LAKE WINDERMERE YACHTS.
Len Windermere yachts are somewhat peculiar in form, as will be seen from the accompanying sketch of the Truant, owned by Mr. W. B. Forwood.
The ',fashion of immersing the counter, it appears, arose some six or seven years ago out of an intended evasion of the rule of measurement, which is simple length between stem and sternpost. The Windermere club, with a view of checking the advantages gained by immersion of counter, supplemented the rule by a condition that the counters abaft the sternpost should not exceed 6ft. 6in. in length.
We imagine that the advantages of getting an excess of length by immersing the counter were discovered in this way : The Windermere craft more or less bore by the head, " shoulder," and consequently carry a very great deal of weather helm. Hence they were being continually trimmed by the stern, and always with some advantage ; and thus it was realised that an immersed counter is an advantage if length cannot be obtained in any other way without paying a penalty for it.
The Windermere yachts are mostly distinguished for their fine weatherly qualities, and it is believed by good judges that no other craft in the world of similar length are so good to windward. They are sailed with great boldness, of course ; and there need be no fear of sailing them too hard, so far as danger is concerned, as, owing to the great weight they have on the keel, it would be impossible to capsize them.
These boats are the safest that could be built, as they are really uncapsizable ; and if wholly decked in, no mishap need ever happen with them, further than the breaking of spars and bursting of gear. They can, moreover, be handled single handed, as there is very little gear to work : but the principal feature that should command the attention of the nervous is their almost absolute safety. Men are continually inquiring for a boat that will not capsize, or one that will not sink ; but, whilst it is easy enough to make a small boat unsinkable, it is practicably impossible to make one uncapsizable—we mean, of course, a 20ft. boat of the ordinary type. Now a small yacht built and ballasted like either of the designs we give would be uncapsizable, and it might easily be made unsinkable by having a water-tight bulkhead forward and aft. Of course, if carelessly sailed, such boats might get knocked down nearly on their beam ends, and, if the crew got scared, or were not careful where they had put their hands and feet, they might get a header ; but the yacht, directly the pressure on her sails had passed, would right herself. Of course it would
be nothing but the result of gross carelessness if a yacht did get knocked down on her beam ends; as in the case of squalls the boat should be lulled, and the jib sheet, if necessary, eased. It will not do to wait until the squall actually knocks the boat over; she must be eased with lee helm directly the first breath of the squall is felt. If the boat gets hove down and loses way, the power of luffing will be gone, and then, if water got into the mainsail, " righting " would be a slow process ; and further, if water got into the hold, and if there were no water-tight compartments, the boat would sink. With such craft as these it is always the proper thing to do to ease the head sheets first, and not the aft sheets, as by easing the latter the power for luffing is reduced, and by the head sheets it is increased.
Mr. W. B. Forwood, owner of the Truant, writing upon the sailing qualities of these craft, says : " The Windermere yachts are rigged as sloops, with pole masts. We have found by experiment that they go to windward much faster with one large jib than with two smaller sails. This, I know, is contrary to the general opinion on the subject ; but there is no doubt whatever that the yachts are closer-winded with one jib than they are with jib and foresail. When sailing on a wind the main sheet is hauled in as taut as it can be got, the boom forming the smallest possible angle with the keel. The helmsman stears by the luff of the jib, and, as the boats are very sensitive, they require most careful steering. Very heavy squalls are frequent, and they come down from the mountains without warning and with great fury. The boats are always sailed through these squalls, but are eased a trifle with the helm, so that they do not take the full weight of the wind; great care, however, is taken that they are not eased so much as to lose way. The squalls are generally " revolving," and if the boats were permitted to stop they would probably be taken next moment aback ; so they are kept going to keep steerage way on, and follow the wind round. If a squall be very black and heavy, the jib sheet is eased a trifle, so as to luff quickly ; but the main sheet is never in such cases started.