Gaff Rig Collection

The spectacular 15 Metre Vanity sailing in a good wind, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The spectacular 15 Metre Vanity sailing in a good wind, 1912. Vanity was designed by William Fife III and launched in 1909

The steam yacht Wanderer (later named Vagus ) hoisting sails. Built by Robert Steele and Co, Greenock in 1878 for Charles Joseph Lambert as a private yacht

The sailing yachts White Heather and Shamrock, race downwind. Shamrock was designed by William Fife and was Sir Thomas Liptons first challenger for the Americas Cup

The schooner Meteor IV, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The schooner Meteor IV, 1911. Meteor IV was Kaiser Wilhelm IIs fourth yacht. It was designed by Max Oetz and launched in 1909

Americas Cup challenger Shamrock IV sailing without topsail, 1914. Creator
Americas Cup challenger Shamrock IV sailing without topsail, 1914. Shamrock IV was a yacht owned by Sir Thomas Lipton and designed by Charles Ernest Nicholson. She was launched in June 1914

The auxiliary schooner La Cigale sailing close-hauled, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The auxiliary schooner La Cigale sailing close-hauled, 1913

The 76 ton schooner Lisette under sail. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 76 ton schooner Lisette under sail. Lisette was built at Cowes in 1873

The 96 ft ketch Julnar, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 96 ft ketch Julnar, 1911. Julnar was designed by William Fife and built at Southampton by Summers & Payne to the order of Sir Maurice FitzGerald, the Knight of Kerry, in 1909

The yawl Wendur sailing close-hauled, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The yawl Wendur sailing close-hauled, 1913. Wendur was built by D & W Henderson & Co. Glasgow in 1883

The schooner Meteor IV, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The schooner Meteor IV, 1912. Meteor IV was Kaiser Wilhelm IIs fourth yacht. It was designed by Max Oetz and launched in 1909

The cutter Shamrock beating upwind. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The cutter Shamrock beating upwind. Shamrock, designed by William Fife, was Sir Thomas Liptons first (1899) challenger to the Americas Cup

The Lady Anne making waves in a good breeze, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Lady Anne making waves in a good breeze, 1912. The Lady Anne, designed by William Fife III was launched in 1912. The Lady Anne was restored in 1999 by Fairlie Restorations

The 19-metre class Norada & Mariquita, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 19-metre class Norada & Mariquita, 1913. Norada was designed by Charles Nicholson and Mariquita by William Fife III. Mariquita is the only surviving 19-metre of the six that were built

The majestic cutters White Heather and Shamrock race downwind, 1912. Creator
The majestic cutters White Heather and Shamrock race downwind, 1912

The Lady Anne spray over deck, sailing close-hauled, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Lady Anne spray over deck, sailing close-hauled, 1912. The Lady Anne, a 15 Metre cutter designed by William Fife III was launched in 1912

HMY Britannia before being sunk, July 1936. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
HMY Britannia before being sunk, July 1936. After Britannia had been stripped of her spars and fittings, her hull was towed out to St Catherines Deep near the Isle of Wight

The 105 ft ketch Thendara sailing with spinnaker. 1939. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 105 ft ketch Thendara sailing with spinnaker. 1939. Thendara was designed by Alfred Mylne for the Scottish yachtsman Sir Arthur Young. She was launched in 1937 and is still racing today

Istria sailing downwind under spinnaker, viewed from stern, 1912
Istria sailing downwind under spinnaker, 1912. Istria, was designed by Charles Nicholson and originally owned by the architect Sir Charles Allom

The 15-metre Ostaria, Hispania and Sophie Elizabeth racing upwind, 1911

The schooner Pampa. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The schooner Pampa

The 179 ton cutter White Heather sailing close-hauled, 1924. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 179 ton cutter White Heather sailing close-hauled, 1924

Sailing yachts cross start line. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Sailing yachts cross start line

The cutter Shamrock beating to windward. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The cutter Shamrock beating to windward. Shamrock, designed by William Fife, was Sir Thomas Liptons first (1899) challenger to the Americas Cup

The 147 ton ketch Thendara sailing upwind. 1939. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 147 ton ketch Thendara sailing upwind. 1939. Thendara was designed by Alfred Mylne for the Scottish yachtsman Sir Arthur Young. She was launched in 1937 and is still racing today

The schooner Meteor IV, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The schooner Meteor IV, 1913. Meteor IV was Kaiser Wilhelm IIs fourth yacht. It was designed by Max Oetz and launched in 1909

The cutter Shamrock sailing close-hauled, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The cutter Shamrock sailing close-hauled, 1912. Shamrock, designed by William Fife, was Sir Thomas Liptons first (1899) challenger to the Americas Cup

The 1894 built schooner Xarifa under sail, 1899. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 1894 built schooner Xarifa under sail, 1899

The magnificent schooners Germania and Waterwitch, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The magnificent schooners Germania and Waterwitch, 1911. The 250 ton schooner Germania was designed by Max Oertz and owned by the German industrialist Count Gustav Krupp von Bohlen und Halbach

