After deck of the 12 metre MARINA, 1936. Her owner, Sir William Burton, is at the wheel. Lady Burton and a guest sit at the forward end of the cockpit. Skipper George Francis in foreground, by the genoa sheet. Another guest stands by a sheet winch.
The clear decks and light but strong gear emphasise the role of the racer in a keenly contested class. William Burton commenced racing with the ½ rater LOLLIPOP during the 1890s at Pin Mill, on the Orwell, and remained a dedicated yachtsman all his long life, owning craft up to the size of the 19 metre OCTAVIA, built for him in 1911. His best continuous sport was found in the 52ft Linear Rating class during the late '90s and early 1900s, and after 1927 in the 12 metres, of which he owned in succession IYRUNA, VERONICA, MARINA and JENETTA. He also raced the 100 ton yawl RENDESVOUS in the large handicap class during the 1920s, besides other yachts. In 1930 he had built the 115ft motor yacht CALETA for cruising and to act as tender for his twelve metres.
Sir William was a commodore of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club, president of the Yacht Racing Association for many years, and an authority of yacht racing rules and practice. He died in 1942. Lady Burton was equally keen on yachting and was racing timekeeper on board her husband's yachts for many years. Skipper George Francis, from Brightlingsea, was a typical 12 metre professional, having thorough knowledge of yacht racing, a splendid practical seaman who had served in sailing smacks since a boy in all weathers and who, like all his fellows, knew how to care for and get the best from a racing yacht and his crew, who were elsewhere on deck when this photograph was taken. [JL]
Plate.30 in SWW.
Used in The Sailor's Coast page 65.
Date: 1936