- England Wins International Model Yacht Race at Gosport: American Challenger Bostonia Gets Second Place in a Well Sailed Series.
England Wins International Model Yacht Race at Gosport American Challenger ‘“Bostonia” Gets Second Place in a Well Sailed Series (5 a= POND, where the international model races for the Yachting Monthly Cup, the “blue _tibbon”’ trophy of model yachting, were sailed between July 31st and August 3rd last, is part of an 18acre municipal playground in Gosport, England, not far from Southampton. The pond is about 900 feet long and 300 feet wide and is headed northeast by southwest. Generally the prevailing winds are southwest which give a true beat to windward and a run. Unfortunately during the cup races of 1926, the winds were mostly north to west, which was the worst possible direction for good sailing. Spinnakers are used in the series and very strict racing rules are adhered to. The models are sailed from shore to shore, one board to windward counting 3 points and a leeward board 2 points. The greatest aggregate total at the end of racing decides the winner. The English defender was the Defiance, a Danielsdesigned and built boat owned and sailed by her owner, Capt. F. W. Lazell. She was selected to represent Great Britain after five days of hard racing against 21 boats. Defiance is a clean-cut model, perfectly balanced and equipped for every possible weather condition. With Capt. Lazell as skipper and R. Jurd, Jr., a Gosport member, as mate, the English defender was as near perfection as was possible. The challengers were: Dana III, representing Denmark. She was designed, built and sailed by her owner, Mr. Tottrup. Her design was quite different from that of Defiance, her forward sections being much fuller. Her fastest point of sailing was reaching, which was greatly favored during the three days racing. Mr. Tottrup has raced models for the past 18 years at London and is considered one of the best model skippers. The French challenger, Marianne, was designed, built and owned by Mons. Aubourg. She was the most extreme model of the four contestants. Her excessive overhangs forward and aft caused extreme reverse curves which would have barred her from racing under the rules. By mutual agreement among the contestants she was allowed to race. Marianne was the only boat to carry the gaffheaded mainsail. Her jib must have contained 35 per cent of her total sail area. When she arrived the day before the race her rudder was stationary. After a few trials it was found useless to sail her without a steering gear. With the assistance of her sailing mate, O. Steinberger, of the London Club, the Marianne was finally equipped with a makeshift gear which proved very effective at times. As there was little or no windward work the Marianne proved to all that she could reach, with her big jib acting as a ballooner. John Black getting Bostonia ready for the first race. The American challenger, Bostonia, was designed, built and sailed by her owner, John Black, Jr., Commodore of the Boston Model Yacht Club. Quite different from her foreign competitors, her buttock lines were much flatter, and with a harder bilge was able to sail through the water with the least amount of wave line. . Bostonia created a very favorable impression on her arrival and was at once considered dangerous. Arriving at the Gosport Club about six o’clock on Friday, July 23rd, her skipper proceeded to rig her. About nine o’clock that evening she was given a trial spin by moonlight. After several brushes with three or four local boats her skipper felt he had a fighting chance to win. But there were three things necessary: First, change the steering gear, the American gear not being adapted for pond sailing as it is not sensitive enough. Second, experience in handling models from shore, and making quick adjustments. Third, knowledge of the tricky winds prevailing from the north to west. Immediately after the first trial spin a telegram was The U. S. challenger, Bostonia, the runner up (center). The Danish challenger, Dana IIT. The British defender, Defiance. October, 1926 Yochting after noon the wind hauled to the westward which re- versed the sailing. Racing was resumed at 2.30, the wind having lightened considerably. An amusing incident happened during the last board between Dana III and Marianne. Mons. Aubourg had rigged his jib as a spinnaker and when more than half way down the pond his improvised spinnaker came adrift, the sail being held only at the mast head. Like a bird flapping its wings the Marianne crossed the finish line, a winner, causing considerable laughter among the spectators. Score Morning Races Denmark……… U.S.A… ; : .Britain…….. .~ PreQees 56 ike sake ees traeaen’, 25 points 18 points 11 points 6 points Score Afternoon Races 18 points 20 points 12 points 8 points Second Race Bostonia, showing her underbody. ~ sent to London for a Brain steering gear. The skipper immediately began to prepare for the change. The re-cutting of sails was next in order. Two sets of sails were recut for storm rigs. Unfortunately for the American challenger, true Gosport weather failed to appear during the cup races. It was never necessary to change rigs during the Weather conditions were much worse for the second day’s racing. The wind was still from the northwest but extremely light and flukey. Being a national bank holiday, hundreds of spectators were on hand to witness the races. Promptly at 11 o’clock the first pair of yachts was started. Under these weather conditions, Capt. Lazell, with the valuable assistance of his mate, was able to recover several points during the day’s racing. Total points for second day’s race. Morning Races three days of racing. Below are the ratings of defender and challengers: L.O.A. LWL. Defiance 64.6 43.2 Marianne Bostonia 78 71.75 43.3 46.25 Dana IIT 66.5 45.38 LWL. Beam 12.55 13.75 15 13.37 Disp. S.A. 34 2064 38 37. 2110 1750 34 1825 pio DS | Defiance ……..2+..++ Bostonia…. 2.000.505. Marianne………. = Rating 39.36 39.32 ? 38.83 The First Day’s Race When the French and American challengers arrived at the pond at seven o’clock the wind was up and down the mast. Prospects for a good racing day were very poor. About nine o’clock a light breeze came in from the northward which made sailing very flukey. This wind gave the boats a close lay down with a broad reach back. With the wind in this quarter the game was to sail the models to the middle of the lee shore, and return for the finish line. This kind of sailing was necessary because when half way down the pond the puffs would luff the boats and they would get becalmed under the weather shore. It can be seen that this was not a true test of sailing. It became a battle of skippers, not models. Promptly at eleven o’clock the contestants were given instructions by Mr. Cuthbert Paine, Officer of the Day. With Defiance in weather position and Dana III to leeward the first race was started by the Mayoress of Gosport. The wind had freshened but conditions at the center of the pond did not improve. The Dana III took both boards from Defiance. When the first boats reached the weather end of the pond the second pair was started, Marianne to weather with Bostonia in leeward position. Bostonia won both boards from the French challenger. The second round found Defiance and Marianne paired, with Dana III against Bostonia. Marianne won the weather board; Dana III took both boards from Bostonia. The third heat found Defiance paired with Bostonia, and Dana III against Marianne. Bostonia won the weather board and Defiance the leeward board. Marianne won the weather board and Dana III the leeward. This method of pairing was continued throughout the series. Shortly 7 Al 7 5 Afternoon Races 21 35 20 12 . Total 73 71 65 31 Third Race When the start was made at 11 o’clock there was a fresh breeze from the N.N.W. which gave the yachts a reach each way. Two points only were allowed for each board. The same tactics were applied this day as in the previous races. The procedure was to reach to leeward and trust that the change in wind caused by the high bank in the center of weather shore would head the yacht up to finish line without retrim. Many races were lost because the yachts got becalmed under the weather shore. In many cases it was pure luck that let a boat complete a board without retrimming or getting becalmed. – oe . , – ~ ~wei eras Three of the skippers: Left to right, Messrs. Tottrup (Denmark), Lazell (England), Black (U. S. A.) During the first half of the ninth heat, the skipper of the Dana III, after being warned for not stopping his yacht when retrimming, was disqualified and withdrew. The Officer of the Day then declared the race off. Th (Continued on page 102)
