Category Archives: America’s Cup

Britannia – a rather special yacht

Probably G.L. Watson’s most famous and successful design, the cutter yacht Britannia was launched 20 April 1893 at D.&W. Henderson’s Meadowside Shipyard, Partick, Glasgow. It’s where the River Kelvin meets the River Clyde, opposite the present day Riverside Museum. She … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, Big Class, boatbuilders, Britannia, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson clients, Glasgow, object of desire, other yacht designers, ship launch, shipbuilding, shipyards, yacht design, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Reviews

We’ve recently been enjoying undertaking a long overdue update to the Reviews page at this blog. As the northern hemisphere days shorten – and more often than not darken – it’s often a time to reflect. This time three years … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, Big Class, book, Britannia, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., G.L. Watson & Co. Ltd., Glasgow, Hal Sisk, Irish yachting, leather-bound, Lifeboat, limited edition, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, photography, River Clyde, RNLI, rowing, Sail and oar, shipyards, Steam Yacht, tank testing, yacht clubs, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Fife dynasty – first family of yacht design

It was our pleasure last year to assist CNN Mainsail’s Richard Simmonds and double Olympic gold medalist, Shirley Robertson, with their superb coverage of The Fife Regatta 2013, now up at YouTube. Their desire for accuracy and attention to detail … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, archives, art, boatyards, book, Clyde yachting, film, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, Glasgow, journalists, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The Macintosh of yacht design”

The October 2014 issue of Scottish Field magazine (out now) features Scottish sports journalist Roddy Forsyth’s entertaining take on the G.L. Watson story and Martin Black’s biography G.L. WATSON – THE ART and SCIENCE of YACHT DESIGN, likening Watson’s career … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, art, book, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., gift, Glasgow, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, River Clyde, shipbuilding, shipyards, yacht design, yacht designer, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

A special arrival in Cowes

As Irish and Scottish sailing teams based at Cowes, Isle of Wight, this week attempt to carry off the Royal Ocean Racing Club’s prestigious Brewin Dolphin Commodores’ Cup, little do they know, we imagine, what an important role some of … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, Big Class, book, Britannia, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Dublin Bay - The Cradle of Yacht Racing, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., gift, Hal Sisk, Irish yachting, leather-bound, limited edition, Martin Black, object of desire, RNLI, shipbuilding, shipyards, Steam Yacht, tank testing, yacht clubs, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

All mod cons: the steam yacht Hermione, 1891

When the elegant G.L. Watson-designed steam yacht Hermione arrived at the Newfoundland port of St. John’s on 2 July 1895 on passage from Gourock, Firth of Clyde, to New York, she naturally turned heads. The seafaring citizens of such a … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, Clydebuilt, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., G.L. Watson clients, gift, leather-bound, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, replica, River Clyde, shipbuilding, shipyards, Steam Yacht, The Weekend Watson, yacht clubs, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The first match racers?

As Women’s Match Racing World Championship competitors prepare for a second lovely Cork Harbour sailing day at the Royal Cork (the world’s oldest yacht club), meet Gipsy and Brunette of 1893. G.L. Watson designed them specifically for racing against each … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, book, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson clients, gift, Glasgow, Irish yachting, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, replica, The Weekend Watson, yacht clubs, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Scotia’s “Thistle”

Inevitably, a 127 year-old challenge from Glasgow, Scotland to New York, USA for yachting’s Holy Grail, the America’s Cup, has left lingering family memories and mementoes. It was a big deal, as it would be now, and is still within … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, archives, Baltic Germany, Big Class, book, Captains, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson clients, gift, Glasgow, Martin Black, object of desire, photography, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Order of the Thistle

It continues to be the America’s Cup silly season: the void between the last, enthralling episode, and the next; wherever it may be; in whatever boats… And crew nationality has raised its head. Last year’s ‘American’ defender, Oracle Team USA, … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, Big Class, book, Captains, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., Glasgow, naval architect, object of desire, shipbuilding, Steam Yacht, yacht clubs, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Martin Black wins the John Leather Award for Special Achievement at the 2014 Classic Boat Awards

Martin Black, author of  G.L. Watson – The Art and Science of Yacht Design, was tonight presented with the John Leather Award for Special Achievement at the 2014 Classic Boat Magazine Awards event in Mayfair, London. It’s the first time … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, art, Big Class, boatbuilders, boatyards, book, Britannia, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., gift, Glasgow, leather-bound, Lifeboat, limited edition, Martin Black, object of desire, photography, River Clyde, RNLI, shipbuilding, shipyards, Steam Yacht, tank testing, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments