- Yachting World
- Digital Edition
World’s coolest yachts: Reliance
- August 3, 2022
We ask top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times. Andre Hoek nominates Reliance
My choice would be the yacht Reliance of 1903 designed by the famous Nat Herreshoff. I read the book Temple to the Wind a long time ago and could not put it down. That yacht was, for its day, such an extreme design and engineering feat, without computers and all designed and built in a short time. Herreshoff was the master in those days.
The yacht measured over 200ft overall with just 90ft of waterline [the huge overhangs were to take advantage of the rating rule when heeled], it displaced 189 tons and had a sail area of 1,500m2 (16,000ft2)! It was massive and with wooden masts that tipped 200ft above the water, an 84ft long wooden spinnaker pole and cotton sails.
Photo: Alpha Stock/Alamy
She was the first yacht with winches below decks and despite that still had a crew of 64 to handle the gigantic sailplan.
Reliance won the America’s Cup against Shamrock III , a beautiful yacht designed by William Fife. Those were the days of extreme but beautiful yachts!
Reliance stats rating:
Top speed: 20 knots LOA: 61.3m/201ft Launched: 1903 Berths: 0 Price: $175,000 Adrenalin factor: 80%
Over the last four decades Andre Hoek has designed or optimised more classic style yachts than perhaps anyone, from traditional Dutch leeboarders to his highly successful Truly Classic and Pilot Classic ranges, through to stunning superyachts such as Adele and Elfje – plus of course his work on three of today’s latest J Class yachts .
If you enjoyed this….
Yachting World is the world’s leading magazine for bluewater cruisers and offshore sailors. Every month we have inspirational adventures and practical features to help you realise your sailing dreams. Build your knowledge with a subscription delivered to your door. See our latest offers and save at least 30% off the cover price.
Published on December 21st, 2020 | by Assoc Editor
Reliance: America’s Cup Beautiful Freak
Published on December 21st, 2020 by Assoc Editor -->
The beautiful behemoth Reliance handily defended the America’s Cup in 1903, but her freakishly large size caused the contest’s rules on design to change after the race. British tea magnate Sir Thomas Lipton for the America’s Cup that year issued the challenge. He had already challenged America twice since 1899 for the Cup, and he would challenge twice again until 1930.
The New York Yacht Club, defender of the Cup, enlisted America’s best yacht designer, and one of the most innovative in history, Nathaniel Greene Herreshoff, or Captain Nat, born March 18, 1848. He and his brother J.B. founded the Herreshoff Manufacturing Company. They earned worldwide renown for their fast steam yachts, innovative torpedo boats and superbly crafted sailboats.
Captain Nat, then in his 50s, didn’t want to design the 1903 America’s Cup defender. His wife Clara was ill and he suffered from rheumatism. He also hadn’t gotten over the failure of his yacht Constitution to beat Columbia in the 1901 Cup trials. But the New York Yacht Club persisted. Captain Nat gave in. He would enjoy another 10 years of the ‘Herreshoff Era’ of racing, from 1890 to 1920.
Herreshoff launched Reliance at Bristol on April 12, 1903. She was the largest single-masted sailboat ever, at 143’, 9” with 16,160 sq. ft. of sails, weighing four tons. Her mast was as tall as a 20-story building. Her spinnaker pole was 84 feet long. It took a crew of 66 to sail her. And yet she was built for speed, so she was light and unstable.
The Reliance was a freak. A sailing freak. Like all racing yachts, she had one purpose and one purpose alone: to win the America’s Cup. Yachtsman Cornelius Vanderbilt defended the Reliance from its critics, “Call the boat a freak, anything you like, but we cannot handicap ourselves, even if our boat is only fit for the junk heap the day after the race.”
The challenge featured a series of five races in New York Harbor. Hundreds of thousands of spectators streamed into New York for the races, buying tickets on a fleet of excursion steamers. The race was more than a race. It was a matter of national pride.
