The royal racing cutter BRITANNIA lags well astern (left) of the two 'J' class yachts. This was the first race for Thomas Sopwith's new, blue hulled ENDEAVOUR (K.4) in a season which culminated in her voyage to Amerca to face for the America's Cup against RANGER. Her Captain was George Williams of Hamble, Hampshire, with a crew from that village and from Rowhedge, Brightlingsea, West Mersea, Tollesbury and the south coast. The steel hulled and steel masted ENDEAVOUR was designed and built by Camper and Nicholsons at Gosport as a development of the similar VELSHEDA, owned by Woolworth chairman W.L. Stephenson. VELSHEDA was then skippered by Captain William Randall of Hythe, Hampshire with a crew from the Solent and Rowhedge, Brightlingsea and Tollesbury.
The bermudian rigged 'J' class were introduced in 1930, when Britain adopted this American racing rule for existing and future large racing yacths. At the same time America adopted the International Yacht Racing Union metre class rules for smaller yachts, particularly 8 and 12 metres. The length of 'J' class yachts was around 129 feet, similar to the earlier large racing cutters, but sail area was reduced from 10,000 square feet (or up to 14,000 in some cutters of the 1890s) to around 7,500 square feet. Reduction of area and easier handling of bermudian rig reduced the crews from 30 or 35 to about 19 men, including Captain, first mate, second mate, about 15 hands, a steward and the focsle cook/caterer; all of whom were prime racing sailors brought up in the sports traditions and usages, each with his recognised and well drilled racing duties. For instance, the cook and steward usually handled the jib topsail sheets when racing; hard work in strong winds.
The yachts set high cut staysails and 'long roper' jib. The cotton mainsails were of heavy canvas and in this light following wind, the near vertical leaches will not stand. Even so, these big racers are moving at surprising speed, probably 9 knots and with spinnaker books out are preparing to set spinnakers and square away. ENDEAVOUR has a complication; the small lugsail dinghy in the path of her boom is shortly to be caught and dismasted. The cluster of hands at her mast are hastily setting up the topping lift, to the helmsman's extreme annoyance. Went snapped the complete sequence, to the enraged dinghy sailors being caught by the mast and surging along at the speed of the great cutter - until the dinghy's mast gave way.
Both yachts have survived and in 1977 ENDEAVOUR lies unrigged and in a mud berth in the river MEDINA, Isle of Wight awaiting restoration. VELSHEDA, after thirty years as a houseboat in the Hamble river, is refitting for cruising. BRITANNIA was sunk in the English Channel in 1936, following the wishes of King George V after his death the old yacht should be disposed of far from souvenir hunters. [JL]
Plate.26 in SWW.
Used in The Sailor's Coast, page 60 (without inset photo).
[The inset photograph is not identified.]
K.4 is ENDEAVOUR, K.7 is VELSHEDA
Date: 1934

Photo: John Leather Collection - Douglas Went
Image ID BOXB5_013_016
Category 2 Places-->Harwich