Page:Twentieth Century Impressions of Hongkong, Shanghai, and other Treaty Ports of China.djvu/263

Rh introduced into the Colony. This Club gave a very decided fillip to yachting, and thirteen yachts gathered round the commodore's yacht, varying in rating from '34 to loo. For the smaller class of boats shorter courses were necessary, and the new Club's first race was over a 12-mile course. In the following year this Club seems to have been reconstituted and merged into the Hongkong Yacht Club, and still another new class of boats, from i'3 to i'4 rating, was introduced. An attempt was made in 1892 to sail these small vessels round the island, but as the Hon. Mr. K. H. May, C.M.G., says in his book on " Yachting in Hongkong," " The experience of the helmsmen was such that the Club has, up to the present, wisely decided not to have another." So far, and carry a sail area of 450 square feet. They are easy to handle, are admirable sea boats, and possess a fine turn of speed. The Championship class continued to im- prove and reached the highest point it has yet attained in iyo2, when the Dioiic and Vernon (still the champion yachts in the harbour) were launched. The yachts were designed by the late Mr. A. E. Payne. They vary from 22 to 21 feet on the water-line, have a beam of about 6 feet and a depth of about 4 feet 6 inches, with a sail area of from 530 to 550 square feet, and are known as 24-linear raters. They have proved them- selves to be splendid yachts, but the expense attached to them has proved an insuperable obstacle to the formation of a large fleet, and only three boats in all have been built. brings the sail down with a run, and to take in a reef all that is needed is to loosen the halyard and lower the sail as far as is requisite. The boom crosses the mast and is made fast with a piece of rope which prevents it falling on deck when the hal- yard is loosened, but still allows sufficient play for hauling in or paying out the sail. The sail is hauled up by means of the halyard. In a full-sail breeze these boats bowl along merrily and have been known to outstrip the finer-built yachts. Kacing takes place on Sundays, though endeavours have been made since 1902 to have the races decided on Saturdays. It is worthy of passing comment that although golf in the public recreation grounds and yachting in the harbour are allowed on Sunday by the authori- H. K. C. Y. C. apparently, no championship events had been sailed, but in 1892 a series was commenced which has been continued up to the present day, and no doubt the efforts of the commo- dore (Mr. F. H. May) were in large measure responsible for this new departure. In the previous season the Admiralty warrant for Hying the Blue Ensign was granted to the Club, and, later on, permission to adopt the title of " Royal " was received. Championship races proved extremely interesting and the class was well established, but still another design — known as the one-design class — was introduced. The fleet now numbers five (in all seven were built), and the design was made by the late Mr. A. E. Payne. These boats are about 31 feet over all, about 6 feet in beam, have fin keels and fin rudders, with approximately 17 cwt. of lead on the keel, Mr. May's Dioiic won the championship in 1903, 1905, 1906. and 1908, losing to Mr. H. P. Tooker's Vernon in 1904 and 1907. In addition to the yachts already referred to, there is a type of racing craft peculiar to Hongkong, known as the Chinese-rigged sea- going cruisers, and these are ideal boats for week-end trips round the neighbouring islands. In addition to being fairly speedy, they are splendid sea boats and roomy. The Kukubnrra (late Dorothy) was the pioneer of the class. She is 54 feet long, 12 feet in beam, and draws only 3 feet 10 inches. She contains a spacious cabin, pantry, and lavatory, has accommodation for a crew of five, and carries a dingey on davits. One of the most striking features of this type of vessel is the ease with which it can be handled in ordinary weather by two men. A simple slackening of the halyard ties, cricket, tennis, &c., are forbidden on the public recreation grounds. Rather a fine dis- tinction is thus made. Though the one-design class of the Royal Hongkong Yacht Club are inexpensive as yachts go, both as regards initial cost and up- keep, only a few enthusiasts patronised the type, and in 1904 it became apparent that a new and cheaper type was necessary. This led to the formation — or revival — of the Corinthian Yacht Club. Messrs. E. M. Hazeland and M. Mclver, both of whom are keenly interested in yachting, were the founders of the Corinthian Club and introduced the type of boat known as the Severn one-design. These little boats are only 19 feet long, with a good beam. They are somewhat "tubby" in appearance, and the sail area is limited to 250 square feet, but with even this restricted area a good speed is