Reliance won the first three races, the third so decisively that Shamrock III retired. Lipton, as always, lost graciously. Immediately after Reliance won the race, Herreshoff proposed the Universal rating rule to avoid such extreme, dangerous and expensive sailboats. The rule was then accepted.
Reliance went to the scrap heap in 1913. The Herreshoff Marine Museum in Bristol, built a one-sixth model of the Reliance.
Source: New England Historical Society
Tags: America's Cup , Herreshoff , history , Nathaniel Greene Herreshoff , Reliance
Related Posts
LVC37: Italy and GBR extend lead →
LVC37: Fast start for GBR, Italy →
Keeping quiet is not a growth formula →
What happens if the Kiwi team win AC37? →
© 2024 Scuttlebutt Sailing News. Inbox Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved. made by VSSL Agency .
- Privacy Statement
- Advertise With Us
Get Your Sailing News Fix!
Your download by email.
- Your Name...
- Your Email... *
- Phone This field is for validation purposes and should be left unchanged.
- Plan Your Visit
- Plan Your Trip
- Group Tours
- Research Center & Archives
- Educational Programs
- Bibliography
- Related Links
- Events Calendar
- The Heritage Museum Plan
- Book A Historic Property
- Governance Resources
- Press Releases
- NISHM in the News
- Sponsorship
| Photo Gallery | |
| Photograph: Reliance, 1903—Library of Congress | |
| Photo Gallery | |
| NISHM Collections | |
| Photo Gallery | |
| NISHM Collection | |
| Photo Gallery | |
"They tell me I have a beautiful boat. I don't want a beautiful boat. What I want is a boat to lift the Cup - a Reliance. Give me a homely boat, the homeliest boat that was ever designed, if she is as fast as Reliance," Sir Thomas Lipton explained after the failure of his Shamrock III, designed by William Fife III, Jr. "I want a Reliance."
These were the kind of compliments towards what has become one of the most celebrated boats in the history of the America's Cup, and its designer, Nathanael Greene Herreshoff.
But the massive scale of the 1903 Defender frightened the America's Cup establishment which would adopt, ten years later, a more conservative approach to the design and building of America's Cup yachts.
In 1903, the rule imposed only one major constraint on Herreshoff: the load waterline length of the boat couldn't exceed 27.43 meters. The designer modeled a flat and modestly deep hull, similar to that of a scow. The biggest surprise came from the long overhangs: 6.70 meters forward and 7.92 meters aft. Sailing close hauled, in seven or eight knots of breeze, the effective waterline length would stretch out from 27.43 meters to nearly 40-metres...a tremendous source of speed.
The keel, shaped like a fin, came down very deep. The boat would settle into a comfortable, fast, heel very easily, possible because Herreshoff managed to exploit the most improbably enormous sail area ever seen to that point on a single mast: a massive 1 501 square meters of canvas, approximately 186 square meters more than Shamrock III .
Due to the scale of the boat, and the loads on it, Nathanael fitted Reliance with uncountable innovations: Bronze Tobin hull, steel welded mast with a telescopic topmast sliding into the mainmast, two-speed winches, sheets and runners laid under an aluminum bridge covered with cork, a hollow rudder which could be filled or emptied of water depending on the point of sail. It would take all the effort and nautical wisdom of the incredible Charlie Barr to safely skipper Reliance through the Cup, along with a crew of 64.
The simple fact that Reliance was built and sailed is, on its own, an exceptional event in the history of the America's Cup. Behind the fantastic 1903 Defender , there was a gallery of great men; among them, Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, perhaps the best yacht designer of all time, Charlie Barr, among the most talented skippers in yachting history, and then there were the money men behind the project, such as J.P. Morgan and John Rockefeller who spent countless dollars to repel Sir Thomas Lipton's assault on the Cup. Reliance remains a singular symbol. Better than any other boat, Reliance expresses the logic of the all-or-nothing contest, sailed with intensity without equal, between two great rivals, Great Britain and America.
