separate cutter classes, in which there is no time allowance whatever:—
| International Classes approximating to L.W.L. of Yacht. | Corresponding Classes in English Feet. | Limit to Number of Persons allowed on Board during a Race. |
| 23 metres rating. | 75.4 | No limit |
| 19 „ „ | 62.3 | 20 |
| 15 „ „ | 49.2 | 14 |
| 12 „ „ | 39.4 | 10 |
| 10 „ „ | 32.8 | 8 |
| 9 „ „ | 29.5 | 6 |
| 8 „ „ | 26.2 | 5 |
| 7 „ „ | 23.0 | 4 |
| 6 „ „ | 19.7 | 3 |
| 5 „ „ | 16.4 | 2 |
Under the international rule the old trouble of ultra-light scantling in racing yachts has been completely abolished, for all yachts must be built under the survey and classed with one of the three classification societies—Lloyd’s Register of British and Foreign Shipping, Germanischer Lloyd, or Bureau Veritas; and yachts of the international cutter classes enumerated above so built will be classed R., denoting that their scantlings are as required for their respective rating classes. This rule was introduced on the 1st of January 1908; England, Germany, France, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Austria-Hungary, Belgium, Holland, Italy, Spain, Finland, Russia and the Argentine Republic agreed to adopt it until December 31st, 1917. England adopted the new system a year before it formally became international, on the 1st of January 1907.
Racing Yachts Built under the International Rules.—The new rule produced the type of yacht desired—a vessel combining habitability with speed. Amongst the handsomest examples were the German Emperor’s schooner “Meteor” (1909), and the schooner “Germania” (1908), 400 tons or 31½ metres measurement. Class A, both built by Krupp’s at Kiel. German designed, German built, and German rigged and manned, they demonstrated the wonderful strides made by Germany in yachting. A few years before there were not a dozen smart yachts in Germany, and indeed the Kaiserlicher Yacht Club at Kiel was only founded in 1887. The “Germania” holds the record over the old “Queen’s course” at Cowes, having in 1908 sailed it a quarter of an hour faster than any other vessel. Her time over the distance of about 47 to 48 nautical m. was 3 hours 35 min. 11 secs., or at the rate of 13.1 knots. In 1910 Herreshoff built a wonderful racing schooner of A class for the international rules called the “Westward,” and in the races this Yankee clipper sailed at Cowes she proved the most weatherly schooner ever built.
It is interesting to recall some old records of speed over courses inside the Isle of Wight.
| Date. | Yacht. | Distance. | Time. | Remarks. | |||||
| 1858 | The Arrow | 45 miles | 4 h. 19 m. |
| |||||
| 1872 | The Arrow | 50 „ | 4 h. 40 m. | ||||||
| 1872 | Kriemhilda | 50 „ | 4 h. 37 m. | Cutter. | |||||
| 1883 | Marjorie | 50 „ | 4 h. 26 m. | Cutter. | |||||
| 1883 | Samoena | 50 „ | 4 h. 15 m. | Cutter. | |||||
| 1885 | Lorna | 50 „ | 4 h. 14 m. | Yawl. | |||||
| 1885 | Irex | 50 „ | 4 h. 7 m. | Cutter. | |||||
| 1870 | Egeria | 50 „ | 4 h. 27 m. | Schooner. | |||||
| 1875 | Olga | 50 „ | 4 h. 25 m. | Schooner. | |||||
| 1879 | Enchantress | 50 „ | 4 h. 18 m. | American schooner. | |||||
| 1908 | Cicely | 46 „ | 3 h. 43 m. | British sch. | |||||
| 1902 | Meteor | 47 „ | 3 h. 50 m. | American sch. | |||||
| 1908 | Shamrock | 47 „ | 4 h. 0 m. | British cutter, only 75 feet L.W.L. | |||||
| 1908 | Germania | 47 „ | 3 h. 35 m. | German sch. |
In 1907, 1908, 1909 and 1910, 389 yachts were built under the international rules:—A class, 3; 23 metres class, 3; 15 metres class, 15; 12 metres, 21; 10 metres, 33; 9 metres, 17; 8 metres, 88; 7 metres, 46; 6 metres, 144; and 5 metres, 22. The 23-metre cutters “Shamrock,” designed by Fife (1908), belonging to Sir Thomas Lipton, “White Heather II.” (Fife; 1907), owned by Mr Kennedy, and “Brynhild” (Nicholson; 1907), owned by Sir James Pender; and also “Ostara,” 15 metres (Mylne; 1909), owned by Mr W. P. Burton; “Hispania,” 15 metres (Fife; 1909), owned by the king of Spain; “Alachie and Cintra” (Fife) in the 12-metre class, have been amongst the best yachts built for the international rules. During the seasons of 1908, 1909 and 1910 there was splendid sport in England, Germany, France, Belgium, Norway and Sweden, and indeed all over the continent; the yachts were very closely matched, the 15-metres (49.2 ft.), 8-metres (26.2 ft.) and 6-metres (19.7 ft.) proving perhaps the most popular. The national authorities of the countries which adopted the international rules in 1906 have now formed an International Yacht-Racing Union, under the chairmanship of the British Yacht-Racing Association.
