LORD BRASSEY ON THE AMERICAN YACHT RACES.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXIII, Issue 7800, 20 November 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

LORD BRASSEY ON THE AMERICAN YACHT RACES.

Lord Brassey, writing to the Times from Chicago, says the failure of the Galatea was not attributable to inferiority in seamanship. It was due to the form of the hull. >; \ , The matches were sailed under conditions of weather freely admitted by tho American yachtsmen themselves to be the most favourable that could be desired for their champiop vessel. The breezes were light, and tho sea' scarcely disturbed by a ripple. With stronger winds the Galatea might have done better, but there are essential points of difference which in all circumstances of weather should give an advantage to the American sloop over the English cutter of the latest type. DISTINCTIVE FEATURES COMPARED.

The American sloop spreads 9000 feet of canvas, the Galatea has a sail area of 7146 feet, while the ability of the Galatea to carry sail is conspicuously inferior ; the displacement is 157.63 against the 110 tons of the Mayflower. The weight of ballast is 81.50 tons in the Galatea and 45.00 tons in the Mayflower. Tho reasons which have led to the introduction of the present type of English racing cutter are not far to seek. Our models have been designed under the baneful influence of an elaborate system of time allowance based upon tonnage, tne measurement being determined by the length and breadth without reference to depth. Tonnage has been kopt down by minimising breadth, and the stability formerly derived from a wholesome proportion of breadth to length has been supplied by the less satisfactory expedient of a heavy weight of ballast carried at an increased depth below the contre of buoyancy. In racing yachts considerations of stowage and internal accommodation are subordinate to speed, but, if a comparison be made under these heads, the broad hull of the Mayflower is better than the deep but contracted hull of, the Galatea. The quality of seaworthiness is not severely tested in the ordinary experience of the summer season. The American yachtsmen, while satisfied with the type thoy have adopted for their own waters, do not consider the sloop as seaworthy as tho cutter, and on the question of stability at considerable angles of heel, a serious trial at sea would probably show that the Americans have something to learn from their English brother yachtsmen. It is for the yacht clubs, and more particularly for the Yacht Racing Association, to consider whether the conditions have been calculated to secure the utmost perfection of form. If ample freedom to produce what is best be granted, we need not fear the result. Avoiding exaggerations on both sides, we may build up on the solid keel of an English cutter a hull not widely differing in form from that of the typical Amerioan Bloop. It can be done, and pride and prejudice should not be suffered to bar the way to improvement.

_ ■ ■ » •* . ——— Galatea. Mayflower. Foot. Feet. Length over all .. .. 102.06 100.0 Length on water line .. 87.0 8b. 7 Hxtremo beam .. .. 15.0 23.5 Draught of water.. •• 13.50 0.0 Ton*. Tout. Ballast SI.50 44.0 Dlaplicement .. .. 157.93 110.0 Tonnage O. M. - .. 171.14 171.74 Square feet. Squire foet. Area of Sail .. .. 7110.0 0000.0 Area of traveriaclion .. 14i>.0 85.0