YACHTING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 175, 26 July 1930, Page 16

YACHTING.

THE AMERICA CUP.

FIRST CONTEST WITH CUTTERS

THE GENESTA-PURITAN FOUL.

GALATEA-MAYFLOWER MATCH,

(By W. A. WILKINSON.)

The preceding article on the America Cup, in our issue of July 12, dealt with Mr. James Ashbury's second challenger, the schooner Livonia, and the two following contests by the Canadian-owned boats, Countess of Dufferin and Atalanta, which took place in 1881 and*lßß2. The unfair conditions under which these early contests were held from the challenger's point of view, whereby one boat was called on to sail against a fleet of defenders, bad been modified largely as the . result of Mr.' Ashbury's correspondence with the- New York, Yacht Club and later by Major Gifford, owner of the Canadian boat. The new Deed of Gift, drawn up by Mr., Schuyler, the sole surviving owner of the cup, made it clear that future challengers would be required to meet one boat only. Other clauses gave the New. York Yacht Club the power to make mutual arrangements with any challenger as to the date, number of races, courses, sailing rules, etc. These conditions were generally conceded to be very fair and they practically all remain in force to-day. The Cutter-Rig. The cutter rig was proving _ very popular in England about the time of the Canadian's second attempt to lift the cup, and it was then decided to Lave another try with a boat of this rig. Sir Richard Sutton sent a challenge on behalf of tlf: Royal Yacht Squadron with his cutter, Genesta. This challenge was accepted by the New York Yacht Club for a race in September, 1885. In response to an urgent request by the club to leading American yachtsmen for ne# cutter-rigged defenders, a cutter was built at Boston and - christened Puritan. It was fitting that Boston should provide the - defender. This port was then noted for being the nursery of deep-water sailors and the home of deep sea ships. Burgess was commissioned to design the new cutter and she was built at the yard of Geo. Lawley and Sons, who have built two of the present contenders for the honour of meeting Shamrock V. Puritan was a radical departure from the previous American boats and was a type in herself, combining the beam and centreboard of the earlier boats with some of the features of the British cutters, in respect of their greater draught and all outside lead ballast, both new to America. Several boats were built but Puritan proved to be the fastest American yacht of her day and later events justified the belief that had she not been built the cup might have gone back home to England that year. The Defender, Puritan. Puritan's, dimensions were: „ Length overall, 94ft; waterline, 81ft; beam, 22ft 7in; draught, Bft Sin; length of mast, 60ft; topmast, 44ft; main boom, 76ft; gaff, 47ft; bowsprit, outboard, 38ft; tonnage, 105; ballast, 48 tons; sail area, 8000 square feet; racing .Jength, 83ft. In her trials, Puritan easily defeated the fastest boats, both schooners and cutters, including the New York Yacht Club's candidate for cup defence, the cutter Priscilla, a centreboard boat built of iron. The three official trials were confined to four boats, Puritan, Priscilla, Gracie and Bedouin. Puritan won all three by 11m, 5m and lm 525. The Challenger, Genesta. 1 The British challenger, Genesta, arrived at New York after a smart passage, on July 16, 1885. Her dimensions were: 96ft overall; waterline, 81ft 7in; beam, 15ft; draught, 13ft 6in; sail area, 7150 square feet; ballast on keel, 70 tons; racing measurement, 83ft. Genesta was built with steel frames and, planked with oak, being the first com-posite-built yacht to sail for the cup. She was described as a very ship-shape craft, with an appearance of elegance and speed. She was well fitted below deck, with cabins for her captain, owner and crew. The hull was coppered up to a few feet of the covering board. She carried steel wire rigging, the first to be used by cup boats, and her sails consisted of mainsail, club and working topsails, staysail, jib, jib-topsail, balloon jib, balloon jib-topsail and spinnaker, all made by Lapthorne and Ratsey. Genesta had proved to be the best boat during her races at the British coastal regattas, # wining seven firsts and 10 second prizes. When she was hauled out at New York to prepare for the first race on September .7, 1885, American critics all agreed that she had fine lines and would prove to be a "slippery customer." The Fifth Contest. The first race was ineffective,, as there was ndt enough wind to enable the boats to complete the course of 20 miles to windward and return in the time limit of seven hours. Puritan had a lead of two miles when the race was called off. On the second day, September 8, there was every prospect of a good contest, with a fine sailing breeze from the southeast. While manoeuvring for the start, an incident occurred, forturiately rare in the history of the America Cup contests, wuich is well worth recording, as it reflected so much to the credit of Sir Richard Sutton, and also stands out by comparison with other challengers. Foul at Start of Race. Just before the start on the second day of this contest, Puritan V., when on the port tack, attempted to cross the bow of the British boat, Genesta, fouled her, Genesta's bowsprit going through the American boat's mainsail near the after-leech, tearing thp sail and carrying away Genesta's'bowsprit. As the American boat; being.on port,.was entirely to blame, the British boat, according to the usual racing custom, through being permanently disabled, was entitled to the award of the race. It was after this incident that Sir Richard Sutton showed his true British sportsmanship. While Genesta's crew were clearing away the wreckage of the bowsprit, Genesta was hailed by the- committee boat and Sir Richard was informed that Puritan had been ruled out and he was free to sail over the course and claim the race. Sir Richard replied promptly, saying: "We are very much obliged to you, but we don't want it tha' way; we want a race, not a walk-over." This_ decision was well received by the committee and by the New York Press, and Genesta was taken in tow for her dock. The owners of Puritan offered to pay for all repairs, but Sir Richard would not accept their offer. Both boats were ready to sail again on September 11> when the third start was made, but again it was called off for want of wind, although there had been a fairly good breeze at gunfire. This time Puritan

was miles ahead when the time expired. No better luck was met with next day, the wind being too light to give them a start. 'On September 14 a decisive race was sailed in a ten-knot breeze. Genesta got slightly the best of the start, being ahead and to leeward of Puritan. Both carried all sail and the wind' fell light on the beat out. Puritan rounded the weather mark with a lead of 4m 225. On the run home Genesta caught up on Puritan, causing great excitement on the big fleet of excursion boats. Puritan later increased her lead and won' by 16m 19s, corrected time, amidst the shrieking of steamboats whistles and the roar of cannon. Puritan Wins Both Races. The second, and what proved to be the final, race of the contest was sailed next day, and it must go down in the history of the cup as one of the hardest fought battles of the contest, Genesta losing by the narrow margin of lm 38s, corrected time.

