famous british yachtsmen

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The Top 6 Greatest Sailors Living Today

#6 robin lee graham, #5 jessica watson, #4 ben ainslie, #3 ellen macarthur.

#2 Robin Knox-Johnston

#1 Paul Elvstrøm

A Danish sailing legend who's achievements will be hard to match, Paul Elvstrøm is regarded not only for his successes, but also for his skill and integrity. Winning his first gold medal at the age of 20, Elvstrøm still stands as one of the few athletes to have won four consecutive golds within a single Olympic discipline, and he is still the only sailor in the world to win the world championship in five different classes. Renowned for more than just his ability on board a boat, his series of books on the rules of racing were gospel for many decades, whilst his Elvström self-bailer and Elvström Lifejacket were designed for and used by active sailors in the sport. Inducted into the International Sailing Federation (ISAF) hall of fame alongside names like Ellen MacArthur and Robin Knox-Johnston, many claim Paul Elvstrøm as the greatest sailor living today; a mainstream opinion we're happy to flow with.

For all future blogs on sailing and its heroes, keep an eye on the Seachest  Facebook page, our  Twitter  or at  Google+ .

Post By Graham

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Famous British Sailors: 7 of the Most Inspirational 

Some of the greatest sailors the world has ever seen have hailed from the British Isles. With a marine history dating back centuries, our little corner of the world has incredibly strong pedigree when it comes to sailing. Today, British sailors continue to break world records, demonstrating incredible strength, resourcefulness, and bravery in the ultimate conquest - the conquest of the sea. Here’s a run down of seven famous British sailors who inspire us today.

Montel fagan-jordan.

Hailing from Tottenham, Montel was awarded the title of YJA Young Sailor of the Year in 2018. Montel first came to public attention when he led his school team to complete the 605-mile Fastnet Race in 2017, making Greig City Academy the first and only state comprehensive school to have ever competed in the race. Playing a leading role in both racing and fundraising to get the school’s Scaramouche yacht into shape, Montel has gone on to receive continued recognition as an inspiration and personality in the sport.

Ben Ainslie

Sir Ben Ainslie is the most successful sailor in Olympic history, winning medals at five consecutive Olympics from 1996. Born in Macclesfield, the sailor’s family moved to the Cornwall coast when Ben was 7. By the age of 16, Ainslie had become a Laser Radial world and European champion and a rising star in the Laser class. Three-time winner of the British Yachtsman of the Year title, Sir Ben has been awarded an MBE, an OBE, and, of course, a knighthood for his services to sailing.

Ellen MacArthur

Ellen MacArthur’s story is one of grit and determination. After saving her school dinner money to buy her first boat, she rose to recognition after coming second in the Vendée Globe solo round-the-world sailing race in 2001. She went on to beat the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the Earth in 2005, as well as breaking a number of other records for various stretches. At one point on her epic voyage, she was able to sleep for only 20-minutes in three days, as seas relentlessly threatened to capsize her boat. On 7 February 2005, she beat the previous world record by 32 hours.

Sarah Ayton

After battling with meningococcal meningitis and septicaemia in her teenage years, Sarah Ayton went onto incredible success as a sailor. Sarah won olympic gold medals in 2004 and 2008, both in the Yngling sailing class (an Yngling is a cross between a dinghy and a keelboat). She was awarded and MBE and an OBE, as well as the Rolex World Sailor of the Year title in 2016. Today, she draws on her experience and success to inspire others as a coach and motivational speaker.

Robin Knox-Johnston

Not many people have single-handedly circumnavigated the world, and the first person to ever do it was Robin Knox-Johnston in 1969. Not one to rest on his laurels, Robin co-skippered with Peter Blake to win the Jules Verne Trophy for the fastest circumnavigation in 1994. But Robin didn’t stop there. In 2007, at the age of 67, Robin set a new record for being the oldest yachtsman to complete a round the world solo voyage. The man just keeps on going.

Dee Caffari

For Dee Caffari, circumnavigating the world just wasn’t enough. So in 2006, she became the first woman to single-handedly sail around the world ‘the wrong way’ - that is, from East to West, against the prevailing currents. In 2009, she completed the Vendée Globe - this time sailing the ‘right’ way around the world - setting a new record to become the first woman to sail non-stop around the world in both directions.

Iain Percy is a double Olympic champion, winning gold in the 2000 summer Olympics in the Finn class, and also in the 2008 Olympics in the Star class, teaming up with Andrew Simpson. Percy teamed up with Simpon again to win a silver Olympic medal at the London Olympics in 2012. He was an appointed an MBE and an OBE in recognition of his sailing achievements. After the tragic death of his close friend and co-skipper Andrew Simpson in 2013, Iain said that ‘all his goals changed’. He went on to set up the Andrew Simpson Sailing Foundation, offering young people the chance to sail, and has continued to emphasise the importance of safety and the need for safety innovation.

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Yachting World

• Digital Edition

The Yachting World hall of fame: 50 yachts that changed the way we sail

• Helen Fretter
• May 13, 2020

We asked historians, round the world race winners and legendary sailors to name the yachts that changed the sport for good. In no particular order, these are the 50 yachts that shifted how we sail...

41. Jolie Brise

Built: 1913 Design: Alexandre Pâris/Paumelle

The 56ft gaff-rigged Jolie Brise was originally built to do a job of work. Although she appears to be a traditional pilot cutter, Jolie Brise was unusual for the time in being built to plans.

She was designed to cross oceans rapidly, and was the last boat to carry the Royal Mail under sail. However, she was too late to really show her worth as a pilot boat, and as steam replaced sail suffered some ignominious years as a tuna fishing boat.

Her fortunes changed after she was sold and refitted for racing, going on to take part in the inaugural Fastnet Race in 1925, which she won. She went on to win the 600-mile epic twice more, a record which remains unbeaten.

Photo: Paul Buttrose

Built: 1929 Design: Sparkman & Stephens

Designer Olin Stephens was just 22 when the 52ft yawl Dorade was launched, built for his father Roderick Stephens as a great gamble on the success of a new business venture, a design house called Sparkman & Stephens.

The yacht, which he described as “a kind of awakening”, was  both beautiful and radical from the outset. She was n arrower in beam and lighter in construction than her contemporaries, partly due to the hull frames being steam-bent rather than sawn.

Stephens was confident that a slim hull with stability gained from a deep lead keel, would pay off. He was correct – although his calculations were thrown into question at Dorade’s launch, when the waterline stripe was three inches below the surface.

Any detractors were silenced by Dorade’s performance in the 1931 Transatlantic Race when she, the third smallest yacht in the fleet, reached the line more than two days ahead of the next. On corrected time, Dorade was almost four days faster. She went on to win the Fastnet Race of the same year by a wide margin.

The yacht became the first in a new generation of deep keeled, slim hulled, powerful racing yachts. Dorade was famously restored to once again race in the Transatlantic and Fastnet Races in 2015, scoring podium finishes in both offshores some 84 years after her first win. Sparkman & Stephens, of course, went on to become the most prolifically successful yacht design office of the 20th century.

43. Sundeer 68

Built: 1988 Design: Steve Dashew

An unsung hero of yacht design, Steve Dashew built small numbers of highly specialised cruising yachts.

Andrew Bishop of the World Cruising Club comments: “The powerful, balanced rigs are designed with sail handling for short-handed crews in mind, which, combined with their easily driven hull forms, make for consistently high speeds in a wide range of conditions. These boats were ahead of their time for modern fast cruising yachts.”

The range began with the 1978 Deerfoot , a 68-footer that featured the first swim platform, fore-and-aft watertight bulkheads, and an aft engine room.

They later launched the Sundeer range, which could comfortably cover 230 miles a day, a distance Dashew describes as “the magic number that keeps you safe and comfortable”.

Built: 2007 Design: VPLP

The 33rd America’s Cup pitted a 34m trimaran against Alinghi’s giant catamaran. For BMW Oracle USA designers, VPLP, the project was a golden opportunity to rapidly accelerate multihull development, resulting in the famous wingsail.

Lauriot Prévost remembers: “In the original brief the boat had to be designed and built in ten months, and then there were lawyers and postponements, which meant instead of having ten months we had almost two and a half years.

“So that’s how the wingmast came onto the boat. Having worked on the platform, on the appendages, on everything else, we had to work on propulsion.” The original idea came from design director Mike Drummond.

“It was a crazy project because even at the final finish, when the second leg had been won by USA 17, we still had some modification projects that were on the table, changing the main hull and so on,” recalls Lauriot Prévost.

“It was really, really very intense. But I think the America’s Cup is exactly this: you can have the skills and money to achieve in two years what would take five or ten years on a usual project.”

45. Contessa 32

Built: 1970 Design: David Sadler / Jeremy Rogers

The gateway for many owners into yacht racing, the Contessa was a one-design, avoiding the vagaries and expense of IOR, and performed just as well as a family cruiser. Its seaworthy reputation was cemented during the 1979 Fastnet, when of the 58 boats in the smallest class, only one finished – the Contessa 32 Assent .

David Glenn explains: “The key to the the Contessa 32’s success was that the boats could perform two roles equally well. They could be raced as a one-design, which meant you didn’t have to adhere to the vagaries and expense of IOR, which was then the predominant racing rule, and perform just as well as a family cruising yacht.

“The David Sadler/Jeremy Rogers Contessa was designed in 1970 and more than 750 were built. At one time they had their own class in Cowes Week and they still race through an active class association. A good looking and very seaworthy yacht, chosen by many who wanted a go-anywhere, reliable and – for her day – fast boat.

“By today’s standards her accommodation is very limited. Nonetheless, a real winner in her time and many people aspired to owning one. They still do! She had that ‘must have’ ingredient. ”

46. Aqua Quorum

Built: 1996 Design: Adrian Thompson

Ocean racer Dee Caffari nominates Pete Goss’s  Aqua Quorum. “ Most of my racing offshore is spent on boats with canting keels,” she explains, “but i f we go back to 1991, Michel Desjoyeaux sailed the first distance offshore with a swing keel in a mini 6.50. This then led onto Pete Goss sailing Aqua Quorum , an open 50, in the 1996 Vendee Globe becoming the first to sail round the world with a canting keel.

“From this moment the world stopped questioning the canting keel concept. We agree that there are risks and as a result many races have adopted the one-design rule to try and reduce the risk factor, but no one has moved away from the extra stability and power this design can produce. It sure beats having 15 people on the rail to act as ballast!”

Built: 1953 Design: Blondie Haslar

With her unstayed Chinese ‘junk’ rig set on a modified 25ft Folkboat hull, Jester is unique. She was created by Herbert ‘Blondie’ Haslar, who believed that one did not need a racing machine in order to cross ocean miles.

He then sailed her in the 1960 race which he established for fellow singlehanded, Corinthian yachtsmen, from Plymouth to New York – at the time a revolutionary concept and the first solo ocean race.

It was won by Francis Chichester in  Gipsy Moth II , with Jester second, and the race became the hugely successful OSTAR, held on a four-yearly cycle in various incarnations for many years since.

Jester competed in each one, until finally damaged by a rogue wave and abandoned in 1988. A replica Jester was built – and again raced in the OSTAR – in 1992.

Technically Jester was also very innovative, thanks to Haslar’s wind vane self-steering and rudimentary trim tab system, which he refined further over four Atlantic crossings – claiming to only take the tiller for an hour during the 1960 race. By 1970 over 600 units of Haslar’s Pendulum Servo Gear system had been fitted to yachts around the world.

Many other developments in short-handed racing were first tried during runnings of the OSTAR, such as the earliest weather routing in 1968 (it was subsequently banned).

48. Westerly Centaur

Built: 1968 Design: Jack Laurent Giles

“Designed in 1968 by Jack Laurent Giles, this was the people’s cruising boat, the ‘floating country cottage’,” comments David Glenn.

“She was a motor sailer really but she changed yachting by getting families afloat in their thousands and she is a still much loved second-hand yacht. Westerly built (I think) some 2,500. Those numbers speak for themselves.”

Built: 1912 Design: Camper & Nicholson

The 15-metre was the first yacht designed with a Marconi topmast, which was fitted with a track which meant the topsail could be hoisted from deck.

With 72 wins out of 81 starts for Istria , the gaff rig was rapidly demoted to the history books. Istria was also the first large yacht to be built using laminated materials to save weight.

