Britannia racing Navahoe, Valkyrie, Santanita, Calluna and Iverna off Cowes Solent August 1893 - Steven Dews

 

Shown here is the start at midday made under New York Yacht Club rules and without any time allowances. Winds were gale force and both vessels averaged 12.25 knots. By Cherbourg, there was just a 2.5-second lead in favour of Navahoe as both cutters housed their topmasts in the smooth water inside the breakwater. 

 

In this comparative calm, they raced two miles dead to windward, during which Britannia turned a 2-second deficit into a 2.5-minute lead. 

 

In the wild conditions prevailing on the homeward leg, Navahoe nibbled away at this slender lead, and on crossing the line and after time correction, Britannia was a mere 2.5 seconds ahead, and the distance between the yachts was only 300 yards. 

 

An American protest was upheld that the Mark boat was in a different position from at the start and that Navahoe had sailed a slightly longer course. Because of the closeness of the result, Navahoe was awarded the race and the Benton Reef Cup returned to America from where it had been won by Dauntless by Genesta in 1885, also in gale force winds.

 

This Limited Edition Gouttelette Canvas has been printed with lightfast inks onto fine archival-quality cotton canvas, coated with acid-free priming for permanent artwork reproduction.