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BOATING
BOATING
PRINTED BY SPOTTISWOODE AND CO., NEW-STREET SQUARE LONDON GENERAL VIEW OF HENLEY REGATTA ( Frontispiece ) BOATING BY W. B. WOODGATE WITH AN INTRODUCTION BY THE REV. EDMOND WARRE, D.D. AND A CHAPTER ON ROWING AT ETON BY R. HARVEY MASON Title Page: Sculler WITH NUMEROUS ENGRAVINGS AFTER FRANK DADD AND FROM PHOTOGRAPHS LONDON LONGMANS, GREEN, AND CO. 1888 All rights reserved...
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DEDICATION TO H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES.
DEDICATION TO H.R.H. THE PRINCE OF WALES.
Badminton : March, 1887 . Having received permission to dedicate these volumes, the Badminton Library of Sports and Pastimes , to His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales , I do so feeling that I am dedicating them to one of the best and keenest sportsmen of our time. I can say, from personal observation, that there is no man who can extricate himself from a bustling and pushing crowd of horsemen, when a fox breaks covert, more dexterously and quickly than His Royal Highness; and that when hounds
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PREFACE.
PREFACE.
A few lines only are necessary to explain the object with which these volumes are put forth. There is no modern encyclopædia to which the inexperienced man, who seeks guidance in the practice of the various British Sports and Pastimes, can turn for information. Some books there are on Hunting, some on Racing, some on Lawn Tennis, some on Fishing, and so on; but one Library, or succession of volumes, which treats of the Sports and Pastimes indulged in by Englishmen—and women—is wanting. The Badmi
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Erratum.
Erratum.
Page 119, line 19, for Bodleian read Radleian....
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Introduction
Introduction
As parts of human life and practice the out-of-door games and amusements with which Englishmen are familiar have had a long course of development, and each has its own history. To trace this development and history in any particular case is not always an easy task. Most of the writers who deal with these subjects treat the ‘Origines’ in a summary fashion. Not a few ignore them altogether. The Topsy theory, ‘’spects it growed,’ is sufficient. And yet if it be possible to deal more philosophically
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THE RISE OF MODERN OARSMANSHIP.
THE RISE OF MODERN OARSMANSHIP.
HENLEY COURSE (BETWEEN RACES). Written records of rowing performances in the last century are but scarce. In 1715 Mr. Doggett, comedian, founded a race which has survived to the present day—to wit, ‘Doggett’s coat and badge’ (of freedom of the river). ‘Watermen’ have to serve as ‘apprentices’ for seven years, during which time they may not ply for hire on their own account, but only on behalf of their masters. When they have served their time they can become ‘free’ of the river, on payment of ce
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SCIENTIFIC OARSMANSHIP.
SCIENTIFIC OARSMANSHIP.
If a thing is worth doing at all it is worth doing well, whether it be undertaken in sport or as a means of livelihood. The first principles of oarsmanship may be explained to a beginner in a few minutes, and he might roughly put them into force, in a casual and faulty manner, on the first day of his education. In all pastimes and professions there is, as even a child knows, a very wide difference between the knowing how a thing is done and the rendering of the operation in the most approved and
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COACHING.
COACHING.
For reasons which were set forth at the commencement of the chapter on scientific oarsmanship , the very best oar may fail to see his own faults. For this reason, in dealing with the methods for detecting and curing faults, it seems more to the point to write as addressing the tutor rather than the pupil. The latter will improve faster under any adequate verbal instruction than by perusing pages of bookwork upon the science of oarsmanship. A coach may often know much more than he can himself per
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THE CAPTAIN.
THE CAPTAIN.
The captain of a boat club is the most important member of it, from a practical point of view. In some clubs, as with the Universities, he is nominally as well as practically supreme—is president as well as captain. In clubs on the Thames tideway, such as Leander, London, Thames, and as in the Kingston club higher up river, there is a president elected as the titular head of the club, but that functionary is chiefly ornamental, to add dignity to the society, and to instil sobriety into its counc
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THE COXSWAIN AND STEERING.
