HMY Bezan
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The HMY Bezan (or Bezaan) was a Royal Yacht of the Royal Navy of England. The Bezaan was a Dutch pleasure yacht built in 1630 and presented to Charles II by the Dutch East India Company. The Bezaan was about 15 feet long with a single mast and carried a crew of two, and was the precursor of modern leisure yachts.
A “bezaan” is Dutch for a gaff rigged type of sail.
The “Mary”, which was also presented by the Dutch East India Compagny to Charles the same year, had “square rigging”.
The rigging of modern sail yachts looks more like the Bezan.
The Royal brothers Charles and James raced their craft against each other. There was a race between the dutch-built Bezan and the King’s yacht Jamie (named for Monmouth), which the former easily won.
References
- King Charles II (1979); Antonia Fraser. ISBN 0-7538-1403-X.
- Diary entry of Samuel Pepys
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