3-028-199 - The Print Collector/Heritage Images

The International Yacht-Race: the Cambria weathering the Sappho off Bonchurch, 1870. '...the third and final race between the American yacht Sappho, belonging to Mr. Douglas, and the British yacht Cambria, owned by Mr. Ashbury, resulted, like the two former races, in the victory of the Sappho...The course was to be a triangular one - that is, along three sides of a triangle, the total length being sixty miles...[starting at the Nab lightship, off the east end of the Isle of Wight]...The whole interest of the race as a trial of sailing qualities in the yachts, and of skill in their commanders and crews, was confined to the first or windward course. Here the Cambria, in repeated short tacks along the Isle of Wight shore, kept the weather side of the Sappho, hanging close to her, and once even crossing her bows, as they met on opposite tacks under the Bonchurch cliffs...In the third course, returning to the Nab, the winning yacht made use of a failing breeze, and came in a quarter before nine in the evening; while the Cambria was becalmed, and had to be fetched by a steamer. Mr. Ashbury's yacht has, nevertheless, quite fulfilled the best expectations of her performance'. From "Illustrated London News", 1870.