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Lot Essay
Bona, 122 tons, was designed by G.L. Watson and built by D. & W. Henderson at Glasgow for H.R.H. Prince Louis of Savoy in 1897. Originally rigged as a cutter, with sails by Ratsey & Lapthorn, she measured 89 feet long with an 18 foot beam and was kept at Turin. Bought by Peter Donaldson, one of the Clyde's most enthusiastic yachtsmen, in 1907 he raced her with great success, won three Queen's Cups in one season, and regularly beat the Kaiser's Meteor II when she was also cutter-rigged.
Britannia, built for King Edward VII when Prince of Wales in 1893, was undoubtedly the most famous racing cutter of them all. Hugely successful during her long life, she won 33 firsts out of 39 starts in her maiden season and competed against all the fastest yachts of the day. Sold in 1897 - although bought back for cruising in 1901 by which time the Prince of Wales had succeeded to the throne - her second racing career really came into its own when King George V had her refitted for big class competitions in 1921. Under the King's enthusiastic ownership, Britannia went from strength to strength. Despite being re-rigged seven times in all, her hull shape was so efficient that she remained competitive almost to the end until finally outclassed by the big J-class boats introduced in the mid-1930's. King George V died in 1936 and under the terms of his will, Britannia was stripped of her salvageable gear and scuttled off the southern tip of the Isle of Wight.
Satanita, 300 tons, was designed by J.M. Soper and built by Fay & Co. at Southampton for Mr. A.D. Clarke in 1893. Rigged as a cutter with a planked steel frame, she too was a highly successful boat and a worthy match for Britannia in particular. Despite badly damaging her bow in a celebrated collision with Lord Dunraven's Valkyrie in 1894, she was perfectly repaired and went on to enjoy a long racing career prior to her transfer to Italian ownership before the Great War.
Britannia, built for King Edward VII when Prince of Wales in 1893, was undoubtedly the most famous racing cutter of them all. Hugely successful during her long life, she won 33 firsts out of 39 starts in her maiden season and competed against all the fastest yachts of the day. Sold in 1897 - although bought back for cruising in 1901 by which time the Prince of Wales had succeeded to the throne - her second racing career really came into its own when King George V had her refitted for big class competitions in 1921. Under the King's enthusiastic ownership, Britannia went from strength to strength. Despite being re-rigged seven times in all, her hull shape was so efficient that she remained competitive almost to the end until finally outclassed by the big J-class boats introduced in the mid-1930's. King George V died in 1936 and under the terms of his will, Britannia was stripped of her salvageable gear and scuttled off the southern tip of the Isle of Wight.
Satanita, 300 tons, was designed by J.M. Soper and built by Fay & Co. at Southampton for Mr. A.D. Clarke in 1893. Rigged as a cutter with a planked steel frame, she too was a highly successful boat and a worthy match for Britannia in particular. Despite badly damaging her bow in a celebrated collision with Lord Dunraven's Valkyrie in 1894, she was perfectly repaired and went on to enjoy a long racing career prior to her transfer to Italian ownership before the Great War.