His Majesty's Cutter Yacht Britannia is depicted on the 3-cents Canadian Silver Jubilee stamp issued in 1935. She was built in 1893 for King Edward VII--then Prince of Wales—by Messrs. D. & W. Henderson, of Glasgow, to the design of Mr. 0. L. Watson, and was a complete departure from the craft of her period, being intended to skim the surface of the water instead of driving through it and her advent received much adverse criticism. The yacht was even considered unsightly because she had not got the clipper or swan bow, but after winning twenty first prizes in her first season's racing her critics were silenced, her nearest rival having won only eleven. During the Britannia's long racing career her sail plan was altered and the mast, removed from her in 1932, was presented to the Royal Alfred Aged Merchant Seamen's Institution by His Majesty King George V, and is now in use at their Belvedere home as a flagstaff.
In compliance with the wish of the late King George V, the Britannia was towed into the English Channel and scuttled.
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Britannia (Royal Racing Yacht)
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Britannia (Royal Racing Yacht)
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Re: Britannia (Royal Racing Yacht)
Built as a composite construction hull yacht by D&W Henderson & Co. of Glasgow for HRH The Prince of Wales (later King Edward VII)
April 1893 launched under the name BRITANNIA.
Tonnage 221 gross, dim. 30.5 x 7.1 x 3.8m.
The yacht was built after a design of G.L.Watson.
Rigged as a gaff-topsail-cutter, sail area 10.359 sq. ft.
The building of the BRITANNIA marked a new era in yacht racing, with the new conception of a yacht that skimmed over the waves rather than the plank on edge yachts which ploughed trough them
In her first season she was one of the most successful yachts, of her forty-three starts, she won thirty-three races.
The next year she won all 7 races for the big class yachts on the French Riviera.
The German Kaiser did have some unpleasant remarks on the yacht, and the Britannia was sold.
Her rig was cut down and she was mostly used for cruising.
She was sold at least 5 times thereafter before she was bought back by the Prince of Wales, after his coronation she was used as royal cruising yacht. Her bulwarks were raised and she was used for cruising around the English coast.
When King Edward VII died, she became the property of King George V. He was commodore of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club and in 1913 the BRITANNIA was again used for racing under command of Major Philip Hunloke.
When World War I broke out she was laid up unattended in a mud berth.
1920 She was brought out again for racing.
She was raging against all big yachts and King George V was pleased with her performance.
Before the racing season of 1922 she got a complete refit.
1931 She got a Bermudian rig. By 1934 her raging days were over, she was not more competitive against the big J class racers.
1935 was her last race off Cowes.
Until 1935 of her 635 starts she won 231 first prizes, 129 second or third-place prizes.
1936 King George V died and his instructions were as not one of his sons wanted the yacht the BRITANNIA should be broken up. Not one of his sons wanted the yacht and Sir Philip (Hunlocke) made arrangements for her last voyage. All her usable parts and rigging were taken away, and the bare hull was towed out to sea on 10 July 1936 witnessed by her old crewmembers. Under the directions of HMS AMAZON and HMS WINCHELSEA she was sunk off St Catherine’s Point Lighthouse in a position south of the Island of Wight in deep water.
The Jersey stamp depict her when she is racing against the WESTWARD, which is overhauling her.
Source: Royal Yachts of Europe by Reginald Crabtree. Ships of the World by Lincoln P. Paine. http://www.rhyc.demon.co.uk/britannia.htm
April 1893 launched under the name BRITANNIA.
Tonnage 221 gross, dim. 30.5 x 7.1 x 3.8m.
The yacht was built after a design of G.L.Watson.
Rigged as a gaff-topsail-cutter, sail area 10.359 sq. ft.
The building of the BRITANNIA marked a new era in yacht racing, with the new conception of a yacht that skimmed over the waves rather than the plank on edge yachts which ploughed trough them
In her first season she was one of the most successful yachts, of her forty-three starts, she won thirty-three races.
The next year she won all 7 races for the big class yachts on the French Riviera.
The German Kaiser did have some unpleasant remarks on the yacht, and the Britannia was sold.
Her rig was cut down and she was mostly used for cruising.
She was sold at least 5 times thereafter before she was bought back by the Prince of Wales, after his coronation she was used as royal cruising yacht. Her bulwarks were raised and she was used for cruising around the English coast.
When King Edward VII died, she became the property of King George V. He was commodore of the Royal Harwich Yacht Club and in 1913 the BRITANNIA was again used for racing under command of Major Philip Hunloke.
When World War I broke out she was laid up unattended in a mud berth.
1920 She was brought out again for racing.
She was raging against all big yachts and King George V was pleased with her performance.
Before the racing season of 1922 she got a complete refit.
1931 She got a Bermudian rig. By 1934 her raging days were over, she was not more competitive against the big J class racers.
1935 was her last race off Cowes.
Until 1935 of her 635 starts she won 231 first prizes, 129 second or third-place prizes.
1936 King George V died and his instructions were as not one of his sons wanted the yacht the BRITANNIA should be broken up. Not one of his sons wanted the yacht and Sir Philip (Hunlocke) made arrangements for her last voyage. All her usable parts and rigging were taken away, and the bare hull was towed out to sea on 10 July 1936 witnessed by her old crewmembers. Under the directions of HMS AMAZON and HMS WINCHELSEA she was sunk off St Catherine’s Point Lighthouse in a position south of the Island of Wight in deep water.
The Jersey stamp depict her when she is racing against the WESTWARD, which is overhauling her.
Source: Royal Yachts of Europe by Reginald Crabtree. Ships of the World by Lincoln P. Paine. http://www.rhyc.demon.co.uk/britannia.htm