[Illustration: 'Feeling it' off the Ferry.]
The Windermere Club takes precautions to ensure as much as possible real, well-contested races, and like the 'Water Wags' at Dublin has definite club measurements, thus:--
(_a_) Length of yacht on load-water-line, from fore side of stern to after side of rudder post, shall not exceed 20 ft., and the total length from fore side of stern to extreme end of counter shall not exceed 25 ft. 6 in., and no part of stern above or below water shall or sternpost below water shall project beyond the 20-ft. gauge. A yacht shall be considered to be on her load-line when she lies adrift from her moorings in smooth water, without crew, with all sails set and racing gear on board.
[Illustration: Royal Windermere Yacht Club. A fair start.]
(_b_) Beam (extreme outside measurement) shall not be less than 6 ft. 6 in. without beading or moulding.
(_c_) The draught of water shall not exceed 5 ft. 6 in. when the yacht is on her load-water-line.
(_d_) The yacht shall show at least one-quarter of an inch of her rudder-post clear of the water when on her load-water-line.
(_e_) No part of the counter shall intersect a triangle or the produced perpendicular thereof shown on p. 186. Base 5 ft. 6 in. on load-water-line produced perpendicular 1 ft. 4 in. from water.
(_f_) The length of mast from deck to trunk or end of pole shall not exceed 26 ft. 8 in. Bowsprit from fore side of mast to extreme end shall not exceed 19 ft. in length. The boom from aft side of mast to the end shall not exceed 18 ft. 6 in. and the gaff (measured parallel to the boom) shall not exceed 16 ft. 8 in. in length. It shall, however, be optional to have a boom 22 feet in length from aft side of mast to the end, provided that the gaff does not exceed 15 ft. in length. Topsail yard shall not exceed 18 ft. 9 in. in length.
(_g_) Hoist of mainsail from thimble to thimble 16 feet.
(_h_) From deck to pin of jib halliard sheave or pin of block shall not exceed 23 ft. 9 in.
(_i_) Mast from deck to pin of topsail sheave shall not exceed 25 feet 9 inches.
[Illustration: Smart breeze for racing, Windermere.]
(_j_) No yacht shall have less than 32 cwt. of ballast, and no ballast shall be carried inside of yacht.
