Skip to main content
Want more images or videos?
Request additional images or videos from the seller
1 of 9

Shane Couch
Shamrock III, 1903 America's Cup

2024

About the Item

Signed lower right The painting depicts Shamrock iii during the second race of the 1903 Americas Cup. With Clouds of spray flying from her bow and streaming a foaming wake astern Capt Bob Wringe is shown straining at the helm of Shamrock. Wringe draws every inch of speed from his charge as he valiantly gives chase to Reliance during the first leg of the race. Shamrocks well trained crew lie flat along the windward rail while others stand by at their stations ready to trim sails as required. This race was remarkable for the performance of her crew as they battled desperately to stay in touch with Reliance around the 30 mile course. Sir Thomas Lipton watches closely from his steam yacht Erin. Reliance masterfully handled by Charlie Barr maintained his leading position and crossed the victor with a lead of over 4 min. Having already won the first contest Reliance went on to win the third and final race and successfully defend the Cup on the 3rd of September. After two unsuccessful challenges for the Americas Cup in 1899 and 1901 Sir Thomas Lipton challenged for a third time in the autumn of 1902. He had come close in 1901 with Shamrock ii and felt confident Shamrock iii would lift the Cup. At his disposal were the two greatest Yacht designers of their generation, William Fife and George Watson, both had designed one of his previous challengers, Fife, Shamrock I in 1899 and Watson Shamrock ii in 1901. For the new boat, Shamrock iii he decided to engage the services of both. Fife was the man with the chief responsibility for the design of the new boat but Watson was to be a very close advisor. To skipper her he engaged Capt Bob Wringe the best skipper in Great Britain, and a man with a great deal of racing experience in America having raced August Belmont’s crack NY70 Mineola. Between them they produced a very beautiful and hopefully fast yacht, one indeed Lipton believed was a “Cup Lifter” After Shamrock iii launch on March 17th 1903 she had a series of races against Liptons older Shamrock i. Over 7 races off the South Coast of England Shamrock iii proved her superiority over the older boat. Her tuning up period was shortened after only a month when she was dismasted off Weymouth in a squall. She was then towed back to Scotland for her new mast and preparations for her voyage to America. It was planned that Shamrock iii would complete her tuning up in America with the help of Shamrock I which was also to make the crossing. To meet this new challenge and put pay to any more repeated challenges from Sir Thomas Lipton the New York Yacht Club prevailed on The “Wizard of Bristol” Nat Herrehoff to design a new defender. Herreshoff had designed three of the last Cup challengers, Vigilant 1893, Defender 1895 and Columbia 1899 and 1901. However, his last design, Constitution built to defend the Cup in 1901, had not been a success losing the right to defend the cup to the older Columbia which had been supremely handled all season by Charlie Barr. At first Herreshoff refused the commission but at length the New York Yacht Club prevailed upon him to design the new boat with a promise of a free hand in the design and the services of Charlie Barr to race her. Reliance as the new defender was named was the largest and most radicle yacht ever to race for the Americas Cup. Extreme in every way she carried so much sail she would heel down to her rail in 6 knots of breeze, and she was fitted with a double wheel so Barr could have assistance steering her in a stiff breeze. Throughout May, June and July in races sailed on Long Island Sound, Off Sandy Hook and Newport Reliance repeatedly defeated the older Columbia and Constitution in a series of preliminary and observation race’s and was selected after only one official Trial race to defend the Cup against Shamrock iii. Specifications Reliance Shamrock iii Designer ; Nat Herreshoff William Fife Launched; 12th April 1903 March 17th 1903 LOA; 143ft 8 1/4 inch. 134ft 5 ¼ inch LWL ; 89ft 8inch. 89 ft 10inch Beam 25ft 10 inch. 24ft 103/4 inch Draft 19ft 7 inch. 19ft 101/2inch Sail area. 15,567.3 sqft 14,154 sq ft Fate. Brocken up July 191 Brocken up 1909
  • Creator:
    Shane Couch (1963)
  • Creation Year:
    2024
  • Dimensions:
    Height: 21 in (53.34 cm)Width: 42 in (106.68 cm)
  • Medium:
  • Movement & Style:
  • Period:
  • Condition:
  • Gallery Location:
    Greenwich, CT
  • Reference Number:
    1stDibs: LU18115789222

