Boating New Zealand Boat Reviews
Reviews
Boating New Zealand News
News
Boating New Zealand Sports
Sport
Boating New Zealand Lifestyle
Lifestyle
BOAT-REVIEWS-MOBILE
Boat Reviews
BOAT-NEWS-MOBILE
News
BOAT-SPORTS-MOBILE
Sports
BOAT-LIFESTYLE-MOBILE
Lifestyle
HomeFeaturesThe 2½ raters of the 1890s

The 2½ raters of the 1890s

In Vintage View last month I took the reader through the rating rules for yachts to the final blossoming of the Length and Sail Area Rule, sometimes called the Seawanhaka Rule, in the late 1880s. At last the plank-on-edge rule-cheating freaks were outmoded and wholesome, sea-kindly fast yachts were encouraged. So, the year 1890 brought with it a dramatic change in the shape, efficiency and beauty of racing yachts driven by the scientifically-derived designs of Nat Herreshoff, G. L. Watson, A.E. Payne and William Fife III, amongst many others.

Bookmark post
Bookmarked
Bookmark post
Bookmarked

New Zealand was by no means a backwater in yacht design and construction in 1890. The new ideas had been spread rapidly around the world by publications like the books of British Naval Architect Dixon Kemp (from 1876), the English Badminton Library (from 1885) and the American Rudder magazine (from 1891).

The local students of design, Prof. R.J. Scott, John Waymouth Sr and his sons John Jr. and O.B. (‘Noll’), Robert Logan and his sons John, Robert Jr. and Arch, and Charles Bailey Jr eagerly took up the exciting new design principles.

In England, and in the US, fleets of yachts in various rating classes were springing up. In England a popular class by 1890 was the ‘2½ rater’, rating 2½ by the formula, expressed confusingly in ‘tons’. Typically, a 2½ rater was a keel yacht of 35 feet on deck, 25 feet lwl, 8 feet beam and with a sail area of 500 square feet. Some outstanding designs were produced which provided close racing plus the ability for the owner to cruise in relative comfort and safety – just the boat for the New Zealand conditions and purse.

The Waymouths’ Yum Yum

By 1892 this country was emerging from the Long Depression of the 1880s caused by the Vogel Government’s excessive spending on infrastructure in the preceding decade. There was an ever-increasing optimism and affluence under a stable and progressive Liberal Government. All sections of society had more time for leisure and more money to spend on recreation. Yacht construction accelerated exponentially in the main New Zealand ports, with Auckland in the forefront, stimulated by its easy access to fine kauri timber and the Hauraki Gulf at its doorstep.

As mentioned in the last issue, John Waymouth Sr had considerable influence in yachting circles at this time through his position with the Auckland Yacht Club. He was a great fan of Nat Herreshoff, whose landmark design Gloriana, a 70-footer of 1891 built to the new rule, was the talk of the international yachting world.

In July 1892 the Auckland press contained reports of three new 2½ raters being built locally, causing great excitement among Auckland sportsmen, particularly since a batch of new 5 raters had been also announced. I will deal with the 5 raters in future articles.

These three 2½ raters were:

Gloriana – John Logan Jr was the nominal builder and first owner, but she was built by the three older Logan brothers at Devonport. This was to get over the ban on ‘professionals’ owning and skippering yachts, untainted by their employment by their father, boatbuilder Robert Logan Sr, but was
a precursor to the boys setting up on their own soon after. Gloriana was a tribute to Nat Herreshoff in both name and design, for she was almost an exact half-scale model of the American yacht, measuring 34’/24’6”/6’10”/5’4” and to Hell with scale effects except, of course, her rig was scaled down. Construction was frameless two-skin diagonal in standard Logan fashion and she had the Herreshoff yacht’s new-fangled ‘clipper bow’. She was the first of the trio, launched in late November 1892 and was ready in time to take part in the Auckland Yacht Club ‘evolutions’ on 8 December. She rated 2.72.

Rogue – A few hundred yards away from the Logans’ shed on the Devonport foreshore, Charlie Bailey Jr. built Rogue in his spare time at home, allegedly by candlelight after doing five and a half days’ work a week for his father Charles Bailey Sr. She too was launched in time for the AYC evolutions. She was similar in style to Gloriana but a slightly smaller boat, measuring 32’/26’/6’8”/6’ and rated 2.35. Her nominal first owners were Fred Russell and Charles Bailey Jr, to get around that professional ban.

