There were also knony problems being brought beforeclub commit «: es involving ballast , paid crews and the like . Yacht mcasun : mcnt also played a big pan in the arguments as too many big yacbl $ were winning aU the prizes . Metbods of handicappmg were being considered . In 1829 a new system of handicapping had been introduced dividing yachts into six classes according lO tonnage . The first class gave to U1e second a distance of half a mile over a 40-mile course . The third class , one and a quarter miles ; fourth , two : md a quanermiles and so on . The smallest class . rhe sixth , was given seven miles .

The only umhority was the club conducting the race and ii was becoming more and more evident that a clear set or rules and an independent body to control those rules was needed . The solution was achieved in 1875 by the fonnation of the Yacht Racing Association which beCAmetheRoyal Yacht Racing Association in 1952 . his in1eres1ing mar RPA YCCommodore Walter M . Marks addressed the Yacht Racing Association al the end of World War I . saying :

I desire 10 emphasise thai there should be one body 10 control yachting . in aU sizes of craft , for 1he whole Empire . Australia has given 67 000 men who have died for the dear old llag . The Yacht Racing Associarion when legislating for yachting in England should notforger Australia or leave it OUI or the account .

Before the Y achr Rncing Association could consider handic < 1pping , n method or measuremenr needed 10 be adopted . The method of measurement for yachtS al the lime was the Merchan1 Ship Builders ' Measuremen1 , introduced in 1694 . There was dissatisfaction with this method and different yacht clubs proposed amendments . the Royal Thames Yacht Club coming up with a formula caUed Thames Measurement that exists to the present day . The basic fonnula is :

( L-Ox Bx lf2B ) 94 tons TM

In 1886 ratings stancd to appear and a rule was brougbl in which took inlo account sail area . IL was :

Length x Sail Area 6000

which produced a rating . This was foUowed by the Linear Rating Rule in 1896 and progressed 10 the metres era . IL was :

And so emerged an early introduction of mcasurementS applying to metre yachts of today . The Yacht Racing Association then applied iiself

LO the problem of classifying and listing as many yachtS as possible for Lloyds Register of YachtS .

In the early pan of the nineteenth century the Yach1 Racing Association was being asked to make decisions and rulings for clubs of nations other 1han Great Britain , including lhe New York Yach ! Club . lt was for ! his reason tl1at the International Yncht Racing Union was formed in 1906 . When a code of lerrering for International Sail Numbers was needed 1he IYRU organised the matter .

With the introduction of the Royal Yacht Racing Association and the International Yacht Racing Union . rules were at last under control 1bc Royal Yachting Association and the lnteroatiooal Yach1 Racing Union were the fathers of our own State Yacht Racing Associations and the Australian Yachting Federation .

Tho 1860s saw some fine yachts similar to Sirocco , a 13-ton cutter owned by E . W . Knox . She was very modem and successful

Actuul length in fi 1881-86 1 ~ 95 1896-1910 1907-20

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