EAST DONYLAND / ROWHEDGE
BETTY
Capt. Jonathan Cranfield
During the 1897 yacht racing season Mr. Gretton launched his new yacht BETTY, having sold his previous yacht HESTER to Mr. John Nairn. Capt. Hogarth skippered Hester in 1897. Capt. Jonathan Cranfield was in the employment of Mr. Gretton (who also owned yachts Flavia and Eldred) and took command of the Betty in that year.
There are no crew lists for Betty but Thomas Hood, married to George Henry Cranfield’s daughter Mary Ann, was mate on Betty in 1897 & 1898, according to his Naval Reserve documents.
BETTY - Official number; 106937. Built; 1897. Port of Registry; Cowes.
THE YACHTING WORLD - 16 April 1897 - By this date Hester had been sold.
THE YACHTING WORLD - 21 May 1897 - “THE OPENING OF THE THAMES SEASON - ... Caress had the young flood for a time against her, so it may be said she made a creditable display. Mr. Van Laun, the new owner of the Caress, was on board, and sailed his first race on the old Watson boat, which was under the command of William Cranfield, who was assisted by John Cranfield. The Meteor was, of course, under the charge of her new skipper, Ben Parker, who also had Lemon Cranfield on board as well as the Emperor’s representative, Mr. Richard C. Allan, of Glasgow....”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 30 July 1897 - “COWES - Mr. Gretton’s new cutter will be launched by Hansen and Sons, on the 31st inst. The name originally intended for her was Camilla, but her owner has decided to call her Betty. Betty’s crew of twelve arrived here from the Colne district on the 26th inst.”
THE TIMES - Monday 2 August 1897 - “YACHTING - THE COWES REGATTA WEEK - On Saturday last Messrs. Hansen and Sons, of Cowes, launched a fine cutter of the “fast cruiser” type. She is about 90 rating, and has been built to the order of Mr. John Gretton, jun., M.P., from a design by Mr. A. E. Payne, of Southampton. The new cutter was named the Betty, and she will probably be seen under racing colours at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club Regatta next week.”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 13 August 1897 - “COWES - Mr. Gretton’s new cutter Betty, left the harbour for a cruise on the 11th inst.”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 20 August 1897 - “COWES - Mr. Gretton’s Betty had compasses adjusted on the 17th and left for a cruise down Channel on the 18th. She will probably go to Ireland.”
THE HAMPSHIRE ADVERTISER - 4 September 1897 - “THE ISLE OF WIGHT - COWES. On the arrival, at Cowes, of Mr. John Gretton’s yacht, the Betty, from the westward, on Thursday morning, information was conveyed to Dr. Wm. Hoffmeister of an accident which occurred aboard the previous night, whilst running up Channel. It appears the trysail was set, and that the yacht gybed, and before Capt. Cranfield could get out of the way the sheet struck him in the breast, and it is feared the poor fellow has sustained internal injuries. Capt. Cranfield, who is a brother of the captain of the Valkyrie, was conveyed to one of Mr. Gretton’s houses in Cowes, where he will remain under the care of Dr. Hoffmeister.”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 10 September 1897 - “COWES - Since my last notes the following yachts have arrived in harbour and gone to their winter quarters, viz.:- [including] Betty, cutter, Mr. John Gretton, M.P....”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 17 September 1897 - “LOCAL YACHTING NEWS - COWES - At Messrs. Hansen and Son’s Mr. John Gretton, M.P., has had his new cutter Betty placed on the slip for completion.”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 15 October 1897 - “LOCAL YACHTING NEWS - COWES - Betty is on their [Hansen and Son] No.1 slip at Point Yard.”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 5 November 1897 - “YACHT BUILDING DURING 1897 - Messrs. C. Hansen and Sons, Cowes, are represented in the season’s building returns by the Betty, designed as above mentioned by Mr. A. E. Payne, for Mr. John Gretton, M.P., the boat, which is of composite construction, measures 89 tons, and is classed +21 A -1 at Lloyd’s. Her leading dimensions are 74ft long between perpendiculars, 69ft on the water line, 17 ‘2ft beam, and 10’5ft deep.”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 19 November 1897 - “COWES - The cutter Betty, Mr. John Gretton, M.P., was launched from Messrs. Hansen and Sons, Point Yard, on the 12th inst., and was towed to Southampton.”
