3-017-004 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The Yacht Matches in the Thames: Royal London Yacht Club, May 30: the cutters off Southend, 1864. Astarte; Volante; Surf. 'The vessels which started were: the Surf, 54 tons, belonging to Mr. G. Harrison; Volante (59 tons), owner Mr. H. C. Maudslay; Astarte (75 tons), owner Mr. T. Seddon; Vindex (45 tons), owner Mr. A. Duncan; and Banshee (53 tons), owner Mr. J. Jones...The Surf was built by Fife last year...The Volante was built by Harvey in 1851...The Astarte is a new iron vessel, built by Messrs. Day and Co...The Vindex is of iron, built last year at Millwall...The Banshee is a new vessel, built of steel, at Liverpool...After clearing the high ground at Gravesend, the wind freshened (it was a south wind) and the Astarte ran past the Banshee and up to the Volante; but, in attempting to bear away and pass to leeward, she ran into the slack above the Ovens buoy, and lost a hundred yards. The Surf was about the same distance ahead of the Volante till, off Mucking, the latter ran up and tried to pass to leeward, but could not. Off Thames Haven, the Astarte ran up to the Volante, and passed her to leeward...These three fine vessels, tearing furiously through the water, and heeling down till their bulwarks were buried in foam, made a splendid sight'. From "Illustrated London News", 1864.