[Illustration: Start of 25-tonners, Royal Thames Yacht Club, from Greenwich, 1848.]
[Illustration: 'Phantom,' 25 tons, R.T.Y.C., 1853.]
[Illustration: 'Cygnet,' 35 tons, built by Wanhill, 1846. Winner of Queen's Cup, R.Y.S., 1849; of Queen's Cup, R.T.Y.C., 1851.]
Such, in bare outline, is a rough history of the oldest yacht racing club in existence. It is epitomised from a larger work on the same subject, which has been our labour of love for some years, and we hope that the book will be published to the world at some future time.
Perhaps one of the most sporting clubs on the Thames or elsewhere is the Royal Corinthian Yacht Club, which has its headquarters at Erith. This, the original Corinthian Club, was formed in May 1872; but several other clubs have since been started at various ports, and have copied the title with the affix of the place to which they belong.
During the first year some 200 members were enrolled, but the number rapidly increased, and the club has now close upon 500 members, and possesses a valuable freehold club-house standing in an acre of ground on the banks of the Thames at Erith. The house includes a large club-room, nearly 70 feet long, a committee room, and a bunk-room for the use of members wishing to sleep there. Underneath are extensive stores, with twenty large sail lockers, each capable of holding the gear of a 20-tonner. These are let to members at 30s. per annum. There is room in the grounds for any number of the smaller fry which are not too heavy to be hauled over the wall, and they have a good snug berth here for the winter.
The classification of the yachts for racing purposes does not extend to anything exceeding 20-rating, and for this size of vessel only one paid hand is allowed. The remainder of the crew, including the helmsman, must be members of the club.
In the first year or so of the club's existence the racing was mostly confined to the smaller classes, and the 5-ton 'Arrow,' at that time head of her class, was a frequent competitor. About this period the 'Adèle' and the 'Ada' were in the Thames. These gave way in turn to the 'Virago,' 6 tons, 'May,' 6 tons, and the 'Alouette' and 'Freda,' each 5 tons. The 10-ton 'Zephyr' then came up into the river, and had some hard tussles to save her time from the smaller vessels; and Major Lenon's 'L'Erie,' 10 tons, also competed occasionally with success. In the larger class 'Dudu,' 'Torch,' 'Ildegonda,' 'Surge,' 'Aveyron,' 'Sweetheart,' 'Dione,' and 'Nadejda,' gave some good racing, and one memorable day, when all the above but 'Ildegonda' and 'Torch' sailed a race in a gale of wind, in company with the yawl 'Dryad,' nearly every yacht in the race had some mishap to gear, 'Dryad' and 'Dione' being dismasted.