1911 Harmsworth Trophy
Marine Motoring
The British International Cup
The necessity for altering the conditions and rules of the British
International Cup has been apparent for some time and the matter was discussed
after the last race for the cup un August, 1910, at Larchmont, U.S.A. Since that
time negotiations have been carried on by the Motor Boat Club of America and the
Royal Motor Yacht Club, and the following conditions have now been agreed upon
by the Motor Boat Club of America (the holders), the donor, and the Royal Motor
Yacht Club as trustees:
- The trophy shall be for International competition, and the trustees of
the trophy shall be the Royal Motor Yacht Club of Great Britain.
- The trophy shall be competed for in every year, and at such time and
place as hereinafter appears.
- There shall not be more than three boats representing each country.
- Boats representing a country shall be selected by the recognized club of
that country. The recognized club of Great Britain and Ireland shall be the
Royal Motor Yacht Club; the recognized club of France shall be the
Automobile Club de France; the recognized club of Germany shall be the
Kaiserlichter Yacht Club; the recognized club for the United States shall be
the Motor Boat Club of America. If there shall be any dispute as to what is
the recognized club of any country other than those named above for the
purposes of this race, the trustees shall decide, and their decision shall
be absolutely final.
- Each competing boat shall be constructed wholly in every respect in the
country it represents.
- No limitation shall be placed on the form or description of the motive
power employed, provided that the motive power is wholly mechanical, and
also provided that its propelling mechanism acts only in or against the
water.
- Each Boat shall carry not fewer than two hands, of whom the helmsman
shall be a member of the competing club, and all hands shall be natives or
naturalized subjects of the country which they represent.
- The recognized club of the country holding the trophy for the time being
shall make all the necessary arrangements for the holding of the race, and
shall bear the cost relating to such arrangements.
- The race shall be run under the Racing Rules of the Association
Internationale de Yachting Automobile, except that where the said racing
rules conflict with these conditions, or with the rules hereinafter set out,
or with any modification of such rules made hereafter, the latter shall
prevail.
- Rules affecting the conduct of the race and restricting the length and
nature of the course, the measurements and equipments of the boats, size or
horsepower of the engines, and all such rules and regulations as are
necessary for the proper conduct of the race shall be settled by a committee
composed of one representative of the Royal Motor Yacht Club, one
representative of the donor, and one representative of each of the
recognized clubs of the countries which competed in the last previous race
for the trophy. In the event of any alteration in the rules being required
or necessary, such alteration shall be made within three months of the last
race, or before a challenge has been received by the country holding the
trophy, whichever period shall be longer. No alteration shall be valid
unless agreed upon unanimously by the members of the committee, except where
the only objector is the representative of the country holding the cup, in
which case the question shall be referred to the donor or his representative
for the time being present at the meeting of the committee, whose decision
shall be final.
- All questions and protests arising out of the running of the races shall
be dealt with by an International Commission composed of one representative
of the recognized club of each country competing in the race, and one
representative of the donor. In the case of an equal division of votes the
representative of the donor shall have a casting vote. The proceedings of
the International Commission shall be conducted in the English language.
[Transcribed from the Times of London, Jan. 24, 1911, p.16.]
* * *
Marine Motoring
The British International Cup
Revision Of The Rules
Following up the publications a week ago of the revised conditions under the
deed of gift for the British International Cup, the Royal Motor Yacht Club has
now issued the new rules for the contest.
One of the most important features is that instead of one race for the trophy
there are there are in the future to be at least two, or as many more races as
may be necessary until a country has won twice. This is plainly the outcome of
the 1910 contest, in which the Duke of Westminster’s Ursula, although by
far the fastest boat competing, lost through a mishap. As the contest was then
decided on the one race, however, America retained the trophy.
Another important rule states that challenges may be sent from any properly
constituted motor yacht club, motor boat club, yacht club, or automobile club;
but eliminating trials, should they be necessary, will be held by the recognized
club of the country concerned. This was foreshadowed in the revised conditions,
which stated that boats representing a country should be selected by the
recognized club of that country.
In the revised rules, a copy of which has been supplied to us, the following
provisions are included:
- The races shall be run between June 1 and October 1 in each year.
- In the event of no challenge having been received by the recognized club
of the country holding the trophy, or before March 1, no race shall take
place during that year. In no case shall the races take place within five
months of the receipt of the first challenge.
- The length of the course shall be not less than 25 nor more than 35
nautical miles, and shall be arranged so as to avoid any angle in the course
of less than 120deg., and there shall be a distance of at least 100 yards
between any two marks. The length of each round shall not be less than five
nor more than eight nautical miles.
- The only limitation of the size of the competing boats shall be the
overall length of the hull, which shall not exceed 40ft.
- There shall be no restriction on the number, size, or horse-power of the
engines or motors, except that each boat taking part in any race shall
contain and be fitted with such mechanical power as will drive her astern at
a rate of speed not less than four knots in still water.
[Transcribed from the Times of London, Jan. 31, 1911, p. 18.]
* * *
Marine Motoring
The British International Cup
A Challenge
The Royal Motor Yacht Club has forwarded to the holders, the Motor-Boat Club
of America, a challenge for the British International Cup for motor-boats.
One of the boats representing the English Club will be Mr. Mackay Edgar’s
Maple Leaf IV, which is being built by Messrs. Dixon Brothers and Hutchinson
to designs by Sir John Thornycroft.
Last year the trophy was retained by the American club after a keen struggle,
in which the Royal Motor Yacht Club was represented by the Duke of Westminster’s
Pioneer and Mr. Dan Hanbury’s Zigorella.
[Transcribed from the Times of London, Feb. 16, 1911, p. 15.]
(Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page —LF)
Hydroplane
History Home Page
This
page was last revised
Thursday, April 01, 2010
.
Your comments and suggestions are appreciated. Email us at wildturnip@gmail.com
© Leslie Field, 2005