Valkyrie

Valkyrie
Rig Class.Cutter
Builder:Fay, Southampton to a G L Watson design
Year built:1889
General characteristics
Ton:94 tons TM
LOA:85.0 feet betwen perpendiculars
Beam:15.9 feet
Draught:11.6 feet
During the winter before the 1889 season there had been rumours of an eighth challenge for the America's Cup following Thistle's unsuccessful match with Volunteer.  The Earl of Dunraven had been casting his eyes in this direction and had been negotiating with the New York Yacht Club.  To this end also, he went to G L Watson for a challenger and built her at Fay's yard in Southampton.  She was named Valkyrie and rated 77.42.

Dunraven's negotiations broke down though.  After the secrecy that had surrounded Thistle's dimensions and the fact that a wrong measurement had been declared by the challenger, the Americans instituted a new Deed of Gift.  Among provisions that the British found irksome was the requirement that a challenger's dimensions must be declared ten months before the event.

When it came to the Valkyrie challenge the NYYC sought assurances that in the event of a British victory these new terms would be adhered to.  This the RYS refused.  The challenge therefore never took place and it was only in 1892 that a compromise was reached requiring only the waterline length to be revealed.

Nevertheless, all this toing and froing focused attention on Valkyrie's performance during the season.  She proved to be very difficult to beat in moderate weather but was unable to stay with Yarana in lighter conditions.  This pattern repeated itself in the following year.

When the time came to build Valkyrie II for the 1893 Cup series, Valkyrie passed first into Austrian and then into Sicilian ownership.

The photograph on the right shows her at speed in slightly less than her preferred weight of wind, but striding along nevertheless.  Note the crewman aloft at the heel of the main topmast.

Owners

Namefromto
The 4th Earl of Dunraven 1889 1891

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