THE COXSWAIN AND STEERING.
The ‘cock-swain’ wins his place chiefly on account of his weight, provided that he can show a reasonable amount of nerve and skill of hand. A coxswain is seldom a very practical oarsman, although there have been special exceptions to this rule, e.g. in the case of T. H. Marshall, of Exeter, Arthur Shadwell, of Oriel, and a few others. But if he has been any length of time at his trade he very soon picks up a very considerable theoretical knowledge of what rowing should be, and is able to do very
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SLIDING SEATS.
SLIDING SEATS.
When sliding seats were first used they completely revolutionised oarsmanship, and caused old coaches whose names were household words to stand aghast at the invention. The best use of them was but imperfectly realised by those who first adopted them; and many of the earliest examples of sliding-seat oarsmanship were sufficiently unorthodox, according to our improved use of them in the present day, to justify the declaration of more than one veteran whose opinion was always respected that—’if th
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FOUR-OARS.
FOUR-OARS.
The fewer the number of performers in a boat the longer does it take (with material of uniform quality) to acquire absolute evenness of action. This may seem paradoxical, but none the less all practical oarsmen will, from their own personal experiences, endorse the statement. It has been said that it takes twice as long to perfect a four as an eight, twice as long to perfect a pair as a four, and twice as long to perfect a sculler as a pair. This scale may be fanciful, but it is approximately tr
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PAIR-OARS.
PAIR-OARS.
More than one master of oarsmanship has declared that good pair-oar rowing is the acme of oarsmanship. Just as there are fewer oarsmen who can do justice to a four-oar than to an eight, so when we come to pair-oars we find still fewer performers who can really show first-class style in this line of rowing. Much as watermanship is needed in a four, it is still more important to possess it when rowing in a pair. One, or even two men, out of a four-oared crew may be what would be considered bad wat
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SCULLING.
SCULLING.
Sculling needs more precision and more watermanship than rowing. The strongest man only wastes his strength in sculling if he fails to obtain even work for each hand. A pair-oar requires more practice to bring it to perfection than any other boat manned by oars, but a sculler requires considerably more practice than any pair of oarsmen. Strength he must have in proportion to his weight, if he is to soar above mediocrity, but strength alone will not avail him unless he gets his hands well togethe
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BOAT-BUILDING AND DIMENSIONS.
BOAT-BUILDING AND DIMENSIONS.
The ‘trim built wherry’ of song has been improved off the face of the Thames. Originally it was purely a passenger craft: it contained space for two or more sitters in the stern, and was fitted for two pair of sculls or a pair of oars at option. Larger wherries were also built, ‘randan’ rig (for a pair of oars with a sculler amidships, or three pairs of sculls at option). Such boats were the passenger craft of the silent highway before steamers destroyed the watermen’s trade. When match racing c
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TRAINING.
TRAINING.
That ‘condition’ tells in all contests, whether in brain labours such as chess matches or in athletics, is known to children in the schoolroom. Training is the régime by means of which condition is attained. Its dogmas are of two orders: (1) Those which relate to exercise, (2) those which refer to diet. Diet of itself does not train a man for rowing or any other kind of athletics. What trains is hard work; proper diet keeps the subject up to that work. The effect of a course of training is twofo
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ROWING CLUBS.
ROWING CLUBS.
The formation of a ‘club’ for the pursuit of any branch of sport gives a local stimulus at once to the game, and lends facilities for the acquisition of merit in the performance. This is peculiarly the case with rowing, and for more than one reason. Theoretically a man might, by unaided scientific study, elaborate for himself the most improved system or principle of oarsmanship. Practically he will do nothing of the sort, and if left to teach himself will develop all sorts of faults of style, wh
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THE AMATEUR, HIS HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION.
THE AMATEUR, HIS HISTORY AND DESCRIPTION.