Photo: Jean Jacques Bernard.

50. Ceramco

Built: 1980 Design: Farr

Peter Blake’s 68-footer with a bulb keel and flat stern was designed to surf around the world in the 1981-82 Whitbread, but she was dismasted on leg one. The crew set a jury rig and sailed 4,400 miles to rejoin the race and resume battle with Flyer .

Updated from an article that first appeared in the November 2016 issue of Yachting World magazine.

• 1. Introduction

Growth of the Sport 1852-1861

‘America’ as she appeared in 1851.

‘Sverige’ Schooner, 280 tons. Built in 1852 in Sweden.

The  America  still figures largely in the racing annals of the time, though her owner was Lord de Blaquière, and on occasions she was handsomely beaten. The first defeat was at Ryde Regatta in the match for Her Majesty’s Cup, when she was beaten by both  Arrow  and  Mosquito  in a race round the Isle of Wight. Mr. Underwood, the pilot, who was aboard her in the famous victory of 1851, was also on board on this occasion. The victory of the two British boats greatly rejoiced the hearts of home yachtsmen, and though  America’s  owner protested that the British boats fouled – a protest which was substantiated and in consequence of which  Arrow  was awarded the cup – the national vindication was no less appreciated. Another occasion on which the American schooner was defeated was that of the race between her and the Swedish schooner  Sverige  for £100, starting from Ryde Pier. This race caused a long controversy on the interpretation of the clause in the agreement which stipulated that a condition of starting should be a seven-knot breeze. With the schooners started the small cutter  Wildfire , 48 tons T.M., owned by Mr. Frederick Thynne, though the latter boat was not included in the race. The  America  beat the Swedish yacht, but, strangely enough, the little cutter beat both on every point of sailing, and reached the mark-boat 7 minutes 1 second ahead of  Sverige  and 15 minutes 27 seconds ahead of  America .

‘Arrow’. Built by Mr. Thomas Chamberlayne in 1825.

Although these events had become the subject of much controversy and useless comparison, with challenges and other incidentals likely to arouse the interest of the public, the sport was equally progressive in other quarters.  Volante , a smart cutter, was capturing flags at most of the regattas, her sporting owner, Mr. J. Craigie, entering her against anything and everything of reasonable size. On the Thames enthusiasm had grown enormously, and it was not unusual for a Royal Thames Yacht Club match to be followed by a club steamer carrying two or three hundred enthusiasts. The sport, too, was worthy of the enthusiasm evinced. On May 14 the match for the Grand Challenge Cup, value 200 guineas, was sailed. Six boats entered, including  Cygnet, Mosquito , and  Volante , which had been victorious in 1849, 1850, and 1851 respectively, and the two boats  Paulina  and  War Hawk . The latter boat was a dangerous rival and sailed magnificently, but came into collision with  Mosquito , and  Volante  carried off the cup.

The Thames was, in a broad sense, the popular rendezvous of racing, the three important clubs – the Royal Thames, the Royal London, and the Prince of Wales – sailing all their matches here; but in the Western Regatta at Plymouth  Mosquito  and  Volante  sailed a fine race, the former winning by 3¼ minutes, and occupying only 4 hours 18 minutes over a fifty-mile course. There was a hard breeze, and both yachts sailed with housed topmasts and reefed mainsails.

At Cork the Eglinton Cup was sailed for by nine cutters, and won by Mr. Rowan’s 43-ton  Aquila , and the Egmont Cup was won by Mr. Scovell’s  Atalanta , Mr. Daunt’s 23-ton cutter  Champion  being disqualified for not carrying a large enough boat. At the same regatta on July 30 the Queen’s ‘plate’ was won by Mr. Lang’s  Stella  (42 tons).

‘Gloriana’. Rounding the Neb Light in the Royal Yacht Squadron Match for H. R. H. Prince Albert’s Cup, August 19, 1852.

Cowes, in the fifties, was not the brilliant function of the present time, though the Queen’s presence gave importance to the occasion. The Vice-Commodore’s (Mr. T. Chamberlayne) yacht  Arrow  com­peted against  Lavrock  and  Aurora  for the Queen’s Cup,  Arrow  being the winner. For Prince Albert’s Cup, value £50, four big schooners competed, and  Gloriana  carried off the cup. Owing to want of wind the match for the Squadron Cup was resailed, and  Mosquito  was winner. It was a course round the island, and the breeze fell away as the day wore on, and the race was not finished till 10.11 p.m.  Mosquito  thus won in the moonlight, followed by  Arrow , but the other competitors did not arrive till the next morning. The Irish regattas were attended with success by many of the English boats.  Stella  won the Royal St. George’s Cup,  Cynthia  the Lord Lieutenant’s prize, and  Atalanta  the Queen’s Cup.

The Prince of Wales Club opened the season of 1853 on March 24.. It was a wintry day, and nothing but sheer enthusiasm could have brought out the fleet at Blackwall. However, a fleet did turn out for a cruise to Erith, and a snow-storm was one of the discomforting features of the sail, though an excellent dinner at the Erith Station comforted the frozen yachtsmen on their arrival. The first racing on the Thames fell to the. Royal Thames Yacht Club on May 3, when Lord Londesborough’s  Mosquito  carried off the £100 prize for a match of first-class yachts exceeding 30 tons, and Mr. S. Lane’s  Phantom  carried off the £50 prize for second-class yachts. The Royal London started on the 18th, when  Julia, Truant , and  Calliope  won in the three classes.  Truant  was an American clipper, the first ever sailed on the Thames. She was fitted with a centre-board sliding-keel, an arrangement which did not meet with the approval of British yachtsmen, who held that she might as well be called a yacht as a match-cart a comfortable family carriage. She was built wholly for speed, and she was the first home by twenty-three minutes, a victory which caused much heart- burning .

‘Rosalind’, schooner, 100 tons.

The schooner match of the Royal Thames Club, for which the Vestal,  Rosalind, May-Fly, Sverige, Violet , and  Sappho  were entered, was a magnificent race, but it ended in a protest and law proceedings. The contest proper was between  Sverige  and  Rosalind , which sailed for a long time neck and neck.  Sverige , however, got her gun 1 minute 35 seconds ahead. The protest arose from Captain Freestun, the owner of  Violet , who protested against  Sverige  for foul sailing. Mr. Bartlett, the owner of the Swedish boat, made a counter allegation against  Violet  that she had been let for hire, and had therefore ceased to belong to the club. As no ground was found for this counter-stroke, and the protest being upheld,  Sverige  was deprived of her victory, and  Rosalind , owned by Lord Alfred Paget, the Commodore of the club, became the winner. A long and bitter fight between Mr. Thomas Bartlett and the Sailing Committee of the Royal Thames ensued.

The weather throughout the season was unusually boisterous. The majority of the Thames matches were sailed in rain-storms. At Harwich, a little later, the regatta of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club was spoiled by rain, and many yachts being wind-bound, the chief races were postponed. Lowestoft Regatta was far more successful, and attracted the big schooners from 30 to 300 tons for the 100-guinea prize. There was no handicap, and the great  Sverige  was entered against the little  Gossamer  of 25 tons. How­ever, Mr. Bartlett decided to withdraw his boat, and  Mosquito  became the prize-winner.

‘Sverige’, 280 tons. Winning the Royal Thames Match, June 1, 1853. Winner of the 100-Guinea Cup at Cork, 1853.

Brighton Regatta was one of the most brilliant events of the year, with a schooner match for 120 guineas. Only  Sverige  and  Alarm  (Mr. J. Weld) were entered.  Alarm , being the most cele­brated boat of the time, and  Sverige  the centre of immense interest, added to the public interest in the race. The Swedish boat led off, but  Alarm  quickly overhauled her, and led to the finish, over a 52-mile course, though she finished with but two minutes in hand. The whole distance was covered in 4 hours 20 minutes. The  Arrow, Wildfire , and  Aurora  competed for the hotel-keepers’ prize of £100, Arrow winning by seventeen minutes.

Another Yankee clipper appeared in the Solent at the Squadron Regatta. She was the Sylvie, owned by Mr. Louis Depau, and was built by Mr. Steers, of  America  fame. She had, however, many peculiarities, among them being a false keel with a drop of some 15 feet, an innovation which the Royal Yacht Squadron barred in the following year. She was also cutter-rigged and had an immense breadth of beam, and her owner sent her over with a challenge to anything in Europe, excepting the America, for any amount of money, ‘or for the honour of the American flag.’

The Swedish schooner  Aurora Borealis  also arrived in the Solent for the Squadron Regatta, and a private match between her and Mr. Joseph Weld’s schooner Alarm round the Isle of Wight was one of the events of the season, Alarm sailing a magnificent race and finishing two minutes ahead of the Swede.

The Squadron matches resulted as follows: H.R.H. Prince Albert’s Cup won by Lord Londesborough’s  Mosquito ; Her Majesty’s Cup, over the Queen’s course, by Mr. Joseph Gee’s  Gloriana ; the Squadron Cup by Mr. William Peareth’s  Julia .

Around the race for the Squadron Cup much real interest centred. The Sylvie , which, as we have seen, came over with much trumpeting, was entered, as well as the Swedish boat  Aurora Borealis ; but they were both handsomely beaten by the  Julia , 111 tons, to the intense satisfaction of the Solent yachtsmen. The finish was as follows: (refer to the pdf version for details)

The Americans were at a loss to explain the defeat of their favourite, and  Sylvie’s  owner offered to back her to sail for any amount, but the challenge was never accepted.

The Swedish yacht appeared at the Royal Yorkshire Yacht Club Regatta earlier in the season, and competed for the Queen’s prize against five yachts whose aggregate tonnage was only 195 tons against the Swedish boat’s 250 tons. The  Aquiline , a 55-ton schooner, owned by John Cardinall, made the best fight, but she was forced aground, and the Swede had the finish to herself.

Sverige  turned up at the Royal Cork Regatta, and beat Isidore and Gitana in the race for schooners for a trophy of £100; but here again it was an uneven match, her tonnage being twelve over the combined tonnage of her two competitors.

Lord Londesborough’s iron-built  Mosquito  was a successful boat throughout the year, and the most successful prize-winner.  Volante , which had shown such good form in the previous season, was also successful as a prize-winner, and  Phantom  sailed in a creditable manner.

The Crimean War had a serious effect upon the racing of the season of 1854. So many owners were engaged in the Services that but a small proportion of yachts fitted out, and many of the regattas were postponed, making a falling off of £1,000 in the prize value for the year. There was, besides, very little cruising in foreign waters.  Alarm, Arrow, Osprey, Phantom, Volante, Thought , and several other of the well-known racers made their appearance, and  Phantom  was one of the biggest prize-winners of the year.

In connection with the war and the dearth of seamen, the laying up of yachts was advocated, in order that the crews might be rendered available  for the navy . There was, however, much opposition, and the argument was forcibly advanced that such a course would have had little benefit for the Queen’s navy, and would have acted as a deterrent upon the improving science of naval architecture,

It would be idle to deny the fact that the season suffered to an almost unprecedented extent. On the Thames there was no schooner match, and the entries for the matches of the Royal London Club were not up to the usual standard. On the East Coast racing was more interesting, with a larger attendance of yachts. At Lowestoft thirty-three boats were about the station for the regatta, and the race for schooner yachts for a piece of plate value 100 guineas was the most brilliant ever seen on that part of the coast.  Shark, Acorn, Aquiline, Georgiana , and  Mayfly  competed, and  Shark , after a splendid fight, won by eleven minutes. At Harwich the attendance was large, and the match for yachts of any rig or tonnage for a piece of plate value 50 guineas was won by  Phantom , whilst  Avalon  won the race for a 30-guinea piece of plate. At the Royal Mersey Regatta,  Coralie , cutter, owned by Mr. A. E. Byrne, which in the previous year won the Queen’s Cup, was the winner of the challenge cup.  Coralie  also won the purse and £40 at the Royal Irish Regatta, but was beaten by  Cymba  and  Wildfire  for the Royal Irish prize of £100. At the Royal Western (Ireland) Regatta,  Cymba , owned by Mr. J. M. Rowan, and manned by Corinthians, won the £100 prize, and  Viola  the Corinthian Cup.

