1910 Erith Regatta
British Motor Boat Club
The opening meeting of the British Motor Boat Club was held at Erith yesterday, when four events were decided. The entries numbered 21, and all with the exception of Mr. E. Mackay Edgar’s Maple Leaf put in an appearance. In the first race for the club’s new 21-footer class Mr. Mawdsley Brooke’s Babs II gained an easy win over Mr. E. Atkinson Smith’s Etukishook. The Motor Club’s challenge trophy was won by Mr. H. Norfolk’s Tabasco, and the handicap by Mr. F. May’s Defender II, which beat Baby V by 8sec. Details:--
Handicap for cabin cruisers. First prize B.M.B.C. silver cup; second prize, £2; third prize, £1.
Entires: Major, Mr. L. M. Waterhouse, 21 H.P.; Allegro, Mr. W. N. McClean, 25 H.P.; Splash, Mr. A. J. Wilson, 21 H.P.
Allegro was at scratch and allowed Splash 9min. 44.4sec, and Major 19min. 26sec. Major was first across the line 15sec. after the gun fired. Allegro being last nearly a minute late. The scratch boat was led home by Splash by over 5min. The finish was:--
| Boat | Time |
|---|---|
| Splash (winner) | 11:49:05 4-5 |
| Allegro | 11:54:28 4-5 |
| Major | 12:19:28 2-5 |
* * *
Race for B.M.B.C. 21-ft class. First prize B.M.B.C. silver cup. Course 12 sea miles. Entries:--Etukishook, Mr. E. Atkinson Smith; Babs II, Mr. Mawdsley Brooke.
Start 11 a.m. Etukishook was first over the line, but at the end of the first round Babs II led by 2min. 8sec. Babs II increased her lead on the second and third rounds and won easily in the end.
Times: Babs II (winner) 11:51:16 2-5; Etukishook 12:01:38 3-5
* * *
Race for motor boats exceeding 10 knots under M.M.A. rating and scale. Course 18 sea miles. First prize, Motor Club challenge trophy (value 100 guineas) and miniature; second prize £6; third prize £3.
Baby V was at scratch and allowed Defender II 9 min. 45 sec., Maple Leaf 32 min. 9 sec.; Tidia 29 min. 33 sec.; Etukishook 53 min. 15 sec., and Tabasco 70 min. 13 sec. Start 2.15 p.m. Maple Leaf did not go. Baby V led across the line 1sec. after the gun, closely followed by Tabasco, Tidia, Defender II, and Etukishook, the last-named being 29 sec. late. Soon after the start Defender II stopped, but she got going again and made a good race of it for the first place. Baby V lost a lot of time through engine troubles, while Etukishook lost about half an hour through her steering gear going wrong. In the end Tabasco won by over a couple of minutes with Defender II second and Etukishook third. The times were:--
| Boat | Owner | Power | Finish time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tabasco (winner) | Mr. H. Norfolk | 16 H.P. | 4:05:08 |
| Defender II (second) | Mr. F. May | 30 H.P. | 3:06:21 1/5 |
| Etukishook (third) | Mr. E. Atkinson Smith | 10 H.P. | 4:06:41 |
| Baby V | Mr. Mawdsley Brooke | 100 H.P. | 3:15:31 |
| Tidia | Mr. W. H. Smith | 15 H.P. | |
| Maple Leaf | Mr. E. Mackay Edgar | 35 H.P. |
* * *
Handicap Sweepstakes for motor-boats. Course, six sea miles.
Defender II was at scratch, Maple Leaf and Allegro did not start.
| Boat | Owner | Power | Finish time |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defender II (winner) | Mr. F. May | 30 H.P. | 4:30:43 |
| Baby V (second) | Mr. Mawdsley Brooke | 100 H.P. | 4:31:01 3-5 |
| Tidia (third) | Mr. W. H. Smith | 15 H.P. | 4:44:49 |
| Babs II | Mr. Mawdsley Brooke | 15 H.P. | 4:47:03 3-5 |
| Sparkle | Mr. T. Desnos | 12 H.P. | 4:52:39 2-5 |
| Field Lily | Mr. E. P. Blois | 10 H.P. | 5:17:48 |
| Major | Mr. L. M. Waterhouse | 21 H.P. | 5:21:07 |
| Splash | Mr. A. J. Wilson | 21 H.P. | |
| Maple Leaf | Mr. E. Mackay Edgar | 35 H.P. | |
| Allegro | Mr. W. N. McClean | 25 H.P. |
(Transcribed from the Times of London, June 11, 1910, p. 18.)
[Thanks to Greg Calkins for help in preparing this page — LF]