His Majesty's Yacht ''Britannia'' was a
gaff-rigged
Gaff rig is a sailing rig (configuration of sails, mast and stays) in which the sail is four-cornered, fore-and-aft rigged, controlled at its peak and, usually, its entire head by a spar (pole) called the ''gaff''. Because of the size and shap ...
cutter built in 1893 for
RYS Commodore
Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. She served both himself and his son
King George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother Qu ...
with a long racing career.
Design
''Britannia'' was ordered in 1892 by the Prince of Wales and designed by
George Lennox Watson
George Lennox Watson (30 October 1851 – 12 November 1904) was a Scottish naval architect. Born in Glasgow, son of Thomas Lennox Watson, a doctor at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and grandson of Sir Timothy Burstall, engineer and entrant at the ...
. She was a near sister ship to the Watson-designed which challenged for the 1893
America's Cup. Details of the commission were arranged on the Prince’s behalf by William Jamieson who represented him and liaised closely with Watson. The build cost was £8,300 and like ''Valkyrie II'', ''Britannia'' was built at the
D&W Henderson shipyard in Partick on the
River Clyde. With two such highly important commissions underway in the same yard, Watson delegated his protégé
James Rennie Barnett to oversee both yachts.
Racing career
''Britannia'' was launched on 20 April 1893, a week ahead of ''Valkyrie II'' and joined a fleet of first class cutters that was growing fast as others followed the royal lead. In a highly competitive fleet, ''Britannia'' soon set about achieving the race results which would eventually establish her as the most successful racing yacht of all time.
By the end of her first year's racing, ''Britannia'' had scored thirty-three wins from forty-three starts. In her second season, she won all seven races for the first class yachts on the
French Riviera, and then beat the 1893 America's Cup defender in home waters. In the Mount's Bay Regatta of 28 July 1894 the ''Vigilant'' owned by Jay Gould, director of the American Cable Company, was piloted by Benjamin Nicholls of Penzance, and the Prince of Wales's yacht ''Britannia'' was piloted by Ben's brother Philip Nicholls. ''Britannia'' won by just over seven minutes. People came by train from all over the south west to watch this race. Both brothers were Trinity House pilots of Penzance.
Despite a lull in big yacht racing after 1897, ''Britannia'' served as a trial horse for
Sir Thomas Lipton
Sir Thomas Johnstone Lipton, 1st Baronet (10 May 18482 October 1931) was a Scotsman of Ulster-Scots parentage who was a self-made man, as company founder of Lipton Tea, merchant, philanthropist and yachtsman who lost 5 straight America's Cup ...
's first America's Cup challenger , and later passed on to several owners in a cruising trim with raised bulwarks. In 1920,
King George V
George V (George Frederick Ernest Albert; 3 June 1865 – 20 January 1936) was King of the United Kingdom and the British Dominions, and Emperor of India, from 6 May 1910 until his death in 1936.
Born during the reign of his grandmother Qu ...
triggered the revival of the "Big class" by announcing that he would refit ''Britannia'' for racing. Although ''Britannia'' was the oldest yacht in the circuit, regular updates to her rig kept her a most successful racer throughout the 1920s. In 1931, she was converted to the with a
bermuda rig, but despite the modifications, her performance to
windward
Windward () and leeward () are terms used to describe the direction of the wind. Windward is ''upwind'' from the point of reference, i.e. towards the direction from which the wind is coming; leeward is ''downwind'' from the point of reference ...
declined dramatically. Her last race was at
Cowes in 1935. During her racing career she had won 231 races and took another 129 flags.
King George V's dying wish was for his beloved yacht to follow him to the grave. On 10 July 1936, after ''Britannia'' had been stripped of her
spars and fittings, her hull was towed out to
St Catherine's Deep near the
Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a Counties of England, county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the List of islands of England#Largest islands, largest and List of islands of England#Mo ...
, and she was sunk by , commanded by Captain
W.N.T. Beckett RN.
Five known examples of ''Britannia''s racing flags are preserved, one presented by
Philip Hunloke
Major Sir Philip Hunloke (born Philip Perceval, 26 November 1868 – 1 April 1947) was a British sailor and courtier.
He was the son of Captain Philip Perceval of the Royal Horse Guards, but changed his name in 1905. He was a crew member ...
to the
Royal Cornwall Yacht Club
Situated on the waterfront setting of the Greenbank area in Falmouth, the Royal Cornwall Yacht Club (RCYC) was formed in 1871, and is the 15th oldest “Royal” yacht club in England.
History
In 1871 the forty-seven founding members of the cl ...
, in whose regattas ''Britannia'' was often a competitor between 1894 and 1935, the second at the
Royal Northern and Clyde Yacht Club
The Royal Northern & Clyde Yacht Club is a yacht club founded in Scotland in 1978, by merger of the Royal Northern Yacht Club (founded in 1824) and the Royal Clyde Yacht Club (founded in 1856).