On the South Coast the racing was of more general interest. The match for schooners at the Royal Southern Regatta was won by  Elizabeth , and for cutters by  Arrow .  Vesper  won the match for cutters not exceeding 20 tons, as well as the Vice-Commodore’s Cup. At the Royal Victoria Regatta  Arrow  carried off the silver salver and a purse of £75, although the weather was by no means favourable. These events, as usual, preceded the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta, which spread itself over seven days.  Julia  and  Arrow  were the centre of an interesting match for H.R.H. Prince Albert’s Cup, sailed over the Queen’s course. Besides these two boats,  Osprey  and  Arrow  were also entered, and, after a magnificent contest,  Arrow  won the cup by fourteen minutes.  Alarm  and  Shark  were the two antagonists in the Queen’s Cup match, though  Ginevra  and  Titania  were also entered, but an absence of wind compelled a resail. This was fixed for the following Monday, but a most unfortunate thing happened the crew of the  Alarm  put up an effigy of a gamecock from her bowsprit end, which was deemed insulting to her com­petitors, who severally withdrew, leaving  Alarm  to sail the course by herself and claim the cup. The incident was most unfavourably interpreted, though it may be attributed to nonsensical display on the part of the crew. Mr. Weld, the owner of  Alarm , was ashore at the time. This finished the racing in the Solent, and left a somewhat unfortunate impression.

Cymba  and  Coralie  were contestants at the Royal Northern Regatta, when  Cymba  carried off a silver vase value 70 guineas and  Coralie  a silver jug value 30 guineas.  Coralie  was again successful in the Royal Welsh Yacht Club Regatta, winning the Carnarvon Cup against  Ada  and  Hirnant . The Prince of Wales’s Cup was won by  Siren . Altogether the year was a disappointing one. The best prize-winners were  Cymba, Phantom , and  Arrow .

Cymba  was built in 1852 by Will Fife of Fairlie, and was an out-and-out fast craft, and from her launch won everything she started for. She captured trophies at the Royal Irish Regatta, the Royal St. George’s Regatta, the Royal Irish Yacht Club matches, the Grand Corinthian Plate, the cup at the Dunoon and Kirn Regatta, and a 70-guinea vase at the Royal Northern Yacht Club Regatta at Largs. The principal dimensions of the  Cymba  were: Length O.A., 55 feet 6 inches; breadth, 15 feet 3 inches; draft (aft), 10 feet; draft (forward), 5 feet 6 inches. The length of her keel was 52 feet, and she was the most completely fitted of any yacht of her day.

Whether war did or did not adversely affect the sport of the years 1854 and 1855 was a question keenly debated by yachtsmen. Contemporary history confirms the contention that it did. And certainly the two years were quiet ones.

The sailing and seamanship of the year were, however, above the average, and some of the finishes were of almost unprecedented interest. The  Glance , owned by Captain Bartlett, showed wonderful form at the Royal Welsh Yacht Club Regatta at Carnarvon, when she won the 50-guinea prize in a gale of wind and tremendous sea. She had an excellent crew composed of some of the best sailors of the day, and carried a heavy spread of canvas.

Another close finish after an exciting match was that on the Thames for a prize offered by the Royal London Yacht Club, the result of which was that the 7-ton cutter  Julia  beat the 10-ton cutter  Romp  by one second.

Original cutter, ‘Phantom’, 25 tons. Formerly owned by Mr. Chas. A. Jones. Also showing ‘Avalon’, ‘Una’ and ‘Sheldrake’.

In the matches on the Thames  Phantom  showed good form, winning the first-class prize, although only entered for the second class.  Thought , which in the preceding year showed prize­winning qualities, was beaten by both  Phantom  and  Marina  on the Thames, and  Amazon, Glance, Marina , and  Phantom  all beat her at Harwich Regatta. At the latter regatta  Amazon  won the laurels in the match for cutters with a margin of fifteen minutes. Her other wins were at the Royal Cork Regatta, Boulogne Regatta, Dover  Regatta , and Antwerp Regatta. At Antwerp she won £125, beating  Thought  and  Nymph .

Two new yachts were entered for competition in the Prince of Wales’s Yacht Club matches. They were  Violet , 9 tons, owned by Mr. J. R. Kirby, and built by Aldous, of Brightlingsea, and the  Veritas , belonging to Mr. Baxter.  Violet  was among the compet­ing yachts at the Royal Thames Club match, and she completely worked to windward of the whole fleet, beating them by a mile in an hour’s sailing. She was favoured by a stiff breeze on that occasion, but when racing in the Royal London match she was not so fortunate, and  Kitten  was the winner, and  Julia  and  Little Mosquito  were winners of the two second-class prizes. The  Veritas  as a racing boat finally proved a failure.

The Royal Yacht Squadron matches were almost entirely devoid of interest. For the Prince Consort’s Cup  Shark, Claymore, Cecile , and  Gloriana were entered, but  Cecile  was withdrawn on account of a serious accident to one of her owner’s daughters. The other three were at the starting-buoy. When the starting-gun was fired  Shark  and  Claymore  hauled down their racing-flags, to the intense surprise of the spectators, and  Gloriana  had a walk-over. The cause of the sudden withdrawal of the two yachts was due to some misunder­standing as to the direction of the course. The Squadron Cup was won by  Alarm , and Her Majesty’s Cup by  Bacchante . Her Majesty the Queen and the Royal Family were present at the regatta.

Two years of comparative depression were followed by a year of healthy sport, and 1856 saw a revival of the enthusiasm and a return of many of those yachtsmen whose duty had called them abroad.

Most of the yacht-owners put their vessels in commission, and the racing fixtures filled well. The schooner match on the Thames was revived, and the Squadron Regatta assumed all its historic grandeur. New boats, too, made their appearance in English and Irish waters.

Glance , the 25-ton cutter owned by Captain Bartlett, which distinguished herself in the preceding year, was the champion of 1856, and the amount of her winnings (£542) exceeded that of any yacht on record. She was built by Hatcher of Southampton, and won the Royal Yacht Squadron 100 sovereigns, and trophies at the Royal Cork, the Royal Southern, the Royal St. George’s, Poole, Lowestoft, Grimsby, Torbay, and Teignmouth Regattas. The  Surprise , owned by Mr. T. Tetley, was her most dangerous rival, and captured prizes to the value of £405. She was built by Hansen.

The revival of the Thames schooner match brought together  Lalla Rookh ,  Wildfire, Vestal, Sappho , and  Aquiline . The  Aquiline  had already distinguished herself, and in the squally weather carried her topsail without inconvenience; but she proved a failure, and  Wildfire , sailed recklessly in the heavy wind, was declared winner on time, though  Lalla Rookh  got her gun five minutes ahead of her.

Cymba , the fast and invincible cutter, was raced extensively in Irish waters, her chief and highly successful opponent being the  Glance . At the regatta of the Royal St. George’s Yacht Club for a purse of 100 sovereigns  Glance, Cymba ,  Cyclone, Secret, Coralie, Vigilant , and  Victoria  were competing.  Glance  was sailed to her utmost capacity, and the handicap on  Cymba  gave to  Glance  the prize. On the following day they were again in conflict, with an almost similar result, though  Glance  this time reduced the bigger boat’s lead by two minutes.  Cymba  was again defeated in the Grand Corinthian Cup match in connection with the Royal Western of Ireland Club, and  Vigilant  won the second-class Corinthian Cup.

Surprise , owned by Mr. T. W. Tetley, and built by Hansen, was the second best yacht of the year. Sailing against such champions as  Cymba  and  Coralie , she again won the Mersey Grand Challenge Cup, value £140, which now became her property. She was also a winner at the Royal St. George and the Royal Welsh Regattas, Holyhead and Swansea.

Most of the Royal Yacht Squadron matches in the Solent were favoured with splendid sailing weather, especially on the Queen’s Cup day, and for the Queen’s prize  Lalla Rookh, Gloriana, Urania , and  Viking  competed,  Gloriana  as usual doing her owner credit, and for the third time carried off the trophy. The Prince Consort’s Cup was won by  Extravaganza , and the Squadron prize of £100 was won by  Glance . Both these matches were sailed in light airs.  Glance  was again winner the following day in the Royal Southern schooner match.

One of the most exciting events of the season was the Royal Victoria schooner match, in which  Arrow  and  Mosquito  were the only competitors. It was blowing half a gale, with a heavy sea, when they started, and both smoked along at a record pace, till suddenly  Arrow’s  mast, sails, and rigging went overboard without warning, and  Mosquito  went to her assistance, taking her in tow. Under the peculiar circumstances the prize was awarded to  Mosquito . On the following day  Thought  won the Commodore and Vice-Commodore’s Cup. The schooner match for the club prize brought about a curious protest. The  Maraquita  led over the course with half an hour in hand. At the end of the race, however, Captain Thellusson, the owner of  Georgiana , entered a protest on the ground that the winning boat had topped her boom before the starting-gun was fired, and on this protest the committee disqualified the winner from receiving the cup.

The Queen’s Cup of the Royal Victoria Yacht Club was sailed in half a gale of wind, and made a magnificent spectacle as  Maraquita, Georgiana, Extravaganza ,  Zouave, Whirlwind , and  Benita  were driven through the heavy seas.  Maraquita  retrieved her unfortunate loss of the previous day, and won the cup with half an hour in hand.

Two new yachts built by Fife made their appearance at the Royal Northern Regatta in the 60 guinea plate match. They were the  Oithona  (80 tons) and the  Crusader  (30 tons), and the first-named yacht succeeded in capturing the plate. At Dunoon, for the Dunoon Cup, value £60, the  Crusader  had her turn, and beat all her rivals, though she did not complete the course within the stipulated time. At Greenock, for the Corinthian Cup,  Crusader  was again victorious.

It may be interesting at this period of the history of yacht-racing to put before the reader some figures showing the great increase in the pleasure fleet of the United Kingdom. It was an increasing navy of some power and utility in war, aggregating 780 vessels. We find that there were 511 cutters, 138 schooners, 19 steam-yachts, 75 yawls, and 37 vessels of other rigs, the estimated tonnage of this fleet being 30,000. Though, compared with the enormous tonnage of the present day, these figures are small, yet they were of the greatest significance at the period with which we are dealing, for no country could show such a fine fleet of ships or such splendid sailors as their crews.

The success or otherwise of a season’s racing is governed by the weather. The preceding season was notorious for its uncon­geniality. The season of 1857 was notoriously calm, and in each race on the Thames all canvas was carried.

‘Silver Star’, 40-tonner. Designed by Mr. A. Richardson and raced by Mr. W. Pilkington.

Emmet , built by Wanhill of Poole, was one of the new vessels of the year. She was a long, sharp vessel, and to the experts of the period looked the ideal racer; but she was not successful, winning once only out of five starts.  Silver Star , built in 1856 by Tovall of Colchester, was of a similar type, and was also un­successful as a racer.  Amazon , which appears conspicuous in the racing annals of other years, was not raced, owing to the death of her owner, Mr. A. J. Young.

Lulworth , built by Inman for Mr. Joseph Weld, again appeared this year. She had been altered in her rig and reduced in spars. The change was successful, for she crowned herself with glory by beating the famous clipper  Arrow  at the Royal Victoria Yacht Club Regatta. She won the Queen’s Cup at the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta, and prizes at Torbay and Wey­mouth.

Another successful new yacht was  Ethel , 15 tons, built by Moore, and owned by Mr. H. E. Bayley. She won four out of six matches in which she was engaged.  Northern Star , owned by Mr. G. Harrison, was another new and successful boat.

The largest prize-winner of the year was  Wildfire , which main­tained a character for speed. She made ten starts, and won five prizes amounting to £302. She was beaten by  Lulworth  twice,  Vestal  once, and  Mosquito  once.  Mosquito  made eight starts, but captured only three prizes.

On the Thames cutter matches and the annual schooner match were held. For the latter  Zouave , 90 tons (Mr. Arabin), and  Mayfly , 113 tons (Mr. Bidder), were entered for the £100 prize for schooners over 75 tons, and  Aquiline , 64 tons (Mr. Cardinal),  Wildfire , 6o tons (Mr. Turner), and  Vestal , 74 tons (Mr. Marshall), for the match for schooners under 75 tons.  Zouave  was a perfectly new craft launched from Inman’s yard at Lymington quite a short time before the race, and, though a fine roomy vessel, with plenty of accommodation, she proved victorious over  Wildfire , though the little  Vestal  received her gun ahead of either, and took the second-class prize.

