Becken. Cowes.
ONE-RATERS AT COWES.
Every year affords fresh interests, as the type of boat alters, for there is skill required to get them into trim and learn their ways. Each individual boat, too, wants different handling, and it will often be a surprise to an adept in one boat, to find himself quite adrift in another. Steering has been steadily becoming more difficult hitherto, but now I fancy there will be a return to the fixed rudders we began with, which are much easier to handle than the balanced ones of later years. The business will not then be as fidgety, or require such close attention, as with balanced rudders your boat which may be ever so light on her helm, will be constantly veering about and getting off her course, if you do not keep an undeviating watch on your steering. Of course it all makes it more interesting, because more difficult, but in a way it is not an advantage for the helmsman to be entirely engrossed with his steering, unless he can conscientiously rely on his "crew" to do the rest.
To enjoy racing to the full you should have it all in your own hands with no one to say you "nay," otherwise that spirit of independence—so rarely enjoyed by our sex—is lost. The sensation of being master of your own vessel, with the helm in your hand and a willing crew to do your commands, unquestionably, these are elements which should be experienced to be enjoyed. As a man is dependent on his eye for shooting, his hands for driving, his pocket for betting, so does he depend on his wits for sailing. To be a good skipper you must above all things have a clear head and plenty in it, for there is much to learn and to keep up. Yacht racing has now attained to a pitch of perfection verging on science, and to succeed in it you must have observation, self-control, perseverance, good ready judgment and self-reliance, besides many other qualities too numerous to mention, such as patience and cheerfulness. There is nothing to compare to yacht-racing in my opinion for a woman's sport, calling into play as it does all these qualities, besides giving the wholesome enjoyment of an ocean life.
I began my racing career practically in 1886, though I had had some experience with a little boat called Fairy, which my father had bought from Picket of Southampton. This boat had been built for letting out to pleasure-parties, and was nearly as broad as she was long. Some years before this he—my father—had built the 60-tonner Vanguard, and as he was a great connoisseur on boats he made a good hit in buying the little pleasure-boat, Fairy. She and the Bird o' Freedom were the pioneers of that now famous body the Solent classes. With some slight alterations to the keel, and with the addition of a large jib to the sail plan, little Fairy proved herself capable of beating the Bird o' Freedom, which was then the greatest flyer of the day. This caused some surprise to the faculty—who were few in those days—and some of them decided to try and beat her the following season. Consequently 1886 saw the Minima and Tootsie added to the list, and some jealous competitions ensued.
West and Son. Southsea.
READY FOR THE START.
(MYNAH, HOOPOO, STORK, AND MOLLY.)