Oyster News 52 - Oyster Yachts

‘ Of medium build and
height, Lord Amherst is
an affable, good looking
man in his 60s. Roly
Franks, a sailing friend
describes Amherst as
"an eminently suitable
person." Another of
Amherst’s sailing crew
says he is charming, a
perfect diplomat, "a
center of stimulation
who never dominates
’
30 www.oystermarine.com
The Yacht Squadron is, in fact, the hub of all
matters having to do with yachting on the
Solent Channel because it is located on the
most northerly bulge of the shoreline of Cowes
town on the Isle of Wight. At high tide, the
Squadron’s waterside foundations are awash in
the Solent, and with deep water carrying to
within 100 feet of its mossy stone exterior, The
Castle is the perfect stationary end of an allpurpose
starting line. To race in the Solent, that
busy body of tidal water separating the Isle of
Wight from Britain’s south coast, start here.
Henry VIII built the original structure in 1539
as part of his coastal defence system.
Originally a round block house flanked by two
rectangular wings, with semi-circular
battlements facing the Solent and a
protective stone wall running along the back
of the grounds, it has been expanded over
the years. A large, colorful flower garden dips
steeply to a wooden fence along the
waterfront. An elegant glass pavilion is
perched proudly on the crest of the lawn,
facing the sea. The original structure still
resembles a little fort, but its single, two-story
tower carries the visual signature of a castle,
the name that has stuck for centuries.
Like any good fortification, The Castle looks
formidable. Its guns were only fired in anger
once, during the Civil War in 1642, and there
are no indications those rounds did any
damage. But its very presence deterred those
who might consider acts of aggression in the
1500s, and it served as an American
command center for the D-Day invasion.
Today it effectively presents an impenetrable
facade to all but the 1000 yachtsmen and
women who can boast membership of one
sort or another (only 475 can vote in Club
matters). Exclusivity is one thing, but castles
conjure murky moats, drawbridges, and
casks of boiling oil dumped from above.
I first laid eyes on the Royal Yacht Squadron
in September of 1979, 24 years ago to the
month. The Castle was the focal point of a
confusion of boats wrestling with nasty, short
waves kicked up by strong wind against a
wicked current - a typically gray, blustery day
on the Solent. Rapid Red Funnel ferries were
jetting cars and people back and forth to
Southampton to the north. Tankers and
freighters were steaming in and out to and
from all parts of the world. A thousand small
boats, gathered for the annual Cowes Week
Regatta, had introduced chaos. And a
hundred or so ocean yachts were preparing to
start a race around Fastnet Rock off Ireland
that would claim the lives of 15 sailors.
From the deck of the maxi, Kialoa, as we
prepared to start the Fastnet Race, I studied
The Castle through binoculars. Aside from its
unique architecture, what I remember best is
the cadre of nattily attired officials who were
manning the battlements, ties snugged into
the stiff collars of white shirts, double
breasted blazers buttoned, visored military
caps in place over sober faces, backs
straight as ram rods. This was our race
committee. The other vision was the
gleaming row of polished cannon (that once
armed HMS Royal Adelaide) fanned out on
the semi-circular stone patio below the
barbican. A fellow in a sailor suit fired one of
them, and we were off, some of us for good.
Over our sandwiches, Lord Amherst
recounted squadron history, how "The Yacht
Club," as the Squadron was first known, was
founded in 1815; how the first Commodore,
the Earl of Yarborough, served for 20 years;
how the Prince Regent became a member in
1817, and three years later when he became
George IV, "Royal" was added to the
Squadron’s name. With that distinction came
the authority to fly the Royal Navy’s white
ensign. "Originally," Amherst said, "the club’s
sailing involved following naval procedures
and patterns. Yachts would go out and
emulate naval manoeuvres on the command
of the Commodore. If an owner could find a
naval frigate to engage in a speed duel it
was his lucky day. If he overtook the naval
vessel, chances are the Admiralty would