The old theory of an amateur was that he was a ‘gentleman,’ and that the two were simply convertible terms. The amateur of old might make rowing his sport, so long as he did not actually make it his ostensible means of livelihood. The Leander oarsmen who matched themselves against University crews between 1830 and 1840 did not consider that they lost caste by rowing for a stake. In 1831 Oxford and Leander rowed at Henley for 200 l. a side, with watermen steering them. Much later than this it was
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ROWING AT ETON COLLEGE.
ROWING AT ETON COLLEGE.
The River Thames flows so near the College of Eton that it necessarily affords an attraction to the boys at least equal to the playing fields, and has always been frequented for bathing and rowing as well as other aquatic pursuits. All such amusements have been styled from time immemorial ‘Wet bobbing,’ as distinguished from cricket, which is ‘Dry bobbing:’ the boys who boat are called ‘Wet bobs’ and the cricketers ‘Dry bobs.’ In the good old times, by which we mean the times told of by old men
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WATERMEN AND PROFESSIONALS.
WATERMEN AND PROFESSIONALS.
The London waterman is the oldest type of professional oarsmanship. He was called into existence for the purpose of locomotion, and race-rowing was a very secondary consideration with him in the first instance. Just as in the present day credentials of respectability are required by the Commissioners of Police of drivers of cabs and omnibuses (and none may ply for hire in these capacities within the metropolis unless duly licensed), so in olden days great stress was laid on the due qualification
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LAWS OF BOAT-RACING (THEIR HISTORY, AND RULES OF THE ROAD).
LAWS OF BOAT-RACING (THEIR HISTORY, AND RULES OF THE ROAD).
Laws of boat-racing, until 1872, were variously read by various executives. One rule was common to all, and yet differently interpreted by many an umpire or referee. It was that which related to a boat’s course. The old rule was, that a boat which could take a clear lead of an opponent, and which could cross the proper track of that opponent with such clear lead, became entitled to the ‘water’ so taken. The boat astern had then to change its course, and to take its leader’s vacated course. If th
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WINNERS OF THE WINGFIELD SCULLS.
WINNERS OF THE WINGFIELD SCULLS.
( a ) Resigned. ( b ) The course before this race was from Westminster to Putney, but for the first time it took place from Putney to Kew. ( c ) The course was altered again this year to the present one, from Putney to Mortlake....
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WINNERS AT HENLEY REGATTA.
WINNERS AT HENLEY REGATTA.
( a ) Won on a foul. ( b ) The winners only rowed seven oars in the final heat. ( c ) Cambridge carried away a rowlock soon after starting. ( d ) The fastest on record for the final. ( e ) In the preliminary heat London did the course in 7 min. 12 secs.—the fastest time on record after that date. ( a ) The prize which is now known as the Stewards’ Challenge Cup was not instituted until the following year. ( b ) Worcester College, Oxford, were also entered, but withdrawn. ( c ) Fastest time on re
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OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE.
OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT RACE.
( a ) This was the first race rowed in outrigged eights. ( b ) These races were rowed from Barker’s rails to Putney, about 1,200 yards more than the usual course. Barker’s rails are still marked by a brick pedestal under Middlesex shore. ( c ) This was the first race rowed in keelless boats. ( d ) Sliding seats first used in these races. ( e ) This is the only dead heat ever rowed in this race. Bow in Oxford boat broke his oar....
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UNIVERSITY MEETINGS AT HENLEY,
UNIVERSITY MEETINGS AT HENLEY,
( a ) Cambridge broke a rowlock off Remenham farm. Also at the Thames Regatta, June 22, 1844, Oxford beat Cambridge for the Gold Cup....
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UNIVERSITY OARSMEN.
UNIVERSITY OARSMEN.
The following lists show what oarsmen in eights or fours represented their respective Universities from year to year, whether in matches or at regattas. Those whose names appear as having thus represented their University are recognised as ‘old Blues.’ In some cases crews are given which are not strictly University crews, e.g. the ‘Cambridge Subscription Rooms,’ ‘Oxford Aquatic Club,’ &c. These crews sometimes took the place of U.B.C. crews, and though all these members may not be strict
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O.U.B.C.: COLLEGE AND CLUB RACES.