Yum Yum footing it fast on a lead

Yum Yum – John Waymouth Sr designed his 2½ rater. The NZ Herald of October 22, 1892 reported: “The complete novelty of design embodies Herreshoff’s latest designs… it is quite unlike anything built in NZ.” The Auckland Star called her “of most peculiar model”. Waymouth’s son Oliver, ‘Noll’, was reported as her builder at “Hobson Street Wharf” which was the yard of his older brother John Jr, a professional boatbuilder. Oliver was an accountant living at Ring Terrace, St Mary’s Bay. Clearly, as with Gloriana and Rogue, the Waymouths were avoiding the professional ban too.

Yum Yum’s dimensions were 36’/24’/9’3”/4’7”. She rated 2.32. While her hull was considered radical enough, her rig was treated with some wonder. Gloriana and Rogue were conventionally rigged as gaff cutters, but Yum Yum, in the current fashion of some prominent English small raters, sported a standing lug mainsail and a single balanced headsail with a yard at the foot like a pond yacht.

Again, it was anticipated that she would be ready for the AYC evolutions and the important Judges Bay Regatta on December 15, 1892. Unfortunately, John Waymouth Sr died suddenly in the first week of December. As a result, Yum Yum’s launch was delayed until December 30. She missed the Waymouths’ much-anticipated debut at the AYC evolutions and the Judges Bay Regatta.

In the meantime, Gloriana and Rogue had clashed at Judges Bay. Gloriana, although entered by John Logan, a crack skipper himself, was sailed by the famous helmsman, fisherman Ike Hunt, an indication of how important the Logans perceived the event. Rogue was sailed by Charlie Bailey Jr. Gloriana won hands down and, in fact, was never beaten by Rogue.

Yum Yum had a short shake-down cruise over Christmas. On the way back from Mahurangi she had a ‘go’ with Rogue and beat her home by half an hour. Probably because of her strangeness, a mystique rapidly grew up about her which persists to this day. She was universally expected to do wondrous things in future racing. Sadly, this never happened. By December 1893 the Observer was saying: “She is a bit of a failure as a racing yacht. She has just added another last to her list”.

In the Judges Bay Regatta that month, December 1893, she sprang her mast. The opportunity was taken to re-rig her; the mast was shifted two feet aft. The Waymouths then reckoned she could take on Gloriana. It was never to be. O.B. Waymouth sold Yum Yum to Davey Carter. She dropped out of the mainstream 2½ rater races but had occasional success in the ‘cruisers’ class.

Meanwhile, Gloriana, raced by one or other of the Logan boys, added victory after victory, unchallenged by Rogue, which also drifted off into the ‘cruisers’ races.

As the 2½ rater field narrowed it was augmented by conventional yachts, mainly straight-stem, counter-stern types which happened to rate about 2.5. The most outstanding of these was Corinna, built by the Logan Brothers and launched on January 24, 1893. Her hull form was similar to Jessie Logan, but with a conventional built-down keel. She was near enough a twin to the famous May Belle, built by the Logan brothers as the fishing craft Robina at about the same time. May Belle remained competitive as a racing yacht into the 1950s. Corinna was owned by P. Miller of Ponsonby but was usually sailed by Robert Jr. and Arch while their brother John raced Gloriana.

Interest in this exciting new development had spread throughout the country. In January 1893 the NZ Herald announced that no less than three 2½ raters were to be built in Lyttelton, one by Miller of the yacht Pastime, one by Sinclair of the yacht Mascotte, and the third by a Canterbury syndicate which had commissioned a design from G.L. Watson. It is a shame that nothing came of these grand plans, which might have laid the foundation of healthy class racing in the southern port.

The spartan interior of Rogue.

Back in Auckland, Gloriana’s exploits became legendary. She started the 1893-4 season by winning the opening AYC 2½ rater race, her class in the Ponsonby Regatta and the Judges Bay Regatta in December, “spread-eagling the opposition”, said the Observer.

