Victoria

Current boat name

Victoria

Boat class

7405

Function

Sports and Leisure

Type

Length (m / ft)

12 / 39ft 5in

Beam (m / ft)

0.6 / 2ft

Leeward

None

Propulsion

Oar

Designer

Taylor M

Date of build

1855

Place of build

Newcastle upon Tyne

Present use

Museum/R&RM

VICTORIA, racing four rowing boat, built in 1855 by Mathew Taylor of Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Probably the first wooden carvel hull racing shell. It was built for the Royal Chester Rowing Club who used it to win both Steward's and Wyfold Challenge cups at Henley Royal Regatta in 1855. They then ordered an 'eight' of similar design from the same maker and won the Grand Challenge Cup and Ladies Plate at Henley in 1856. There is some evidence that the first keel-less boat was built by Harry Clasper in 1842, but VICTORIA is the oldest surviving example. This boat was the predecessor of wooden shell construction, used until the introduction of plastics in 1970s. SIGNIFICANCE: Earliest surviving example of carvel construction caused by bringing the keel inboard. Source: River and Rowing Museum 2000 June 2010 Other reading: Wigglesworth N Social History of English Rowing (The) 1992