Category Archives: art

The Fife dynasty – first family of yacht design

Posted on October 27, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

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 schooner Rainbow: “Design, copyright and exhibition”

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

An inherited fortune from the Turkey Red textile dyeing and printing industry of the Vale of Leven, Scotland, paid for 37-year-old Charles Orr Ewing’s magnificent G.L. Watson-designed schooner Rainbow, launched at Partick, Glasgow in 1898 – and now being replicated … Continue reading →

Posted in art, Baltic Germany, Big Class, book, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., G.L. Watson clients, gift, Glasgow, object of desire, photography, replica, River Clyde, shipbuilding, shipyards, Uncategorized, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

“The Macintosh of yacht design”

Posted on September 8, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

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

Britannia behind the scenes

Posted on May 1, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

We’ve been spoiled rotten of late by wonderful footage of G.L. Watson’s masterpiece, Britannia, from the recently fully released Pathe archive. This, from 1931, is particularly fine – and rare because she’s in passagemaking mode: the galley stove pipe and … Continue reading →

Posted in archives, art, Big Class, boatbuilders, boatyards, book, Britannia, Clydebuilt, film, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., Glasgow, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, replica, River Clyde, shipbuilding, shipyards, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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

Posted on March 11, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

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

Pride of Portree

Posted on January 31, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

They said it themselves: “one of the most hare-brained projects Skye has seen for some time.” We would add: beautifully hare-brained. This summer, an intrepid team from the Isle of Skye will raise funds for the RNLI and Young Carers … Continue reading →

Posted in America's Cup, art, boatbuilders, boatyards, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, film, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., G.L. Watson clients, object of desire, rowing, Sail and oar, Steam Yacht, yacht design, yacht designer, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Art and cheeriness

Posted on December 17, 2013 by Peggy Bawn Press

My first close encounter with the work of scul?tor (that’s not a typo), George Wyllie (1921-2012), was at Glasgow’s Gallery of Modern Art in the early 1990s. Navigating to the source of some hearty giggling where I’d once had to … Continue reading →

Posted in America's Cup, art, book, Clydebuilt, film, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, gift, Glasgow, humour, object of desire, photography, River Clyde, ship launch, shipbuilding, shipyards, tank testing, yacht design | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Scottish Boating

Posted on December 4, 2013 by Peggy Bawn Press

Our friend and blogger, Ewan Kennedy, shares his passion for all things Clyde and West of Scotland nautical – especially the wonderful cult of small boat building, sailing and rowing there, and the people involved in that, past and present … Continue reading →

Posted in art, boatbuilders, boatyards, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, Glasgow, journalists, other yacht designers, photography, River Clyde, rowing, Sail and oar, yacht design, yachting history | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Art and craft

Posted on November 23, 2013 by Peggy Bawn Press

Twenty fabulous stained glass panels celebrating the trades that fuelled Glasgow as the 19th Century powerhouse of empire – among them the skills that gave form to G.L. Watson’s yacht designs – were recently reinstated at their original home, Maryhill … Continue reading →

Posted in art, boatbuilders, boatyards, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, G.L. Watson, Glasgow, object of desire, River Clyde, shipbuilding, shipyards, yacht design, yacht designer, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Inconspicuous consumption

Posted on November 15, 2013 by Peggy Bawn Press

“[Art is] a lot more sophisticated than a yacht” – The Art Market’s editor, Melanie Gervis. Fascinating article by Jon Henley in today’s Guardian. Art for art’s sake, or art as a commodity? Is anything more sophisticated than a yacht? … Continue reading →

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