Amaryllis: World’s coolest yachts

Yachting World has been asking top sailors and marine industry gurus to choose the coolest and most innovative yachts of our times, and naval architect and offshore sailor Antoine Koch nominated Amaryllis. Here’s his report:

Amaryllis, and her replica Amaryllis II, are among the coolest yachts. I had the opportunity to see her in the Herreshoff Museum in Bristol, Rhode Island, during the 2010 Little America’s Cup held in Newport, RI.

Amaryllis was the first catamaran to be designed by the great Nathanaël Herreshoff in 1875. In addition to inventing the first modern catamaran, Herreshoff invented the first lightweight racing yacht (Gloriana), the first modern keelboat (Dilemna), and the first lightweight skiff (Alpha). Then he won the America’s Cup six times in a row.

In 1876, Amaryllis won her first race but was protested by the captain of Clara S, who claimed that Amaryllis was ‘neither a yacht nor a boat’. Amaryllis was disqualified but received ‘a diploma and a certificate that she had attained the highest speed ever made by a vessel of her length’.

Herreshoff himself referred to the gaff sloop catamaran Amaryllis as a ‘double boat’.

That same 2010 Little America’s Cup was the first multihull regatta hosted by the New York Yacht Club since 1876 [134 years later!].

Amaryllis stats rating
Top speed: 17.2 knots
LOA: 10m/33ft
Launched: 1876
Berths: 0
Price: $4,000
Adrenalin factor: 90%

For Yachting World’s list of cool boats, click here.