Shamrock

Description

Shamrock Yacht Boat Model

Origin: Irish

Year: 1898

Shamrock was a racing yacht built in 1898

Yacht club: Royal Ulster Yacht Club

Architect: William Fife 111

Shipyard: J.Thorney croft &co

Shamrock was a racing yacht built in 1898 that was the unsuccessful Irish challenger for the 1899 America’s Cup against the United States defender, Columbia.

This boat was designed by third-generation Scottish boatbuilder, William Fife III, and built in 1898 by J. Thorneycroft & Co., at Church Wharf, Chiswick, for owner Sir Thomas Lipton of the Royal Ulster Yacht Club (and also of Lipton Tea fame). However her draft was too great for construction at Chiswick and she was built at Millwall.

This awesome boat (also known as Shamrock I, to distinguish her from her successors) was built in 1898 under a shroud of secrecy. And christened by Lady Russell of Killowen at its launch on 26 June 1899. Shamrock featured a composite build, with manganese-bronze bottom and aluminium topside clinkerbuilt over a steel frame and a pine decking.

It competed in the America’s Cup in 1903 and was defeated by the New York Yacht Club’s Reliance in all three races on 20 August 1903, 25 August 1903, and 3 September 1903.

The yacht was utilized for test racing against Shamrock IV in 1920 before being demolished. The 1903 America’s Cup was the 12th challenge for the Cup.It took place in the New York City harbor and consisted of a best of five series of races between Reliance, the fourth of Nathaniel Herreshoff’s defenders for the cup, entered by the New York Yacht Club; and Shamrock III, representing the Royal Ulster Yacht Club and also the third of Sir Thomas Lipton’s Cup challengers. Reliance won the first three races, defending the cup.

It was the last race for the America’s Cup that would take place under the Seawanhaka rule. However, the club was established in 1866 as the Ulster Yacht Club, on the impetus of Frederick Hamilton-Temple-Blackwood.