It is always wise, and I am sure in the long run pays best, to do everything thoroughly, even although it is only for sport or pastime; and when the Board of Trade allowed yacht owners to present themselves for examination and obtain their certificates as master mariners, I entered my name, and was the fourth yacht owner to qualify, Lord Brassey being the first. My sea experience was, of course, of great service to me. I afterwards found my Board of Trade certificate as a master mariner gave me increased pleasure in yachting, and my crew great confidence in my skill as a navigator.
Selling the "Playmate," I returned to Windermere; indeed I had never left it, but sailed the regattas each year, and in the year 1908 I completed my forty consecutive years' racing upon the lake, winning, for the second year in succession, the Champion Cup. The competition for this cup is limited to yachts which have won first or second prizes. My yacht, the "Kelpie," was designed by Mr. A. Mylne, of Glasgow. She is quite one of the smartest boats on the lake, particularly in light weather.
During my forty years' sailing upon the lake I have witnessed great changes in the designs of the competing yachts. The boats starting with a length of 20 feet on the water line, were gradually enlarged by being designed to immerse the whole of the counter, making the water line length 26 feet 6 inches. We carried about 750 feet area of sails, including in this a huge foresail. The boats were large and powerful, but difficult to manage, and it is a wonder no accident took place. We afterwards introduced a load line length of 22 feet with overhangs, with the result that we have established a very smart and useful class of boat.
I built many yachts on the lake—the "Althea," "Truant," "Charm," "Brenda," "Playmate," "Breeze," "Pastime," and "Kelpie"—and several boats for the smaller class. I also built in 1881 the steel launch "Banshee." She was designed by Alexander Richardson, and is to-day the prettiest launch on the lake. I have raced on Windermere with varying success, but it has been the source of enormous enjoyment, and the days spent on Windermere are among my happiest. When we first visited Bowness we were content to reside in lodgings, but in 1879 we rented "Fellborough," a charming little house on the lake shore below the ferry. After remaining here three or four years, we occupied for longer or shorter periods Wynlass Beck, Loughrigg Brow, Ambleside, High Wray Bank; and in 1889 I took on a long lease "Wykefield," at the head of Pull Wyke Bay, a charming house with lovely gardens, and furnished also with a boathouse and pier. Here we remained until 1902, and since that time we have occasionally occupied Wray Cottage, a pretty dwelling nestling under the shadow of Wray Castle.
Yachting on Windermere, 1909.
It would indeed be very difficult to describe the enjoyment Windermere has afforded us during all these years. Our long walks, mountain climbs, picnics on the lakes, fishing, and last, but not least, our regattas, filled our days with pleasure, and we look back upon our holidays with sunny memories of great happiness.
In 1904 I wrote a history of the Royal Windermere Yacht Club. The Rev. Canon Rawnsley added an interesting chapter descriptive of the lake, and the book was illustrated by some excellent photographs.
As a thankoffering to God for permitting us to enjoy such great happiness, in 1908 we placed a stained-glass window in the Parish Church at Bowness representing the Te Deum.