Short name | RYS |
---|---|
Founded | June 1, 1815 |
Location | Cowes Castle, Isle of Wight, England |
Commodore | Sir James Holman |
Website | www |
The Royal Yacht Squadron (RYS) is a British yacht club. Its clubhouse is Cowes Castle on the Isle of Wight in the United Kingdom. Member yachts are given the suffix RYS to their names, and are permitted (with the appropriate warrant) to wear the White Ensign of the Royal Navy [1] rather than the merchant Red Ensign worn by the majority of other UK registered vessels. The club's patron was Queen Elizabeth II.
The Royal Yacht Squadron entered the 2021 America's Cup in Auckland, New Zealand, with the Ineos Team UK syndicate led by Sir Ben Ainslie, but did not win. In March 2021, an entity associated with the RYS, called Royal Yacht Squadron Racing Ltd, was officially accepted as the Challenger of Record for the 37th America's Cup competition.
Founded on 1 June 1815 in the Thatched House Tavern in St James's, London as The Yacht Club by 42 gentlemen interested in sea yachting, [2] the original members [a] decided to meet in London and in Cowes twice a year, to discuss yachting over dinner.Membership was restricted to those who owned a vessel not under 10 tons. [b]
The Earl of Yarborough, later first commodore of the club, welcomed the Prince Regent as a member in 1817. In 1820, when the Prince Regent became George IV, it was renamed the Royal Yacht Club. [3]
The club started organising racing as a principal feature of the annual regatta, which is now known as Cowes Week. In 1833, William IV renamed the club The Royal Yacht Squadron. Its association with the Royal Navy began early and Nelson's captain at Trafalgar, Admiral Sir Thomas Hardy, headed the list of naval members. The spirit of invention led to yachts "of such celerity in sailing and beauty of construction" that they were of utility to the Royal Navy. In 1829, the Admiralty issued a warrant to wear what is now the navy's White Ensign. The burgee (a triangular shaped flag identifying yacht club membership) is differenced with a St George's Cross and crown on a white background.[ citation needed ]
In 1851, one of the "forred" hands, on board the yacht America concerning the first sailing of the America's Cup, 1851 wrote 'The Royal Yacht Club—In a fix' (tune). "Come listen to my ditty, and a song to you I'll sing..." [4]
Another naval connection is that the Antarctic explorer Robert Falcon Scott was a member of the Royal Yacht Squadron. To enable the application of naval discipline on board a civilian ship, he registered the Terra Nova RYS as a yacht of the squadron and sailed under the White Ensign on his second and final expedition to Antarctica in 1910.[ citation needed ]
In August 2013, the members of Royal Yacht Squadron voted to allow full membership to women, which had been restricted since its foundation. [5]
In 1851, the club's commodore, visiting the Great Exhibition, issued a challenge for the squadron's £100 Cup for a race around the island. The New York City–based America , representing the New York Yacht Club, triumphed in this race, giving its name to one of the oldest and best-known trophies: the America's Cup. The victory was witnessed by Queen Victoria and the Prince of Wales, later commodore of the club and Edward VII.[ citation needed ]
The site is also used as the start of the Round the Island Race which occurs annually.[ citation needed ]
During the American Civil War Deerhound RYS witnessed the fight between USS Kearsarge and the Confederate cruiser CSS Alabama. Gazelle RYS rescued the Empress Eugenie at the end of the Franco-Prussian War and the squadron yachts supplied British soldiers in the Crimean War. [6]
The German Kaiser brought the 1887 America's Cup challenger Thistle to Cowes in 1892, which encouraged the Prince of Wales to build the royal cutter yacht Britannia , one of the most successful racing yachts of all time.[ citation needed ]
The Pavilion, designed by the architect Thomas Croft, was opened in 2000. This building provides on shore facilities for yachtsmen and their families while allowing the castle to retain its 'country house' ambience.[ citation needed ]
Ashbrook, Viscount | Kirkwall, Viscount |
Aylmer, Charles, Esqr. | Lewin, Thomas, Esqr. |
Baring, William, Esqr. | Lindergreen, John, Esqr. |
Belmore, The Earl of | LLoyd (of Marle), Esqr. |
Berkeley, Capt. Frederick | North, The Revd Chas. A. |
Blachford, P.B. Esqr. | Nugent, The Rt. Hon. Lord. |
Buckingham, The Marquis of. | Pullam, The Hon. Chas. A. |
Cawdor, The Rt. Hon. Lord. | Ponsonby, The Rt.Hon. Lord |
Challen, S, Esqr | Puleston, Sir Richard, Bart. |
Craven, The Earl of | Scott, Harry Esqr. |
Curtis. Sir William, Bart. | Shedden, Colonel |
Denhurst, Viscount. | Smith, Thos A, Junr. Eque. |
Fazackerley, F.N. Esqr. | Thomas, Sir George, Bart. |
Fitzharris, Viscount. | Thomond, The Marquis of. |
Fitz Gerald, John, Esqr. | Uxbridge, The Earl of. |
Grantham, The Rt Hon. Lord | Wardle, Baylis, Esqre. |
Grant, Charles, Esqr. | Webster, Sir Godfrey, Bart. |
Hallifax, Thomas, Esqr. | Weld, Joseph, Esqr |
Hare, The Hon. William. | Weld, James, Esqr |
Herbert, Henry Ar. Esqr. | Whatley, Colonel. |
Hippesley, Sir J.C. Bart. | Williams, Owen, Esqr. |
Commodore is a senior naval rank used in many navies which is equivalent to brigadier or brigadier general and air commodore. It is superior to a navy captain, but below a rear admiral. It is either regarded as the most junior of the flag officers rank or may not hold the jurisdiction of a flag officer at all depending on the officer's appointment. Non-English-speaking nations commonly use the rank of flotilla admiral, counter admiral, or senior captain as an equivalent, although counter admiral may also correspond to rear admiral lower half abbreviated as RDML.