History
The Royal Northern was originally based ...
at Rhu and the third at the
Royal St. George Yacht Club, which held two regattas in
Kingstown
Kingstown is the capital, chief port, and main commercial centre of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. With a population of 12,909 (2012), Kingstown is the most populous settlement in the country. It is the island's agricultural industry centr ...
for the first season of the RYA linear rating rule in 1896. ''Britannia''s skipper William G. Jameson had lost both races to the new ''Meteor II'' and ''Ailsa''. The fourth known flag is held in the vexillology collection in the
National Maritime Museum
The National Maritime Museum (NMM) is a maritime museum in Greenwich, London. It is part of Royal Museums Greenwich, a network of museums in the Maritime Greenwich World Heritage Site. Like other publicly funded national museums in the Unite ...
at Greenwich. The fifth example is now on display at the K1 Britannia base in
Cowes on
The Isle of Wight
The Isle of Wight ( ) is a county in the English Channel, off the coast of Hampshire, from which it is separated by the Solent. It is the largest and second-most populous island of England. Referred to as 'The Island' by residents, the Isle of ...
, on loan from the family of a former member of the crew who served as Yeoman Signaller on Britannia during the 1931 - 1933 racing seasons inclusive.
![HMY Britannia spinnaker boom](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/f/f3/HMY_Britannia_spinnaker_boom.jpg)
''Britannia''s long gaff, the king’s chair, tiller, some mast hoops, blocks and rigging, anchor chain and clock are preserved in the Sir Max Aitken Museum in Cowes High Street and the remains of her spinnaker boom are at
Carisbrooke Castle
Carisbrooke Castle is a historic motte-and-bailey castle located in the village of Carisbrooke (near Newport), Isle of Wight, England. Charles I was imprisoned at the castle in the months prior to his trial.
Early history
The site of Carisb ...
, also on the Isle of Wight. The spinnaker boom was given for use as a flag pole on the keep (where it twice suffered lightning damage), and the present flagpole is a fibreglass replica. In an episode of ''
Antiques Roadshow
''Antiques Roadshow'' is a British television programme broadcast by the BBC in which antiques appraisers travel to various regions of the United Kingdom (and occasionally in other countries) to appraise antiques brought in by local people ( ...
'' from Pembroke Castle, broadcast in April 2017, a relative of a crew member brought photographs, and a damask tablecloth and some cutlery from the yacht, to be appraised.
Replica
![BritanniaRussiaHull1](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e0/BritanniaRussiaHull1.jpg)
K1 Britannia is a project to create a replica of the original vessel where K1 designates the ''Britannia''s sail number when she was converted to the
J class in 1931. In 1993, a syndicate headed by Norwegian Sigurd Coates purchased a stake in the Solombala shipyard in
Arkhangelsk
Arkhangelsk (, ; rus, Арха́нгельск, p=ɐrˈxanɡʲɪlʲsk), also known in English as Archangel and Archangelsk, is a city and the administrative center of Arkhangelsk Oblast, Russia. It lies on both banks of the Northern Dvina near ...
in order to create a replica of the ''Britannia'' in pinewood and laminated oak. Between 2002 and 2006, the shipyard changed hands several times whilst joinery was nearing completion. In 2006, she was rechristened ''Царь Пётр'' (''Tsar Pyotr''; "
Peter the Great") and held back for NOK25,000,000 until 2009, when a Russian court ordered the hull to be launched and delivered by the shipyard to her original owner Sigurd Coates. The story behind this 16-year saga was captured on film by director and producer Ann Coates and released in a documentary called The Dream of Britannia.
Having finally taken possession of the ''Britannia'' replica, Sigurd Coates berthed the hull in Son for outfitting. As this period coincided with the economic recession, work was stalled and Coates decided to sell the boat to the K1 Britannia Trust in the UK. This charity was established with the goal of completing Britannia and using her as a flagship for charitable causes around the world.
The replica ''Britannia'' was towed to the South Boats yard in
East Cowes
East Cowes is a town and civil parish in the north of the Isle of Wight, on the east bank of the River Medina, next to its west bank neighbour Cowes.
The two towns are connected by the Cowes Floating Bridge, a chain ferry operated by the Isle ...
in 2012. The Trust invested in the scaffolding, cradle, tools and workmen required and work began on the final stages of the ''Britannia'' build. This came to a halt in 2014 when the Southboats yard was declared bankrupt.
In September 2018 the K1 Britannia Trust announced that it is to build an entirely new replica. This decision followed surveys of the existing replica and a full scope of the work still to be undertaken. The conclusion was reached that in the interests of sustainability, the new replica would have an all-aluminium hull and keel, a keel-stepped carbon mast, box boom and bowsprit, carbon continuous rigging, and a hybrid propulsion package.
Predecessors and opponents
Previously Prince Albert Edward had acquired the 205-ton schooner ''Hildegarde'' in 1876, which he had replaced with the 103-ton cutter ''Formosa'' (Michael E. Ratsey, 1878) in 1879, and the 216-ton schooner ''Aline'' (Benjamin Nicholson, 1860) in 1881.
''Britannia'' faced many opponents in her 43-year career. The most notable were:
*''
Meteor
A meteoroid () is a small rocky or metallic body in outer space.
Meteoroids are defined as objects significantly smaller than asteroids, ranging in size from grains to objects up to a meter wide. Objects smaller than this are classified as mi ...