Little Mosquito  was again very successful on the Thames. She was built by Hatcher, and in her first year on the Thames won everything she sailed for. She was short, with an immense beam, and very fast, and in the first match of the season under review she won the Prince of Wales’s Yacht Club Cup, value 35 guineas. Her winnings for the year amounted to £126.

The Squadron Regatta was not too successful, and the purse presented by the club was reduced to 50 guineas; and, finally, the restrictions were such that  Wildfire  and  Vestal , the only two boats entered, hauled down their racing-flags and left for Ryde. The misunderstanding arose through the introduction of new regulations for measurement. The race was announced to be sailed on time, and under the Squadron rule  Lulworth’s tonnage would have worked out at 110 and  Wildfire  77 tons. There were rumours that the committee would not make known the time allowances till the race was in progress. This untoward incident closed the Squadron week, in which the Prince Consort’s Cup was won by  Lalla Rookh  and the Queen’s Cup by  Lulworth . A private match between  Fancy Lancashire Witch ,  Eugenie , and  Cecile , the big schooners, was won by  Cecile .

The Royal Victoria Yacht Club Regatta brought together all the famous racing cutters and schooners, and there were thirteen boats entered for the subscription prize of £100, open to all yachts. The race was exciting, and it was in this match that  Lulworth  made her great victory over  Arrow  on even terms. The  Arrow , however, captured the silver cup on the following day.

Lulworth’s  victories of the season of 1857 were repeated in 1858, though the amount won was not so large.  Mosquito , owned by Mr. T. Groves, was the champion boat of the year. She captured prizes at the Royal Cork, Royal St. George’s, and Royal Western of England Regattas, racing against  Dream ,  Extravaganza, Amazon, Glance , etc.  Vigilant  and  Ursuline  were about equally successful. The season opened on May 8 on the Thames. The number of matches sailed during the year was 100; the prizes amounted in cash to £3,896, of which sum the royal clubs contributed £2,515.

The racing of the season was of an uneventful character. The Royal Thames Club held cutter matches, but the annual schooner match again fell through, to the intense disgust of all concerned. The intended match had been much talked of, and great expecta­tions centred around it. A deficiency of entries, however, led to its abandonment. The reason assigned was that  Wildfire  was the first boat entered, and that fright deterred other owners from entering. The second, third, and fourth classes on the Thames raced with good entries, and  Pearl , 21 tons,  Vampire , 20 tons, and  Emily , 8 tons, were the respective winners.

Little Mosquito’s  season on the Thames was a brief one. She had swept everything before her in the previous year, and was in excellent trim, when on July 25 she was destroyed in the immense fire at Acorn Wharf, Rotherhithe, where she was lying.

An excellent schooner match was sailed at Kingstown in connection with the Royal St. George’s Regatta. By an arrangement between this club and the Royal Irish Yacht Club the management of the regatta was alternated between them, and both contributed to a prize fund. The match for the purse of 100 sovereigns saw one of the best gatherings of the season, including the three schooners  Wildfire ,  Oithona , and  Maraquita , and the five cutters  Cymba, Surge, Mosquito, Dream , and  Amazon . After a false start and amid much excitement the boats were restarted, and  Mosquito , though receiving her gun first, was beaten by  Surge  with 2 minutes 13 seconds to spare. The course was 48 nautical miles, and the average speed of the winner was 8¼ knots. The  Surge  was an entirely new creation by Fife of Fairlie, and had only been launched three weeks previous to this, her maiden race.

Lulworth , Mr. Joseph Weld’s successful cutter, was winner of the Prince Consort’s Cup at the Squadron Regatta, beating  Arrow  by thirty seconds. The Queen’s Cup offered for schooners was won by Mr. Weld’s Alarm. An interesting international event took place as a conclusion of the Royal Yacht Squadron week. The Queen was at that time visiting the Emperor Napoleon III. and the Empress Eugenie at Cherbourg, and it was decided to extend the race for the cup, presented to the Squadron by the Emperor, from Cowes to that port. Thirteen of the best schooners and cutters were entered. The tonnage varied from  Alarm  (248 tons) to  Extravaganza  (48 tons), and in sail area from 8,891 square feet to 3,645 square feet. The vessels were started from the Nab in a lumpy sea and a fair breeze, but they made good progress, and the finish of the leading yachts was as follows: (refer to the pdf version for details)

Extravaganza  and  Fair Rosamund  were entered, but not timed.  Ursuline  was not quite 41 minutes behind  Alarm , and 17 minutes behind  Claymore . From the former she received 481 minutes, and from the latter I9„ and she was therefore the winner.  Claymore  was also within her time of the  Alarm , and worked off the 70 miles at the average speed of 122 miles per hour. The race was excel­lently sailed by all the yachts.

At Ryde the  Lulworth  was winner in the Royal Victoria match for a piece of plate value £100 against ten other cutters and schooners, and for the big schooner match prize  Constance , owned by Mr. J. Turner, was the winner.

It had become fashionable among designers and builders to remodel existing yachts, and increase the length forward in order to gain additional speed.

A typical example of this experiment was the 255-ton schooner  Constance . Her keel was laid down by White in 1848-1849 for the Marquis of Donegal. She remained for some time in frame, and was purchased by the Marquis of Conyngham, and launched in 1850. She then measured 218 tons. The new type arising from the  America’s  victory in 1851 brought about the wholesale alterations of yachts, and  Constance  was among them. Her bow was lengthened by 11 feet, thus bringing her up to 254 tons. Another schooner altered in the same way was  Wildfire , built in 1849 by Hansen of Cowes. Originally she was cutter-rigged, but in 1851 and 1853 she was lengthened and rigged as a schooner. She was purchased by Mr. J. Turner-Turner, and up to 1858 was a successful prize-winner. In that year she did not add a single item to her previous winnings, though in the following year (1859) she was entirely successful.  Lulworth  was originally rigged as a sloop, but was subsequently altered to a cutter.

New yachts making their appearance in 1859 were  Aura, Storm , and  Scourge . The first-named was built by Wanhill of Poole for Mr. W. H. M. Ellis. She was a cutter of 45 tons, and beat all her opponents in every race by actually coming in first. At the Royal Cork Regatta, Royal Northern, and Royal Irish she was invincible, and her winnings for the whole year amounted to £500. Neither  Storm  nor  Scourge  were successful racers.  Wildfire , which did not win a single prize in the previous year, was the second-best boat. She was, as we have seen, altered from cutter to schooner rig. She won prizes to the value of £288, and showed excellent form.  Osprey , a 59-ton cutter owned by Colonel Ifney, appeared as a racing craft, and succeeded at the Royal Thames match in beating  Mosquito  and  Amazon , the former by 13 minutes and the latter by 35 minutes. Out of six starts she won seven prizes.

Mr. T. Bartlett was at this time the owner of a new clipper, the  Haidee , an 8-ton cutter, built by Hatcher of Southampton.  Haidee’s  first match was sailed at the end of July at the Prince of Wales’s Yacht Club matches against  Wildfire, Emily , and  Midge , and she proved herself to be an easy winner, beating  Wildfire  by 14 minutes. Though starting late in the season, she was able to win for her owner £123.

Another new craft was  Sybil , built by Wheeler of Cork for Mr. John Arnott, M.P. She was a cutter of 39 tons, and though she was declared successful as a racer, she only won two out of six starts. On the occasion of her first race she was steered out of her course in the fog.

The racing of the year was more successful than it had been for many years previously. Four schooners –  Alarm, Zouave, Vestal , and  Destiny  – were entered for the Royal Thames schooner match, but Mr. Weld’s fine schooner  Alarm  won the race with almost an hour in hand. The actual times were:  Alarm , 5 hours 47 minutes;  Zouave , 6 hours 40 minutes;  Vestal , 6 hours 51 minutes. The Squadron Regatta was also well attended, and an interesting bit of American architecture in the shape of Sir Henry Beecher’s new schooner,  Magnolia , made her appearance. She showed to very poor advantage, as she had done previously at Cork, chiefly owing, it was believed, to her having been Anglo-Americanized.

The Prince Consort’s Cup, for which this new schooner was also entered, was won by  Zouave ;  Cecile  carried off second prize. Her Majesty’s Cup for cutters and yawls was won by  Brunette  (Colonel Simmons Smith). The Squadron prize was won by  Alarm  (Mr. Joseph Weld); but  Wildfire’s owner, Mr. J. Turner-Turner, protested against  Alarm  on the ground that she had set her jib topsail, and the Sailing Committee upholding the protest, the prize was awarded to  Wildfire .

The arbitrary action of the Lord Commissioner of the Admiralty in ordering the discontinuance of the St. George’s Ensign by the Royal Western Yacht Club of Ireland produced a bad effect among yachtsmen outside the Squadron. The honour of wearing the white ensign as a device was granted to the Royal Western Yacht Club by King William IV., and though the Admiralty complained that the privilege had been abused, they also added the additional excuse that two other clubs had made application for that flag, and that the Commissioners had to determine whether they should extend the right of wearing the white ensign to all yacht clubs seeking that distinction, or whether they should revert to the rule established in 1842 by which the privilege was, for special reasons, restricted to the Royal Yacht Squadron. The latter alternative was decided on, and the blue ensign was substituted for the white. At the time of this affront to the Irish Club there were 130 vessels forming the fleet, and though the club memorialized the Viceroy, the Admiralty, and Parliament, it was without effect, and the privilege was withdrawn.

A new club – the Royal Wellington Yacht Club, named after the Duke of Wellington, its patron – was inaugurated on the Thames. The first match was witnessed by a large gathering, and was sailed above London Bridge. Eight small cutters, including  Zouave  and  Emily , competed, and  Emily  was the winner by 8 seconds.

For the first time in the history of the Royal Cork Yacht Club an ocean race was organized from Dublin to Cork, the prize being £25, and a sweepstake of 10s. for every vessel competing. There was considerable opposition to it when the scheme was floated, but the entries falsified all the pessimistic prophets, there being nine cutters, seven schooners, and a yawl. The race took place on Saturday, July 14, the start being made at 10 a.m. After clearing Kingstown Harbour the vessels met with a hard wind, which increased as the day wore on, and at night became uncomfortable, with heavy seas, fog, and driving rain. Dawn on Sunday morning found most of the vessels together, with the Tuscar Light on lee bow. Early on Monday morning the weather had moderated to a calm, and the fight lay between  Peri , cutter, 80 tons (Mr. J. W. Cannon),  Kingfisher , schooner, 90 tons (Sir Cooper Penrose), and  Sibyl , cutter, 38 tons (Sir J. Arnott). The latter vessel showed wonderful form, and at 5 hours 20 minutes, after a series of clever tacks, in which a lead had been worked out against the  Peri , she crept up to the Admiral’s flag-boat a gallant winner. The finishes were: (refer to the pdf version for details)

Captain Harry O’Bryan sailed and steered the winner, and prior to the race he had had three days’ hard sailing in Dublin Bay, where  Sibyl  had won the 100-guinea purse. This yacht was built by Wheeler, and showed excellent qualities in the four matches in which she sailed during the season.

A splendid contest took place at the Royal Yacht Squadron Regatta between the two famous cutters  Arrow  and  Lulworth  in the Prince Consort’s Cup match, in which  Arrow  was the victor.

Her Majesty’s Cup was won by the  Aline , a new vessel built by Camper. The  Aline  was designed by Captain C. S. A. Thellusson, and this was her maiden race. She was schooner-built, her tonnage being 216, and she figures in subsequent history as an extremely formidable boat.

A new schooner of 121 tons was launched by Mr. Camper of Gosport for Captain W. B. Phillimore, who, in 1859, lost the schooner  Alea .

Harvey of Ipswich launched the  Audax , 59 tons, built for Mr. J. H. Johnston, and she made her debut in the Royal London match from Erith Bay round the Nore. In this race she sailed against  Glance  and  Thought , but she took the lead in a slashing double-reefed mainsail breeze, and held it throughout, though the  Thought  beat her on her handicap, and she took second prize. She appeared again in the second match of the Royal Thames Yacht Club, and again took and carried the lead, though  Glance  beat her on her handicap.  Audax  through the season sailed in twelve matches, in six of which she was successful. At the Royal St. George’s Regatta she sailed a magnificent race against the  Surge  over a 58 miles course, and though  Surge  beat her on time, there was only 10 seconds difference. At the regatta of the Cork Yacht Club, however, fortune turned in her favour. There was a strong breeze, and after a slashing contest  Audax  won the 100 guineas against  Surge  (2nd) and  Aura  (3rd).

