Tag Archives: Partick

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

The schooner Rainbow: “Design, copyright and exhibition”

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

Britannia behind the scenes

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

Was but a muddle at the best

Apologies to subscribers to this blog who received a sneak email preview of a future post by mistake today. Sometimes the technology can get the better of one… We hope you will all memorise your lines, excuse any unedited typos … Continue reading

Posted in Big Class, book, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, Glasgow, naval architect, photography, River Clyde, shipbuilding, shipyards, Steam Yacht, yacht design, yacht designer | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

A sporting combination

Summer 1893. Paisley ‘thread baron’ Stewart Clark’s rakish c.200ft G.L. Watson designed steam yacht, Vanduara, poses with engines stopped. Clearly seen hanging in her starboard quarter davits is no ordinary ship’s boat. She is Clark’s son, J. Stewart’s extreme fin-and-bulb … Continue reading

Posted in boatbuilders, boatyards, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co., G.L. Watson clients, gift, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, shipbuilding, shipyards, Steam Yacht, Uncategorized, yacht design, yacht designer, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 16 Comments