ALSO - A Captain Peters is mentioned as being in charge of Betty. This could be the same the same yacht, though there was another Betty.... or he is a pilot.
THE YACHTING WORLD - 3 December 1897 - “SOUTHAMPTON - The firm [Summers and Payne] have hauled up at their yard at Belvidere the Betty, cutter, Mr. J. Gretton, jun., M.P.”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 17 June 1898 -“ COWES - Betty, Mr. Gretton, is completed, and will go to the Roads in a day or two.”
After Jonathan won so many races with Hester, only to lose them on time allowance, it is ironic that Betty came last in this race but still won the Queen's Cup at the season's premier regatta.
THE TIMES - Wednesday 3 August 1898 - “YACHTING -ROYAL YACHT SQUADRON REGATTA - Wind and weather alike favoured the opening of the Royal yacht Squadron Regatta, yesterday, and the race for her Majesty's Cup was splendidly contested. The morning breeze from the west-north-west was moderate in strength, but it freshened as the day advanced and backed to the westward, and the vessels had a fine test of their Weatherly qualities between Cowes and Lymington. They had a leading wind on their eastern course, and, although it was by no means a schooner day, Rainbow gave a fine display of speed, and led her opponents round each of the limit marks, and across the finishing line. The distinction of winning the Royal trophy was gained by Betty, owned by Mr. John Gretton, jun., M.P., which, being quite an untried vessel, was in receipt of a liberal allowance….the struggle for the prize rested between Sir Maurice Fitzgerald's yawl and Mr. John Gretton's cutter. The latter had run fast over the eastern course, and she sailed so well by the wind afterwards that her victory appeared certain when she weathered the Lymington Spit buoy. The Betty was then favoured by the young flood tide….It is many years since a better race has been sailed for a Royal Yacht Squadron Queen's Cup…"
"HER MAJESTY'S CUP, open to all yachts belonging to the Royal Yacht Squadron. Yacht Racing Association rules, with this variation - that the sailing committee will handicap without appeal the vessels entered as they shall deem just. Queen's old course - namely, from Cowes Roads to the eastwards, round the Bullock buoy, and back to the westward, round Lymington Spit buoy, and back to Cowes Roads, or vice versa. Distance 50 miles.
Yacht - Rig - Rating - Owner; Rainbow, schooner, 114.5, Mr. C.L. Orr-Ewing, M.P.; Bona, cutter, 82.1, The Duke of the Arbruzzi; Satanita, yawl, 99.6, Sir M. Fitzgerald; Lorna, cutter, 89.4, Captain T. Clark; Betty, cutter, 58.3, Mr. J. Gretton, jun., M.P.; Roseneath, schooner, 50, Mr. A.W. Fulcher; Neaira, yawl, 39, Viscount Sudley.
The handicap was as follows: - Rainbow to allow Bona 10min., Satanita 15min., Lorna 48min., Betty 50min., Roseneath 88min., and Neaira 95min. The tide was slack in Cowes Roads when the match was started at 10 o'clock, and at that time a moderate breeze from the west-north-west was just rippling the Solent. The yachts were sent eastward, and Betty, with spinnaker set to starboard, was first away. Bona followed, and then came Roseneath, Lorna, and Satanita, while the Rainbow, which was kept luffing along the line, had a stern berth. Before getting to the west middle buoy the ebb stream was running hard against them, and the ground was but slowly covered. About a mile had been run before Bona was clear ahead of Betty, and the latter was off Osborne where Rainbow had run past to leeward of Mr. Gretton's cutter and taken second place. All crossed over Ryde middle sand and edged over for the Hampshire tide, and the fleet ran close past the Admiralty mile buoys in Stokes Bay. They were timed as follows:-
Bona 11h 0m 0s, Rainbow 11h 2m 8s, Betty 11h 3m 20s, Lorna 11h 3m 25s, Satanita 11h 3m 50s, Roseneath 11h 5m 45s, Neaira 11h 12m 50s.
