outclassed, gaining only a single third prize over all the races. But the Clyde still had Glen Coats. The Yachtsman had warned beforehand that Cynthia might well carry the 40 Guinea Cup home in her locker if individual excellence were to be the decid- ing factor. Ultimately this proved true, although it was no sail-over: the weather was heavy and squally and luck came into it. It was nail-bitingly close. After six days’ competition victory in the final race would have handed the trophy to any of five boats. Tid declared that it was the hottest


competition he had yet encountered. Fortunately the conditions suited Cynthia perfectly and he triumphed for Scotland. The English owners immediately started


talking of travelling up north in 1911 in some force for a return match. The Clydes- men were expected to produce a prize to match the one they had seized at Burnham. This was game on. There was even a


vague discussion around Solent, east coast and Clyde Sixes visiting each other’s waters in turn – exactly what the Inter - national Rule had been designed for in the first place. And Glen Coats had placed himself right at the heart of the action.


Shared loyalties From this point on Tid’s membership of yacht clubs began to change. Until the Lloyd’s Register of 1910 he was a member of most of the Clyde yachting institutions, large and small, old and newly established. These included the infamous Mudhook whose gatherings were lubricated with fine alcohol (it is said the decanters had rounded bottoms so they could not be set down) and raucous singing. Membership was firmly limited, and very select. By 1910 TC Glen Coats is noted as


having joined the Royal Thames, a member- ship to be treasured even for a massively wealthy racing sailor. Everyone who was


56 SEAHORSE


anyone belonged to the Thames. By 1911 he had added the Royal London, the Royal Victoria and the Royal Western of England. In 1914 the YRA is formally noted. Tid


attended representing his Royal Largs and Royal Clyde Clubs at the fixtures confer- ences where he rubbed shoulders with the great and the good of the yachting world. They may not have owned his riches,


but these were the corridors of power, and he was able to network, both through the YRA and at the Royal Thames, in ways simply not possible up on the Clyde. William Burton of Ipswich, so famous


at the Clyde Fortnights for many years, was another man eager to encourage yachting competitions between Scotland and England. At the same time Tid had started to compete in continental regattas, with substantial success. The sport was in a melting pot. As the


International Rule bedded in, new classes became fashionable. The 5s never took off in Britain, nor the 9s. The 6s, 8s and 12s were affordable for men of moderate means. The 15s and 19s, with their high cost and large crews, involved substantial financial commitment. Scottish/English rivalry was also changing, and there were new rivals from abroad. The first International Regatta at Cowes


in 1911 had brought together racing craft from many European nations. It was common for foreigners to come to British designers for their boats, or even just for plans. There was not much traffic the other way, although some yachts were built in Norway where costs were much lower. The German Emperor was encour- aging his people to take up the sport, and large numbers of craft were being commis- sioned and constructed there too. At Cowes in 1911 English yachtsmen


suffered rather a jolt when so many of the class prizes went to ‘foreigners’ (including


a particularly shocking pasting by Norwe- gian Johan Anker’s famous 12 Metre Rollo). As regattas in Germany and on the continent became more accessible, particu- larly for the smaller boats which travelled by steamer and rail, our own home regattas, both in England and Scotland, were under threat from rival European fixtures tempting away the best boats. 1912 saw Tid designing an 8 Metre,


Clio, before returning to a new 6 in 1913. At the International Festival at Kiel in 1912 Tid was present with Mylne and Clio. Around that time the races for the One Ton Cup were being held, and the trophy was famously carried off by George Martin (of future RORC and Jolie Brise fame), who had been hauled in at the last minute to compete in a borrowed boat. It is strongly suspected that this was a


cover for spying; however, the competitive George never could keep a low profile if there was any possibility of winning, which he achieved in spectacular fashion. Perhaps it is no surprise that the English- man and the Scotsman decided to jointly commission a new 6, Euterpe, for the fol- lowing season, built specifically to retain George’s One Ton trophy.


Euterpe Euterpe was a disaster. Everyone thought Tid couldn’t fail with his designs, but fail he did. There was something wrong with her lines. The two experimentally inclined men had devised a boat that The Yachtsman called ‘of extreme proportions’, peculiar for great length, narrowness and shallowness. Even the keel looked underweight. The


magazine’s editor sucked his teeth, looking for positives: Tid had previously shown himself a ‘capable draughtsman’ so she might come good. She didn’t. It can’t have impressed when she came last in her maiden race, Glen Coats at the helm.


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