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43-487: The Bermuda Fitted Dinghy is a type of racing-dedicated sail boat used for competitions between the yacht clubs of Bermuda . Although the class has only existed for about 130 years, the boats are a continuance of a tradition of boat and ship design in Bermuda that stretches back to the earliest decades of the 17th century. The Bermuda rig , also known as a Marconi rig, refers to a configuration of mast and rigging with

86-412: A Bermuda rigged main , and a headsail . This simple configuration is very efficient for sailing into the wind. A fractional rigged sloop has its forestay attached at a point below the top of the mast, allowing the mainsail to be flattened to improve performance by raking the upper part of the mast aft by tensioning the backstay. A smaller headsail is easier for a short-handed crew to manage. A yawl

129-434: A mainmast taller than its foremast , distinguishing it from a ketch or a yawl. A schooner can have more than two masts, with the foremast always lower than the foremost main. Traditional topsail schooners have topmasts allowing triangular topsails sails to be flown above their gaff sails ; many modern schooners are Bermuda rigged. The most common modern sailboat is the sloop, which features one mast and two sails, typically

172-530: A Dutch-born Bermudian in the 17th century. The Dutch were influenced by Moorish lateen rigs introduced during Spain's rule of the Netherlands. The Dutch eventually modified the design by omitting the masts, with the yard arms of the lateens being stepped in thwarts . By this process, the yards became raked masts. Lateen sails mounted this way were known as leg-of-mutton sails in English. The Dutch called

215-429: A common racing configuration, today it gives versatility to cruising boats, especially in allowing a small staysail to be flown from the inner stay in high winds. A catboat has a single mast mounted far forward and does not carry a jib. Most modern designs have only one sail, the mainsail; however, the traditional catboat could carry multiple sails from the gaff rig. Catboat is a charming and distinctive sailboat featuring

258-502: A crane and are typically stepped on the keel through any cabin or other superstructure. Many sailboats have an alternate means of propulsion, in case the wind dies or where close maneuvering under sail is impractical. The smallest boats may use a paddle ; bigger ones may have oars ; still others may employ an outboard motor , mounted on the transom; still others may have an inboard engine . Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club The Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club (RHADC)

301-408: A dinghy race held on 8 March, which was restricted to boats both owned and steered by club members. A purse race was held after, which was open to all amateurs. Dinghies for this race were restricted to hulls of 12 feet (3.7 m) of keel, and 14 feet (4.3 m), 1 inch overall. A defaced White ensign was made for the club by Messrs. Lanff & Neeve, 97 Leadenhall Street, London. A change in

344-481: A larger vessel. They are popular in youth sailing programs for their short LOA , simple operation and minimal maintenance. They have three (or fewer) sails : the mainsail , jib , and spinnaker . Ketches are similar to a sloop, but there is a second shorter mast astern of the mainmast, but forward of the rudder post. The second mast is called the mizzen mast and the sail is called the mizzen sail. A ketch can also be Cutter-rigged with two head sails. A schooner has

387-431: A lot of weight in two "wings" which run sideways from the main part of the keel. Even more recent is the concept of canting keels , designed to move the weight at the bottom of a sailboat to the upwind side, allowing the boat to carry more sails. A twin keel has the benefit of a shallower draft and can allow the boat to stand on dry land. Multihulls, on the other hand, have minimal need for such ballast, as they depend on

430-499: A number of team sports to the colony. The best known of these were football, cricket, and rugby. At English schools and colleges many had also competed in rowing , and an attempt was made to introduce this sport to Bermuda, also. The rough, wind-driven Atlantic Ocean proved unsuitable, however, and the officers soon took to employing the local work boats for sail racing. These large sloops, with their crews, were hired for weekends, and sloop racing became very popular in Bermuda throughout

473-650: A race can be less than the number that started. This can encourage boats to have crew dive off the transom during a race to push the boat forward, help lighten the boat and increase performance. As of 2011, 4 boats will be raced regularly during the Bermuda Fitted Dinghy season, although there have been rumours of other boats returning to the race course. Contest III -Royal Bermuda Yacht Club Challenger II -Sandy's Boat Club Victory IV -St. George's Dinghy and Sports Club Elizabeth II -Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club Boats Rumoured to Return in