The breeze began to freshen as they passed on the sand side of the Horse Fort. Rainbow was closing fast on Bona, and soon afterwards spinnakers were lowered. With the wind westing a little sheets came in, and off the Dean buoy Rainbow went streaking through to leeward of Bona, and the vessels afterwards travelled out fast to the Bullock buoy. A gybe was made round the limit mark, and the timing was:- Rainbow 12h 19m 42s, Bona 12h 23m 12s, Satanita 12h 24m 42s, Betty 12h 33m 10s, Lorna 12h 35m 0s, Roseneath 12h 41m 10s.
Sheets were in for a close reach back, and off St. Helen's Satanita was racing upon Bona, and the vessels luffed in, the yawl eventually being sailed hard through the lee of Bona. The breeze kept improving, and with a fair tide they laid through Spithead and fetched on into Cowes Roads, where the first tack was made to come inside the mark boat. Rainbow weathered the line at 1.50, and approximately she was 7min. ahead of Satanita, 7min. 30sec. of Bona, and 16min. of Betty. There was a fine breeze to windward in the west channel, and Rainbow's foretopsail was got down, while Satanita and Bona had a battle royal, the vessels worked as far as Hamstead Ledge before the cutter had got firmly planted on the yawl's weather bow. The west tide was with them, but it was nearly worked out when Lymington Spit buoy was weathered by Rainbow, and, although the schooner had come well to windward, both Bona and Satanita had settled up, while the fight between the pair had profited Betty. The times the western mark was wore round are subjoined:- Rainbow 2h 33m 0s, Satanita 2h 49m 12s, Bona 2h 48m 20s, Betty 2h 10m 50s.
Mainbooms were squared and spinnakers set to starboard, and the run home was made by Rainbow, Bona, and Satanita over a comparatively slack tide, but the flood had made when Betty rounded the buoy. A fine following breeze was brought home, and off Newtown Satanita was running into second place. Rainbow ran her opponents hard, but had no chance of clearing Satanita's allowance, while the latter was being held safe by Betty. Mr. Gretton's cutter, bringing up both wind and stream, ran very fast, and Satanita making but 2min. gain on the run, lost to Betty by 11min. 23sec. The finishing times follow:- Rainbow 3h 31m 30s, Satanita 3h 33m 31s, Bona 3h 40m 40s, Betty (winner of the Queen's Cup) 4h 2m 8s.
Neaira gave up, Roseneath was not timed, and Lorna passed the mark in Cowes Roads on the wrong hand. The winner was built for her owner last year by Messrs. Hansen and Sons, of Cowes, and was designed by Mr. A. E. Payne, of Southampton."
THE YACHTING WORLD - 5 August 1898 -“ SEA BREEZES - Betty, Mr. John Gretton’s cutter, which won the Queen’s Cup at the Squadron regatta on Tuesday, was built last year by Messrs. Hansen and Sons, of Cowes, to the design of Mr. Arthur E. Payne.”
ALSO - “Betty [and others]... on the gridiron for scrubbing.”
THE TIMES - Monday 22 August 1898 - YACHTING - ROYAL DORSET YACHT CLUB REGATTA - Held at Weymouth on Saturday. Betty, cutter, 71 tons, was on the list of yachts to compete in the handicap match for cruisers, but was “lying at Portland” and did not take part.
THE YACHTING WORLD - 2 September 1898 - “ SEA BREEZES - At Summers and Payne’s yard at Southampton Mr. John Gretton’s cutter Betty had a new capstan fitted and sundry other work carried out before leaving for the westward.”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 9 September 1898 - “COWES - The yacht-building yards are extremely slack, and the port generally is very quiet. Many yachts have dropped anchor in the Roads this week from the westward, on their way to eastern ports. Betty, cutter, Mr. John Gretton, M.P., left for Rowhedge on the 7th, she will winter there in charge of skipper John Cranfield.”
