Great Britain II
Encyclopedia
Great Britain II is a yacht launched by Princess Anne
on 21 May 1973 named after the SS Great Britain
, built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
which was the world’s first 'iron clad' steam ship and whose salvage from the Falklands was underwritten by Sir Jack Hayward, who also funded the building of GB II.
She was conceived to take part in the first 'Whitbread Round the World Race' designed by Alan Gurney and built by Chay Blyth
and a group of Paratroopers who went on to be the crew for the race.
She is now named ‘Whitbread Heritage’ and has been in private ownership since 1996.
Known throughout the world for her outstanding achievements; Great Britain II was the ultimate dream-come-true for Chay Blyth, the adventurous pioneer who sailed east-to-west around the globe. Breathtakingly beautiful, this 77 ft sloop is a masterpiece of British design and craftsmanship. She is constructed of fibreglass and foam sandwich to give the lightest possible displacement, hence greater speed.
Designed to be the fastest yacht in the world, she was purpose built for Chay Blyth to enter – and win on elapsed time – the first Whitbread Round The World Race in 1973. From the moment of her historic launch in 1973, Great Britain II’s racing successes have made her a legend in her own lifetime.
Racing honours include:
1973/4 First Whitbread Round The World Race - Winner, on elapsed time.
1975/6 Financial Times Clipper Race to Australia - Winner in 134 days. The Clipper Ship passage record was beaten by GB II in this race.
1977/8 Second Whitbread Round The World Race - Leg winner, elapsed time.
1981/2 Third Whitbread Race - first British Yacht.
1982 Tall Ships Race, Falmouth-Lisbon-Southampton - Winner, elapsed time.
1983 Tall Ships Race, Travemunde-Karskrona - Winner, elapsed time.
1984 Tall Ships Race, St Malo-Quebec-Liverpool.
1985 Antigua-Azores in 11 days - Fastest ever mono-hull, average 218 miles per day. 1985/6 Fourth Whitbread Race - beat passage time.
1986 Brent Walker Pursuit Race - Winner.
1989/90 Fifth Whitbread Race – first yacht to race around the world five times.
Great Britain II has taken part in all six Whitbread Round the World Races. Racing in the first five and 'following' the last ‘transitional’ Whitbread in 1997, as the race became the Volvo Ocean Race. She was the first yacht to race five times around the world.
Anne, Princess Royal
Princess Anne, Princess Royal , is the only daughter of Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh...
on 21 May 1973 named after the SS Great Britain
SS Great Britain
SS Great Britain was an advanced passenger steamship designed by Isambard Kingdom Brunel for the Great Western Steamship Company's transatlantic service between Bristol and New York. While other ships had previously been built of iron or equipped with a screw propeller, Great Britain was the first...
, built by Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel
Isambard Kingdom Brunel, FRS , was a British civil engineer who built bridges and dockyards including the construction of the first major British railway, the Great Western Railway; a series of steamships, including the first propeller-driven transatlantic steamship; and numerous important bridges...
which was the world’s first 'iron clad' steam ship and whose salvage from the Falklands was underwritten by Sir Jack Hayward, who also funded the building of GB II.
She was conceived to take part in the first 'Whitbread Round the World Race' designed by Alan Gurney and built by Chay Blyth
Chay Blyth
Sir Charles Blyth, CBE, BEM , known as Chay Blyth, is a Scottish yachtsman and rower. He was the first person to sail non-stop westwards around the world , on a 59-foot boat called British Steel.- Early life:...
and a group of Paratroopers who went on to be the crew for the race.
She is now named ‘Whitbread Heritage’ and has been in private ownership since 1996.
Known throughout the world for her outstanding achievements; Great Britain II was the ultimate dream-come-true for Chay Blyth, the adventurous pioneer who sailed east-to-west around the globe. Breathtakingly beautiful, this 77 ft sloop is a masterpiece of British design and craftsmanship. She is constructed of fibreglass and foam sandwich to give the lightest possible displacement, hence greater speed.
Designed to be the fastest yacht in the world, she was purpose built for Chay Blyth to enter – and win on elapsed time – the first Whitbread Round The World Race in 1973. From the moment of her historic launch in 1973, Great Britain II’s racing successes have made her a legend in her own lifetime.
Racing honours include:
1973/4 First Whitbread Round The World Race - Winner, on elapsed time.
1975/6 Financial Times Clipper Race to Australia - Winner in 134 days. The Clipper Ship passage record was beaten by GB II in this race.
1977/8 Second Whitbread Round The World Race - Leg winner, elapsed time.
1981/2 Third Whitbread Race - first British Yacht.
1982 Tall Ships Race, Falmouth-Lisbon-Southampton - Winner, elapsed time.
1983 Tall Ships Race, Travemunde-Karskrona - Winner, elapsed time.
1984 Tall Ships Race, St Malo-Quebec-Liverpool.
1985 Antigua-Azores in 11 days - Fastest ever mono-hull, average 218 miles per day. 1985/6 Fourth Whitbread Race - beat passage time.
1986 Brent Walker Pursuit Race - Winner.
1989/90 Fifth Whitbread Race – first yacht to race around the world five times.
Great Britain II has taken part in all six Whitbread Round the World Races. Racing in the first five and 'following' the last ‘transitional’ Whitbread in 1997, as the race became the Volvo Ocean Race. She was the first yacht to race five times around the world.