The only occasion on which  Audax  was beaten fairly on merits was at the Royal Southern Regatta, when the  Amazon , an old favourite, romped home ahead; but she was winner of 50 sovereigns at the Weymouth Regatta, and captured a prize at the Royal Torbay Regatta. She was a handsome boat, full of promise, long and low in the water, and an entrance and delivery which were nearer to perfection than anything then in existence. She fully justified the hopes of her owner, though she was not the champion boat of the year.

This honour of the year fell to  Surge , which won on the West Coast and Irish Regattas the handsome sum of £420. She was a Fife-built boat, owned by Mr. C. T. Couper, and out of eleven starts won eight prizes.  Audax  won £315 in twelve starts.

Three well-known Yacht Club officials died during the winter – viz., Lord Londesborough, Commodore of the Royal Yorkshire; Lord John Scott, Vice-Commodore of the Royal Eastern; and Mr. John Houldsworth, Vice-Commodore of the Royal Northern.

The year 1861 opened with a series of most melancholy disasters at sea. The great storm of February 9, which sprung up suddenly on the North-East Coast, accounted for over 300 ships of all sizes and two lifeboats, causing the famous disaster to the Whitby lifeboat, and a similar disaster near Cowes. The loss of life was very great, and the material damage colossal. In spite of these depressing influences, the year ranks as one of the most prosperous in the history of yachting. New boats were added to the already large fleet of fast clippers, new life and enthusiasm was infused into the various clubs, and many new trophies were offered for competition.

Alarm  and  America :

The advent of  America  in 1851, when she carried off the Squadron Cup, had led to a remodelling of the old school of designing. Up to then  Alarm , built upon the lines of her owner, Mr. Joseph Weld, was the fastest cutter yacht afloat in British waters, but owing to the success of the  America  Mr. Weld had been induced to convert  Alarm  into a schooner, and in 1852 these alterations were carried out, and she regained that prestige which was lost in 1851.  America , on the other hand, was altered in the British yards, and one authority, who saw her in the Northfleet Dockyard with a portion of her copper removed, states that she was rotten to the core, and that he never expected to see her afloat again. Mr. Pitche then became her owner, and she was renamed  Camilla . Steps were taken to rebuild her with sound timber, and innovations were introduced in spars and sails. Her foremast was shortened by 6 feet, her mainmast by 5 feet, and her topmast and main gaff lengthened. Instead of hemp her sails were made of cotton, and the principle of lacing sails along the boom had been superseded by loose sails. These alterations had been made with a view, possibly, to a match between the famous boats, but for a decade they did not meet in any race.

In 1861, at the Royal Thames Yacht Club schooner match, a challenge was issued by Mr. Weld for a private match between  Alarm  and  America  for £100. The challenge was accepted by  America’s  owner, and the match was arranged to be sailed on July 31, though the date was subsequently fixed for August 5, the day before the Squadron’s Regatta. The race aroused the keenest interest, and the excitement was almost equal to the excitement on  America’s  first appearance in British waters. The Queen and the Prince Consort watched the race from the royal yacht, and eighty-four vessels of all descriptions accompanied the match.

The course adopted was to start from the Royal Yacht Squadron Castle, round the Warner Light vessel to the Calshot Light vessel, passing to the northward of the Brambles, outside all the Bramble buoys, round a mark vessel moored off Egypt Point, and home to the starting-point; twice round. There was a splendid sailing breeze with smooth water, and the start was made at 11 a.m.  America  led, and showed some signs of being the fastest vessel. Off King’s Quay she had a cable’s length lead. When nearing the Quarantine Ground  Alarm  luffed up with the intention of passing between the  America  and the shore, thus getting the weather berth. This seemed to be unheeded by those in charge of  America , and the  Alarm  got past, and on passing Ryde Pier she was leading by 30 seconds. John Nicholls was in charge of  Alarm , and he displayed remarkable judgment in his sailing from the Motherbank, where he succeeded in taking Alarm out with a good lead.  America  did not do so well, and after losing her gaff topsail, took in her main staysail and struck her topmast; but she was being left a long way astern, and at the end of the first round they were timed: (refer to the pdf version for details)

Alarm  was thus winner by 37 minutes 5 seconds, and, of course, the result of the race was hailed with the liveliest satisfaction by those who could not forget the defeat of 1851. She was very cleverly handled, and the win was a triumph for John Nicholls and the owner of  Alarm , who had thus altered his famous vessel to beat the Yankee boat – a triumph which he had long desired. But it was no criterion of  America’s  powers, and it was regrettable that  Alarm  was not pitted against her before she was altered by English builders, when  Alarm  could have been backed by 1,000 sovereigns against her. It was generally acknowledged that the  Camilla  of 1861 was not by any means the  America  of ten years earlier. She had lost that slippery and piratical appearance which struck yachtsmen with admiration on her arrival in British waters.

Following upon this victory  Alarm  was also entered for the Queen’s Cup, a match appointed by Her Majesty to be sailed by schooners of the Royal Yacht Squadron above 100 tons, Thames measurement. There were three other entries: Captain C. S. A. Thellusson’s  Aline  (216 tons), Lord Londesborough’s  Albertine  (156 tons), and Marquis of Breadalbane’s Swedish-built  Galley of Lorn  (280 tons);  Alarm’s  measurement was 241 tons. It was blowing half a gale from west-south-west when the yachts were timed to start.  Alarm  failed to get to her station, and was obliged to let go her anchor a few cables’ length of the eastward, forming a crooked line. Thereupon the committee ordered  Alarm  to remain at her moorings after the gun was fired till the other yachts got clear of her, and at 11.4 the starting-gun was fired.  Alarm  was somewhat handicapped, but at Ryde Pier she had overhauled all her competitors, and she won the Cup. The times were: (refer to the pdf version for details)

The handicapping was somewhat curious.  Alarm  allowed  Aline  5 minutes 45 seconds, and  Albertine  21 minutes 15 seconds. The  Galley of Lorn allowed  Alarm  6 minutes,  Aline  9 minutes 15 seconds, and  Albertine  27 minutes 15 seconds.

For the next day’s racing for the Squadron’s prize of 100 sove­reigns there was an extraordinary entry of famous boats, including  Alarm, America, Arrow ,  Audax, Aline, Thought, Christabel, Enid , and  Phasma .

For the Prince Consort’s Cup there were three cutter yachts entered:  Arrow  (Mr. T. Chamberlayne),  Osprey  (Colonel W. R. Huey), and  Brunette (Mr. A. H. Davenport); and  Arrow , after sailing a clever race, won, beating  Osprey  by 16 minutes.  Arrow  was at the time still an extraordinary boat. She was designed and built by Mr. Weld thirty years prior to this race, and she was champion till defeated by the Marquis of Anglesea’s  Pearl . Then Mr. Weld designed and built the  Alarm , and  Arrow  was laid up on the mud for years. Mr. Chamberlayne then purchased her, and had her planked and lengthened, and from that time she resumed her old position as the undoubted champion, and the only cutter that could be backed against her was the later-day boat  Lulworth .

Arrow, Alarm , and  America  were also entered for the Royal Victoria Yacht Club race for cutters and schooners.  Thought, Phasma, Audax, Christabel  were also entered for the prize of £100, but at the time of the race there was a good deal of dis­puting. First the cutters refused. to sail with  Alarm , and the match, as originally intended, fell through. An attempt was made to divide the sum into two prizes of £50 each, to be sailed for by the two classes. However, the other cutters refused to sail with  Arrow , and the race again fell to the ground. Finally, it was agreed to sail a race among the cutters, and  Arrow  was made scratch boat, but she romped home and won handsomely. The three last-named boats were small cutters, and were doubtful starters with such formidable opponents. A way out of the difficulty was found when all the other yachts were withdrawn to provide an uninteresting match for this trio.

Earlier in the season  Alarm  had taken part in the famous schooner match for a prize valued 100 sovereigns, given by the Royal Thames Yacht Club. The course was from Rosherville round the Mouse light, and back to a flag buoy off the Greenhithe. The entries were:  Galatea , 124 tons (T. Broadwood);  Alarm , 248 tons (J. Weld);  Albertine , 156 tons (Lord Londesborough).

Galatea. Mrs. William Henn.

Albertine  was a new boat, built by Inman and launched in 1860, and this was her maiden race.  Galatea  was built by Hansen of Cowes, and launched in the same year, this being her second match. On the handicap  Alarm  allowed  Albertine  13 minutes and  Galatea  19 minutes.  Albertine  allowed  Galatea  9 minutes. The start was made at 12 8 45.

The race was sailed in half a gale, which admirably suited  Alarm , which was, as usual, skippered by John Nicholls, and she passed the Nore on the way out at 1 30 45, having sailed at an extraordinary speed. (refer to the pdf version for details)

In this race  Alarm  made the shortest time then on record from Rosherville to the Mouse, sailing the 28 nautical miles in 1 hour 57 minutes 45 seconds. After the match she was taken round to Cowes, and there hauled up on the hard. In a letter which her owner, Mr. Weld, addressed to Mr. Hunt, a curious and almost inexplicable revelation was made. He says: ‘On putting the  Alarm  ashore at Cowes to clean her bottom, we found that the rope, which is called a spring, used in getting the vessel round after the gun had fired for the yachts to start, had got between the rudder and the stern post. This spring is 27 fathoms in length, and was made fast to the hawser which she rode by, and in casting round at the start she broke this 6-inch hawser, which is thrown overboard at the time; but it being made fast to the spring, she towed it the whole way after her in the race. The spring was 3-inch rope and 27 fathoms long. The whole 51 fathoms she dragged not only in the race, but round to Southampton.’ The extraordinary incident caused much comment at the time, especially in view of the fact that Alarm had made a record race, though in light weather she would hardly have been able to move through the water at all.

The liberality of the Thames clubs was notable at this time, and the Royal Thames was particularly lavish in its prizes. This club was the richest in funded capital, and did not spare in its efforts to promote the interests of the sport, and to create rivalry between owners and keenness among designers and builders. For the opening races on June 23 an epergne, value £100, was offered and won by  Thought , a cutter belonging to Mr. F. D. Marshall, though she was only a second-class boat. Other prizes were the 100 guineas, offered for the race from Gravesend to the Nore, won by  Alarm , and numerous smaller prizes of from 50 to 20 guineas. The Prince of Wales Club also offered cups, presented by the Commodore (Mr. R. Hewett) and the treasurer (Mr. A. Turner). The  Bessie , a 10-tonner, and the  Why Not  were winners of these. The Ranelagh also offered two cups, which were won by  Little Vixen  and  Clara . The Royal London offered a silver basket, and  Bessie  and  Why Not  with  Violet  competed in the race. The former boat fouled, and in the arbitrament  Why Not  was declared winner. The Ranelagh, hitherto looked upon as an ‘above bridge’ club, organized a race from Rosherville to Woolwich on August 1 for two silver cups, which were won by Mr. I. Pick’s  Jessica  and Mr. D. Hatcher’s  Giraffe .

Outside the Metropolitan matches the sport showed considerable life, though the East Coast clubs were in a state of suspended animation.

The Queen’s Cup of the Royal Mersey Yacht Club was won by Mr. T. Couper’s  Aeolus , on a resail. On the first day  Thought  had outsailed all her competitors, but did not cross the line in the stipulated time, and was debarred from taking the cup. This was  Aeolus’s  only win of the season.  Osprey , a 62-ton cutter, owned by Colonel R. W. Huey, was the most successful prize-winning boat of the year, though  Glance, Thought, Audax , and  Alarm  won handsome sums.  Osprey  was winner of the Ocean Race from Kingstown to Cork.

Read on …  Growth of the Sport 1862 – 1869

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13 Top female sailors

Here's our pick of some of the most inspiring yachtswomen. Who's your inspiration?

These 13 women have all achieved excellence as sailors, accomplishing astonishing feats of bravery, stamina and skill at the helm.

From single-handed circumnavigations of the globe to Olympic gold medals, these are some of our favourite female trailblazers in the world of sailing. Who would you add to the list of top female sailors? Tweet us on @ybw

Dame Ellen MacArthur “Courage is not having the energy to go on, it’s going on when you do not have the energy.”

