On this day…

30 June

… in 1887 the steel hulled yacht Volunteer designed by Edward Burgess was built for General Paine in only two months. She easily defeated, G L Watson designed Thistle, in two races and went on to have a successful racing career until she was scrapped in 1911. The rush in her build was due to the deliberate tactic of the challenger to apply the minimum time to challenge, then six months, in an attempt to catch the Defender unawares. This backfired and the Deed of Gift was subsequently altered to allow nine months, but not without controversy. © Hamish Ross