Category Archives: boatbuilders

Britannia – a rather special yacht

Posted on April 20, 2015 by Peggy Bawn Press

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

Peggy, of Casteltown: the world’s oldest yacht?

Posted on January 30, 2015 by Peggy Bawn Press

It was an emotional moment this week when Peggy, probably the world’s oldest yacht – born 1789 – departed her boathouse at Castletown on the Isle of Man for the first time in c200 years – vertically, instead of horizontally. … Continue reading →

Posted in boatbuilders, journalists, object of desire, other yacht designers, Sail and oar, yacht design, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

ALOFT: Pre-War Summer, 1939

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Peggy Bawn Press

The most recent episode in Alastair Gordon’s eloquent retracing of his father’s pre-second word war life in Scotland. We enter a carefree summer of sailing beautiful home-grown yachts on the Firth of Clyde – the Gareloch in particular – and … Continue reading →

Posted in boatbuilders, boatyards, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, Glasgow, other yacht designers, photography, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Sensuous and mental joys

Posted on December 4, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

It’s pleasing to hear about yacht designer, surveyor, sailmaker, yachtsman, paragon of octogenarian health and prolific author of really useful yachting books, Ian Nicolson, rubbing shoulders with fellow media and literary ‘heavyweights’, Sally Magnusson, James Robertson and Kirsty Wark, at … Continue reading →

Posted in boatbuilders, boatyards, book, film, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., gift, Glasgow, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, sailmakers, Uncategorized, yacht clubs, yacht design, yacht designer, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Weekend Watson – Camilla

Posted on November 22, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

The sweet, varnished gaff cutter Camilla is one of a very special group of surviving yachts designed during the all too short lifetime of Glasgow naval architect and yacht designer, G.L. Watson (1851-1904). The business carrying his name continued – … Continue reading →

Posted in boatbuilders, boatyards, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., G.L. Watson clients, gift, Glasgow, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, The Weekend Watson, Uncategorized, yacht clubs, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

… Watson, I presume

Posted on August 8, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

The pot of gold is secured: the Rainbow II replica project is official, and spectacular. Naval architecture is by Dykstra Naval Achitects, with launching and completion set for 2016. Holland Jachtbouw of Zaandam, Netherlands, has secured the project contract, with … Continue reading →

Posted in Baltic Germany, Big Class, boatbuilders, boatyards, Clyde yachting, film, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., Glasgow, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, replica, shipyards | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Wind of fortune

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

  Snippets of news slipping out online more than strongly suggest that one of the most exciting of classic yacht replica projects is well underway: a reincarnation of G.L. Watson’s design for the fabulous and fast schooner Rainbow, later Hamburg, … Continue reading →

Posted in archives, Baltic Germany, Big Class, boatbuilders, boatyards, Captains, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, film, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., G.L. Watson & Co. Ltd., G.L. Watson clients, gift, Glasgow, leather-bound, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, photography, replica, River Clyde, sailmakers, shipbuilding, shipyards, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a 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

Speed, grace and beauty – The Clyde Fortnight 1923

Posted on April 22, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

For 13 tantalising seconds in the newly released Pathe archive newsreel above, we are treated to the full broadsides beauty of King George V’s G.L. Watson-designed cutter, Britannia: the special one; probably the most famous racing yacht there will ever be; … Continue reading →

Posted in archives, Big Class, boatbuilders, boatyards, book, Britannia, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, film, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., gift, Glasgow, Irish yachting, leather-bound, limited edition, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, yacht design, yacht designer, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 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