'', ''
Valkyrie II'' and ''
Valkyrie III'' (
America's Cup challengers by
George Lennox Watson
George Lennox Watson (30 October 1851 – 12 November 1904) was a Scottish naval architect. Born in Glasgow, son of Thomas Lennox Watson, a doctor at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and grandson of Sir Timothy Burstall, engineer and entrant at the ...
, 1887, 1893 and 1895)
*''Navahoe'' and ''
Vigilant'' (Seawanhaka 85' yankee sloops by
Nathanael Greene Herreshoff
Nathanael Greene Herreshoff (March 18, 1848 – June 2, 1938) was an American naval architect, mechanical engineer, and yacht design innovator. He produced a succession of undefeated America's Cup defenders between 1893 and 1920.
Biography
Her ...
, 1893)
*''Satanita'' ("Length And Sail Area Rule" First Class cutter by Joseph Manston Soper, 1893)
*''Calluna'' and ''Ailsa'' ("Length And Sail Area Rule" First Class cutters by
William Fife III
William Fife Jr. (15 June 1857 – 11 August 1944), also known as William Fife III, was the third generation of a family of Scottish yacht designers and builders. In his time, William Fife designed around 600 yachts, including two contend ...
, 1893 and 1894)
*''Meteor II'' ("Linear Rule" First Class cutter by George Lennox Watson, 1896)
*''
Shamrock I'' (America's Cup Seawanhaka 90' challenger by William Fife III, 1899)
*''Merrymaid'' ("Big Class" handicap cruising cutter,
Charles Ernest Nicholson
Charles Ernest Nicholson (12 May 1868 – 26 February 1954) was a British yacht designer.
Biography
He was born in 1868, one of four sons and six daughters of Benjamin Nicholson (1828-1906), also a yacht designer, and the original Nicholson of ...
, 1904, still sailing)
*''Zinita'' ("Big Class" Second Linear Rule 65' cutter by William Fife III, 1904)
*''Nyria'' ("Big Class" bermuda cutter by
Charles Ernest Nicholson
Charles Ernest Nicholson (12 May 1868 – 26 February 1954) was a British yacht designer.
Biography
He was born in 1868, one of four sons and six daughters of Benjamin Nicholson (1828-1906), also a yacht designer, and the original Nicholson of ...
, 1905)
*''Brynhild II'' ("
International Rule" 23mR cutter by
Charles Ernest Nicholson
Charles Ernest Nicholson (12 May 1868 – 26 February 1954) was a British yacht designer.
Biography
He was born in 1868, one of four sons and six daughters of Benjamin Nicholson (1828-1906), also a yacht designer, and the original Nicholson of ...
, 1907)
*''White Heather II'' and ''Shamrock'' ("International Rule" 23mR cutters by William Fife III, 1907 and 1908)
*
''Westward'' (A-Class schooner by Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, 1910)
*''
Lulworth
Lulworth is the popular name for an area on the coast of Dorset, South West England notable for its castle and cove. However, there is no actual place or feature called simply "Lulworth", the villages are East and West Lulworth and the coastal f ...
'' ("Big Class" cutter by Herbert William White, 1920, still sailing)
*''Moonbeam IV'' ("Big Class" handicap cruising cutter by William Fife III, 1920, still sailing)
*''Astra'' and ''Candida'' ("Second International Rule" 23mR bermuda cutters by
Charles Ernest Nicholson
Charles Ernest Nicholson (12 May 1868 – 26 February 1954) was a British yacht designer.
Biography
He was born in 1868, one of four sons and six daughters of Benjamin Nicholson (1828-1906), also a yacht designer, and the original Nicholson of ...
, 1928 and 1929, both still sailing)
*''Cambria'' ("Second International Rule" 23mR bermuda cutter by William Fife III, 1928, still sailing)
*''
Shamrock V'', ''
Velsheda'' and ''
Endeavour I'' ("
Universal Rule"
J-Class cutters by
Charles Ernest Nicholson
Charles Ernest Nicholson (12 May 1868 – 26 February 1954) was a British yacht designer.
Biography
He was born in 1868, one of four sons and six daughters of Benjamin Nicholson (1828-1906), also a yacht designer, and the original Nicholson of ...
, 1930, 1933 and 1934, all still sailing)
*''Yankee'' ("Universal Rule" J-Class sloop by Frank Cabot Paine, 1930)
Racing record
Bibliography
* - 24 videos
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
*
File:First-class rater Britannia.jpg, First-class rater ''Britannia''
File:First-class rater Britannia.2.jpg, First-class rater ''Britannia''
File:Bundesarchiv_Bild_102-13720,_Cowes_Week_Regatta,_Yacht_"Brittania".jpg, King George V at the helm
File:K1BritanniaSail.jpg, The ''Britannia'' in the 1930s
File:HMY_britannia_I-(1893).jpg, The ''Britannia'' in her first season
External links
G.L. Watson & Co. Ltd.
{{DEFAULTSORT:Britannia
1893 in sports
Ships built on the River Clyde
J-class yachts
Royal Yachts of the United Kingdom
Individual sailing vessels
1893 ships
1893 in Scotland