During the third and final race of the America's Cup Match, sailed on September 3rd, 1903, on a 20-mile windward - leeward course from the Sandy Hook lightship, a thick fog enveloped the race course. Reliance had just turned, well ahead, when both boats disappeared from sight. Foghorns began a sinister concert, dominated by the siren on the lightship, which rang to indicate to the racers where the finish line might be found. The wait was long, and each spectator scrutinized the fog, until the flapping of a sail in the wind could be heard and Reliance appeared out of the mist like a ghost from the beyond. She crossed the finishing line to the acclaim of the crowd at 17:30 in the afternoon as the crew hauled in the enormous spinnaker in a superb display of seamanship. Shamrock III lost its bearings in the fog that afternoon and eventually sailed directly to its mooring.
In the evening of its victory, just 146 days after its christening, Reliance was laid up in dry-dock. In an ironic twist, "Lem Miller" the skipper of Columbia who was beaten by Barr and Reliance during the NYYC Defender Trials, led the 1903 winner to Robins Yard, in South Brooklyn, in 1913, where it was scrapped.
Source:www.americascup.com 7/2/2007
Cup(s) Sailed: 1903 (won)
Crew: 64
Owners: J. Pierpont Morgan and John D. Rockefeller
Year Built: 1903
Launched: April 12, 1903
Type: Fin Keel Sloop
Designer: Nathanael Greene Herreshoff
Builder: Herreshoff Manufacturing Company
Construction
Frames: Steel
Planking Top: Steel — Supplied by Lukens
Planking Bottom: N/A
Mast: Steel
Spinnaker Pole: N/A
Keel Ballast: N/A
Length Overall: 143.7 ft. / 43.79 m
Length Waterline: 89.6 ft. / 27.32 m
Beam: 25.9 ft. / 7.88 m
Draft with Keel Lowered: N/A
Displacement: 175 tons
Tonnage: N/A
Mast: 104.9 ft. / 31.98 m
Bowsprit: N/A
Top Mast: N/A
Source:www.americascup.com 5/2/2007
- Yacht Management
- Yacht Repossession
- Owner Orientation
- Crew Management
- Commissioning
- Quality Control
- Yacht Delivery
- Yacht Shipping
- Delivery Quote
- What to Expect
- Our Captains
- Delivery Crew
- Sailing Opportunities for Delivery Crew
- Video Gallery
- Testimonials
WE MOVE YOUR PASSION
Reliance Yacht Management has been delivering and managing yachts since the 1980s. We focus our knowledge and expertise on quality, and as a result, our service has an international reputation for excellence. Beginning life as a one-man startup, Reliance has evolved into an enthusiastic team of Captains, Crew, and Operational Support, spread throughout the globe but all driven to deliver excellent service.
Whether your boat is a sailing yacht or a motor vessel, a heritage model or straight from the factory, destined for a boat show or a far flung corner of the globe, Reliance will provide a solution to relocate your vessel. Quality and distinction is at the heart of everything we do at Reliance, and so we continuously work to ensure that our high standards are met and that Reliance Yacht Management is a delivery company you can trust.
Reliance offers a unique multi-modal service, whether by sail or ship, we like to provide our customers with the safest and most efficient delivery method. Wherever you or your vessel is located in the world, we can provide a relocation solution that best suits you.
Reliance provides an end-to-end delivery and management service. We can provide quality control, handover, safety equipment, sea trials, export documentation, and delivery of your vessel prior to shipping. Recognizing the importance of operations surrounding delivery as much as the delivery itself, our aim, is to make delivery and management as easy and smooth as possible.
Our satellite tracking services are internationally regarded. Every client is provided with a unique webpage with live visual tracking data, as well as a captain’s log, image galleries and document downloads, all in one place. Our aim is to provide as accessible, transparent and advanced a service as possible for our clients.
