William Fife III.

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William Fife III. (Photograph from 1903)

William Fife III. (* 1857 ; † 1944 ) (also called William Fife Jr.) was a Scottish designer of large sailing yachts .

meaning

His best known designs were the two yachts Shamrock and Shamrock III of the multiple America's Cup challenger Sir Thomas Lipton in 1899 and 1903. With the Shamrock III, William Fife III designed the largest, fastest and most modern sailing yacht of its time. As one of the best yacht designers in history, he was inducted into the America's Cup Hall of Fame .

Life path

William Fife III began a five-year apprenticeship at the age of 14 at his father's shipyard in Fairlie on the Clyde River in Scotland . The shipyard , founded in 1790, was taken over by William Fife II in 1840. After William Fife III worked as managing director for 15 years in the shipyards of J. Fullerten & Co. and Culzean Yacht & Steam Launch after completing his apprenticeship , he came back to Fairlie in 1886 in his father's shipyard.

At the end of the 19th century, the shipyard already had the prerequisites to build yachts in composite construction (wooden hulls with steel frames). The numerous regatta successes of the yachts designed by William Fife III made him so famous that up to 50 regatta yachts were built in the shipyard taken over from his father in 1894.

After William Fife III. At the beginning of the 20th century, in contrast to his competitor Charles E. Nicholson, was no longer as successful in the 15mR class, he took the lead in the 6mR and 8mR class after the First World War . Charles E. Nicholson, with the support of William Fife III, constructed the last two Shamrock yachts of Sir Thomas Lipton.

In 1923 William Fife III's nephew, Robert Balderston, joined the shipyard. After the death of William Fife III. in 1944 the shipyard was sold and closed in the mid-1960s due to economic difficulties.

Trademark

In 1889, William Fife III constructed. the yacht “DRAGON”. She was very successful on the international regatta courses. Their special distinguishing mark was a striking dragon head on the bow. This scorpionfish has become the trademark of Scottish yachts from the Fairlie shipyard on the Clyde River.

Famous sailing yachts owned by William Fife III

Moonbeam at the Brest 2008 Maritime Festival
  • Dragon (1889)
  • Shamrock I (1899) - America's Cup , owned by Sir Thomas Lipton
  • Shamrock III (1903) - America's Cup , owned by Sir Thomas Lipton
  • Pen Duick I (1898) ex Yum , Griselidis , last owner: Eric Tabarly
  • Erna Signe (1911) - 12mR, silver medal Olympic Games 1912, Stockholm
  • Moonbeam (1914) - 110 feet
  • Emily (1924) - 8mR silver medal
  • Fintra (1928) - 6mR, gold medal at the British American Six Meter Cup 1928
  • Sumurun (1914) - 94 feet
  • Tuiga (1909) - 15mR, D3, owner: Monaco Yacht Club
  • Lucky Girl (1909) - 8mR, H1 bronze medal Olympic Games 1912, Stockholm
  • Cambria (1928) - 23mR
  • Altair (1931) - gaff schooner, extensively restored by Albert Obrist in 1989
  • Latifa (1934) - Yawl, Spitzgatter, a model adorns the steeple of the Parish Church in Fairlie
  • Eilean (1936) - owned by Angelo Bonati in 2011 and renovated until 2009.

literature

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ America's Cup Hall of Fame: Portrait William Fife III. (Engl.) Accessed 20 July 2009
  2. ↑ website Sumurun Boat Details (English) ( Memento of May 30, 2016 in the Internet Archive ), accessed on September 24, 2015

Web links

Commons : William Fife  - Collection of Pictures, Videos and Audio Files
personal data
SURNAME Fife, William III.
ALTERNATIVE NAMES William Fife Jr.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION Scottish designer of large sailing yachts
DATE OF BIRTH 1857
DATE OF DEATH 1944