1909 Burnham Regatta

MARINE MOTORING
BRITISH MOTOR-BOAT CLUB

The annual Burnham regatta of the British Motor-Boat Club was begun yesterday and will be continued to-day. The entry this year is larger than ever before. Yesterday’s programme consisted of five events, for which there were 44 entries, and nearly all the competitors put in an appearance.

The first race was started at 10:30, and was for cabin cruisers, the first prize being a silver cup presented by the club. These boats were entered, namely Mr. L. M. Waterhouse’s Major, Mr. E. H. White’s Lethe, and Mr. D. Hepworth’s Satanella. The last names, which is fitted with engines of 53 h.p., as against Lethe’s 15 h.p. and Major’s 25 h.p., was scratch, having to allow Major 35min. 18sec., and Lethe 49min. 30sec. The course was from he Mussel Bank below Burnham round the West Buxey buoy and back, a distance of 14.6 sea miles. The corrected times of finish were:--

Lethe (winner) 11:41:9; Major 11:51:6; Satanella 12:27:39

The second race was for motor-boats with a cylinder capacity not exceeding 800 cubic inches. The course from the Mussel Bank to a mark below the mouth Reach and back, six times around, a distance of about 30 sea miles. The first boat in took the Bestic Challenge Cup and miniature, while the commodore gave a cup for the boat winning on Marine Motor Association’s rating and time allowance; there was also a silver medal given by the club for the second fastest boat. The entries were:--

The start was at 10:45. The scratch boat finished first and took the Bestic Cup, while Defender II won the Commodore’s Cup on time allowance, Lucinha taking the medal for the second fastest boat. The corrected times of finishing were:--

Defender II (winner on M.M.A Rating) 11:57:41; Secret 12:10:42; Lucinha (second fastest time) 12:13:14;

Defender I (fastest time) 12:19:39; Bluff 12:24:21

Shrimper and Maple Leaf gave up.

The third race which concluded the morning’s programme, was for motor-boats not exceeding 40ft., over all, and was under M.M.A. rating and time scale. The course was the same as that in the previous race, but only three rounds were sailed, the distance being 15 sea miles. The first prize was the Motoring Illustrated Challenge Cup, the second and third prizes being presented by the club. The following 13 boats entered:--

The start was at 10:45 a.m., all going except Meteorite, Takumono and Camilla. Defender II led across the line by about five seconds after gun fire, followed by Tyreless, defender II, Spitfire, Bluff and Lucinha in the order named. The others were all close together, Sparkle being last away. Baby IV gave up on the first round. Defender II proved an easy winner on her rating. The corrected times of finishing were:--

The fourth race was a handicap for motor-boats exceeding 12 knots, which secured an entry of 15 boats. The first prize was a silver cup presented by the club, while there was also a special silver cup for the fastest boat. The course was three rounds of the Mussel Bank Reach circuit, a distance of 15 sea miles. A good deal of interest was centred in the race, as Lord Howard de Walden’s 600 h.p. Amazon was making its first appearance on the Crouch. The entries were:--

Bluff, Secret, Mitzi II and Camilla I did not start

At the end of the first round Amazon was only half a minute ahead of Baby IV, and so was a long way out of her time. She gave up, having been experiencing engine troubles. The corrected times of finishing were:--

The fifth race was for motor-boats exceeding 25ft. and not exceeding 35ft. over all, under M.M.A. rating and time scale. The course was ten miles and the first prize the "A. J. Wilson" challenge cup and miniature. The entries were:--

Camilla, Meteorite and Secret did not start. Lucinha led away at the start, Tyreless being second and Lotus third. Lucinha led to the finish and won by nearly 2min. The corrected times were:--

Lucinha (winner), 4:23:44; Tyreless (second), 4:25:38; Lotus, 4:29:19.

(Transcribed from the Times of London, Sep. 17, 1909, p. 17.)

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BRITISH MOTOR-BOAT CLUB

The programme for the second day of this club’s annual regatta on the Crouch at Burnham, yesterday was a very interesting one. There was only one match on the card—a race for the 6 ½ to 8 international cruiser racing class. Lucinha (Mr. T. A. Comber) started with an unbeaten record in the class, her only opponent being the French designed and engined Meteorite. The Continental boat, which had had engine troubles on the first day, was again in difficulties and gave up early.

In a handicap sweepstake for motor-boats not exceeding 12 knots Quest (Mr. G. S. Manulle), 60-h.p., with an allowance of 4min. 38sec. From Mr. W. Schmahll’s Spitfire, the scratch boat, won by 15sec. From Takumono, Sparkle being a good third. The handicap sweepstakes for cabin cruisers ended in a win for Mr. P. C. Middleton’s Eclipse, 50-h.p., with an allowance of 29min. 54sec. From Baron von Bissing’s Hova. In the handicap sweepstake for motor-boats exceeding 12 knots Mr. E. Mackay Edgar’s Maple Leaf, 35-h.p., with an allowance of 30min. 57sec., proved first.