The global authority in superyachting
- NEWSLETTERS
- Yachts Home
- The Superyacht Directory
- Yacht Reports
- Brokerage News
- The largest yachts in the world
- The Register
- Yacht Advice
- Yacht Design
- 12m to 24m yachts
- Monaco Yacht Show
- Builder Directory
- Designer Directory
- Interior Design Directory
- Naval Architect Directory
- Yachts for sale home
- Motor yachts
- Sailing yachts
- Explorer yachts
- Classic yachts
- Sale Broker Directory
- Charter Home
- Yachts for Charter
- Charter Destinations
- Charter Broker Directory
- Destinations Home
- Mediterranean
- South Pacific
- Rest of the World
- Boat Life Home
- Owners' Experiences
- Conservation and Philanthropy
- Interiors Suppliers
- Owners' Club
- Captains' Club
- BOAT Showcase
- Boat Presents
- Events Home
- World Superyacht Awards
- Superyacht Design Festival
- Design and Innovation Awards
- Young Designer of the Year Award
- Artistry and Craft Awards
- Explorer Yachts Summit
- Ocean Talks
- The Ocean Awards
- BOAT Connect
- Between the bays
- Golf Invitational
- BOATPro Home
- Superyacht Insight
- Global Order Book
- Premium Content
- Product Features
- Testimonials
- Pricing Plan
- Tenders & Equipment
New-build 55m Heesen motor yacht Reliance joins the market
The new-build 55 metre Heesen motor yacht Reliance , previously known as Project Gemini , has been listed for sale by Geoff Moore from West Nautical , pending her delivery at the end of 2022.
Built with a steel fast displacement hull and aluminium superstructure, Reliance is one of six yachts in the 55 Steel series. Her naval architecture was penned by Van Oossanen Naval Architects and her exterior design is by Omega Architects . Her interior design was by Italian designer Luca Dini in his debut collaboration with the Dutch shipyard.
The yacht accommodates 12 guests in six spacious cabins, with an 82-square-metre owners' apartment on the main deck forward and the VIP on the bridge deck. The remaining guest cabins – two doubles and two twins – are on the lower deck. All feature en suite bathrooms and entertainment systems. Crew quarters for up to 13 can also be found on board, with the captain's cabin aft of the wheelhouse.
Taupe and cream tones blend with an array of textures to create a warm and elegant theme in the interior living spaces. The main saloon features a formal dining space for 12 and expansive lounging areas. Doors are upholstered in Italian leather and the ceilings are wrapped in cream fabric.
Guests can enjoy the multiple al fresco dining spaces and lounging areas. The yacht's spacious sundeck has a Jacuzzi, sun loungers, alfresco dining and a bar with teppanyaki grill. While the beach club hosts a swimming platform and wellness centre with gym and sauna.
Reliance began the build process on speculation. Her sisterships include 55 metre Vida , Laurentia and Project Serena .
Power will come from twin MTU 8V 4000 M63 IMO-Tier III diesel engines for a top speed of 15.5 knots and a transatlantic range of 4,500 miles at 13 knots.
Reliance is asking €54,000,000.
Sign up to BOAT Briefing email
Latest news, brokerage headlines and yacht exclusives, every weekday
By signing up for BOAT newsletters, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy .
More about this yacht
Similar yachts for sale, more stories, most popular, from our partners, sponsored listings.
Yacht, IMO 9933286
- VesselFinder
- Miscellaneous
The current position of RELIANCE is at East Mediterranean reported 4 mins ago by AIS. The vessel arrived at the port of Antalya, Turkey on Sep 16, 05:30 UTC. The vessel RELIANCE (IMO 9933286, MMSI 256192000) is a Yacht built in 2023 (1 year old) and currently sailing under the flag of Malta .