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516-411: A reduced draft, with a much reduced underwater profile. This, in turn, results directly in reduced wetted surface area and drag. Without a ballast keel, multihulls can go in shallow waters where monohulls can not. There are trade-offs, however, in multihull design. A well designed ballasted boat can recover from a capsize, even from turning over completely. Righting a multihull that has gotten upside down

559-471: A single mast with a single large sail, known as a gaff-rigged sail, and a broad beam that ensures stability. This type of vessel, named after the "cat" tackle used in sailing, has a rich history dating back to the 19th century in the coastal regions of the United States, particularly New England, where it was widely used by fishermen and sailors. With its straightforward design and uncomplicated rigging,

602-415: A triangular sail set aft of the mast with its headsail raised to the top of the mast. Its luff runs down the mast and is normally attached to the mast for its entire length. The sail's tack is attached at the base of the mast; its foot controlled by a boom ; and its clew attached to the aft end of the boom, which is controlled by its sheet. In many early Bermudian vessels there were no booms, or only

645-429: A trophy which was awarded to the winner of a dinghy race held on 8 March, which was restricted to boats both owned and steered by club members. A purse race was held after, which was open to all amateurs. Dinghies for this race were restricted to hulls of 12 feet (3.7 m) of keel, and 14 feet (4.3 m), 1 inch overall. The dimensions of the boats from the 1883 race have remained the standard ever since. Despite

688-630: A vessel rigged in this manner a bezaanjacht ( nl ). Captain John Smith reported that Captain Nathaniel Butler , governor of Bermuda from 1619 to 1622, employed the Dutch boat builder, who quickly established a leading position among Bermuda's boat makers obliging his competitors to emulate his designs. A poem published by John H. Hardie in 1671 described Bermuda's boats in the following way: "With tripple corner'd Sayls they always float, About

731-717: Is a private yacht club in the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda that was established as the Hamilton Amateur Dingey Association on, or before, 28 July 1882. It is the World's only Royal dinghy club. There was already a Royal yacht club in Bermuda, the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club founded in 1845 after the sport of racing yachts had become established in Bermuda primarily as a pastime of idle officers of

774-489: Is difficult in any case and impossible without help unless the boat is small or carries special equipment for the purpose. Multihulls often prove more difficult to tack, since the reduced weight leads directly to reduced momentum, causing multihulls to more quickly lose speed when headed into the wind. Also, structural integrity is much easier to achieve in a one piece monohull than in a two or three piece multihull whose connecting structure must be substantial and well connected to

817-407: Is similar to a ketch, with a shorter mizzen mast carried astern the rudderpost more for balancing the helm than propulsion. Traditional sailboats are monohulls , but multi-hull catamarans and trimarans are gaining popularity. Monohull boats generally rely on ballast for stability and usually are displacement hulls. This stabilizing ballast can, in boats designed for racing, be as much as 50% of

860-437: Is true that mounting a dinghy campaign requires significant financial and personnel resource, new entries are welcomed regardless of race, and many of Bermuda's best-known fitted sailors are black, including Stevie Dickinson and Glenn Astwood. The racing is carried out on set dates in a variety of locations including Hamilton or St. George's Harbours, Granaway Deep, and Mangrove Bay. The dinghies sail windward leeward courses and

903-469: Is what prevents leeway and allows sailing towards the wind. This can be an external piece or a part of the hull. Most monohulls larger than a dinghy require built-in ballast . Depending on the design of the boat, ballast may be 20 to 50 percent of the displacement. The ballast is often integrated into their keels as large masses of lead or cast iron. This secures the ballast and gets it as low as possible to improve its effectiveness. External keels are cast in

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946-673: The Bermuda Garrison and the Royal Naval Dockyard, Bermuda . Members of that club, however, focused primarily on racing sloops and schooners . The Hamilton Amateur Dingey Association was created to promote the racing of dinghies , which in Bermuda meant the Bermuda Fitted Dinghy , a scaled down version of the traditional sloops used locally as work boats and yachts. Sloops and dinghies were fitted with tall, raked masts and long bowsprits, fitted with