THE YACHTING WORLD - 23 September 1898 - “LOCAL YACHTING NEWS - BRIGHTLINGSEA - Betty, cutter, Mr. John Gretton, M.P., has been hauled up at Aldous’ yard for the winter.”
I presume that Jonathan was still skipper of Betty in 1899 and include the few results printed in the press. How long did Jonathan stay with her? There are no crew lists.
THE TIMES - Friday 2 June 1899 - “YACHTING - The entries for the yacht race from Dover to Heligoland on Monday, the 19th inst., for prizes presented by the German Emperor, closed yesterday, and the following names of yachts have been received by Mr. T.H. Pasley, R.N., at the Royal Yacht Squadron, Cowes:- AEolus, Jullanar, Oceana, Beluga, Freda, Charmain, Betty, Egret, Cetonia, Medora, Roseneath, Ariadne, Florinda, Amphitrite, Cicely, Wendur, Alba, Aziola, Satanita, Brynhild. The Beluga has since withdrawn.
The Emperor’s chief prize is a massive gold cup, designed by himself, and presented in commemoration of the year of the 80th birthday of the Queen. Other prizes to be given by his Majesty are to the proportion of one for every three starters in the race. The race will be a handicap, and the competitors are to sail in cruising trim. The Kaiser will personally present the gold cup to the owner of the winning yacht.”
THE TIMES - Tuesday 20 June 1899 - “YACHTING - THE DOVER-HELIGOLAND RACE - The third match from Dover to Heligoland for a gold cup and other prizes presented by the German Emperor was started yesterday. The arrangements, which were in the hands of the Royal Cinque Ports Yacht Club, were perfect, and a capital start was effected from off the promenade pier at Dover. The cup, which was designed by the German Emperor and is given to commemorate the 80th birthday of the Queen, bears a medallion portrait of the Queen on one side and one of the German Emperor on the other… The conditions of the race were that the match be open to all cruising yachts belonging to any Royal or recognized British yacht club, built in the United Kingdom, of 50 tons Thames measurement, and upwards, and owned by a British subject; three to start, or no race; all yachts to be handicapped and sail after the manner of yachts for the Queen’s Cup at the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes, and to sail in cruising trim; with additional prizes for every three starters, also presented by the Emperor. The sailing directions were to cross the North Sea to Heligoland, leaving all lightships on the Dutch and German coasts on the starboard hand, finishing between the Saturn buoy south of Heligoland and the German warship Mars anchored half a mile south of the buoy, thus leaving the Mars on the starboard hand. The entries were:- Ariadne - Schooner, 280 tons, Mr. T.C. Kerry; Satanita - Yawl, 300 tons, Sir. Maurice FitzGerald; Oceana - Schooner, 206 tons, Mr. G.A. Tonge; Cetonia - Schooner, 203 tons, Lord Iveagh; Charmain - Schooner, 175 tons, Mr. F.B. Atkinson; Medora - Schooner, 169 tons, Mr. J.F. Schwann; Amphitrite - Schooner, 161 tons, Mr. Alfred H. Littleton; Brynhild - Yawl, 153 tons, Mr. J. Selwyn Calverley; Aziola - Schooner, 147 tons, Capt. F.B. Bridgeman, R.N.; Wendur - Yawl, 143 tons, Mr. A.R. Lee; Florinda - Yawl, 135 tons, Sir James Pender; Jullanar - Yawl, 126 tons, Mr. E.C.F. James; Freda - Yawl, 120 tons, Mr. Wyndham F. Cook; Cicely - Yawl, 96 tons, Mr. Cecil Quentin; Betty - Cutter, 92 tons, Mr. John Gretton, jun., M.P.; Egret - Schooner, 83 tons, Mr. G.A. Henty; AEolus - Schooner, 77 tons, Mr. J.C. Scholey; Alba - Schooner, 66 tons, Mr. H. Lutwyche; Beluga - Yawl, 56 tons, Mr. Charles Baily; Roseneath - Schooner, 54 tons, Mr. A.W. Fulcher.
