George Lennox Watson
George Lennox Watson ( * 1851 in Glasgow, Scotland, † 1904, ibid ) was the first professional yacht designer of the UK, over 430 ships, had it designed 300 large and successful racing yachts at the end of the 19th century and the yacht design his time much impressed.
Journey
Watson began his career as a boat builder and yacht designer at the shipyard of William Pearce on the River Clyde in Scotland. The shipyard of William Pearce was known as an ideal training ground for young boat builder. Here Watson got his education and his knowledge of ship construction, which later earned him his worldwide reputation as a leading yacht designer.
George Lennox Watson was the first designer in Glasgow in 1873 founded his own design office for yachts. So far, the yacht design had always been linked to a shipyard and have been carried out usually from the shipyard boss himself ( cf. Abeking & Rasmussen and Henry Rasmussen).
Watson immediately had great success in the United Kingdom with its groundbreaking designs. He designed Yachts deep draft and a lot of ballast in the keel. These yachts had a superior property sailing close to the wind as they could sail upright and not so much krängten ( itself tended to leeward ). Their drift was substantially improved.
Breakthrough
In 1879 he designed the yacht Madge turned the competition in the U.S. Sailing Center New York. Similar to 1851, the Solent the then outstanding yacht America beat now Madge all yachts, against which they took. With this overwhelming success of his design grew to be faster racing yachts not only its domestic but also its international reputation, a designer.
America's Cup
At George Lennox Watson best yacht designs include the British America's Cup challenger Thistle (1887 ), Valkyrie II ( 1893), Valkyrie III (1895 ) and Shamrock II ( 1899). His designs influenced the design of the America's Cup yachts for decades.
Prominent customers
Outstanding was also the design of racing yacht HMY Britannia for the Prince of Wales and future King of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland Edward VII and the design of the racing yacht Meteor II of the German emperor Wilhelm II. Watson also designed the state yacht for the U.S. President, the Mayflower. But not all designs were successful. So 1895 proved on behalf of Wilhelm II in Kiel built Vineta unsuccessful and only partially capable regatta. She went as a gift to the Duke Friedrich Ferdinand of Schleswig -Holstein, which they passed on in a barter transaction to the hamburger shipowner and businessman Robert Edward Loesener.
New technology
George Lennox Watson was one of the first yacht designers, the test series of yacht models considered in their designs in water tanks, a technique first described by RE Froude had been developed.
Watson designed a revolutionary new lifeboat. Originally powered by sails and wind or of rowers, after his death in 1904 gasoline engines were installed. Some specimens were until 1960 in the rescue operation and still are today as recreational boats.
Influence on other yacht designers
From the design office of George Lennox Watson came so well-known yacht designers such Alfred Mylne and JR Barnett. Alfred Mylne left office in 1897 to start his own business. Barnett and Watson worked very closely together in the design of very elegant steamer yachts. After the death of Watson in 1904, Barnett took over the business, designing yachts such as Liberty, Sapphire, Sunbeam II and Nahlin.
Present situation
The Yacht Design Office of George Lennox Watson GLWatson & Co. Ltd.. is now in Liverpool, but no longer has any connection to the family Watson.
Famous sailing yachts from Watson
- Madge
- Thistle
- Valkyrie II
- Valkyrie III
- HMY Britannia ( King Edward VII, King George V)
- Shamrock II (Sir Thomas Lipton )
- Vanduara
- Queen Mab
- Meteor II (Kaiser Wilhelm II )
- Bona
- Rainbow
- Mayflower ( Yacht of the U.S. President )
- Vineta (1895 ) built on behalf of Kaiser Wilhelm II in Kiel.