In early 1894, the Logan brothers shipped her to Wellington on the Talune and won the Wellington Anniversary Regatta second class race, on January 22, starting the race only minutes after being put over the side of the ship. Admittedly, the only real opposition was the old ex-Waymouth war-horse Mapu and the schooner-bowed Charles Bailey Sr-built four-tonner Mahina of 1891. Smartly shipped back to Auckland, Gloriana won her class in the Anniversary Regatta on January 29. As an exercise in publicity for the Logan yard, it was brilliant.

Back a few months, in September 1893, Charles Bailey Jr. had announced he was building a fourth 2½ rater Daisy, for William Lind of Devonport, to be “faster than Rogue” and slated to beat Gloriana.

She was three-skin diagonal-build and measured 35’/25’/7’9”/5’6”, rating 2.77. She hit the water on December 23, 1893, on the same tide and alongside the 64-footer Viking, from Charles Bailey Sr’s yard. Understandably, Daisy was somewhat overshadowed by her glamorous big sister.

Her first race was the 1894 Anniversary Regatta which, as we have seen, was won by Gloriana. She pushed Gloriana hard but was three minutes behind at the finish. She was not yet the boat to lower the flag of the Logan flyer.

Charles Bailey Jr’s Rogue.

So ended the 1893-94 season. Gloriana was still unbeaten. Rogue and Yum Yum were fading away and Daisy had shown only fleeting promise.


Next month Seven more Auckland 2½ raters arrive during the next two seasons. The pace quickens.

SHARE:

Related Articles

Comments

This conversation is moderated by Boating New Zealand. Subscribe to view comments and join the conversation. Choose your plan →

This conversation is moderated by Boating New Zealand.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here

Harold Kidd
Harold Kidd
Harold is the Author and co-author of several books on the history of New Zealand yachting and columnist for Boating NZ.
A lifelong interest in vintage and sporting cars, motor-cycles, aircraft and classic yachts.
Harold was Educated at Devonport School and Takapuna Grammar, admitted to bar 1959, graduated Auckland University College B.A. LL.B. 1960, practiced on the North Shore since 1965 in the fields of property, trusts and commercial law particularly.

More from Boating New Zealand

SV La Vagabonde Damaged In Col...

Australian Adventurers, Yachts-man & woman, and YouTuber's Riley and El...
Boat WorldNewsNews

World’s First Electric Hydrofo...

Over in Sweden, at 7:15 a.m. on a crisp Tuesday morning, Nova set...
Boat BusinessNews

Katoa, a Given 14.5m Sailing C...

The Katoa project began 15 years ago in a 18m x 10m shed on the couple’s Da...
Boat ExperiencesFeaturesOctober 2024

Kiwi’s Cruising Through ...

The Zanzibar coast, with its mix of culture, energy, and seaside beauty, is...
FeaturesNewsThe Norwoods World Tour

Conrad Colman: The Resilient A...

Conrad Colman - A Life Shaped by the Sea Conrad’s early years were...
Introduction and Warm UpNewsSport

This Year Has Marked a Milesto...

The Fort Lauderdale International Boat Show (FLIBS) 2024 celebrated its 65t...
2021International Boat Shows

Follow Us

Weekly Newsletter

Stay up to date with the latest developments shaping New Zealand's Boating world.

Social Media

Follow us on social media to stay in the loop with the latest trends and news shaping New Zealand's boating scene!

HOT OFF THE PRESS

SV La Vagabonde Damaged In Collision – Damage ‘extensive’

Australian Adventurers, Yachts-man & woman, and YouTuber's Riley and Elayna, with their kids Len...
Boat WorldNewsNews

World’s First Electric Hydrofoil Ferry Takes Off – Lake Manapōuri Soon!

Over in Sweden, at 7:15 a.m. on a crisp Tuesday morning, Nova set off from Tappström, a qu...
Boat BusinessNews

Katoa, a Given 14.5m Sailing Catamaran

The Katoa project began 15 years ago in a 18m x 10m shed on the couple’s Dairy Flat property. Most c...
Boat ExperiencesFeaturesOctober 2024

Kiwi’s Cruising Through the Zanzibar Coast: Sunsets, Socials, and Surprises

The Zanzibar coast, with its mix of culture, energy, and seaside beauty, is a magical spot for cruis...
FeaturesNewsThe Norwoods World Tour

Conrad Colman: The Resilient Adventurer Setting Sails and Standards

Conrad Colman - A Life Shaped by the Sea Conrad’s early years were filled with ocean storie...
Introduction and Warm UpNewsSport

Events Worth Adding to Your Calendar

Have an event you'd like to list on Boating New Zealand. Contact us with the details.

