1908 Oulton-Lowescroft Regatta

British Motor-Boat Club

Although the weather had changed overnight to lowering sunless skies with frequent showers and a herd north-west breeze, the British Motor Boat Club nevertheless opened its third annual three-day Oulton-Lowescroft meeting most successfully on Saturday at Oulton broad. For the three days' sport, which comprised eight races and three gymkhana events, nearly one hundred entries had been received, among which were some half dozen of the fastest boats in British waters. Consequently some very exciting racing was witnessed by the large crowd of spectators on the Wherry-hard and the north bank of the Broad, although the squally weather kept several of the smaller craft at their moorings. Furthermore the handicaps worked out exceedingly well. The leaders in most instances arrived within seconds of each other at the finish. the interest was greatly enhanced by the fact that the allowances in all but the first race were taken at the start. racing began at noon with the most important event of the meeting, the Brooke Challenge Trophy race on the M.M.A. time scale of allowances, for which the entries were:--Mr. Mawdsley Brooke's Brooke II, Mr. L. M. Waterhouse's Scarlet Runner, Mr. O. B. Colls's Fleurette II, the Commodore Mr. W. Miall Green's Takumono, Mr. S. F. Edge's Napier IV, Mr. R. N. Fairbanks's Camilla, Mr. H. A. Hole's Hole I, Messrs. J. D. Paul's Norvic and Dollydo, and Mr. E. S. A. Smith's Olympia. The rear-commodore Mr. F. May's Defender was also entered subject to the committee's consent to waive the length limit 30 feet over all, which they were nevertheless compelled to withhold. The course was laid from the committee boat moored above the Oulton lock buoy out to and five times round a triangle formed by the Carlton Ham buoy, the West buoy, and a mark buoy down the broad above the starting line, with a run back to the committee boat to finish, some four nautical miles in all. Hole I, Camilla, Norvic and Dollydo were not ready and Takumono's motor went amiss just on gunfire. The contest was therefore left to Brooke II (scratch), Fleurette II (4min. 36sec.), Scarlet Runner (5min. 4sec.), and Napier IV (11min. 25sec.), and the last-named just led across from a magnificent start in which a dozen seconds covered the quartette. Immediately, however, Brooke II, leapt into the lead, hard pursued by Scarlet Runner, with Fleurette II running abeam of Napier IV, which she soon overhauled just astern. These positions were maintained to the finish, but the intervals were quickly lengthened considerably, although the comparative shortness and sharp turns of the triangular part of the course prevented the highest speeds being realized. Nevertheless, Brooke II achieved an average speed of 22 1/2 knots throughout. Takumono and Olympia crossed the line, the former returning immediately, while the latter gave up soon after. The times at the finish were:--

 

Allowance

Time

Cor'd Time

Boat

M. S.

M. S.

M. S.

Scarlet Runner (2nd)

5 4

13 49

8 45

Fleurette II

4 36

15 10 2-5

10 34 2-5

Brooke II (3rd)

scratch

10 7 1-5

10 7 1-5

Napier IV (winner)

11 25

16 18 3-5

4 53 3-5

The second race was an open handicap for boats over 20ft. and under 40ft., the prizes being the B.M.B.C. Cup, 2 pounds and 1 pound. However, most of the smaller boats were still absent, so with Takumono's trouble, a defective exhaust box, unremedied, and Brooke II with an ignition coil temporarily amiss, only seven boats started out of an entry of 15, Defender being now scratch boat. The times were:--

 

Handicap

Time

Cor'd Time

Boat

M.

S.

M.

S.

M.

S.

Petrol (winner)

28

45

32

54

32

54

Lavengro (2nd)

26

50

34

55

32

55

Beta (3rd)

20

44

30

38

33

39

Napier IV

7

37

16

46

37

51

Scarlet Runner

2

44

13

47

29

36

Fleurette II

2

33

13

8

30

20

Defender

scratch

11

39

40

24

In the third race, a Handicap for boats not exceeding 20ft. over all for a second B.M.B.C. Cup, 1 pound and 10 shillings, the course was lengthened at the finish by extension to a turn round the Loch buoy. The result was: --

Brooklet (second)

13 56

1 45 22

1 31 26

Noel (winner)

4 15

1 35 19

1 31 4

Betty (third)

scratch

1 37 8

1 37 8

Owing to the rough weather the gymkhana events were postponed until to-morrow. To-day the B.M.B.C. hold two sea races, weather permitting, from Lowescroft Harbour, these being Handicaps for the Club's speed classes over and under 10 knots respectively.

(Transcribed from the Times of London, June 8, 1908, p. 10)

British Motor-Boat Club

The second day's motor-boat racing under the burgee of the British Motor-boat Club took place off Lowescroft yesterday under ideal weather conditions. There were two events on the programme, the racing being watched with interest by a large crowd of spectators on the pier. The first event was an open race for boats exceeding ten knots under M.M.A. rating and time scale. The course was a little over six miles, the vessels going round the marks five times. For this race nine entries were received, and eight vessels came to the starting line. They were Mr. Miall Green's Takumono, 15-hp., Mr. Waterhouse's Scarlet Runner, 36-hp., Mr. F. May's Defender, 54hp., Mr. Oswald Coll's Fleurette II, 35-hp., Mr. Mawdsley Brooke's Brooke II, 100-hp., Mr. Fairbank's Camilla, 25-hp., Mr. H. A. Hole's Hole I, 30-hp., and Mr. S. F. Edge's Napier IV, 20-hp. The start was at 2 30, and, with the exception of Camilla, they all crossed the line. Brooke was the first to cross, just ahead of Fleurette, with Napier close up. Then came Takumono, Defender, Scarlet Runner, Hole, and Camilla in the order named. Brooke, which was the scratch boat on the handicap, soon forged ahead, but was quickly in trouble through her circulating pump's giving out and had to abandon the race before completing the first round. Defender, whose engine was running beautifully, went to the front, followed by Hole, the latter cutting out Fleurette in a manner which shows that she will be a very fast boat when her motor, which was installed only a few days ago, is got into proper working trim. Defender was the leader at the end of the first round.