The handsome racing schooner Waterwitch, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The handsome racing schooner Waterwitch, 1911. Designed by William Fife, Waterwitch was not successful in competition and was later redesigned by Charles Nicholson

The 221 ton gaff-rigged cutter Britannia sailing under spinnaker, 1913. Creator
The 221 ton gaff-rigged cutter Britannia sailing under spinnaker, 1913. Britannia was owned by King George V. One of the most successful racers of its day, in 1913 it won 8 of the 13 races it entered

The 140 ft schooner Heartsease under sail. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 140 ft schooner Heartsease under sail. Heartsease was built by J.G. Fay & Co. and later renamed to Adela

The gaff rigged 8 Metre Spero sailing with spinnaker, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The gaff rigged 8 Metre Spero sailing with spinnaker, 1912

The 105 ft ketch Thendara sailing upwind. 1939. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 105 ft ketch Thendara sailing upwind. 1939. Thendara was designed by Alfred Mylne for the Scottish yachtsman Sir Arthur Young. She was launched in 1937 and is still racing today

The 135 ft barque sailing ship Modwena, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 135 ft barque sailing ship Modwena, 1913. Modwena was built in 1908 by John Reid in Glasgow. In 1912 she was bought by the sewing machine magnate Mortimer Singer to use as a private yacht

The spectacular 338-ton Big Class schooner Westward, 1926. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The spectacular 338-ton Big Class schooner Westward, 1926. Westward was designed by Nathanael Herreshoff and built in 1910

The launch of Shamrock IV with H. M. S. Victory in the background, May 1914. Creator
The launch of Shamrock IV at Gosport with H.M.S. Victory in the background, May 1914. Shamrock IV was a yacht owned by Sir Thomas Lipton and designed by Charles Ernest Nicholson

The schooner Astria sailing close-hauled. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The schooner Astria sailing close-hauled

The beautiful schooner Meteor IV, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The beautiful schooner Meteor IV, 1911. Meteor IV was Kaiser Wilhelm IIs fourth yacht. It was designed by Max Oetz and launched in 1909

The gaff rigged cutter Bloodhound sailing on a broad reach, August 1912. Creator
The gaff rigged cutter Bloodhound sailing on a broad reach, August 1912. The 40 ton cutter, Bloodhound was designed by William Fife and built in 1874

The ketch Cariad and schooner Irma racing downwind, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The ketch Cariad and schooner Irma racing downwind, 1911. Cariad, named after the Welsh word for Sweetheart was built by Summers & Payne in Southampton for Lord Dunraven in 1896

The Alarm winning the Ladies Challenge Cup at Cowes, 1830 by GM Gilbert on stone by L Haghe

The yawl Lola under sail, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The yawl Lola under sail, 1913

The 8 Metre class Antwerpia IV sailing under spinnaker, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 8 Metre class Antwerpia IV sailing under spinnaker, 1912

The ketch Lady Camilla under sail, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The ketch Lady Camilla under sail, 1912. Lady Camilla, originally called Nyria, was designed as a cutter by Charles E. Nicholson and built in 1906. In 1912, under the ownership of Mr H

The 36 ft Edie II running downwind. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 36 ft Edie II running downwind

The ketch Corinda under sail. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The ketch Corinda under sail

The yawl Pleiad under sail, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The yawl Pleiad under sail, 1911

The ketch Corisande under sail, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The ketch Corisande under sail, 1911

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"Gaff Rig: A Timeless Elegance on the High Seas" The sailing yachts White Heather and Shamrock gracefully race downwind, their gaff rigs proudly displaying their heritage. These magnificent vessels, like Americas Cup challenger Shamrock IV in 1914, showcase the artistry and craftsmanship of their creators. Take a glimpse at the auxiliary schooner La Cigale as she sails close-hauled in 1913, her gaff rig perfectly balanced against the wind. Created by Kirk & Sons of Cowes, this masterpiece embodies both form and function. The 76-ton schooner Lisette glides through the water under sail, her gaff rig designed to maximize efficiency and performance. Another creation from Kirk & Sons of Cowes that exemplifies their mastery in yacht design. Marvel at the majestic 96 ft ketch Julnar from 1911 with its intricate gaff rig configuration. Crafted by Kirk & Sons of Cowes, this vessel showcases how tradition can blend seamlessly with innovation. Witness the yawl Wendur sailing close-hauled in 1913; its gaff rig allows for precise maneuvering even against challenging winds. Another testament to Kirk & Sons' expertise in creating exceptional sailing vessels. Behold Meteor IV, a stunning schooner built-in 1912 by Kirk & Sons of Cowes. Its powerful gaff rig propels it forward with grace and speed - a true marvel on the open seas. Watch as cutter Shamrock beats upwind effortlessly; its well-designed gaff rig enables it to conquer any challenge thrown its way. A testament to both skillful engineering and superior craftsmanship from Kirk & Sons of Cowes. Experience the sheer beauty of Thendara's sail as it soars through waters adorned with a colorful spinnaker. This breathtaking sight captures not only elegance but also demonstrates how an impeccable they are enhance any voyage.