Dame Ellen MacArthur broke the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe, completing the 27,354 nautical mile trip in 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes and 33 seconds. She beat the previous record by one day, eight hours, 35 minutes and 49 seconds.

The retired British sailor loved life on the water from a young age and has previously competed in the Mini Transat solo transatlantic race and the Vendee Globe solo round-the-world sailing race.

Since then, Ellen has launched two charities, the Ellen MacArthur Cancer Trust and the Ellen MacArthur Foundation .

Follow EllenMacArthur on Twitter

Shirley Robertson, MBE and OBE

This Scottish sailor made it into the history books when she became the first British woman to win two Olympic gold medals at two consecutive Olympic games, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004 competing in the Yngling class. She went on to be named female World Sailor of the Year by the International Sailing Federation and was awarded an MBE in 2000 and an OBE in 2005.

Shirley worked hard to raise the profile of the sport, presenting and producing CNN’s Mainsail programme and as a BBC Olympic sailing commentator in Weymouth during the London 2012 Olympics. She is also the only woman to take the helm on the superyacht circuit steering the stunning 45-metre Salperton in three regattas in the Caribbean and Sardina.

Follow Shirley on Twitter

Dame Naomi James “What I did was completely different. Ellen is a professional racer; I was an adventurer.”

Dame Naomi James was the first woman to sail single-handed around the world via Cape Horn. She left Dartmouth in Devon on 9 September 1977 and returned 272 days later on 8 June 1978.

New Zealand-born Naomi was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 1979 in recognition of her achievements.

Crazy voyages: sailors who took to the sea without any sailing experience

Tracy Edwards

Credit: Tanya Visser/PPL

Tracy Edwards , MBE, entered her first Whitbread Round the World race at the age of 23. She made history by leading the first all-female crew to the finish line of the Whitbread Round the World Race on board Maiden in the 89-90 race. Her 12 crew won two legs and finished second in its class, the best performances in the race by a British boat since 1977. Edwards is currently busy restoring her beloved Maiden to her former glory.

Tracy Edwards’ iconic yacht Maiden is coming home

Clare Francis

Clare Francis, MBE, was working in marketing when she decided to sail singlehandedly across the Atlantic in 1973.  A year later she took part in the Round Britain Race with Eve Bonham, finishing in third place. The high achiever went on to be the first woman to skipper a yacht in the 1977-1978 Whitbread Round the World Race. She and her Swan 65 finished in 5th place. To add to her impressive achievements, the former yachtswoman is now an international bestselling author with 12 fiction novels under her belt and four non fiction. She is also a trustee of the charity Action for M.E., which raises money and awareness for sufferers of chronic fatigue syndrome.

Laura Dekker “There were moments where I was like, ‘What the hell am I doing out here?,’ but I never wanted to stop.”

At the age of 13, Laura Dekker announced she wanted to become the youngest person to circumnavigate the globe single-handedly, prompting the Guinness World Records to stop recognising records for “youngest” sailors.

The Dutch authorities objected to her plans and she fought a 10-month court battle to follow her dream. She eventually persuaded judges to allow her departure after agreeing to upgrade to a bigger boat with better navigation equipment, undertake training in first aid and learn how to cope with sleep deprivation.

In August 2010, she set sail on her epic journey onboard her two-masted ketch and arrived, 5,600 nautical miles later, at Simpson Bay on St Maarten in January 2012 – breaking the world record. She was only 16 years and four months of age.

Jeanne Socrates “I’m not really an armchair and slippers person.”

In 2013, British sailor Jeanne Socrates became the oldest woman to sail solo round the world non-stop. This was the 70-year-old’s third attempt to complete the 25,000-mile circumnavigation on her 38ft yacht Nereida.

After 259 days at sea, Jeanne returned triumphant back to British shores. Earlier this year she was awarded with the Cruising Club of America’s Blue Water Medal following her successful voyage.

Read Jeanne Socrate’s blog

Pippa Wilson, MBE

Pippa Wilson continues to be one of the UK’s best female sailors. She won a gold medal in the Yngling sailing class at the 2008 Beijing Olympics along with Sarah Webb and Sarah Ayton, gold in two World Championships and gold in one European Championships.

Follow Pippa on Twitter

Sarah Ayton, OBE

Olympic gold medallist Sarah Ayton is another of the UK’s most successful British female sailors. With two Olympic gold medals under her belt, along with two gold World Championship medals and one gold European Championship medal.

Sarah won an Olympic gold medal alongside Shirley Robertson and Sarah Gosling in the Yngling sailing class in 2004, and again in 2008 with Pippa Wilson and Sarah Gosling.

Follow Sarah on Twitter

Sarah Gosling, OBE

This Olympian is another of Britain’s great female sailors, having won two Olympic gold medals, two gold World Championship medals and one gold European Championship medal.

Sarah won all her medals in the Yngling sailing class alongside Shirley Robertson, Pippa Wilson and Sarah Ayton. Already an MBE, Sarah was awarded an OBE in the 2009 New Year Honours list.

Denise “Dee” Caffari, MBE

Record-setting Dee Caffari came to sailing relatively late after spending five years as a physical education teacher. In 2006, Caffari became the first woman to single-handedly circumnavigate the globe against prevailing winds and currents after 178 days at sea, having started in late 2005.

Just under three years later, in February 2009, Dee Caffari completed the Vendee Globe race, setting a new record and becoming the first woman to sail around the world in both directions.

Follow Dee on Twitter

Kay Cottee, AO 

Awarded the Order of Australia, Cottee was the first woman to successfully complete a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe. Cottee achieved the feat in 1988 in her 11m yacht Blackmores First Lady, and she did it in just 189 days.

Cottee established the trip that is routinely tried by sailors chasing speed records and completed it alone, without stopping and without assistance. She was even washed overboard when her yacht capsized in 20 foot waves. Her achievement is as impressive as it is daunting to imagine, and fortunately she didn’t celebrate the achievement alone: nearly 100,000 Australians were awaiting her in Sydney Harbour when she returned.

Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz

And last, but certainly not least, the first woman to circumnavigate the globe is also a sea captain and shipbuilding engineer. Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz set off on February 28, 1976 from the Canary Islands on her own in her 10m yacht Mazurek, returning 401 days later on April 21, 1978.

The Polish sailor has been called the “First Lady of the Oceans” and was inducted into the elite Explorers Club in New York. She narrowly beat New Zealander Naomi James (above) who completed her own circumnavigation on June 8, 1978.

15 famous sailors of all time. Who is the best for you?

Who’s the best? This is perhaps the most difficult question to answer, especially when we talk about sailing.  Too many technology differences, too different boats… So we propose 15 famous sailors: we chose those that for us are the greatest sailors of the modern age. French , English, Italian … They share the challenge to the oceans.

If in our famous sailors Top 15 there isn’t your hero, do not worry: write it in the comments below the article!

Peter Blake (1948-2001) When he made the exploits: 1990, 1994 Sailor and environmentalist. Among the many exploits, Peter is one of the most famous sailors of all time. He won the Whitbread 1989/90 on board ketch Steinlager II and in ’94 the Jules Verne Trophy with Robin Knox-Johnston.

Chay Blyth (1940) When he made the exploit : 1971 His name is carved in history. He was the first in 1971 to circumnavigate the globe single-handed without stopping from east to west, against the winds and currents, onboard the 59 foot British Steel.

Franck Cammas (1972) When he made the exploit : 2010, 2012 His records list is very long. We have chosen the Jules Verne Trophy in 2010 and the victory of the Volvo Ocean Race in 2012 onboard VOR70 Groupama .

Francis Chichester (1901-72) When he made the exploit : 1966-67 Aged 65: the creator of the Ostar sails from Plymouth onboard 16 meters Gipsy Moth IV and launches in the round the world solo, who turns in 274 days. A myth.

Olivier De Kersauson (1944) When he made the exploits : 1989, 1997, 2004 The king of the multihulls is always a record hunter. In 1989 he establishes the primacy of the round the world solo, in 1997 and in 2004 he won the Jules Verne onboard the trimaran Geronimo.

Michel Desjoyeaux (1965) When he made the exploits : 2001, 2009 “ The professor” won everyhing He made history by triumphing twice at Vendée Globe, the only sailor in the world (in 2001 and 2009 onboard Open 60 Foncia).

Alessandro Di Benedetto (1971) When he made the exploit : 2009 In 2009, Alessandro Di Benedetto has been around the world in solitary without stopping on the smallest boat ever, a 6.5 m Findomestic, employing 268 days.

Bernard Gilboy (1852-1906) When he made the exploit : 1882-83 In 1882, Bernard Gilboy sailed a 19-foot (6 m) schooner that he built himself from San Francisco 7,000 miles (11,265 km) miles across the Pacific in 162 days until he was picked up exhausted and starving off Queensland, Australia after a swordfish pierced his hull and he lost the rudder.

Francis Joyon (1956) When he made the exploit : 2008 He is the fastest one. Joyon holds the record of the round the world solo , completed in 2008 on the trimaran Idec (57 days, 13 hours and 34 minutes).

Robin Knox-Johnston (1939) When he made the exploits : 1968, 1994, 2007 In 1969 he became the first man to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe and was the second winner of the Jules Verne Trophy (together with Sir Peter Blake). For this he was awarded with Blake the ISAF Yachtsman of the Year award. In 2006 he became at 67 the oldest yachtsman to complete a round the world solo voyage in the VELUX 5 Oceans Race.

Bernard Moitessier (1925-1994) When he made the exploits : 1965, 1968 Maybe he is the most famous sailors of all time (together with Eric Tabarly). In 1968 Moitessier participated in the Sunday Times Golden Globe Race, the first round the world yacht race. With the fastest circumnavigation time, Moitessier was the likely winner but he elected to continue onto Tahiti again and not return to the start line in England, rejecting the idea of the commercialization of long distance sailing.

Loïck Peyron (1959) When he made the exploits : 2012, 2014 In 2012 he won the Jules Verne Trophy onboard Banque Populaire V. In November 2014, he won the Route du Rhum single-handed transat on Banque Populaire VII maxi trimaran. He set the new record, travelling from Brittany to Guadeloupe in 7 days 15 hours 8 minutes and 32 seconds (22.93 kts average speed).

Ernest Henry Shackleton (1874-1921)  When he made the exploit : 1916 He was a polar explorer who led three British expeditions to the Antarctic . He needed to the crossing of Antarctica from sea to sea, via the pole. To this end he made preparations for what became the Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition, 1914–17. Disaster struck this expedition when its ship, Endurance , became trapped in pack ice and was slowly crushed before the shore parties could be landed. The crew escaped by camping on the sea ice until it disintegrated, then by launching the lifeboats to reach Elephant Island and ultimately the inhabited island of South Georgia, a stormy ocean voyage of 720 nautical miles.

Joshua Slocum 1844-1909 When he made the exploit : 1895-98 He was the first man to sail single-handedly around the world. In 1900 he wrote a book about his journey Sailing Alone Around the World, which became an international best-seller. He disappeared in November 1909 while aboard his boat, the Spray.

Eric Tabarly 1931-1998 When he made the exploits : 1964, 1980 Maybe he is the most famous sailors of all time (together with Bernard Moitessier). In 1964, Tabarly raced in the Single-Handed Trans-Atlantic Race on Pen Duick II and won, with a time of twenty-seven days and three hours. In 1980, Tabarly sailed the trimaran Paul Ricard for a transatlantic race, beating Charlie Barr’s transatlantic record. He has been the first sailor to experience the foils.

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TABARLY OF COURSE AND BY FAR.OLIVIER DE KERSAUSON IS A JOKE.

You´re missing the Argentinian Vito Dumas, born september 26th, 1900 in Buenos Aires, Argentina. In june 1942 he circunnavigated the globe from Buenos Aires, around the 40th paralel, in an Argentinian designed and built 8mts boat, arriving in Buenos Aires, september 1943 He explained his trip with these words (my translation) “I´m going in this materialistic age, to a romantic adventure, as an example for the youth”

Absolutely. Vito Dumas sailed across the world within the roaring forties in a small boat in a time where only compass and sextant were available. His stories are thrilling and his courage humongous.

But he didn’t actually do anything to deserve to be on this website?

Captain Bligh of the Royal Navy, is a logical candidate, as is Magellan.