Of these Satanita was disqualified by the cup committee as not complying with the conditions, while the Beluga was early withdrawn. The other non-starters were Oceana, Freda (which won the first cup), Ariadne, Alba, and Aziola. The handicap committee gave the following allowances to the competitors:- Ariadne, Cetonia, Amphitrite, and Brynhild allow Wendur 2h. 45min.; Cicely, Betty, and Charmain 3h.; Freda 4h.; Jullanar 4h. 15min.; Florinda 4h. 25min.; Oceana 6h.; Medora 6h. 15min.; Aziola 6h. 25min.; AEolus and Alba 10h.; Roseneath 11h.; and Egret 12h. Shortly after 6 o’clock in the morning the rivals got out of the harbour, and took up anchorages off the Promenade Pier to prepare for the start, which was timed for 2 o’clock. It was evident from the first that there would be a good sailing breeze, and when the boats got under way shortly after 1 o’clock there was a capital wind from the W.S.W. The start this year took place from off the Promenade Pier, the boats having to leave a mark-boat moored in a line with the flagstaff on the starboard hand. The first gun went at 1.55 p.m., and five minutes later the starting signal was given. All the boats, with the exception of Jullanar and AEolus, were well placed, but Cetonia, which was leading the fleet, was over the line too soon, and was recalled. Betty, the only cutter in the race, got away with a fair lead, closely followed by the Brynhild, while Charmain, Egret, Medora, Amphitrite, Cicely, Roseneath, Florinda, and Wendur were all in a line a few seconds behind. Cetonia soon answered the recall signal, and managed to re-cross in front of both AEolus and Jullanar, the latter being the last boat over the line. With a fair wind the Betty made good use of her start, and at once began to lengthen out her lead, being still in the van when the South Goodwin Light was passed, the others having changed order considerably, but being still well together. Jullanar, too, had passed AEolus, which was a long way in the rear. All the boats took the outside Goodwin course. Off the East Goodwin Amphitrite indulged in a short luffing match with Wendur. At this point the leading trio were Betty, Brynhild, and Charmain, with Cicely, Florinda, and Cetonia in the next group, Amphitrite, Wendur, Medora, and Roseneath being fairly close together; and then, a long way behind, came Egret, Jullanar being 12th, and AEolus last. When last seen the Brynhild had worked into first place with a good lead, which she seemed to be increasing rapidly.
A Reuter telegram dated Heligoland, June 19, says:- The Imperial yacht Hohenzollern, with the Emperor on board, has arrived here, and taken up her position alongside the Mars, which will be the winning post for the yachts competing in the race from Dover to Heligoland. The yachts are expected to arrive here to-morrow evening.”
THE TIMES - Thursday 22 June 1899 - “THE DOVER TO HELIGOLAND RACE - HELIGOLAND, JUNE 21 - The first of the yachts engaged in the race from Dover for the German Emperor’s Cup to arrive here was Brynhild, which came in at 8.30 this morning. Since then 11 more yachts have come in, and at 9 o’clock this evening, the hour of telegraphing, the Egret alone has failed to appear. Some doubt exists at present as to who is the winner, the race not being over until 8.35, but the following yachts are cited as probable winners:- (1) Charmain, schooner, 175 tons, owner Mr. A.B. Atkinson; (2) Wendur, yawl, 143 tons, owner Mr. A.R. Lee; (3) Betty, cutter, 92 tons, owner Mr. John Gretton, jun., M.P. The most exciting incident of the day was the entry of Betty and Wendur. Wendur was sighted a long way ahead of Betty, but the latter was seen to be rapidly overhauling her. Wendur had sustained serious damage to one of her topsails and was sailing without her mainsail. About a quarter of a mile from the winning post Betty overhauled and passed her rival, amid considerable excitement among the spectators on the jetty. Had it not been for her unfortunate accident, there seems no doubt that Wendur would easily have won the race, as she was almost in sight of Heligoland when she lost her sail. As it is, she is second. She had made a grand run, and, if all had gone well, would have arrived hours before the others. The yachts as they passed the Mars sailed off in the direction of Cuxhaven, where many of them will go through the canal to Kiel to take part in the regatta there next week. The Emperor waited till 6 o’clock this evening, when the Hohenzollern steamed off. The race was somewhat impeded by want of wind in the first instance and a contrary wind in the second. No record of times was made. All the gunboats have now left. The Mars has just sailed and Heligoland has resumed its usual appearance. A strongish east wind is blowing, and the sea is rather choppy. Wendur and Florinda remain here overnight.”