989-621: The Bermuda rig . The association held its first races on 28 July 1882, with eight boats in the first class race, which was won by HC Masters in the Reckless , and four in the second class race, which was won by EW Cooper in the Ariel . In 1883, HRH Princess Louise , daughter of Queen Victoria , visited Bermuda, conferring the Royal title and donating a trophy that was awarded to the winner of

1032-759: The "unfitted" working dinghies and gave the class its name. The dinghy racing, today, is an inter-club activity, fought between the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC), the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club (RHADC), the St. George's Dinghy and Sports Club and Sandys Boat Club. Whereas most of the professional crews of the earlier sloop racing, which has since died-out, were probably Black, the restriction of dinghy racing to these clubs, with their membership historically restricted to white people, means that Bermuda Fitted Dinghy racing has maintained an exclusive, all-white reputation in Bermuda. Although it

1075-638: The Islands, in the world there are, None in all points that may with them compare". With the buildup of the Royal Naval Dockyard on Ireland Island, at the West End, and of the Army garrison , at first in the East End, at St. George's Garrison , though the military headquarters eventually moved to Prospect Camp at the centre of the colony, the idle navy and army officers, most ex- Public School boys, introduced

1118-898: The Near Future Bloodhound - Bermuda Maritime Museum Port Royal II - Knight White Dinghy Association Echo - Sandy's Dinghy Association This trophy is awarded to the overall winner of every season. The results from the last 20 seasons are... 2022- Contest III 2021- Contest III 2020- Contest III & Elisabeth II 2019- Contest III 2018- Elisabeth II 2017- Elisabeth II 2016- Elisabeth II 2015- Contest III 2014- Contest III 2013- Contest III 2012- Contest III 2011- Contest III 2010- Challenger II 2009- Challenger II 2008- Contest III 2007- Contest III 2006- Contest III 2005- Challenger II 2004- Contest III 2003- Contest III 2002- Contest III Sail boat Although sailboat terminology has varied across history, many terms have specific meanings in

1161-481: The bottom end in a receptacle that is supported above the keel of the boat or on the deck or other superstructure that allows the mast to be raised at a hinge point until it is erect. Some masts are supported solely at the keel and laterally at the deck and are called "unstayed". Most masts rely in part or entirely (for those stepped on the deck) on standing rigging , supporting them side-to-side and fore-and aft to hold them up. Masts over 25 feet (7.6 m) may require

1204-411: The catboat offers a straightforward and laid-back sailing experience, making it an ideal choice for beginners and pleasure sailors alike. Even today, catboats continue to be cherished by enthusiasts who appreciate their heritage and enjoy their picturesque appearance while cruising through the waterways. A dinghy is a type of small open sailboat commonly used for recreation, sail training , and tending

1247-419: The century. In time, sloops were designed and built specifically for racing, though they still relied on large, hired crews. The military officers were the driving force behind the creation of the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club (RBYC), in 1844, and, as with cricket, the sport developed an East End versus West End dynamic, resulting from the polar locations of the two headquarters. By 1880 there was great concern that

1290-447: The context of modern yachting . A great number of sailboat-types may be distinguished by size, hull configuration, keel type, purpose, number and configuration of masts , and sail plan . Popular monohull designs include: The cutter is similar to a sloop with a single mast and mainsail, but generally carries the mast further aft to allow for a jib and staysail to be attached to the head stay and inner forestay, respectively. Once

1333-536: The geometry of their design, the wide base of their multiple hulls, for their stability. Designers of performance multihulls, such as the Open 60's , go to great lengths to reduce overall boat weight as much as possible. This leads some to comment that designing a multihull is similar to designing an aircraft. A centreboard or daggerboard is retractable lightweight keel which can be pulled up in shallow water. On small sailboats, masts may be "stepped" (put in place) with

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1376-470: The hull itself has sufficient buoyancy to remain afloat. A multihull optimized for light weight (at the expense of cruising amenities and storage for food and other supplies), combined with the absence of ballast can result in performance gains in terms of acceleration, top speed, and manoeuvrability. The lack of ballast makes it much easier to get a lightweight multihull on plane, reducing its wetted surface area and thus its drag. Reduced overall weight means