Camilla gave up through a machinery breakdown and was towed in.

On the second round Hole was in trouble, her skag bracket breaking in half, with the result that the propeller cut a hole in the bottom of the hull. The order now was Defender, Fleurette, Scarlet Runner, Napier, Takumono, the last along way behind. Scarlet Runner and Takumono gave up in the fourth round, leaving Defender, Fleurette and Napier to finish. Napier won the first prize, Defender the second, and Fleurette the third. The finishing times and handicaps were:--

 

Time

Handicap

Cor'd Time

Boat

H. M. S

M. S.

H. M. S.

Defender (2nd prize)

3 9 26

7 25

3 2 1

Fleurette (3rd prize)

3 16 16

13 18

3 2 56

Napier (1st prize)

3 33 2

33 1

3 0 1

The other handicaps were Brooke, scratch; Takumono, 36min. 25sec.; Scarlet Runner, 14min. 38sec., Camilla, 11min. 14sec.; Hole, 16min. 24sec.

The second race was an open handicap for motor-boats not exceeding ten knots, the course being eight sea miles. The start was at four o'clock, the time allowances being taken at the beginning of the race. This meant that Mr. Brooke's Cruiser was sent away first, the others following in the order named at the specified intervals:--Mr. Watton's Petrol, 4hrs. 8min. 27sec.; Mr. Bullen's Edith, 4hrs. 11min. 55sec.; Mr. Hutchinson's Lavengro, 4hrs. 12min. 8sec.; Mr. Dewhurst's Stradella, 4hrs. 15min. 1Osec.; Mr. White's Lethe, 4hrs. 18min. 25sec.; Mr. Stranack's Beta, 4hrs. 19min. 50sec. The finishing times were:--

 

H. M. S.

 

H. M. S.

Beta (winner)

5 2 18

Stradella

5 10 43

Cruiser (second)

5 6 16

Petrol

5 25 35

Edith (third)

5 7 48

Lethe

gave up

Lavengro

5 8 3

   

A sweepstake handicap was afterwards arranged between the Takumono, Napier, Scarlet Runner, Camilla, Fleurette, Defender and Brooke. The winner was Takumono, with Defender second and Fleurette third.

(Transcribed from the Times of London, June 9, 1908, p. 10.)

British Motor-Boat Club

The concluding events yesterday of the British Motor-Boat Club's Whitsun programme at Lowescroft and Oulton Broad were favoured by fine weather. There were three races and a gymkhana set down to be decided on Oulton Broad in the afternoon, but during the morning a race for boat exceeding ten knots took place in Lowescroft South Roads for a cup given by the Commodore (Mr. Miall Green), with a second prize given by the Vice-Commodore (Mr. G. M. Waterhouse), a third by the Rear-Commodore (Mr. F. May), and a fourth by Mr. G. H. Bestic. The course, four rounds, came to about ten and two-thirds sea miles, and the following were sent off at the times given: --Takumono, limit boat, Mr. Miall Green, 10hrs. 30min.; Camilla, Mr. R. N. Fairbanks, 10 hrs. 33min. 40sec.; Napier IV, Mr. S. F. Edge, 10 hrs. 34min. 45sec.; Scarlet Runner, Mr. Waterhouse, 10hrs. 43min. 20sec.; Fleurette II, Mr. Oswald Colls, 10 hrs. 47min. 58sec.; Defender, Mr. F. May, 10 hrs. 54min. 5sec., Brooke II, Mr. Mawdsley Brooke, 10 hrs. 58min. 48sec.

Mr. Brooke's new racer went splendidly, but she could not save her handicap. The result was a win for Defender at 11hrs. 24min. 31sec. Fleurette II was second at 11hrs. 25min. 42sec. Scarlet Runner was third at 11hrs. 25min. 49sec. Napier IV was fourth at 11hrs. 26min. 10 sec. Camilla, 11hrs. 26min. 58sec.; Brooke II, 11hrs. 30min. 17sec.

In the afternoon at Oulton Broad, in a race for the Oulton Broad regatta Cup and two prizes, Scarlet Runner won, Napier IV being second, and Fleurette II third. In the handicap for boats not exceeding ten knots, for the British Motor-Boat Cup and two prizes, Mr. May's Dorothy was returned the winner, Mr. Stanack's Beta being second, and Mr. F. Miller's Monarch third.

In the third race for the big craft Defender was first, followed a second later by Camilla, Fleurette II being third two seconds later. The gymkhana was abandoned.

(Transcribed from the Times of London, June 10, 1908, pp. 10, 16.)

[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, 2001