THE MANCHESTER GUARDIAN - Friday 23 June 1899 - “THE DOVER-TO-HELIGOLAND YACHT RACE - THE AWARDS - A telegram received by the Royal Yacht Squadron says the German Emperor has awarded the prizes in the Dover-to-Heligoland yacht race in the following order:- 1st prize, gold cup, to Charmain, schooner, Mr. F.S. Atkinson; 2nd prize, Betty, cutter, Mr. J. Gretton, junr.; 3rd prize, Wendur, yawl, Mr. Lee; 4th prize, Brynhild, yawl (one of the scratch boats), Mr. J.S. Calverley; 5th prize, Florinda, yawl, Sir James Pender, Bart. M.P.”
THE TIMES - Wednesday 28 June 1899 - “YACHTING - KIEL REGATTA - ECKERNFOERDE - JUNE 27 - The racing to-day was productive of some excellent runs, and the conditions as regards wind and weather were excellent. The first batch of yachts crossed the starting line punctually at 8 o’clock this morning, and other batches, some ten in all, followed at intervals of five minutes. The chief event of the day was a handicap race for cruising yachts to Eckernfoerde Bay, a distance of about 52 miles. Fourteen yachts entered, but only nine started. Five English yachts competed and four of these secured prizes. At the start Betty went quickly to the front. The spectacle presented by Kiel Harbour as the yachts started was an extremely beautiful one, the reach for two miles dotted with white sails glinting in the morning sun. A westerly breeze was blowing and the yachts encountered a somewhat heavy sea. At ten minutes past 2 Betty was sighted from Eckernfoerde Bay, historically famous for the destruction of the Danish man-of-war Christian VIII by a Holstein battery in the war of 1848. Betty, 92 tons, came in first at 2.46, and receives the Emperor’s prize. Brynhild, 153 tons, was second; Cecily (sic), 96 tons, third; Charmain, fourth; and the German yacht Muecke, fifth.
The Empress sailed in her yacht Iduna, but did not take part in any race. The Emperor easily won his race in the Meteor. Five torpedo-boats followed in her wake. The Hohenzollern has just steamed in here, and their Majesties will pass the night on board the Imperial yacht. Some 60 yachts are now lying in the harbour. To-morrow there will be an open handicap race over the same distance back to Kiel, and yachtsmen will be interested to see whether any of the English boats can beat the Meteor. There was a splendid sunset this evening. The wind is north-easterly. At 9 o’clock the Emperor landed, accompanied by a small suite, and spent upwards of an hour at a symposium which was being held by the yachtsmen at a local hotel.”
THE TIMES - Wednesday 2 August 1899 - “YACHTING - THE COWES REGATTA - QUEEN’S CUP - The Royal Yacht Squadron opened their four days’ programme yesterday with the race for the Cup, which the Queen presents every year to the Squadron. The weather was beautifully fine with a light but steady breeze from the eastward. Seven entries were received, and, as usual, the competing craft represented the three different types of yacht rig; cutter, yawl, and schooner. The race was won by the German Emperor’s Meteor, which beat the Prince of Wales’s celebrated cutter Britannia by 1min. 34sec, after giving her a time allowance of ten minutes, over a course which the wind caused to be a run and a beat….. All the other vessels were outpaced and outclassed, but the comparatively small Betty, last year’s winner, sailed a meritorious race and is undoubtedly a fast boat in the genuine cruiser class… The Prince and Princess of Wales and the Duke of York sailed on the Britannia and the Duke and Duchess of Connaught sailed on Satanita… HER MAJESTY’S CUP for all yachts belonging to the Royal Yacht Squadron; old Queen’s Course, starting from the Castle to Lymington Spit Buoy, thence to the Bullock Buoy and back to the Castle once. The entries were:- Britannia - Cutter, 95.77 rating, The Prince of Wales; Meteor - Yawl, 92.39, The German Emperor; Satanita - Yawl, - -, Sir Maurice Fitzgerald; Rainbow - Schooner, 114.53, Mr. C.L. Orr-Ewing, M.P.; Betty - Cutter, 92 tons, Mr. J. Gretton, jun., M.P.; Roseneath - Schooner, 54 tons, Mr. A.W. Fulcher; Cetonia - Schooner, 203 tons, Lord Iveagh
The Meteor allowed Rainbow 3min., Satanita 9min., Britannia 10min., Betty 28min., Cetonia 45min., and Roseneath 1h. 18min.
