Yachting, Vol. 2Dufferin and Ava, Frederick Temple Blackwood, Marquis of
History
Yachting, Vol. 2
Dufferin and Ava, Frederick Temple Blackwood, Marquis of
Yacht racing; Yachting; Yachts
The Forth Club was established in 1848 under the name of the 'Granton
Yacht Club,' and received permission from the Queen to assume the
title of 'Royal Forth' in 1883. The flag of the club is the blue
ensign of Her Majesty's fleet, with a gold crown and Maltese cross.
The club is now well supported, having as patron the Duke of
Buccleuch, K.T. Sir Donald Currie, K.C.M.G., is Commodore, backed by
a very influential staff. The Hon. Secretary is Mr. Bruce Fenwick. The
number of members amounts to nearly 2,000, with a total tonnage of
about 4,600; but the Firth of Forth has serious disadvantages as a
yachting centre, being favoured neither by nature nor circumstances as
is the Firth of Clyde, which absorbs all yachting interests. Mr. T. B.
C. West, who carried off the Queen's Cup at the Regatta in 1892 with
his well-known 40-rater 'Queen Mab,' presented a challenge cup of 100
guineas, to be sailed for annually in the month of June. That,
however, was not sufficient inducement to get a large entry. The fact
is there are so many regattas now that the tendency is to
concentration, and consequently outlying stations suffer.
The Royal Forth Yacht Club had a match in June 1893, at the beginning
of their water sports, from Hartlepool to Granton, for a prize of
30_l._ The starters were
The Creole Cutter 40-rater Lieut.-Col. Bagot.
Daydream Yawl 89- " Mr. James Shepherd.
[Illustration: Royal Forth Yacht Club Courses.]
The wind was very light at the start, which took place at 10.50 A.M.
on Thursday, June 22. Later on light airs from east-north-east helped
them; but off the Farne Islands--without any notice or disturbed
appearance in the sky--a tremendous squall struck 'Creole'; she,
however, behaved splendidly, and was specially well handled. By
Saturday morning the weather had moderated and they got the mainsail
on her and ran up past Inch Keith, getting the gun at 11.34 A.M. from
the 'Iolanthe.'
The larger vessel, the yawl of 89-rating, had her troubles too, and
finally got into the Tyne on Saturday morning, under storm canvas.
On the last day of the racing--June 26--there was a match for yachts
belonging to the Royal Forth Yacht Club, for the T. B. C. West
Challenge Cup, the entries confined to members of the club. Five
yachts entered for the race, over a course of forty miles. The tonnage
was very small, and the handicap one of large range; it will be noted
that 'Ida,' at scratch, allowed 'Lintie' 1 hr. 23 mins. 48 secs.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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