8 minute read
LETTERS
LETTER OF THE MONTH SUPPORTED BY OLD PULTENEY WHISKY
Greatest racing yacht? Britannia, surely…
I picked up a copy of CB last weekend and am rising to your editorial challenge about the greatest racing yacht. Surely this has to be the King’s Britannia? She was designed by GL Watson and built on the Clyde in 1893 by Hendersons for the then Price of Wales, later Edward VII, whose intention it was to rejuvenate the ‘Big Class’ which was very much in the doldrums at that time with yachting journalist Dixon Kemp lamenting that “no more large racing yachts would be built”. Royal patronage certainly did the trick and the launch of Britannia heralded the way for some of the finest racing yachts we have ever seen around our shores.
Britannia had a racing career spanning the next four decades before finally going to her rest in 1936 o St Catherine’s Point on the Isle of Wight. Her sail-plan and rig were altered no fewer than seven times to maintain her competitiveness against younger and more modern arrivals and she ended her career with 231 firsts and 129 places out of 635 starts. I’d be most interested to hear if there is any other yacht with such a career record.
In recent years we have seen the revival of the J-Class,
following the restoration of a single yacht – Endeavour – by Elizabeth Meyer. I was lucky enough to go aboard her on her way through Southampton in 1989 and to see her sail in company with an unrestored Velsheda from the Parade in Cowes. They weren’t allowed to race for insurance reasons but they were a glorious sight all the same. I had hoped that Sigurd Coates’ e orts to recreate Britannia a few years ago might be a catalyst to re-start the Big Class but it was not to be and as far as I know his replica languishes in Southampton still. We have now seen recreations of a number of the great schooners, and Lulworth – a contemporary of Britannia – is back on the water again, so the skills are there to recreate and sail these magnificent cutters. Would it be too farfetched to hope Above: Britannia, seen here leading Meteor II that the Big Class might be Below: Running Tide, as featured in last month’s issue the next big thing for yachting›s entrepreneurs? I’m looking forward to seeing the Fifes race again in the Solent this summer and read of the plans of Team Fife in Brest with great interest. Maybe one day soon we will see more of the big classic cutters race around our coasts.
Richard Clarke, Truro, Cornwall
Last year I was mortified to read on Google that Coral had sunk o Crete. I tried to find out if she was salvaged, as she sank in pretty shallow water. Have you any information on what has happened to her? I worked on her restoration for six years in Cape Town and have been keeping track of her until now.
Herb Phillips
Where is Coral?
THE LAST FIFE
The Fifes are coming back home to Scotland this June in the spectacular known as the Fife Regatta. To celebrate that, we have the story of Sonata, the last Fife yacht.
CIELITO FINDING ENDURANCE
A recent addition to the Rahmi M Koc collection is this 43ft, 1930-built American motor yacht, restored and brought back to fi ghting form. The wreck of the Endurance has lit up the media like none other. Here is the story of how Shackleton’s ship was found in the frozen Antarctic Ocean.
PLUS…
The traditional Broads yacht built in GRP for sale or charter; our guide to traditional deck gear and more; preview of the Fife Regatta in June; events guide to the 2022 season; and more
JUNE 2022
On sale Friday 13 May, 2022 Or why not subscribe? SAILING TODAY WITH YACHTS & YACHTING
NEW SAILING SKILLS SECTION
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MAY 2022 £4.95
YOUR MULTIHULL SPECIAL LATEST CATS AND TRIS SUMMER OF SAILING
47 regattas and events Plot your season here!
TOM CUNLIFFE
Channel crossing: best lesson I learned
TIME FOR CHANGE
Hannah Mills on creating pathways for female sailors
SHOAL WATER DRIFTERS One foot under the keel CLUB OF THE YEAR Who got your votes
Coverv4 - May.indd 1
HI-TECH FOULIES
New sailing kit for 2022
SOLENT SPRING TIDE
Perfect weekend guide
CHICHESTER MARINA What visitors need to know
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IN THE MAY ISSUE
Summer of sailing: 47 regattas and other events Time for change: Hannah
Mills on creating paths for female sailors Chichester Marina guide Shoal waters: boats that fl oat in a puddle New gear: high-tech foulies Lessons learned crossing the Channel with Tom
Cunli e
Available online or ordernow post-freefrom chelseamagazines.com/shop
30 YEARS AGO
MAY 1992, CB45
The lead feature, although not the cover boat, was on the Irish Shannon One-Designs, a big, open 18ft clinker dinghy that is as loved now for family racing and cruising as it was 30 years ago. Their nickname, “the SOD”, stems of course from the boat’s acronym, rather than its character. There is also a very early motor-sailer in this issue – the 1908 Alfred Mylnedesigned ‘auxiliary ketch’ Senora. The owners had completed a near-20-year restoration. We reported at the time that “with a bow as fi ne as a chisel edge, Senora would cut through the Firth of Clyde like a claymore through a Sassenach. This colourful expression means – and I had to look it up I admit – ‘like a Scottish sword through an Englishman’. It certainly beats the “knife through butter” cliché. A later treat in the magazine is the story of the legendary Gardner diesel engine, a theme we revisited a few years ago when we went to see the revitalised Gardner workshop to inspect engines in restoration. The things just go on forever.
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Much more if you slow down a little. › Reliability Many outboard motors don’t get used very often, and small petrol motors hate this. Electric outboards have fewer parts in general, and in particular there’s no carburettor to “gum up”.
Of course, it’s not all perfect. The range may still not be enough for some users. And they’re undeniably More Expensive than petrol outboards, mostly because lithium batteries are expensive. But that extra upfront cost is largely offset by
Of course, it’s not all perfect. The range may still not be enough for some users. And they’re undeniably lithium batteries are expensive. But that extra upfront cost is largely offset by their Lower Lifetime Running Costs, including (almost) No Servicing.their
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