Complete History of the Thames A-Rater

In practice, the earliest Thames A-Raters emerged around 1887–1888, spurred by the newfound ability for clubs to compete on equal terms. In 1887, the Upper Thames Sailing Club (UTSC) – founded in 1884 at Maidenhead yachtinghistorians.org – organized the first Bourne End Week regatta to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee sail-world.com. This annual late-May event at Bourne End (on the Thames in Buckinghamshire) quickly became a fixture of the social season, mentioned in the same breath as Henley Royal Regatta and Cowes Weekthedailysail.com. Genteel society would picnic along the banks as the new A-Raters showed off their prowess. In 1893, Queen Victoria herself added prestige by donating a silver trophy – the Queen’s Cup – to be awarded to the top A-Rater at Bourne End Weeksail-world.com. The royal patronage (her son, the Duke of Connaught, was UTSC’s President) and the sight of these elegant 25–28 ft boats with towering sails made A-Rater racing a sensationsail-world.com. As one contemporary writer noted, the Thames A-Raters were “living history, a direct link with the dawn of competitive small boat sailing in Britain”, raced just as enthusiastically in Victorian times as they are today. thamessailingclub.co.uk. Sailing was very different in the late 1800’s as compared with club racing today. A club became established but might hold only a few races on its own waters or organise races on different waters and boats could travel anywhere between Oxford and Twickenham for a race. 

Excerpt from Country Life Illustrated April 27th 1901
"At last one got to the river and envied—in a sort of way— the men who were responsible for what was to happen after wards. For the man who knows how to manage a sailing boat is a very happy person. Everyone who is capable of activity has his own opinion as to which is the best of all sports. We should be extremely sorry if there did not exist this great diversity of opinion. Yet for the moment, at any rate, we are inclined to think that the man who can sail a boat is about the happiest of all.

The boat is wood and steel, supplemented by canvas. When it gets into the hands of the man who understands it, it becomes something like a living creature, gifted with the highest intelligence. The greater the difficulties to be encountered the better is the man able to materialise his will. The least touch of his hand enables his boat to make a point at the expense of a rival which is directed by a man less skilful than he. There is, in fact, no quality which he cannot bring into play. Caution counts for a great deal, and impudent daring for just as much. Lying in the bows, one realises all these facts. Also one is conscious that the blue sky is reflected in waters pleasantly broken by the warm wind that is blowing ; and that it is good, on Saturdays, to have won to a position where no one can by any possibility come to demand that one should work. 

But, to refer in detail to the events of Saturday which are illustrated, and with which we are particularly concerned, it may be considered that, although enjoying to the full the brilliant sunshine and blue skies, the competitors who took part in the matches of the Thames Sailing Club at Surbiton could have wished for a little better winds than those with which they were favoured. All the same, a capital day's sport was enjoyed, and the events were made the more interesting by the first appearance of Mr. Paul L. Waterlow's new boat Alannah, which proved herself to have realised her owner's expectations, and was certainly a very   fine and fast craft. For the first event, the Dunnage Challenge  Cup and a prize of live guineas, both presented by Messrs. Jackson, eight competitors listened for the judge's horn  the principal among them being the now veteran prize winner Ulva, a boat very much like the Alannah, and captained by her owner, Mr. T. Foster Knowles ; Mr. Clarke's new boat Alskling ; and Latona, sailed by Mr. J. F. Storey. The remaining craft were Elsie (Mr. W. H. Wheeler), Vera (Mr. E. E. Cook), Medje (Mr. C. P. Gosnell), and Yvonne (Mr. E. M. Bond). The match, which was over the eight miles of the long course at Surbiton, was started directly after eleven o'clock, and was a very close one. Vera led, with Alskling, Alannah, and the others close up. Unluckily, just before the start Ulva carried away the lacing of the mainsail on the luff of her yard, and was obliged to lower her canvas and repair damages. Meanwhile, she followed the fleet up the reach under the peak of her sail and foresail. The E.S.E. breeze made it a reach both ways, and in the first round  Alannah got the weather berth, with Alskling close under her lee.

Alannah

The Early Raters

The earliest of the Thames Raters included boats like Ruby, shown here in her original 1870 design. By 1888, she had undergone a significant transformation: an extended stern added six feet to her length, as illustrated in the second drawing. The lower image highlights a further modification to her bow, designed to increase her effective waterline length when heeled over. From her modest beginnings at 18 feet, Ruby evolved into a sleek 28-foot 6-inch racer, with an additional 4-foot bowsprit. 

One particularly interesting detail from the middle drawing is the inclusion of both a fixed weighted keel (shown shaded) and a lifting centreplate – a clever combination that allowed her to perform well in the shallower waters of the Thames. In her racing days, Ruby proved her worth, claiming several victories on the river.