THE KING'S YACHT

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXII, Issue 22030, 9 February 1935, Page 10

THE KING'S YACHT

BRITANNIA TO RACE CONTEST WITH YANKEE ALTERATIONS IN RIG An announcement that the King's cutter Britannia may race the famous American yacht Yankee in Southampton waters during the coming English summer was mad® by Sir Philip Hunloke, helmsman of Britannia, at a house dinner of the Royal Southampton Yacht Club recently.

" The reason why I am keen to hrxvo the Britannia out this year is that the Yankee is corning to England to race '' said Sir Philip. " This yacht is, I lieve, a better boat than Rainbow—the holder of the America's Cup—and -itr would be very satisfactory if we could win the Royal Southampton Yacht Club's prize by beating not only En-** deavour but Yankee also.

"There is no doubt that there are now ' several better boats than Britannia, but it is hoped, by improving a number of things, particularly the rigging, to render Britannia capable of holding her own."

The Britannia, which was built for the late King Edward when he was Prince of Wales, is 40 years old, and it was thought at the end of last season that her racing days were over. Theire was a proposal that the nation should present the King with a new yacht us a jubilee gift, but His Majesty is l? 0 attached to Britannia that he was unwilling to part with her. Moreover, in these difficult times, he felt that thp £30,000 required to finance the project could be better applied to people out of work.

By an extraordinary evolution Britannia's hull form, which was oat of date five years after it was designed by the late George Watson, is again closely allied to the modern schorl of design. Yachts which were regarded by experts in 1900 as greatly I) W ' superior would now be looked upon a.s freaks. Setting aside rating rules and such like, the slight advantage in hull form claimed by Endeavour, Rainbow, Velsheda and other new craft is open to doubt. With certain alterations and; a new rig the King will have in Britannia a racer quite worthy of meeting the most modern craft on practically equal terms. . Even now, in a good breeze, she can beat these boats handsomely. The rig of yachts built for the America's Cup, and, in particular, their new head sails or jibs, and the methods cif setting them, undoubtedly increased their speed. Improvements in this direction can be made in Britannia. Although many Erglish yachts have raced in America, no American sloop has visited England since 1893 and 185>4j when Britannia beat both Navahoe and Vigilant. Now the King's yacht is expected to meet Mr. Gerard Lambert's sloop Yankee. The result of the racing will depend upon the improvements to Britannia's rig, which Sir Philip Hunloke hoj>es to- effect with the assistance of Mr. Charles Nicholson, the well-known English designer And builder. The Britannia is not merely a beautiful racing vessel, but a comfortably fitted cruiser, with a home-like cabin decorated with taste. She may sail .n a race in .the wildest weather and heavy seas, taking tons of" water along the deck, but an hour after she has come to anchor one could go bekw to fitul no indication of the stormy seas