Catch all the action of the Louis Vuitton 37th America's Cup, happening from 22 Aug to 27 Oct 2024 in Barcelona, Spain. Follow along with excitement at Boating New Zealand.

FISHING

Stabicraft Te Anau Manapouri Fishing Classic, 25 - 27 Nov 2024 in Te Anau Manapouri

Extreme Boats Fishing Tournament, 29 & 30 Nov 2024 in Whitianga

NZ Lure Masters (Catch, Measure and Release competition), 3 & 4 Oct 2025, New Zealand wide

REGATTAS

NZ Match Racing Championships, 14 - 17 Nov 2024 in Auckland

Beneteau Owners Rally, 23 Nov 2024, Auckland to Kawau

Sir Peter Blake Torbay Regatta, 30 Nov - 1 Dec 2024 at Torbay Sailing Club

Rolex Sydney to Hobart, 26 Dec 2024 starts in Sydney, Australia

New Zealand Sail Grand Prix, 18 & 19 Jan 2025 in Auckland

NZ Millenium Cup, 1 - 4 Feb 2025 at Waitemata Harbour

Toyota Youth International Match Racing Cup, 26 Feb - 4 Mar 2025 in Auckland

PIC Insurance Brokers Coastal Classic, 24 Oct 2025 TBC from Auckland to Russell

JET BOAT RACING

UIM World Jetsprint Championships, 25 Jan -2 Feb 2025 at Wanaka (25 & 26 Jan) and Wanganui (1 & 2 Feb)

2024 Golden Homes NZ Jet Boat Marathon, 2025 dates TBC on Southland Rivers (Oreti, Waiau and Mataura)

National Jet Boat Rally 2024, 2025 date TBC at Oliver Road, Bendigo (near Cromwell)

WATERSPORTS

Yamaha Rollo's Marine Bridge 2 Bridge, 8 - 10 Nov 2024 Staged on the Waikato River between Cambridge & Taupiri, based in Hamilton, New Zealand

NON-MOTORISED SPORT

Waka Ama - 2025 National Sprint Championships, 12 - 18 Jan 2025 at Lake Karapiro, Cambridge

Waka Ama - 2025 Secondary School Nationals, 24 - 28 Mar 2025 at Lake Tikitapu, Rotorua

COMMUNITY

NZ Retro Boats Lake Tarawera Gathering, 16 Nov 2024 at Hot Water Beach, Lake Tarawera, Rotorua

Bay of Islands Cruiser's Festival, 20 - 23 Nov 2024 at Bay of Islands Marina, Opua

The New Zealand Sailing Trust 5 Day Sail, 13 - 17 Jan 2025 starting in Auckland

Auckland Boat Show, 6 - 9 March 2025 at Viaduct Events Centre and Jellicoe Harbour, Auckland

The Hutchwilco New Zealand Boat Show, 15 - 18 May 2025 at Auckland Showgrounds, Auckland

Lake Brunner Classic Boats Get Together, TBC Oct 2025 at Moana

Whangārei Maritime Festival, TBC Oct 2025 at the Whangārei Town Basin

ADVENTURES AT SEA

Features

Kiwi’s Cruising Through the Zanzibar Coast: Sunsets, Socials, and Surprises

The Zanzibar coast, with its mix of culture, energy, and seaside beauty, is a magical spot for cruis...
The Norwoods World Tour

Stone Town, Zanzibar Aug 2024

This is the (liberal) English translation of an old Norwegian classic. And annoyingly, this ear-worm...
Features

Gods And Goats, Not All What They’re Hyped Up To Be

I’m not privy to the details of what my sister said in her prayer to Thor with regards to the weathe...
The Norwoods World Tour

When A Series Of Unfortunate Events Force An Unexpected U-Turn

Saturday a week ago we went to drop off a rental car we had hired to take my sister back to the airp...
One Family’s Boating Journey

One Family’s Boating Journey; That sinking feeling

What a shocking end to our summer! We never saw this plot twister coming!

NEWS TIPS?
Send your photos, videos, stories, and tip-offs to ahoy@boatingnz.co.nz or call us on 022-023-7507.

BOATS FOR SALE