William Fife 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 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 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 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

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

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 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 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 Big Five J Class yachts racing downwind, 1934. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Big Five J Class yachts racing downwind, 1934

The 23 Metre sailing yacht Cambria, 1928. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 23 Metre sailing yacht Cambria, 1928. Cambria was built by William Fife for the newspaper magnate Sir William Berry

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

Start of Cowes to Weymouth Race, August 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Start of Cowes to Weymouth Race, August 1913

The yawl Sumurun running downwind with spinnaker, 1922. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The yawl Sumurun running downwind with spinnaker, 1922. Built in 1914 Sumurun was designed by William Fife for The Rt Hon. Lionel Edward, Baron Sackville

Start of Cowes to Weymouth Race, August 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Start of Cowes to Weymouth Race, August 1911

The racing cutters Istria and Mariska, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The racing cutters Istria and Mariska, 1912. Istria was designed by Charles Nicholson, Mariska was designed by William Fife

The racing cutters The Lady Anne and Istria running downwind, 1912. Creator
The racing cutters The Lady Anne and Istria running downwind, 1912

The cutter Minstrel competing in the round Island Race, 1938. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The cutter Minstrel competing in the round Island Race, 1938. (Possibly the 1913, William Fife designed yawl that was later converted to a bermudan sloop.)

The three ketches Julnar, Cariad and Corisande racing upwind, 1913. Creator
The three ketches Julnar, Cariad and Corisande racing upwind, 1913

The 15 Metre Hispania sailing close-hauled, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 15 Metre Hispania sailing close-hauled, 1911. Hispania was designed by William Fife and launched in 1909. It was first owned by King Alfonso XIII

The 8 Metre Class The Truant (H12) sailing close-hauled. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 8 Metre Class The Truant (H12) sailing close-hauled as row boat looks on

The 19-metre class Mariquita & Corona race downwind under spinnaker, 1911. Both yachts were designed by William Fife III

The 19-metre class Corona close-hauled, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 19-metre class Corona close-hauled, 1911. Corona, one of only six 19-metre class yachts ever built, was designed by William Fife III and launched in 1911

The Lady Anne sailing close-hauled, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Lady Anne sailing close-hauled, 1912. The Lady Anne, designed by William Fife III was launched in 1912. The yacht was restored in 1999 by Fairlie Restorations

The Lady Anne running downwind, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Lady Anne sailing downwind, 1912. The Lady Anne, designed by William Fife III was launched in 1912. The Lady Anne was restored in 1999 by Fairlie Restorations

Bloodhound at anchor with flags, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Bloodhound at anchor with flags, 1912. The 40 ton cutter, Bloodhound was designed by William Fife and built in 1874. Owned by the Marquis of Ailsa she had a successful racing career

The Lady Anne 15 Metre class cutter sails upwind, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The Lady Anne 15 Metre class cutter sails upwind, 1912. The Lady Anne, designed by William Fife III was launched in 1912. The Lady Anne was restored in 1999 by Fairlie Restorations

Bloodhound at anchor with flags, August 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
Bloodhound at anchor with flags, August 1912. The 40 ton cutter, Bloodhound was designed by William Fife and built in 1874

The 6 Metre Bathsheba, 1933. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 6 Metre Bathsheba, 1933. The Fife built yacht was formerly named Naushabah

The 15 Metre class sailing yacht Tuiga, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 15 Metre class sailing yacht Tuiga, 1911. Tuiga was designed by William Fife III and first owned by 17th Duke of Medinaceli

The 15 Metre cutter Sophie Elizabeth sailing close-hauled, 1911. Sophie Elizabeth, launched in 1910 was designed by William Fife III

The 10-rater cutter Almida, 1912. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 10-rater cutter Almida, 1912

The 19-metre class Norada & Mariquita racing close-hauled, 1913. Creator
The 19-metre class Norada & Mariquita racing close-hauled, 1913. Norada was designed by Charles Nicholson and Mariquita by William Fife III

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

The 8-metre Ierne sailing with spinnaker, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 8-metre Ierne sailing with spinnaker, 1913

A Run to East Lepe: Ostara, Mariska, Corona & Octavia, 1911. Creator
A Run to East Lepe: the 15-metre Ostara, Mariska, and 19-metre Corona & Octavia run downwind, 1911

15 Metre Mariska sailing close-hauled, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
15 Metre Mariska sailing close-hauled, 1911. Mariska was designed by William Fife and launched in 1908

A group of 12 Metres sailing yachts racing on windward leg in good wind, 1933. Creator
A group of 12 Metres sailing yachts including Morwenna and Veronica racing on windward leg in good wind, 1933

A group of 15-metre class yachts: Pamela, Maudrey, Paula III & Istria, 1913
A group of 15-metre class yachts beating upwind: Pamela, Maudrey, Paula III & Istria, 1913. A total of twenty 15-metre yachts were built between 1907 and 1917

The 8 Metre Ierne & Gundred racing downwind, 1913. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 8 Metre Ierne & Gundred racing downwind, 1913

The 12 Metre yacht Alachie makes swift progress upwind, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 12 Metre yacht Alachie makes swift progress upwind, 1911. Alachie was designed by William Fife and built in 1908

The 15 Metre Hispania running downwind, 1911. Creator: Kirk & Sons of Cowes
The 15 Metre Hispania running downwind, 1911. Hispania was designed by William Fife and launched in 1909. It was first owned by King Alfonso XIII

The Truant and Antwerpia IV racing with spinnakers, 27th May 1912. Creator
The Truant and Antwerpia IV racing downwind with spinnakers, 27th May 1912

The 19-metre class Mariquita (C1) & Corona (C3) running with spinnakers up, 1911. Both yachts were designed by William Fife III

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William Fife, a legendary figure in the world of sailing yachts, left an indelible mark on maritime history. His creations were not just vessels; they were works of art that embodied elegance and grace. The sight of the sailing yachts White Heather and Shamrock racing downwind was a breathtaking display of their speed and agility. One of Fife's masterpieces was the 96 ft ketch Julnar, crafted by Kirk & Sons of Cowes in 1911. Its impeccable design showcased Fife's attention to detail and his ability to create vessels that combined beauty with functionality. The cutter Shamrock, also created by Kirk & Sons of Cowes, demonstrated its prowess as it beat upwind against the elements. This magnificent vessel exemplified Fife's commitment to building boats that could conquer any challenge. In 1911, three remarkable yachts - Ostaria, Hispania, and Sophie Elizabeth - engaged in an exhilarating race upwind. These sleek vessels showcased Fife's innovative designs and proved his dedication to pushing boundaries. Another gem from Fife's collection was the handsome racing schooner Waterwitch. Crafted in 1911 by Kirk & Sons of Cowes, this vessel turned heads wherever it sailed with its striking appearance and exceptional performance. Fife continued to impress with his creations like the cutter Shamrock sailing close-hauled in 1912. Every line meticulously designed for maximum efficiency ensured these boats would excel even under challenging conditions. The meeting between Germania and Waterwitch in 1911 brought together two magnificent schooners that epitomized Fife's genius as a yacht designer. Their regal presence on the water captured everyone's attention. In 1934, five J Class yachts raced downwind showcasing both their power and finesse – a testament to William Fife’s enduring legacy as one of history’s greatest yacht designers.