And yes, I consider them modern, not ancient.

Pete Goss – without a doubt – ask Raphael Dinelli!

Eric Tabarly. No doubt. By far.

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History Hit Story of England: Making of a Nation

• 20th Century

10 Facts About Royal Yacht Britannia

Peta Stamper

28 nov 2022.

The 83rd and last in a long line of royal yachts, HMY Britannia has become one of the most famous ships in the world. Now permanently moored at Edinburgh’s Port of Leith, the floating palace is a visitor attraction welcoming some 300,000 people aboard each year.

For Queen Elizabeth II, Britannia was the ideal residence for state visits and peaceful royal family holidays and honeymoons. For the British public, Britannia was a symbol of Commonwealth. For the 220 naval officers who lived aboard Britannia , and the royal family, the 412-foot-long yacht was home.

Having travelled more than a million nautical miles over 44 years of service to the British Crown, Her Majesty’s beloved boat was decommissioned in 1997. Here are 10 facts about life aboard HMY Britannia.

1. Britannia was launched by Queen Elizabeth II on 16 April 1953 using a bottle of wine, not champagne

Champagne is traditionally smashed against a ship’s hull during launching ceremonies. However, in a post-war climate champagne was seen as too frivolous, so a bottle of Empire wine was used instead.

Britannia launched from the John Brown & Company shipyard in Clydebank, Scotland.

2. Britannia was the 83rd Royal Yacht

King George VI , Elizabeth II’s father, had first commissioned the royal yacht that would become Britannia in 1952. The previous official boat had belonged to Queen Victoria and was rarely used. The tradition of royal yachts had been started by Charles II in 1660.

George decided that the Royal Yacht Britannia should both be a regal vessel as well as a functional one.

3. Britannia had two emergency functions

Britannia was designed to be converted into a hospital ship in time of war, although that function was never used. Additionally, as part of the Cold War plan Operation Candid, in the event of nuclear war the ship would become a refuge off the north-west coast of Scotland for the Queen and Prince Philip.

4. Her maiden voyage was from Portsmouth to Grand Harbour in Malta

She carried Prince Charles and Princess Anne to Malta to meet the Queen and Prince Philip at the end of the royal couple’s Commonwealth tour. The Queen stepped aboard Britannia for the first time in Tobruk on 1 May 1954.

Over the next 43 years, Britannia would transport the Queen, members of the Royal Family and various dignitaries on some 696 foreign visits.

The HMY Britannia on a visit by the Queen to Canada in 1964

Image Credit: Royal Canadian Navy, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

5. Britannia hosted some of the 20th century’s most notable figures

In July 1959, Britannia sailed the newly opened Saint Lawrence Seaway to Chicago where she docked, making the Queen the first British monarch to visit the city. US President Dwight Eisenhower hopped aboard Britannia for part of the journey.

In later years, Presidents Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton would also step aboard. Charles and Diana, the Prince and Princess of Wales, took their honeymoon cruise on Britannia in 1981.

6. The crew were volunteers from the Royal Navy

After 365 days’ service, crew members could be admitted to the Permanent Royal Yacht Service as Royal Yachtsmen (‘Yotties’) and serve until they either chose to leave or were dismissed. As a result, some yachtsmen served on  Britannia  for over 20 years.

The crew also included a detachment of Royal Marines, who would dive underneath the ship each day while moored away from home to check for mines or other threats.

7. All royal children were allocated a ‘Sea Daddy’ on board the ship

The ‘sea daddies’ were primarily tasked with looking after the children and keeping them entertained (games, picnics and water fights) during voyages. They also oversaw the children’s chores, including cleaning the life rafts.

8. There was a ‘Jelly Room’ onboard for the royal children

The yacht had a total of three galley kitchens where Buckingham Palace ‘s chefs prepared meals. Among these galleys was a chilled room called the ‘Jelly Room’ for the sole purpose of storing royal children’s jellied desserts.

9. It cost around £11 million every year to run Britannica

The cost of running Britannia was always an issue. In 1994, another expensive refit for the ageing vessel was proposed. Whether or not to refit or commission a new royal yacht entirely came down to the election result of 1997. With repairs at a proposed cost of £17 million, Tony Blair’s new Labour government were unwilling to commit public funds to replace Britannica.

HMY Britannia in 1997, London

Image Credit: Chris Allen, Public Domain, via Wikimedia Commons

10. All the clocks on board remain stopped at 3:01pm

In December 1997,  Britannia was officially decommissioned. The clocks have been kept at 3:01pm – the exact moment the Queen went ashore for the last time following the ship’s decommissioning ceremony, during which the Queen shed a rare public tear.

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The World’s Most Famous Female Sailors Literally From Around the World

Sailing is a sport that has been practiced for thousands of years, but for most of that time, it has been a male-dominated field. However, in the modern era, female sailors have made significant strides and contributions to the sport. Many have shattered barriers and set new records, proving that sailing is not just a man’s game.

In this article, we will be looking at the top 10 female sailors in history. These women have left an indelible mark on the sport of sailing, and their accomplishments have inspired countless others to follow in their wake.

The World’s Most Famous Female Sailors

Krystyna chojnowska-liskiewicz.

Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz, born on July 15, 1936, in Poland, achieved the remarkable feat of becoming the first woman to sail solo around the world. Dubbed the “First Lady of the Oceans,” she embarked on her journey from the Canary Islands on March 28, 1976, and returned on April 21, 1978, covering a total distance of 31,166 nautical miles (57,719 km) during her 401-day circumnavigation. Her achievement narrowly beat that of New Zealander Naomi James, who completed her own solo circumnavigation on June 8, 1978.

Kay Cottee, who was awarded the Order of Australia, made history in 1988 by becoming the first woman to successfully complete a solo, non-stop, unassisted circumnavigation of the globe. Using her 11-meter yacht Blackmores First Lady, Cottee accomplished this feat in an astonishing 189 days. During her solo journey, she faced numerous challenges, including being washed overboard when her yacht capsized in 20-foot waves. Despite these obstacles, she managed to complete the task on her own, without stopping or receiving any assistance.

Laura Dekker

Laura Dekker, a New Zealand-born Dutch sailor, was born on September 20, 1995. At just 13 years of age, she announced her intention to become the youngest person to sail solo around the world. However, local authorities initially objected, and a Dutch court prevented her from departing while under shared custody of both parents. It was not until July 2010 that a Dutch family court ended the custody arrangement, allowing Laura to finally embark on her record-breaking attempt on August 21, 2010. She completed the solo circumnavigation aboard a 12.4-meter (40 ft) two-masted ketch named Guppy, arriving in Simpson Bay, Sint Maarten, 518 days later at the age of 16.

Naomi James

Dame Naomi Christine James, born on March 2, 1949, in New Zealand, achieved two major milestones in solo sailing. She became the first woman to sail single-handed around the world via Cape Horn, and the second woman to complete a solo circumnavigation after Krystyna Chojnowska-Liskiewicz. James embarked on her journey from Dartmouth, Devon on September 9, 1977, and completed the trip in 272 days, arriving back on June 8, 1978. Her accomplishment improved upon Sir Francis Chichester’s solo round-the-world sailing record by two days.

Ellen MacArthur

Dame Ellen MacArthur, a now-retired English sailor, was born on July 8, 1976. She made history by breaking the world record for the fastest solo circumnavigation of the globe, completing the 27,354 nautical mile journey in just 71 days, 14 hours, 18 minutes, and 33 seconds. This feat surpassed the previous record by one day, eight hours, 35 minutes, and 49 seconds. However, the record was later reclaimed by Francis Joyon, a male French sailor who surpassed MacArthur’s time in early 2008.

Galia Moss, born in Mexico, made history in 2006 by becoming the first Latin American woman to sail solo across the Atlantic Ocean. Her journey took just 41 days, earning her a spot in the Guinness Book of World Records. The attempt was also a charitable endeavor, as Moss collaborated with an NGO to donate a home to a Mexican family for every eight nautical miles she navigated. In total, she donated 644 homes, making her accomplishment even more remarkable.

Grace O’Malley

Born in Ireland around 1530, Grace O’ Malley is considered one of the best female sailors in the World ever. Despite having a brother, upon the death of her father, Eoghan Dubhdara, it was Grace who took overactive leadership of the “Ó Máille” lordship by land and sea to protect the west Ireland region from the growing threat of the English crown. Her extraordinary career earned her the nickname, “The Pirate Queen”. She was better than most of his male counterparts at her prime and is considered the greatest female ‘pirate’ of the world ever.

Shirley Robertson

Shirley Ann Robertson, a British sailor born on July 15, 1968, is an Olympic gold medalist. She made history by becoming the first British woman to win two Olympic gold medals in consecutive games, Sydney 2000 and Athens 2004. In 2000, she was named female World Sailor of the Year by the International Sailing Federation. Robertson is also a trailblazer in the superyacht circuit, being the only woman to take the helm of the stunning 45-meter Salperton in three regattas in the Caribbean and Sardina.

Jeanne Socrates

Circumnavigating the world alone is already a difficult task but imagine doing it at 70 years old! Jeanne Socrates, a British yachtswoman born on August 17, 1942, became the oldest woman to accomplish this feat in 2013. Her record still stands today. Socrates is also the only woman to have circumnavigated solo nonstop from North America. Her 259-day journey at sea earned her the prestigious Cruising Club of America’s Blue Water Medal and the Royal Cruising Club Medal for Seamanship.

Skipper Thuridur

Thuridur, born in 1777, was one of the earliest female sailors in the world. At the age of just 11, she joined her father’s fishing crew and quickly became an efficient sailor, with exceptional skills in rowing and steering heavy wooden boats. Thuridur’s ability to navigate in all sea conditions made her one of the most successful fishing captains, never losing a crew member for many years. She is considered a remarkable figure in Icelandic maritime history and passed away at the age of 86.

Visit Grays Harbor to Learn More About the Sea’s History

If you love learning about maritime history and want to know more, we encourage you to check out the other valuable information we offer! Grays Harbor Historical Seaport’s mission is to provide recreational experiences and education that connects to maritime history. We’re a non-profit public authority located right in Aberdeen, WA, and we’ve provided hands-on learning experiences for people of all backgrounds and ages for over 25 years aboard the tall ship Lady Washington. By exploring our daily connections to the oceans of the world and their shared history, along with a historical sailing ship, our programs emphasize teamwork and empowerment. Get in touch with us today.

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Top ten most inspirational sailors.

Hi Ted . . . When a list has to be reduced to only 10 I understand it is diffuclt to chose, but I believe you left out one of my sailing heros, Robin Knox Johnston. Sir William Robert Patrick "Robin" Knox-Johnston, CBE, RD and bar (born 17 March 1939) is an English sailor. He was the first man to perform a single-handed non-stop circumnavigation of the globe and was the second winner of the Jules Verne Trophy (together with Sir Peter Blake). For this he was awarded with Blake the ISAF Yachtsman of the Year award. In 2006 he became at 67 the oldest yachtsman to complete a round the world solo voyage in the VELUX 5 Oceans Race.

David - RKJ is certainly worthy of my list, but as you said, I had to cut it off somewhere. (FYI - While Ted Brewer has written several guest posts on my blog, unless otherwise noted, all the content here has been authored by me, Kevin Walters.)

OK Kevin, I misunderstood whose blog it was. Ted Brewer sent me the link. Now I understand . . . anyway, it is a great blog. Thanks for sharing. I was captain of the yacht Mystic for two different owners, including the original owner Marvyn Carton. You can see my biography at http://www.inteconlaw.com/about/index.htm

I, personally, was touched by Robert Manry.

Ah yes, Manry and his boat Tinkerbelle. He's definitely worthy of mention on a list of inspirational sailors. Thanks for sharing!

I'm sorry, Mr. Walters, but I can't help noticing that every person you have on this list is white. You would be wise to either revise or give reasons as to why this is.

As I menionted in the opening paragraph, these are merely the sailors who have influenced and inspired my own life. I didn't mean to put this out there as a definitive list for all people, but rather my opinion on the matter. Feel free to share your own most influential and inspirational sailors here in the comments. In any case, thanks for reading and commenting!

A sailor is a sailor........who cares about the skin colour....!

Don't forget about the legendary Vito Dumas

Thanks for the addition! I hadn't heard of Vito before, but I just read the Wiki page and wow...single handed circumnavigation of the Southern Ocean a 31-foot ketch in 1942...very cool!