YACHT-BUILDING STATISTICS.
The number and tonnage of yachts shown on Lloyd’s Register (1909) as built in the several countries are as follows:—
| COUNTRIES | TOTAL | |||||||||||||||||||
| United Kingdom | British Colonies | Belgium and Holland | Denmark | France | Germany and Austria | Italy | Norway and Sweden | Other Countries | ||||||||||||
| No. | Tons. | No. | Tons. | No. | Tons. | No. | Tons. | No. | Tons. | No. | Tons. | No. | Tons. | No. | Tons. | No. | Tons. | No. | Tons. | |
| Steam and Motor Yachts—Total. | 1,443 | 190,160 | 137 | 3,775 | 76 | 2,454 | 27 | 5,498 | 182 | 6,745 | 86 | 6,602 | 20 | 427 | 37 | 1,648 | 286 | 66,107 | 2,294 | 283,418 |
| Sailing Yachts— Total. | 3,151 | 57,510 | 271 | 3,231 | 129 | 2,643 | 106 | 1,911 | 347 | 4,062 | 647 | 6,884 | 49 | 571 | 305 | 3,899 | 269 | 13,298 | 5,274 | 94,009 |
| Grand Total. | 4,594 | 247,670 | 408 | 7,006 | 205 | 5,097 | 133 | 7,409 | 529 | 10,807 | 733 | 13,488 | 69 | 998 | 342 | 5,547 | 555 | 79,405 | 7,568 | 377,427 |
American yachts of 75 gross registered tons and upwards are included under “Other Countries”; the number of these yachts built in America is 248 of 67,119 tons.
In 1909, in the United Kingdom, from January to May, the time of the year when yachts are generally constructed, there were building, or built, 27 steam yachts of 3471 tons, and 28 sailing yachts of 963 tons; this includes only yachts of 10 tons and upwards. Excluding the small craft built in America, particulars of which are difficult to obtain, there were on the register 7568 yachts with a tonnage of 377,427. In 1887 there was a total of about 3000 yachts on the register with a tonnage of 132,718. Since that date, therefore, in round figures, 1500 had been added to the number and more than 100,000 tons to the tonnage. This fact seems to show clearly the extension of the pastime of yachting.
The America’s Cup.
This international trophy was originally a cup given by the Royal Yacht Squadron at Cowes, Isle of Wight, on the 22nd of August 1851, for a race open to all yachts, with no time allowance of any kind, the course being “round the Isle of Wight, inside the No Man’s buoy and Sand Head buoy and outside the Nab.” Fifteen vessels took up their stations off Cowes and started from moorings. In the table on the following page are the names of the competitors.
The fleet started at 10 o’clock. At the No Man’s buoy the yachts were in a cluster, “Volante” leading, then “Freak,” “Aurora,” “Gipsy Queen,” “America,” “Beatrice,” “Alarm,” “Arrow” and “Bacchante” in the order named. The other six brought up the rear, and the “Wyvern” returned to Cowes. Passing out to the
