Tag Archives: William Fife III

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

Ireland to starboard, or port?

The Dromineer Literary Festival recently described Irish maritime journalist, author and historian, W.M. “Winkie” Nixon as: “…a sailing journalist who writes like a poet and whose love for his subject is apparent in his writing.” Winkie’s blog at Afloat.ie is … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, book, Dublin Bay - The Cradle of Yacht Racing, humour, Irish yachting, journalists, other yacht designers, yacht clubs, yacht design, yacht racing, yachting history | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Reliance Project 4 – floating batteries

The Herreshoff Marine Museum blog, supporting their project to build a one-sixth scale museum-quality fully rigged model of the 1903 America’s Cup defender, presently poses the question to metallurgists and engineers: “… how susceptible to galvanic action was Reliance?” The … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, Big Class, boatbuilders, Clydebuilt, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson clients, Irish yachting, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, tank testing, yacht design | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Latifa, full and by

“Poor Latifa: always head to wind,” many a knowledgeable sailor thinks when paying respects to Fairlie Parish Church’s beautiful wind vane. Yesterday off Ardlamont – the south-western tip of Argyll’s Cowal Penninsula – during The Fife Regatta’s thrash from Tighnabruaich … Continue reading

Posted in art, boatbuilders, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, yacht design, yacht racing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Clyde Classic

Clyde Classic, the first of three very special Scottish and Irish classic yacht regattas this summer, survived a blustery weekend at Rhu on the upper Firth of Clyde – not least because events off the water, at the associated Design … Continue reading

Posted in boatbuilders, boatyards, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson & Co. Ltd., Glasgow, Irish yachting, Martin Black, naval architect, object of desire, other yacht designers, replica, River Clyde, rowing, Sail and oar, yacht clubs, yacht design, yacht racing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

High wire act

This wonderful image from G.L. Watson – The Art and Science of Yacht Design of Shamrock II’s huge jackyard topsail being raised at Rothesay, Isle of Bute in 1901 made The Herald Scotland magazine’s Saturday Portfolio spot last weekend. Try … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, Big Class, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, Firth of Clyde, G.L. Watson, Glasgow, Irish yachting, photography, sailmakers, tank testing, yacht racing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

The Reliance Project 3

A superb image was posted on The Reliance Project’s blog yesterday to celebrate the 110th anniversary of the launching of the 1903 America’s Cup defender “super cutter” Reliance at the Herreshoff yard, Bristol, RI., USA. No skirts needed to hide … Continue reading

Posted in America's Cup, Big Class, boatbuilders, boatyards, Clyde yachting, Clydebuilt, film, G.L. Watson, G.L. Watson clients, Irish yachting, Martin Black, object of desire, other yacht designers, replica, River Clyde, tank testing, yacht racing | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Summer of ’42

Water Wag dinghy class historian Vincent Delany has uncovered more remarkable vintage sailing regatta footage at Dublin’s Irish Film Archive – this time in colour – showing vibrant regatta activity off Howth Harbour, County Dublin, in the summer of 1942. … Continue reading

Posted in boatbuilders, boatyards, Dublin Bay - The Cradle of Yacht Racing, film, Irish yachting, journalists, Lifeboat, other yacht designers, RNLI, yacht clubs, yacht racing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 13 Comments

Altair: one of Scotland’s most beautiful things

Altair: one of Scotland’s all time most beautiful things. Made by men who worked with their head and their hands – and their heart. Designed, built and launched at Fairlie, Ayrshire, Scotland, 1931, by William Fife and Son. IM (Thanks … Continue reading

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