1) Piri Reis

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Oddity - homemade yacht by Pete Goss

Famous yachtsman and sportsman Pete Goss recently made a boat with his own hands! Let's talk about the Oddity boat and what makes it special.

Who is Pete Goss?

Pete is quite widely known outside of the purely yachting and sports "party", but if someone does not know about him yet, then now we will tell. 

Pete Goss is one of the most famous British yachtsmen. He has traveled a total of 250,000 nautical miles or 460,000 km in his career and is not going to stop there. Pete is a retired Marine. He was awarded the Légion d'honneur for rescuing fellow yachtsman Rafael Dinelli during the 1996 Vendee Globe solo round the world race.

Together with his wife Tracy, he has been traveling together on yachts for many years. The heroine of today's article is the sailing yacht Oddity - their new boat, on which they continue to sail, rediscover already known regions and search for untouched places. However, the history of the unusual homemade yacht is much more interesting than it might seem.

Previous boat and COVID aftermath

Literally a few years ago, no one could have thought of Oddity. Then, in 2017, Pete and Tracy got their brand new sailing yacht Pearl. This yacht was a Garcia 45 Exploration. Pearl was named in honor of Pete and Tracy's 30th wedding anniversary. On it they were going to make a measured and unhurried trip around the world.

March 2020 took the entire planet by surprise with the already raging COVID pandemic. At the time, Pete and Tracy were on the East Coast of the United States. They had to hurriedly collect the most necessary things and go home to the UK, leaving Pearl in the US. 

After some time, the couple decided to sell the Garcia 45 Exploration. They were shocked that the boat was bought literally 6 hours after the announcement was published. The new owners immediately took the yacht - with a bunch of things from the previous owners. Pete laughs: "There were a lot of tools, Tracy's sewing machine and a drawer with my holey underpants." 

The couple were saddened that they were unlikely to see their "Pearl" again. But at some point, an idea popped into Pete's head. He decided to make himself a boat with a vintage design with his own hands! From this moment the story of Oddity begins.

Oddity is one big oddity

The main idea was to make a small, but reliable and versatile boat - such that you can go to the open sea and explore small canals and rivers. Pete had become a fan of leisurely cruising with his wife, so this seemed like the perfect boat. 

Pete shares his memories: “We just wanted to travel, we wanted to get to Odessa and the Black Sea and then move along the rivers along the rivers, see beautiful old cities, feel their soul. One of the most important rules of cruising that I have learned over the years is that the slower your cruise, the richer the experience.”

To implement his idea, Pete turned to his old friend Chris Rees. Rhys has long been involved in design and shipbuilding in the old school style. Together they began to create that very ideal boat. 

Pete recalls: “We sat down with a glass of wine and just drew a boat. No software, no 3D modeling – just Rhys and me sharing knowledge and decades of experience on different boats.” When Pete and Chris finally finished drawing the concept, it was time to create a 3D model of the hull. They tested it for stability literally in the sink.

New old style boat

The result of the work was an 11-meter sailing yacht with an unusual sailing rig for the layman - a gaff sail. Historical note: the gaff sail appeared at the beginning of the 17th century and became a natural development of the ideas laid down by the creator of the Latin sail. It was soon superseded by the well-known Bermuda sail. 

Other features include a rounded bow in the style of old yachts, two lifting rudders and a mast. The mast is remarkable in that it can be raised and removed by hand while on board. The boat retained its original name Oddity - “strangeness” in English. As Pete himself describes the boat: “A farm boat, a favorite tub.” 

Thanks to the rounded bow, it was possible to achieve an increase in the volume of the interior. Oddity is designed to live comfortably on board and have enough living space. However, as the first cruises showed, it is quite suitable for passing the French channels. 

Pete didn't own a gaff sailboat before Oddity, but he says it's the perfect solution if you want a "versatile, all-terrain" boat. He also adds that Oddity is a perfect example of "a mixture of modern and traditional".

Creation of Oddity 

The yacht was built within seven months. Plywood and epoxy fiberglass were chosen as the main body materials. Although the plywood was reinforced, it still remained plywood. Her Pete and Rhys were literally carved with a jigsaw.

For greater safety, the sides were reinforced with a large rubber anti-corrosion flooring. Ferries and pilot boats are often decorated in this style. In addition, there is a steel lug at the waterline level. Pete says, “This is to make it easy to get the boat out of the water with a pickup truck.”

Bowsprit, frames, stern pulpit and stern arch are made of galvanized steel for greater strength. Pete boasts that there is nothing stainless steel on board at all. The arch at the stern is used as support for the Superwind 350 generator and 150 W solar panels (260 Ah batteries are installed on the boat).

The cockpit turned out to be deep and reliable. Pete himself says that "probably too deep." In his opinion, the final version of the floor turned out to be too low, but he is going to fix it.

A powerful 46 hp engine is installed on board. Beta brand. Pete and Tracy are going to do a lot of sailing. Therefore, they decided that the best option available would be to install a large, powerful, reliable and simple engine. 

Interestingly, Pete made some changes to the design of the tanks after one incident. Then Pete and Tracy had a rather bad experience with a cracked metal fuel tank. At Oddity, Pete decided to fix this problem and made custom hardened plastic tanks. As a result, there is space on board for 426 liters of fresh water and 344 liters of fuel.

Oddity interior and first winter on board

The Oddity Salon is large, colorful and filled with natural light. In a word - to match the owner. As Pete himself says, after Pearl, the couple would hardly have been able to move to another boat with a small cabin. “It's important for us to see the beauty of the anchorage,” comments Pete. Hatches are located along the entire perimeter of the cabin, as well as in the roof of the bow.

Interestingly, the Oddity ceiling profile has a decent bevel. The main reason for the difference in cabin height is that the angle of the ceiling reduces the glare from the water, which will inevitably enter the cabin due to the number of windows.

The boat is equipped with a Webasto heater and has reliable thermal insulation. Even in cold weather, it is warm enough for a comfortable life on board. Oddity was launched last spring. Pete and Tracy have already made a trial cruise. Their journey began in Plymouth, England and ran through the Isles of Scilly. There, the couple encountered the first rough waters aboard the Oddity. Pete smiles: “The wind was about 25 knots, the sea was very rough. But we were running under the motor at 1600 rpm. At this time, Tracy and I were sitting in the salon and drinking tea.”

For this winter (which is already slowly coming to an end), Pete had serious plans. He was going to correct the balance of the ballast on board and change the height of the cockpit floor. Then, according to him, Oddity will be completely ready for a full journey.

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8 reasons to buy a J Class yacht

Own a piece of history with a j class yacht.

J Class yachts were the original America’s Cup racers. In 1929, tea magnate Sir Thomas Lipton commissioned the build of the first J Class yacht for his fifth and last America’s Cup bid. The boat was 36.58 metre Shamrock V, which was the first and only J Class yacht to be constructed in wood.

“She was built by possibly the most famous British yachtsmen ever, Sir Thomas Lipton, who tried for years to wrestle the America's Cup from the Americans, culminating in his building Shamrock V ,” says Mike Horsley of Edmiston .

Amazingly, even though Shamrock V was the first J Class created — designed by Charles Nicholson and built by Camper & Nicholsons  — she remains in perfect condition, thanks to many refits over the years. In her most recent upgrade she received two new generators.

Sail with a J Class thoroughbred racer

J Class yachts are bred for racing, and it's their one design class that makes them so ideal for the sport. When you see Js out on the racecourse, the first thing that catches the eye — besides their staggering beauty — is that the race is so close!

When the J Class yachts started racing in the 1930s, it was under the Universal Rule, which used waterline length, displacement and sail area to control the rating. Nowadays, the fleet is made up of an intriguing mix of refitted originals and new-build replicas, some outfitted with luxurious interiors.

The new J Class Rating takes this into account, using a computational model that considers hull design, mast and sail plan to give each yacht an adjusted time. Even still, the relative difference in performance of Js is small. The J Class racing is thrilling, action-packed and always a fight to the finish.

Own an America’s Cup winner

Or a replica anyway… The original Rainbow and Ranger J Class yachts both held their own, aptly defending the America’s Cup. Harold Vanderbilt invested in J Class yachts to defend the Cup three times, with Enterprise in 1930, Rainbow in 1934, and Ranger in 1937. Although the originals didn't survive the cull for metal in WWII, replicas of both Rainbow and Ranger have since been built, which must be the next-best thing to owning the original winner.

The new 39.95 metre spectacular J Class yacht Rainbow was built by Holland Jachtbouw in 2012, based on the original Frank Paine lines of the 1934 America’s Cup winner. Rainbow was sold in 2015 .

Compete during the next America’s Cup on your J Class yacht

The J Class yachts are returning to their rightful home, the America’s Cup. The J Class Association is an active organisation, preserving the interests of the class and organising face-offs at regattas around the world. But the J Class Regatta, set to take place during the America’s Cup 2017 , will be the biggest reunion yet — both in terms of historical relevance and in number of Js on the start line, organisers predict.

Want to take part in this historical event and maybe win it all? Easy; get yourself one of the Js currently for sale. Ranger , for instance, was known as the “Super J” for her defence against Endeavour , and her replica is for sale with Northrop & Johnson .

Enjoy the unrivalled beauty of a J Class yacht

Sleek, slim and seeming to just slip through the water, the J Class yachts turn heads wherever they roam. While they were designed as racing beasts, these boats are undeniably beauties.

“One main justification for the hassle and expense of yacht ownership is that almost indefinable pride one feels when approaching one’s yacht at anchor in a beautiful bay,” says Mike Horsley of Edmiston. “There can be nothing in history more pride-inducing than a J!” It's okay to buy one because you think J Class yachts are simply the prettiest things on the water.

Be a steward of history by owning a J Class yacht

As many a classic aficionado can tell you, the joy in preserving and passing on a part of history is a main deciding factor in owning a classic yacht . It's no different with J Class yachts.

The J Class revival is largely credited to one such history lover, Elizabeth Meyer, who restored the original J Class yacht Endeavour , which was built for Sir Thomas Sopwith. The 39.56 metre iconic  Endeavour was the first J Class yacht to be restored.

“It was Endeavour that set the original comeback of the whole J fleet,” says Alex Busher of Edmiston . “Elizabeth Meyer should naturally take credit for her energy, enthusiasm and foresight at the beginning of this new [J Class] era.”

Endeavour is currently for sale with Edmiston, asking €19,950,000.

Gain entry to an elite club with a J Class yacht

When you own a J Class yacht, you are one of a select few. If your dream is to own a J Class sailing yacht, and even build your own yacht, it is possible to gain entry to this elite and private club by buying your way in and building a J design.

Holland Jachtbouw HJB, which launched Topaz in 2015, owns the exclusive rights to build two J Class yachts, Yankee and J9 . The Dutch builder has an official partnership with the J Class Association . Designed by Frank Paine, 38.1 metre Yankee was the third American J. She had a nearly straight sheerline and beautiful lines. While she was a sprightly and powerful defender, she never did take the Cup — but her designers Dykstra Naval Architects have optimised her design, and all she needs is for the right owner to bring her back to the life at HJB.

HJB also has the rights to build the previously unbuilt J Class yacht J9. Frank Paine drew the yacht as a defender for the last America’s Cup to be held with Js, but she was never built. Hoek Design has now carried out extensive research, which means if and when J9 is built, she is will be a contender on the racecourse and then some.

Experience the full package of J Class yachts

Beauty, racing brawn and technological brains combined? J Class yachts really have it all. “Apart from their obvious beauty and power under sail, they represent the apogee of technological achievement in their time,” says Mike Horsley. While the J Class yachts appear as classic beauties now, they were boundary-pushing creatures in their day, even incorporating early aircraft design.

“Owning a J Class yacht is the best medicine for someone with a passion for classic sailing yachts, both cruising and racing,” says Thys Nikkels, managing director of Dykstra Naval Architects.

The J Class yachts are also proven ocean-goers and many have comfortable, luxurious interiors, making them far more welcoming for long voyages than a modern, flat-out racing yacht.

“Although built strictly as racing machines, Shamrock and her J sisters have accomplished many remarkable voyages, including Pacific and Atlantic crossings, and work as charter yachts in different areas of the globe,” says Mike Horsley. “No other yacht design combines all these attributes in such a beautiful form.”

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