Position & Voyage Data
| Predicted ETA | - |
| Distance / Time | - |
| Course / Speed | |
| Current draught | 3.2 m |
| Navigation Status | Moored |
| Position received | |
| IMO / MMSI | 9933286 / 256192000 |
| Callsign | 9HA5732 |
| Flag | Malta |
| Length / Beam | 55 / 9 m |
Map position & Weather
Recent port calls, vessel particulars.
| IMO number | 9933286 |
| Vessel Name | RELIANCE |
| Ship Type | Yacht |
| Flag | Malta |
| Year of Build | 2023 |
| Length Overall | 55.00 |
| Length BP | - |
| Beam | 9.00 |
| Draught | - |
| Depth | - |
| Gross Tonnage | 756 |
| Net Tonnage | - |
| Deadweight | - |
| TEU | - |
| Crude Oil | - |
| Gas ) | - |
| Grain ) | - |
| Bale ) | - |
| Ballast Water ) | - |
| Fresh Water ) | - |
| Builder | - |
| Place of Build | - |
| Hull | - |
| Material | - |
| Engine Builder | - |
| Engine Type | - |
| Engine Power | - |
| Fuel Type | - |
| Service Speed | - |
| Propeller | - |
| Registered Owner | - | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
IMAGES
VIDEO
COMMENTS
Reliance. (yacht) Reliance was the 1903 America's Cup defender designed by Nat Herreshoff. Reliance was funded by a nine-member syndicate of members of the New York Yacht Club headed by Cornelius Vanderbilt III. Reliance was designed to take full advantage of the Seawanhaka '90-foot' rating rule and was suitable only for use in certain conditions.
The yacht measured over 200ft overall with just 90ft of waterline [the huge overhangs were to take advantage of the rating rule when heeled], it displaced 189 tons and had a sail area of 1,500m2 ...
The 55m/180'5" motor yacht 'Reliance' is an excellent new superyacht for the luxury charter market. Delivered by the Dutch shipyard Heesen and featuring interior styling by Italian designer LUCA DINI Design & Architecture she can comfortably accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 cabins.. Offering an abundance of social and dining options, as well as a highly attentive crew, luxury charters aboard ...
RELIANCE is a 55.0 m Motor Yacht, built in Netherlands by Heesen Yachts and delivered in 2023. She is one of 8 55M Steel models. Her top speed is 15.5 kn and she boasts a maximum range of 4500.0 nm when navigating at cruising speed, with power coming from two MTU diesel engines. She can accommodate up to 12 guests in 6 staterooms, with 13 crew ...
Herreshoff launched Reliance at Bristol on April 12, 1903. She was the largest single-masted sailboat ever, at 143', 9" with 16,160 sq. ft. of sails, weighing four tons.
While the yacht's exteriors come from an established collaboration, Reliance is the first Heesen yacht with interiors by Luca Dini. The Italian designer and his team worked to adapt the interior to create a refined ambience with fresh cream tones - especially prevalent in the main saloon, which includes a dining table for 12 guests overlooked by warm-toned feature lighting.
Reliance is a motor yacht with an overall length of m. The yacht's builder is Heesen Yachts from The Netherlands, who launched Reliance in 2023. The superyacht has a beam of m, a draught of m and a volume of . GT.. Reliance features exterior design by Omega Architects and interior design by Luca Dini Design & Architecture. Up to 12 guests can be accommodated on board the superyacht, Reliance ...
The simple fact that Reliance was built and sailed is, on its own, an exceptional event in the history of the America's Cup. Behind the fantastic 1903 Defender, there was a gallery of great men; among them, Nathanael Greene Herreshoff, perhaps the best yacht designer of all time, Charlie Barr, among the most talented skippers in yachting ...
Reliance Yacht Management has been delivering and managing yachts since the 1980s. We focus our knowledge and expertise on quality, and as a result, our service has an international reputation for excellence. Beginning life as a one-man startup, Reliance has evolved into an enthusiastic team of Captains, Crew, and Operational Support, spread ...
Amantis. Interior & exterior photos of RELIANCE, the 55m Heesen super yacht, designed by Omega Architects with an interior by LUCA DINI Design & Architecture.
