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Lot Essay
His Majesty's Yacht Britannia played an important part in preparing challengers for the America'a Cup. She was used as a trial horse for the Shamrocks and later, after conversion, for most of the 'J' Class yachts of the 1930s.
Britannia was built in 1893 according to the plans of G. L. Watson for His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, a keen and able helmsman. From the beginning, Britannia was a successful racing yacht winning races against Kaiser Wilhelm's Meteors, among many others.
Britannia won over two hundred races in her career -- a record that has yet to be surpassed. She was beaten once by Navahoe, one of Herreshoff's boats, but fared better against another America's Cup yacht, Vigilant, winning twelve races out of seventeen.
When Britannia was converted to race in the'J' Class she was stripped of her bulwarks, given a one-piece mast and a Bermudan mainsail. The transition did not interrupt her run of success, although she performed best in hard weather.
Britannia was built in 1893 according to the plans of G. L. Watson for His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, a keen and able helmsman. From the beginning, Britannia was a successful racing yacht winning races against Kaiser Wilhelm's Meteors, among many others.
Britannia won over two hundred races in her career -- a record that has yet to be surpassed. She was beaten once by Navahoe, one of Herreshoff's boats, but fared better against another America's Cup yacht, Vigilant, winning twelve races out of seventeen.
When Britannia was converted to race in the'J' Class she was stripped of her bulwarks, given a one-piece mast and a Bermudan mainsail. The transition did not interrupt her run of success, although she performed best in hard weather.