ENGLISH YACHTING.

Dominion, Volume 3, Issue 871, 18 July 1910, Page 8

ENGLISH YACHTING.

AN ILLFATED YACHT. . While the first-class cutter Brynhild, owned by. Sir James Pender, was engaged racing at- Harwick her . mast broke off above the deck, crushing the top sides to leeward, and in falling punched right through the bottom on the weather side. The yacht sank in four minutes. • The foundering-of the first-class cutter Brynhild (says the London "Standard") is the most serious casualty recorded in the annals of the sport, and the sympathy of yachtsmen all over the country will'be extended to Sir James Pender in the loss of his fine vessel. Throughout her, career the hand of misfortune has pressed heavily upon the cutter, which must have proved a great disappointment to her sporting owner.. When the yacht was first launched in 1907 sho hung upon the ways, a fact that caused superstitious old "salts" to gravely wag their heads and prophesy disaster, and Brynhild has certainly ,been an ill-fated craffc. When she was put afloat it was found that her waterline-marks were immersed, and to, bring her within rating a large quantity of lead had to be removed from her keel, rendering her unduly "tender." Brynliild's first season was a particularly disastrous one. On her way to the starting line for the opening match, one of , tho hands fell from the topmast and was killed, a fatality that caused the cutter to miss tho Thames races. When she made a belated appearance the form of Brynhild was most, disappointing,, aud subsequent racing only tended to confirm the first impression that the yacht was a failure. After the Irish regattas she returned to . hor builders' yard to havo her sail area reduced, and some of the lead that had been removed restored to her keel. Au improvement was wrought .by these alterations, and Brynhild contrived, to win a race/but her season was brought to an abrupt termination by a second fatality. While the vessel was rounding tho Warner Lightship 'on the last day'of Cowos..Week in a strong wind and rough sea, a hand was _ washed overboard and drowned, causing Sir James Pender to cancel his vessel's remaining engagements. :