She proved her speed in weatherly qualities in a breeze. From a ten-knot breeze at the start, it increased to a 30-knot breeze towards the finish. , The course was 10 miles leeward and return. Genesta was almost a minute ahead, of Puritan at the start, and she maintained her initial advantage on the run down, but Puritan slowly overtook her, and the two" then ran level. Puritan next drew ahead, but Genesta, by changing her spinnaker over to port, came up and repassed Puritan, rounding the lee mark 2m 6s ahead. On the beat home the wind increased rapidly apd sail was reduced and topmasts sent down. Puritan very slowly'gained on Genesta and finally crossed to windward of her. Genesta was not yet beaten, and the Americans got a fright, judging by newspaper reports. The excitement, as the two big cutters stood for the finishing line, was intense. Two miles from the light ship, Puritan was leading by a few feet. Genesta's skipper did his beet to luff out on Puritan's weather, but every luff was countered by the Yankee skipper, and in a lighter breeze and smooth water Puritan drew clear and crossed the finishing line 2m 9s ahead. There was another demonstration as the American boat finished, while Genesta's welcome was equally as warm. The good sailings of Genesta and the fine sportsmanship of her owner created, a friendly feeling in America, and Sir Richard Sutton was feted and made an honorary member of the New York Yacht Club.

Before returning across the Atlantic, Genesta took part in several races and won three cups, two being memorable ones. The first was the Commodore's Cup, the second was for a challenge race between her and Dauntless, sailed over a 300-mile ocean course, from Sandy Hook to Brenton's reef and return. this race the last half was sailed in terrific weather. The third race was also sailed on an outside course of 216 miles. The weather was better in this race and Genesta won easily. After this Genesta was put under her jury rig and she sailed for home on October 8, arriving in 19 days,' after a very stormy passage nearly all tho time under close reefs. The Brenton reef and Cape May cups are still retained in England as mementoes of Genesta's prowess. The Galatea-Mayflower Contest. After the Puritan-Genesta match, the New York Yacht Club accepted a challenge from Lieutenant William Henn with Galatea. Boston again built & boat, General Chas. J. Jaine placing an order with Burgess, to design a boat to be better than Puritan. The boat was again built by Geo. Lawley and called Mayflower. She had the same straight stem and long, fine counter of Puritan. Built of wood, Mayflower was 100 ft overall. In her first trials, Puritan beat her as. she was not in good' trim when launched, but General Paine soon got her in order. Galatea, sailed by her owner, Lieutenant Henn, a reused navy man, whose wife accompanied him, made the passage across in 31 days, after a lightweather passage. She was built by John Reid and Sons, of Glasgow, of steel. Painted white in contrast to the usual black of those days. Galatea was 102 ft overall, waterline 86ft, beam 15ft, draught 13ft 6in, sail area 7505 eq. ft and displacement 157 tons. The Sixth Contest. The first race of the sixth contest for the cup was sailed on September 7, 1885, over the New York Yacht Club's inside course. Both Galatea and Mayflower came .to the line in perfect order and public interest was intense, an enormous fleet of boats following the races. Galatea got the best start to windward of her opponent in a light breeze. The American boat went ahead slowly, Galatea being sailed too* close to the wind to do her justice. After a close race on the wind, Mayflower increased her lead in the run home, winning by 12m 2s. The. next meeting was indecisive, not being finished within the time limit. The deciding race was sailed on September 11, 20 miles to windward and return, in a 12 knot breeze* Lieutenant

Henn was not able, through illness, to sail Galatea. Mayflower made a steady gain right from the start and eventually won by 29m 9s, and again the cup was safe. Lieutenant Henn took his defeat in good style, and he became equally popular in America with the previous challenger, Sir Richard Sutton. The Americans quickly recognised that he was every inch a sailor. Galatea stayed in American waters for the rest of that season, but won few prizes. Her owner offered to race any cutter round' the Islands of Bermuda and back, but no American took him up, The next chapter in the history of the cup contests marks the entry of the noted designer Geo. L. Watson, of Scotland. He had visited America during the previous contest, and' was confident that he could design a boat to beat the existing Americans. This resulted in the building of Thistle for a syndicate of Scotsmen by Messrs. D. and W. Henderson, at Patrick, on the Clyde, in 1887. A factor in the designing of Thistle was that the rating rule which taxed beam so heavily w&s abandoned, and her designer had a free hand in tli i>3 respect. Thistle was quite a modern boat with her clipper bow. _ The challenge was sent in the name Royal Clyde Yacht Club. Volunteer was built to meet her and the story of the seventh contest will appear in our next article. Prize Nights. The Point Chevalier Sailing Club's annual prize night and dance will be held this evening in the club house, Joan Street.

The Ponsonby Cruising Club will bold the annual prize night and. social in O'Neill Street Hall, off Ponsonby Road, next. Wednesday evening.

The Takapuna Club's prize night is fixed for Wednesday, August 6, and Devonport Yacht Club o» Thursday, August 7.