The competing yachts all carried full light weather canvas… Meteor was first over the line, with Britannia close up on her weather. Rainbow, to weather of the leaders, was lying third; Roseneath and Betty followed a little way astern, with Satanita and Cetonia last… As they neared Egypt Point the wind, which at the start was almost dead aft, drew slightly off the island shore… In the run on the western ebb, Meteor established a slight lead, but could not really draw away from Britannia. Rainbow kept her place in the first three; Satanita soon passed both Roseneath and Betty and ran into fourth place… The times round Lymington Spit Buoy were:- Meteor 10h.45m.10s; Britannia 10h.45m.12s; Rainbow 10h.45m.25s; Satanita 10h.47m.0s; Betty 10h.49m.51s; Cetonia 10h.50m.12s; Roseneath 10h.53m.50s.
It was a fetch on the starboard tack from Lymington to Gurnard and short boards through Cowes Roads… Betty was some distance behind Satanita… The times at the Bullock Buoy were:- Meteor 1h.50m.30s; Britannia 2h.6m.0s; Satanita 2h.16m.3s; Betty 2h.31m.4s.
As the yachts bore round the mark, mainbooms were squared off to starboard and spinnakers set to port for the run home. On the run home no alteration took place in the position of the yachts, except that Roseneath was again the last boat. The finish was timed as follows:- Meteor (winner) 3h.44m.6s; Britannia 3h.55m.50s; Satanita 4h.12m.44s; Betty 4h.33m.28s; Cetonia 5h.29m.43s; Roseneath 5h.59m.5s.”
THE TIMES - Friday 18 August 1899 - “YACHTING - RACES FROM COWES TO WEYMOUTH - Two Channel matches from Cowes to Weymouth were sailed yesterday under the burgee of the Royal Dorset Yacht Club…. The class boats were lumped together, and raced under Y.R.A. time allowances, and the cruisers were handicapped … The weather was all that could be desired. A strong north-westerly breeze blew the greater part of the day. The wind later on got more westerly, and the yachts were thus given a long fetch past the Needles in the beginning, and a beat in the second part of the course…. Class II - MATCH for yachts exceeding ten tons, Thames measurement. Prize, cup value £50, given by the Royal Dorset Yacht Club. Entries:- Brynhild, yawl, 153 tons; Maid Marion, yawl, 72 tons; Betty, cutter, 89 tons; Namara, yawl, 102 tons; Creole, cutter, 54 tons; Roseneath, Schooner, 52 tons.
Brynhild allowed Maid Marion 18min. 45sec., Betty 19min. 30sec., Namara 20min., Creole 24min., and Roseneath 59min.
A start was made at 9 o’clock with the class boats. Creole was first over the line, with Brynhild, Betty, Roseneath, Namara, and Maid Marion in the order named. Brynhild, keeping to the island shore, gradually drew ahead, Betty being a good second over on the north shore. When the leading craft passed the Needles, Roseneath was a long way astern. All the boats went outside the shingles. In the beat at the latter part of the race Maid Marion stood in too close to the shore in Lulworth Bay, and touched the bottom, remaining fast for about a quarter of an hour. Roseneath was becalmed for some time, and did not finish until long after the others. The finishing times were:- Brynhild (winner) 2h.52m.0s; Namara 3h.20m.27s; Betty 3h.20m.48s; Creole 3h.33m.26s; Maid Marion 3h.53m.22s. Roseneath not timed.”