Yachting is recreational boating activities using medium/large-sized boats or small ships collectively called yachts. Yachting is distinguished from other forms of boating mainly by the priority focus on comfort and luxury, the dependence on marinas for docking, and being typically only for exclusive social leisures such as cruising, fishing trip or racing.
The Blue Ensign is a British ensign that may be used on vessels by certain authorised yacht clubs, Royal Research Ships and British merchant vessels whose master holds a commission in the Royal Naval Reserve or has otherwise been issued a warrant. Defaced versions with a badge or other emblem are used more broadly; in the United Kingdom by authorised government or private bodies; and internationally by nations or organisations previously a part of the British Empire.
The Golden Gate Yacht Club (GGYC) is a San Francisco, California, U.S. based yacht club founded in 1939.
Cowes Week is one of the longest-running regular regattas in the world. With 40 daily sailing races, around 500 boats, and 2500 competitors ranging from Olympic and world-class professionals to weekend sailors, it is the largest sailing regatta of its kind in the world. Having started in 1826, the event is held in August each year on the Solent, and is run by Cowes Week Limited in the small town of Cowes on the Isle of Wight.
The Racing Rules of Sailing govern the conduct of yacht racing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, model boat racing, dinghy racing and virtually any other form of racing around a course with more than one vessel while powered by the wind. A new revision is published every four years by World Sailing, the sport's world governing body. Full information on the rules can be viewed at World Sailing.
A yacht club is a boat club specifically related to yachting.
The New York Yacht Club (NYYC) is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. As of 2001, the organization was reported to have about 3,000 members. Membership in the club is by invitation only. Its officers include a commodore, vice-commodore, rear-commodore, secretary and treasurer.
America was a 19th-century racing yacht and first winner of the America's Cup international sailing trophy.
Commodore was an early title and later a rank in the United States Navy, United States Coast Guard and the Confederate States Navy, and also has been a rank in the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Officer Corps and its ancestor organizations. For over two centuries, the designation has been given varying levels of authority and formality.
Thomas Egerton, 2nd Earl of Wilton, GCH, PC, known as Thomas Grosvenor until 1814, was a British nobleman and Tory politician. He served as Lord Steward of the Household in 1835 in Sir Robert Peel's first government.
The Royal Bombay Yacht Club (RBYC) is one of the premier gentlemen's clubs which was founded in 1846 in Colaba, an area of Mumbai in India. The building was designed by John Adams, who also designed the nearby Royal Alfred Sailors' Homes, and was completed in 1896.
The Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (RSYS) is a yacht club located in North Sydney, Australia in the suburb of Kirribilli. The squadron was founded in 1862. It has occupied its grounds in East Kirribilli, near Kirribilli House, since 1902.
His Majesty's Yacht Britannia was a gaff-rigged cutter built in 1893 for RYS Commodore Albert Edward, Prince of Wales. She served both himself and his son King George V with a long racing career.
The 100 Guineas Cup, also known as the Hundred Guinea Cup, or the Cup of One Hundred Sovereigns, was a regatta in 1851 which was the first competition for the trophy later named America's Cup. The trophy was valued at 100 pounds-sterling which led to its various names, all variations on 100 Pound Cup. The race was won by the yacht America, leading to the trophy being renamed "America's Cup". The official event known as "The America's Cup" was founded in 1857, when the deed of gift established the racing regattas. The 1851 competition was a fleet race, whereas modern America's Cups finals are match races.
The Little Ship Club is a yacht club in London. It was founded in 1926 by a group of yachtsmen for the purpose of providing training and lectures over the winter months. The club operates from its riverside clubhouse at Bell Wharf on the River Thames, and is the only one operating from within the City of London.
The House of Lords Yacht Club is a yachting association for members of the House of Lords and some others connected with it, formed in 1949.
The Enchantress was a 19th-century racing yacht, winner of several national and international Cups including the Royal Yacht Squadron's 53-mile (85 km) regatta around the Le Havre to Southampton, and the New York Yacht Club's 140-mile (230 km) regatta from Owl's Head Point to Sandy Hook Lightship. She was designed by Robert Fish for George L. Lorillard.
The Royal Victoria Yacht Club was founded at Ryde, on the Isle of Wight and uniquely granted 'Royal' status immediately. In 1845 the club was granted a warrant to wear the Red Ensign of HM Fleet. From 1872 until 1898 the club held the warrant to wear the crown defaced Red Ensign. It currently holds the warrant for its defaced ensign. It is the second club of that name, succeeding a failed club on the Thames and preceding its namesake in Canada by nearly fifty years. It was once regarded as one of the premier yacht racing clubs of the world. In 1961, after two world wars and the decline in yacht racing as the preserve of the wealthy, the Royal Victoria amalgamated with two local dinghy sailing clubs and moved its base to Fishbourne on Wootton Creek, some five miles (8.0 km) west of Ryde where it remains.
The Fleetwing was a 19th-century wooden yacht schooner, built in 1865 by Joseph D. Van Deusen and owned by yachtsman George Archer Osgood. She was one of the fastest yachts in the squadron. The Fleetwing was in the famous 1886 transatlantic ocean race for the New York Yacht Club. She came in 12th in an unsuccessful America’s Cup defense in 1870.