14 October 2022 • Written by Brooke Murphy. The new-build 55 metre Heesen motor yacht Reliance, previously known as Project Gemini, has been listed for sale by Geoff Moore from West Nautical, pending her delivery at the end of 2022. Built with a steel fast displacement hull and aluminium superstructure, Reliance is one of six yachts in the 55 ...
Introducing the epitome of luxury, 55m (180ft) charter yacht RELIANCE, by the renowned builder Heesen. This captivating vessel is an exciting addition to the 2023 charter market, offering an unrivaled sailing experience that effortlessly fuses opulence, grandeur, and exceptional amenities.
The current position of RELIANCE is at East Mediterranean reported 10 mins ago by AIS. The vessel is en route to KAS, and expected to arrive there on Aug 14, 15:00.The vessel RELIANCE (IMO 9933286, MMSI 256192000) is a Yacht built in 2023 (1 year old) and currently sailing under the flag of Malta.
Find more information and images about the boat and contact the seller or search more boats for sale on YachtWorld. ... 1986 Reliance 12m. $16,000 (US$11,775) Hamilton, Ontario. 2005 Wauquiez 45. $215,000 (US$158,232) Marigot, Saint Martin. 2011 Monterey 328 Super Sport. $108,900 (US$80,146)
Reliance. There are presently 2 yachts for sale on YachtWorld for Reliance. This assortment encompasses 1 brand-new vessels and 1 pre-owned yachts, all of which are listed by knowledgeable boat and yacht brokers predominantly in Canada. The selection of models featured on YachtWorld spans a spectrum of sizes and lengths, encompassing vessels ...
Now you can own a piece of History America's Cup "Reliance" Yacht Model. History. Reliance was the 1903 America's Cup defender, the fourth America's Cup defender from the famous designer Nat Herreshoff, and reportedly the largest gaff-rigged cutter ever built. Reliance passing the Brenton Reef light ship at high speed, 1903.
A boat with a BN of 1.6 or greater is a boat that will be reefed often in offshore cruising. Derek Harvey, "Multihulls for Cruising and Racing", International Marine, Camden, Maine, 1991, states that a BN of 1 is generally accepted as the dividing line between so-called slow and fast multihulls.
MY Reliance . The shark grey hull - a choice of the owners to imbue their yacht with a strong character - perfectly matches the muscular exterior by Frank Laupman and echoes the distinctive 'shark tooth' in the overhang of the superstructure - a signature design feature that embellishes the profile and makes the Heesen 55-metre Steel design recognisable from far.
RELIANCE is powered by twin MTU 8V 4000 M63 IMO-Tier III diesel engines, offering a top speed of 15.5 knots and a transatlantic range of 4,500 miles at a cruising speed of 13 knots. To be one of the first to charter this opulent superyacht, contact your preferred yacht charter broker today for details on destinations and availability.
In the Russian city of Taganrog, a series of explosions occurred overnight on March 9, reportedly as part of a mass drone attack, according to the Astra Telegram channel. According to various ...
Taganrog, a city located in southern Russia, is a hidden gem with a rich history and a vibrant cultural scene. From its humble beginnings as a small fishing village in the 17th century, Taganrog has transformed into a bustling city filled with architectural marvels, picturesque landscapes, and a friendly community.
Taganrog is situated on the shore of the Azov Sea about 45 miles from Rostov-on-Don, SW Rostov Oblast. History can be found around almost every bend in Taganrog. The memorial theater, Chekhov library, several museums, such as Chekhov House, Literary Museum, Durov Museum, Art Museum and other stand as hallmarks of the Russian culture.
Taganrog (Russian: Таганрог, IPA: [təɡɐnˈrok]) is a port city in Rostov Oblast, Russia, on the north shore of Taganrog Bay in the Sea of Azov, several kilometers west of the mouth of the Don River.It is in the Black Sea region. Population: 245,120 (2021 Census); [13] 257,681 (2010 Census); [8] 281,947 (2002 Census); [14] 291,622 (1989 Soviet census).