THE KING'S YACHT

Evening Post, Volume CV, Issue 142, 16 June 1923, Page 17

THE KING'S YACHT

BRITANNIA REFITTED FOR

RACING.

After an extensive refit in preparr»iion for the coming season, the King's racing cutter Britannia took the water again at Cowes, Isle of Wight, early in May. She has been re-coppered, had' 1500 ft of her oak planking renewed, and her running gear has been thoroughly overhauled. She will thus enter upon her thirtieth season in splendid raring trim. Last year the King did not fit out the Britannia, and big-boat racing fell very flat in consequence, as the owners who usually compete 'against her laid up their craft also. But this year there is likely to be quite a boom in yachting. This is mainly due to the King's decision to participate in the sport once again. '

iUajor Philip Hunloke will again be the King's representative aboard the cutter. ' Her skipper is to be Mr. Albert Turner, a yacht captain who has sailed frequently for Sir William Burton. The King himself will sail in Britannia during Cowes week, but whether he will be able to attend any other regattas in addition to the one at Cowes is as yetuncertain.

Britannia begins her season's racing on the Clyde, on 22nd June. Her other fixtures are Bangor. (Ireland), Deal, Southend, Dover, Harwich, Cowes (for the Solent fortnight), Weymouth, Torquay, Dartmouth, and Plymouth. She will be sailing continuously at one place or another until the end of August. Of other bio; yachts Mrs. Workman's Nyria, Mr. Swarm's Brynhild, Mr. 8,. H. Lee's Terpsichore, and Mr. C. P. Johnson's Moonbeam are all being put into commission in order that they may make the round of regattas with Britannia.

The fact that the King has decided to race his cutter Britannia at the chief regatta^ this summer hag given pleasure to all interested in yachting, and particularly to the men who form the crews of yachts—for to them it means a period of well-paid employment.

poming after eight very lean yearß, this will be highly acceptable. With Britannia afloat, other owners will fit out their craft, even though they may not race them, and that entails a con : siderable expenditure of money, the larger part of which goes to labour in one form or another. Instead of continuing slack, as they have been since 1914, all tho yachting yards are in for a busy time.

The presence of Britannia at a regatta makes all tho difference between its success and- failure; as, in addition to being the King's property, she is by far the most famous racing vessel in the world. No other flies so long a string of winning flags as she. The approaching season promises to equal the good ones of the pre-war years, if it does not; surpass them in some respects, and a large .amount of money will be taken into such towns as Torquay. For Cowes week there is sure to be a large influx of American visitors, to whom the presence of the King among the competitors is always a strong attraction. . ■