Valkyrie III 1895

Hand-crafted plank-on-frame wood hull with cream topsides, green  cove stripe and green boot stripe. Varnished stained wood hull.

Hull size: 60cm.

Board size: 75cm X 20cm

Lord Dunraven had no hesitation when he decided to issue his second challenge; he immediately turned to George Lennox Watson and gave him carte blanche to design his new challenger. Watson was determined to win. To achieve his objective, his inspiration came largely from ideas developed by the Americans: wide beam, full lines, composite construction.

Valkyrie III was built by the D. & W. Henderson & Co. yard at Partick on the Clyde. Her frames were in steel, with wooden planking. She was given a steel mast. Launched in May 1895, Valkyrie III had her ballast increased after her first trials against Britannia.

Atlantic, yacht designed by William Gardner. Launched 1903 in New York.

At the turn of the Century, royalty dominated luxury yachting, and races were organized for the pleasure of the wealthiest yacht-owners. In 1905, 11 yachts are invited in LEARN MORE

Atlantic, yacht designed by William Gardner. Launched 1903 in New York.

At the turn of the Century, royalty dominated luxury yachting, and races were organized for the pleasure of the wealthiest yacht-owners. In 1905, 11 yachts are invited in Europe to race the Kaiser's Cup, offered by the German Kaiser Wilhelm II.

Among these luxury yachts, there was a three masted steam schooner Atlantic, 185' long and owned by Wilson Marshall, who would enter the legend of boating forever.

Driven to the potential of her lean hull form and 18,500 square feet of sail by Captain Charlie Barr, on the seventh day of racing she logged a staggering 341 nautical miles. When she passed the warship marking the finish, she had crossed the ocean in 12 days, 4 hours, 1 minute and 19 seconds. This record would stand for more than 50 years !

Her second owner was Cornelius Vanderbilt. She lasted into the late 1970s.

Too big and costly to properly maintain, she sank at her last mooring in tidewater Virginia. In 1997, the New-York Yacht Club hosted the Atlantic Challenge, race for large cruising yachts in Atlantic's memory.