1419-450: The hulls. All these hull types may also be manufactured as, or outfitted with, hydrofoils . All vessels have a keel , it is the backbone of the hull. In traditional construction, it is the structure upon which all else depends. Modern monocoque designs include a virtual keel. Even multihulls have keels. On a sailboat, the word "keel" is also used to refer to the area that is added to the hull to improve its lateral plane. The lateral plane

1462-501: The need for professional crews in sloop racing was making the sport too expensive, and that its development was stagnating, as a direct result. Dinghy racing was developed as a cheaper alternative. When the Bermuda Dinghy first appeared is uncertain, but the design is scaled down from the earlier sloops, rather than appearing to be an evolution of the dinghies and small boats previously used for more mundane purposes. The first race

1505-413: The number of legs is decided based on the conditions at race time. Boats always finish to windward. The boats, despite their small sizes, are each normally crewed by six people, necessary to handle the large areas of sail, and also to continually bail the dinghies, which have very little freeboard, and which are often capsized by powerful gusts. A unique rule to racing states that the number of crew to finish

1548-429: The outward corner of the mainsail might be attached to the boom, as is the case with Bermuda Fitted Dinghies. On traditional Bermudian designs, the mast was raked, and a long bowsprit was fitted, to which more than one jib might be fastened. This rig evolved on boats and small ships built in Bermuda throughout the 17th and 18th centuries, and had matured into its more or less modern form by the early 19th century. Although

1591-405: The rig became almost universally used on yachts and small boats during the 20th century, the traditional designs used in Bermuda were too demanding to sail for small or inexperienced crews, and there are few vessels outside of museums that have a traditional Bermudian rig – other than Bermuda Fitted Dinghies. The development of the rig is thought to have begun with fore-and-aft rigged boats built by

1634-564: The rules for Royal titles was made in 1890, restricting the authority to grant these to the reigning Monarch. As the title had been conferred on the club by the Queen's daughter, not the Queen, authorisation to use it ceased and it became the Hamilton Amateur Dingey Club 'til dropping the word Amateur in 1896. In 1953, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II confirmed the 1883 grant of the Royal title by Princess Louise and

1677-399: The shape of the keel. A monohull's keel is made effective by a combination of weight, depth, and length. Most modern monohull boats have fin keels, which are heavy and deep, but short in relation to the hull length. More traditional yachts carried a full keel which is generally half or more of the length of the boat. A recent feature is a winged keel , which is short and shallow, but carries

1720-443: The small hulls, the dinghies carried substantial rigging. Although square topsails were reportedly in use in the 1880s, the form used today soon developed, basically scaled down from the larger sloops. One early example, the Reckless , was fitted with a 28-foot (8.5 m) mast, 28-foot (8.5 m) boom, 14-foot (4.3 m) bowsprit , and 20-foot (6.1 m) spinnaker boom. She carried 70 square yards of canvas going upwind, while

1763-497: The spinnaker increased this to 92 square yards running downwind. Original Bermuda Dinghies were roundbottomed and fitted with long, shallow keels so they would be easy to beach or could run over reefs without damage. During the first recorded race, held in St. George's Harbour in 1853, the existing boats were fitted with deep keel extensions fastened in place temporarily to give them the bite to sail better to windward. These metal keels (called fans) differentiated these racing boats from

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1806-720: The weight of the boat, but is generally around 30%. It creates two problems; one, it gives the monohull tremendous inertia, making it less maneuverable and reducing its acceleration. Secondly, unless it has been built with buoyant foam or air tanks, if a monohull fills with water, it will sink. Multihulls rely on the geometry and the broad stance of their multiple hulls for their stability, eschewing any form of ballast. Some multihulls are designed to be as light-weight as possible while still maintaining structural integrity. They can be built with foam-filled flotation chambers and some modern trimarans are rated as unsinkable, meaning that, should every crew compartment be completely filled with water,

1849-590: Was held on 26 August 1880. A number of types of smaller boats were raced in different classes. The dinghies were restricted to amateur crews. In 1882, the Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Association was formed, holding its first races on 28 July. This association ultimately became the Royal Hamilton Amateur Dinghy Club . In 1883, Princess Louise , daughter of Queen Victoria , visited Bermuda, and she donated

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