O.U.B.C.: COLLEGE AND CLUB RACES.
[21] O.U.B.C. founded....
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C.U.B.C.: COLLEGE AND CLUB RACES.
C.U.B.C.: COLLEGE AND CLUB RACES.
[22] Dead heat and division....
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PROFESSIONAL WINNERS OF REGATTAS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS.
PROFESSIONAL WINNERS OF REGATTAS AND CHAMPIONSHIPS.
( a ) This was virtually a row over for Kelley, and no time was taken. ( b ) Won on a foul. ( c ) The first occasion of the Championship being taken from England. ( d ) Boyd passed the post first, but the race was awarded to Elliott on the foul. Large scale map (198 kB). London: Longmans & Co. E. Weller...
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THAMES NATIONAL REGATTA (Second Series).
THAMES NATIONAL REGATTA (Second Series).
( a ) Limited to men who have never sculled for a stake of 50 l. ( b ) For men who have never sculled for a stake of 100 l....
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THAMES INTERNATIONAL REGATTA.
THAMES INTERNATIONAL REGATTA.
( a ) After a foul, the Tyne men won on the second day....
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BRITISH REGATTA IN PARIS, 1867 (EXHIBITION YEAR).
BRITISH REGATTA IN PARIS, 1867 (EXHIBITION YEAR).
R. Cook and H. Kelley, Oxford and London. H. Kelley, Putney....
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THE EARLY HISTORY OF BOAT RACING AT THE UNIVERSITIES.[23]
THE EARLY HISTORY OF BOAT RACING AT THE UNIVERSITIES.[23]
[23] Reprinted from Land and Water of December 17, 1881. The history of early college boat racing is not strictly that of the University boat race itself, but it is closely wound up with it, and it was, moreover, the origin of that aquatic rivalry between the two Universities which led to the first match of 1829. Oxford had inaugurated eight-oared rowing; that introduced inter-college bumping races. Cambridge followed suit and established similar races, and hence arose the constant study of aqua
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Rules for Boat-Racing, 1827.
Rules for Boat-Racing, 1827.
(1) That the racing do begin on May 29. (2) That the days of racing be Tuesday and Friday in each week, and that if any boat does not come out on those days its flag do go to the bottom. (3) That no out-college man be allowed to row in any boat. (4) That no boat be allowed to race with less than eight oars. (5) That the boats below the one that bumps stop racing, those above continue it. (6) That there be a distance of fifty feet between each boat at starting. (7) That the boats start by pistol
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HENLEY, PAST AND FUTURE.[24]
HENLEY, PAST AND FUTURE.[24]
[24] From the Field , July 5, 1886. The inauguration of a new era in the history of Henley Regatta naturally tends to make the mind wander into vistas of the past, perhaps even more than into speculations of the future. There are oarsmen living who can recollect when Henley Regatta did not even exist, and yet we are within an appreciable distance (three years) of the ‘jubilee’ of the gathering. There are sundry old Blues of the 1829 match still hale and hearty, and the regatta was not founded un
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THAMES PRESERVATION ACT.
THAMES PRESERVATION ACT.
In 1884 a Committee of the House of Commons sat to inquire into the best method of preserving public rights and those of riparians on the Thames. The latter had developed so much pleasure traffic during the last quarter of a century that some ‘highway’ legislation on the subject became imperative. An Act for regulating steam-launch traffic on the Thames had been passed in 1883. The report of the Committee produced the following Act, which should be read by all who intend to navigate the Thames f
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THAMES PRESERVATION ACT, 1885.
THAMES PRESERVATION ACT, 1885.
An Act for the preservation of the River Thames above Teddington Lock for purposes of public recreation, and for regulating the pleasure traffic thereon. [ August 14, 1885. ] Whereas the River Thames is a navigable highway; and whereas, by reason of the increase of population in London and other places near the said river, it has come to be largely used as a place of public recreation and resort, and it is expedient that provision should be made for regulating the different kinds of traffic in t
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