 tons, was commissioned by Mr. E. Baring, afterwards Lord Revelstoke. Both were by the same builders, Camper and Nicholson.
They did not race for long, but sufficiently to show that they were powerful and fast vessels, though they did not make any great reputation in the racing world.
Schooner racing began to decline in the early eighties, and indeed the building and racing of all large yachts rapidly fell off, for the reason given in the early part of this chapter. But a race took place in 1887 which is worthy of record.
Racing Flags
In commemoration of Her Majesty's Jubilee, the Royal Yacht Squadron gave large prizes to be raced for by schooners, cutters, and yawls. The match was open to all yachts above 30 tons, English and foreign, but no foreign yachts entered. The prizes were 500l. for the first vessel within her time allowance, 200l. for the second vessel of a different rig within her time, and 100l. for the winning vessel of the third rig. The course was from Cowes round the Nab Lightship, Cherbourg Breakwater, and the Eddystone Lighthouse, returning to Cowes round the south side of the Isle of Wight and the Nab Light, a distance of about 330 miles.