Category Archives: yacht design

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

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

Reviews

Posted on November 6, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

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

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

Gordon Bennett!

Posted on August 28, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

The G.L. Watson designed and tank-tested twin-screw turbine steam yacht Lysistrata was launched by William Denny & Brothers, Dumbarton, Scotland, on this day in 1900. Such was the attention to detail demanded by her remarkable interior – festooned with evidence … Continue reading →

Posted in Clydebuilt, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., G.L. Watson clients, object of desire, shipbuilding, shipyards, Steam Yacht, tank testing, yacht design, yacht designer | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

A special arrival in Cowes

Posted on July 22, 2014 by Peggy Bawn Press

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