The last event of the day was the contest for the international sea mile record for the Motor Boat challenge trophy. The entries were:--

The conditions were that each boat was to make its runs with and against the tide. Amazon did not go, having cracked two of her cylinders, and Meteorite, which was down at the starting line, was in difficulties with her motor, so did not start. Baby IV was thus left as the one competitor. Her mean speed for the six runs worked out at 23.423 knots, while her best run was at the rate of 24.454 knots. The tide was slack.

(Transcribed from the Times of London, Sep. 18, 1909, p. 15.)

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MARINE MOTORING

BRITISH MOTOR BOAT CLUB

A full day’s racing on Saturday brought the three-day regatta of the British Motor Boat Club on the Crouch to a close. Fine weather attended the fixture, which must be reckoned as the most successful ever held by the club. The programme consisted of six events, for which the magnificent entry of 86 was received. A number of boats, however, were absent from various causes. Among these was Lord Howard de Walden’s Amazon, which, having sustained a serious injury of two of the cylinders of one of her engines, had been sent back to Cowes by rail. Mr. J. T. C. Moore Brabazon’s Meteorite, a French-built boat with a Continental motor installed, which was running very irregularly during the meeting, had left the station, while Mr. A. Baker White’s Sphinx was burnt to the water’s edge while on her way around from Southampton to take part in the racing. Mr. T. A. Comber’s Lucinha, which proved very successful on Thursday, was unable to start, owing to a choked fuel supply, and other troubles kept Mr. D. Hepworth’s Shrimper and Mr. C. F. Parson’s Mitzi II out of the racing. A notable feature of Saturday’s proceedings was the first appearance of Mr. E. P. Maxstead Robinson’s Two Step, a hydroplane with a 15-h.p. Coventry-Simplex motor, which is expected to drive the craft at a speed well over 20 knots. She, however, was in trouble with her engine, and did nothing sensational.

Details:--

Handicap for cabin cruisers. First prize, the Rear-Commodore’s Cup; second prize, £3; third prize, £2. Course, round the West Buxey Buoy and back, a distance of 14.6 sea miles. The entries were:--

Hova and Sphinx did not race. The start was at 10:30 a.m. The limit boat proved the winner, with the back markers Allegro and Eclipse second and third. The finishing times were:--

Handicap for motor-boats not exceeding 12 knots. First prize, a pair of water-colours, painted and presented by Admiral Sir. W. Kennedy, K.C.B.; second prize, £2; third prize, £1. 10 sea miles. The entries were:--

All started at 10:30 a.m. except Éclair. Canada beat the scratch boat home and won, Sparkle being second, and Spitfire third. The finishing times were:--

Handicap Sweepstakes for motor-boats and hydroplanes exceeding 20 knots. Course 15 sea miles. The entries were:--

Start at 12 o’clock. Two Step stopped for long periods on two occasions, and was, of course, easily beaten. Times:--

Baby IV (winner), 12:40:56; Two Step, 1:08:33

Flying Mile Championship Race. First prize, B.M.B.C. gold medal; second prize, £3. The entries were:--

Only Baby IV and Defender I competed. They were started at 2:30 p.m., both crossing the line, almost beam for beam. Six seconds after gun fire. Baby IV at once began to draw out ahead, and won by 7 2-5sec. The times were:--

Baby IV (winner), 2:32:42 2-5; Defender I, 2:32:49 4-5.

Handicap for motor-boats exceeding 12 knots. First prize, silver cup, presented by the Rear-Commodore of the Burnham Yacht Club (Mr. Oswald B. Colls); second prize, £5; third prize, £3, presented by the Burnham Yacht Club. The entries were:--

The start was at 2:45 p.m. and a number of boats were absentees. A good race was timed as follows at the finish:--

All-Comers Handicap. First prize, the Vice-Commodore’s cup; second prize, £2; third prize, £1. Course, 10 sea miles.

The start was at 4:30 p.m.. The handicap worked out fairly closely, there being two instances of two boats finishing a dead heat on corrected times. The finish was:--

A handicap for motor dinghies and launches not exceeding six knots for the Vice-Commodore’s cup and other prizes was won by Mr. Mawdsley Brooke’s Babs, Mr. G. H. Truefitt’s Coquette being second, and Mr. H. E. Barley’s Gipsy Girl third. In a private match over five sea miles, Mr. R. N. Fairbanks’s Camilla I beat Mr. Percy Wright’s Canada.

(Transcribed from the Times of London, Sep. 20, 1909, p. 14.)

{This regatta marked the first appearance of the series of boats known as Maple Leaf, which in a few years would be the chief British contestants for the Harmsworth Trophy, and holding the trophy from 1912 to 1920. --GWC}

[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page --LF]

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