THISTLE

The first of G. L. Watson's four America's Cup challengers, Thistle, gave the New York Yacht Club the first real fright in the history of their custody of the Cup.

Built for a syndicate of Royal Clyde Yacht Club members, Thistle raced the Edward Burgess-designed Volunteer off New York in September 1887. The Cup Races were not particularly successful being marred by rating controversy and encroachment by the spectator fleet; all smaller scale precursors of the 1895 difficulties.

Although indelibly associated with the America's Cup, Thistle was particularly important as the first large racing yacht to be built to the Length and Sail Area Rating Rule.

This first successful example of what could be achieved under the rule set out the possibilities in such positive manner that the stage was set for the appearance of so many of the greatest racing yachts of all time; most notably Britannia.

Similarly, within the context of the America's Cup, at a time when it was on the verge of turning from a trophy competed for by cruising yachts to one competed for solely by radical racing machines, Thistle has often been regarded as a perfect compromise. Seaworthy and fast she was also amongst the most elegant of all the fiddle bow and counter stern cutters.

In the context of Watson's career, Thistle's promise brought him considerable international prestige. This was further reinforced in 1891 when she was acquired by the German Kaiser to become his first Meteor, and the founding yacht of the Imperial German Yacht Club. As such this one vessel was key in establishing a new rival nation in the history of International yacht racing.