'Egeria' gained five minutes at the start, and as in coming round
after the first board on the Calshot shore her opponent got in irons,
she gained full another five minutes. They had not made many tacks
before the man who was looking out on 'Egeria's' lee side cried,
'There goes "Enchantress's" jibboom!' which made 'Egeria's' crew feel
that, although the weather was getting more stormy and dull, their
prospects had considerably brightened. Without her jibboom
'Enchantress' was no match for 'Egeria' in the beat to windward, and
when the latter was well outside the Needles, and had passed the
Shingles Buoy, 'Enchantress' had hardly reached Hurst Castle. Just
before she got opposite Yarmouth, 'Egeria's' second jib was blown
clean out of the bolt-rope. This will give some idea of the strength
of the wind, which made the sea outside exceedingly heavy. 'Egeria'
was standing in for Christchurch Bay with the view of smoothing the
water, when she observed that the 'Enchantress' was put before the
wind, and turned back for Cowes, having carried away her forestay. Her
competitor being placed _hors de combat_, 'Egeria' was immediately put
under snug canvas, and sailed easily until she rounded the Shambles
Lightship at 4 o'clock. The run and reach home to Cowes round the
Island were comparatively easy sailing, and she showed her blue light
passing the Squadron Castle at 11 hrs. 50 mins., thus winning the cup
for the third time.
[Illustration: 'SEABELLE'
_153 tons. (M. F. Taylor, Esq.) Built by Harvey, 1874._]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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