L'HISTOIRE COURTE DE VALKYRIE II

Catégorie : VALKYRIE II

THE GRAPHIC October 7, 1893 - The Old Print ShopChallenger malheureux pour la Coupe de l'America 1893

Après un premier défi avorté avec le "Old Valkyrie", Lord Dunraven est revenu à la charge en 1893 avec Valkyrie II.
Valkyrie II a été conçu par George L. Watson et a été construit par D. & W. Henderson & Company à Partick sur la Clyde.

Il était de construction composite, structure en acier et bordés en bois. Il a été lancé le 29 avril 1893. Son unique propriétaire était Wyndham Thomas-Quin, comte de Dunraven et Mountearl, de Dunraven Château, Brigend, Glamorganshire, en Irlande. Valkyrie II sera commandé par le capitaine William Cranfield.

Les plaisanciers américains voyaient en Valkyrie II le meilleur bateau digne de mourir qu'il était possible de leur opposer. Comme Thistle, il était précédé par des histoires de victoires de l'autre côté qui faisaient dire de lui que c’était « un démon dans les petits airs et un diable dans la baston ».

Valkyrie II est arrivé le 22 septembre après une traversée de vingt-neuf jours dix-huit heures pour venir de Cowes, ayant connu des vents forts et une mer agitée, et il lui restait moins de deux semaines avant la date de la première course, peu de temps pour la préparation et les réglages.

Les courses de l'America's Cup

Spinnaker Letting Go by Barlow Moore depicts Watson's Valkyrie II losing the 1893 Americas Cup to Nat Herreshoff's Vigilant- du 5 au 13 octobre 1893, à New York.
- Au meilleur de trois courses sur cinq.
- Tous les parcours font 30 miles nautiques.
- départ soit à partir du bateau-phare Scotland, soit celui de Sandy Hook.
- Parcours aller-retour au vent de quinze miles pour première, troisième et cinquième courses.
- Parcours triangulaire pour les deuxième et quatrième.
- Premier bord au vent si possible.
- Un jour de repos entre les courses.

Valkyrie II se voit opposer Vigilant, le defender du New York Yacht Club.

Trois manches sont courues.
Valkyrie II est battu par Vigilant, trois victoires à rien

- 7 octobre, 1e manche, 30 miles, aller-retour : Valkyrie II est battu par Vigilant de 5 mn 48 s en temps compensé.
- 9 octobre, 2e manche, 30 miles, triangle : Valkyrie II est battu par Vigilant de 10 mn 35 s en temps compensé.
- 13 octobre, 3e manche, 30 miles, aller-retour : Valkyrie II est battu par Vigilant de 40 s en temps compensé.
C'est l'une des meilleures courses dans l'histoire de la Coupe
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Une collision prémonitoire entre Valkyrie II, Britannia et Vendetta

Valkyrie, Vendetta and Britannia in collision

 

Une triste fin

Valkyrie II existe depuis à peine un an. Le 5 juillet 1894, ce concurrent de la Coupe est entré en collision avec Satanita, le cotre de A. D. Clarke lors de la Mud Hook Regatta sur le Firth of Clyde, tuant un membre d'équipage (à vérifier car l'article du New York Times du 6 juillet 1894 ne le mentionne pas).
Valkyrie II est éventré et coule neuf minutes plus tard.

 

LOSS OF “VALKYRIE” - SUNK AT THE START - A SEAMAN CRUSHED

THE YACHTING WORLD - Vol. I., 20 April 1894 to 12 October 1894 - 13 July - p.252

On Thursday, July 5th, as the big ships were manoeuvring to cross the line at Hunter’s Quay, preparatory to the start for the Muir Challenge Cup, Satanita crashed into Valkyrie. Our correspondent was an eye-witness of the collision, and has also had interviews with gentlemen who were on board both boats....

DEATH OF THE INJURED YACHTSMAN - The remains of the yachtsman, William Brown, of Colchester, who succumbed to his injuries on Saturday morning, were conveyed south the same night, leaving Dunoon pier per the Lord of the Isles. His body was enclosed in a beautiful coffin of polished oak, and as it lay on the pier, awaiting the arrival of the steamer, surrounded by a number of the poor fellow’s comrades, conspicuous amongst whom was the commanding figure of Captain Cranfield, the large crowd of people silently looked on. At a distance from the small group who surrounded the coffin was Captain Brown, deceased’s father, who had arrived from Colchester that day, and who appeared to be bowed down with grief over the sad calamity which had bereft him of his son. The remains were taken south by Captain Brown and two yachtsmen belonging to the same place. Mr. M’Naughton, Deputy-fiscal, who arrived from Inveraray on Friday night for the purpose of investigating the affair, took the dying man’s deposition, and was on Saturday joined by Mr. M’Lullich, Procurator-fiscal for the county, who, along with Dr. Roxburgh, held a post mortem examination. The Procurator-fiscal at Greenock has been instructed to take a precognition of the crew of Satanita, who are at present located there. Lord Dunraven, Captain Cranfield, and several of Valkyrie’s crew have been examined by the Fiscal at Dunoon.

AN ENQUIRY WILL FOLLOW - A question has been raised as to whether a public investigation will take place into the circumstances attending the sinking of Valkyrie. We learn that the usual course followed in regard to such occurrences is that a report is sent by the Receiver of Wrecks to the Board of Trade. This document will be considered by the nautical advisers of the Board, and if in their opinion the circumstances demand investigation, an inquiry will be ordered by their solicitor, Mr. C.D. Donald, the local representative of the Board.

A rather delicate complication is brought into the case by the fact that, while the four great yachts were registered, and ought, therefore, to have been in charge of their captains, they were, as a matter of fact, put in charge of amateur steersmen. This state of matters was due, of course, to the terms of the race. But the Board of Trade do not, as we understand, recognise any such club rules in the case of registered yachts, and if an enquiry be held the respective captains will be put upon their trials for their certificates. At first sight this may seem rather hard, but if it were otherwise - if captains of registered vessels were to be allowed to hand them over to the management of irresponsible amateurs - it would inevitably lead to the greatest dangers and abuses.

RAISING OF VALKYRIE - Valkyrie is being raised. On Tuesday pontoons were placed in position, and she will probably be docked this week. She is less damaged than we believed. She is insured for £8,000, and the Glasgow underwriters have undertaken to lift her.”

Following a court case Satanita was found to be responsible for the collision and the owner liable for damages.