Watson “Valkyrie II” Specifications:
LOA: 117.6 ft / 35.84m – LWL: 85.5 ft / 26.06m – Beam: 22.3 ft / 6.80m – Draft: 16.5 ft / 5.03m – Ballast: 75 tons (Lead ballast) – Displacement: 140 tons – Sail Area: 10,042 square feet – Official Number: 102581 – Hull material: Composite build, steel frame and wood planking – Rig: Gaff-rigged cutter – Designer: George Lennox Watson – Built by: D&W Henderson shipyard, Meadowside, Partick on the River Clyde, Scotland – Year Launched: April 29th, 1893 – Original Owner: Wyndham Thomas-Wyndham Quin, Earl of Dunraven and Mountearl, of Dunraven Castle, Brigend, Glamorganshire, Ireland. – Yacht Club: Royal Yacht Squadron – Americas Cup: 1893
Historical:
Valkyrie II was designed by George Lennox Watson and built alongside HMY Britannia at the D&W Henderson shipyard, Meadowside, Partick on the River Clyde, Scotland on April 29, 1893 for owner Lord Dunraven of the Royal Yacht Squadron.
Valkyrie II sailed to the U.S. that October to compete in the eighth America’s Cup. She was twenty-nine days eighteen hours in coming from Cowes, having experienced high winds and rough seas, and had less than two weeks before the first race She lost to the Herreshoff-designed New York Yacht Club defender Vigilant, 0-3.
Valkyrie II existed for barely a single year. On July 5, 1894 this Cup contender, with 46 crew members, collided with A. D. Clarke’s cutter yacht Satanita at the Mud Hook Regatta on the Firth of Clyde, injuring one of the crew, seaman Brown with a broken leg. Valkyrie II broke up and sank five minutes later in twenty-five fathoms of water.
Known Racing History:
October 5 – 13 1893, America’s Cup Challenger Valkyrie II vs Vigilant, Defender of New York Yacht Club.
Races: Three sailed.
Results : Vigilant beat Valkyrie II by three wins to 0
Race 1 – October 7, 30 miles, windward-leeward : Vigilant beat Valkyrie II by 5 minutes 48 sec corrected time.
Race 2 – October 9, 30 miles, triangle : Vigilant beat Valkyrie II by 10 minute 35 sec corrected time.
Race 3 – October 13, 30 miles, windward-leeward : Vigilant beat Valkyrie II by 40 sec corrected time. * One of the best races in the history of the Cup.
July 15, 1893 – Royal Ulster Yacht Club Race – Course from Bangor Bay (3 rounds) – 50 miles
1st Valkyrie 4.52.04
2nd Britannia 4.54.21
3rd Calluna 5.07.43
4th Satanita 5.19.23
July 4th, 1893 – Royal Western, of Scotland, Yacht Club Race – Course from Wemyss Bay round Flagboats of Largs & Mountain Stuart House (3 rounds) – 48 miles
1st Valkyrie 5.01.58
2nd Iverna 5.06.21
3rd Satanita DNF
4th Calluna DNF
5th Britannia DNF
June 17th, 1893 – Royal Southern Yacht Club Race – Course from off Calshot Castle (2 rounds) – 42 miles
1st Valkyrie 6.11.17
2nd Britannia 6.16.56
3rd Satanita 6.29.03
4th Iverna 7.14.36
5th Calluna 7.14.52
June 6th, 1893 – Royal Harwich Yacht Club – Course round the Shipwash, Sunk & Cork Light vessels to the Harbor: 37 miles
1st Valkyrie 5.30.16
2nd Britannia 5.33.23
3rd Satanita 5.46.32
4th Iverna 5.52.03
5th Calluna 6.04.02
June 5th, 1893 – Royal Harwich Yacht Club – Course of 37 miles from Harwich Harbour
1st Valkyrie 9.03.17
2nd Britannia 9.07.15
3rd Iverna 10.13.26
4th Calluna 10.13.28
5th Satanita DNF
Provenance (The Wall of Remembrance – The Owners, Crew & Notable Guest):
Owner/Guardian: (1893) Wyndham Thomas-Wyndham Quin, Earl of Dunraven and Mountearl, of Dunraven Castle, Brigend, Glamorganshire, Ireland.