More From This Seller

View All
Guardians of the Republic
By Patrick O'Brien
Located in Greenwich, CT
The USS Constitution at sea. Patrick O’Brien’s striking paintings capture the glory and grandeur of the age of sail. His work gained widespread attention in 2010 when the U.S. Nava...
Category

2010s Realist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Fleeting Moment, Nantucket
By Louis Guarnaccia
Located in Greenwich, CT
Small boats with multi-coloured sails near a schooner off Nantucket Isle.
Category

2010s Realist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Reliance, 1903 America's Cup
Located in Greenwich, CT
Signed lower left The painting depicts Reliance in the first race of the 1903 Americas Cup. Sailed off Sandy Hook with a clear sky and a 12 knot breeze Reliance is shown with her ra...
Category

2010s Realist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

West Wind, Nantucket
By Louis Guarnaccia
Located in Greenwich, CT
Louis Guarnaccia Biography American, b. 1958 Louis was born in Omaha, NE in 1958. At the age of nine he began painting in oil, and at 14, he began studying painting, drawing, and ar...
Category

2010s Realist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Linen, Oil

Tugboat Up for Repairs
By John Terelak
Located in Greenwich, CT
John Terelak Biography American, b. 1942 John Charles Terelak is recognized as one of America's finest living impressionists. Born in Boston, Massachusetts, he received formal art i...
Category

2010s American Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Piazza San Marco II
By Louis Jaquet
Located in Greenwich, CT
Impressionist piece depicting the famous and ancient Carnivale in the Piazza di San Marco di Venezia. The scene is set before the iconic Basilica di San Marco, the chief basilica of ...
Category

1990s Impressionist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Gold

You May Also Like

Oil Painting of Country Harvest Scene with Horses & Figures by British Artist
By Gudrun Sibbons
Located in Preston, GB
Oil Painting of Country Harvest Scene with Horses & Figures by British Artist. Oil on Board, Signed. Framed in a high quality distressed ornate moulding. Art measures 20 x 16 inche...
Category

Mid-20th Century Realist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

"Afternoon Cala Molto", Oil on canvas of underwater swimmers, cool tones
By Patsy McArthur
Located in Dallas, TX
"Afternoon Cala Molto" is a stunning oil on canvas by Patsy McArthur, showing a couple underwater swimmere surrounded by refreshing, cool turquoise green water and stunning reflectio...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Oil

Kaleidoscope by Patsy McArthur -oil on canvas, contemporary realistic underwater
By Patsy McArthur
Located in Dallas, TX
Scottish artist Patsy McArthur explores the grace and power of human movement in her naturalistic drawings and paintings. Her latest works, including small ink studies, charcoal and ...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Cotton Canvas, Oil

Painting of Figures & Boats on Truro Harbour with Cathedral by British Artist
Located in Preston, GB
Painting of Figures & Boats on Truro Harbour with Cathedral by British Artist, Michael Kerris (1934-2024) Art measures 47 x 20 inches Frame measures 53 x 25 inches Kerris, could n...
Category

1980s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Cotton Canvas, Oil

Landscape with river oil on canvas painting Spain spanish
Located in Barcelona, Barcelona
Josep Colomer Valls (1970) - Landscape - Oil on canvas Oil size 38x46 cm. Frameless.
Category

2010s Realist Landscape Paintings

Materials

Oil, Canvas

Coffee Run
Located in Atlanta, GA
This item is in excellent condition, only shown in a gallery. Griselda Ferrandez was born in the city of Barcelona, a cosmopolitan and open city. From her balcony she could contempla...
Category

2010s Realist Figurative Paintings

Materials

Canvas, Oil

Coffee Run
$1,250 Sale Price
78% Off

Recently Viewed

View All