Yacht in a gale

Artist Captain Henry Press (Australian, 1844 - 1920)

Date1890

Object number00004536

NamePainting

MediumOil on canvas, gilt wooden frame

DimensionsOverall: 735 × 1045 × 105 mm, 13.5 kg
Display dimensions: 46 × 76.5 × 2 mm

ClassificationsArt

Credit LineANMM Collection

Collections

Ship portraits

Terms

DescriptionA painting by Captain Henry Press of the Port Phillip pilot vessel THE RIP battling a storm.HistoryTHE RIP was the No 2 Pilot Service ship and was designed by George Steers of New York who designed the yacht AMERICA, the yacht after which the famous America's Cup is named. AMERICA was based closley on his designs for pilot vessels. THE RIP was a little larger than AMERICA and was built in Nova Scotia, Canada. It sailed out to Melbourne in 122 days and for 34 years ably filled its role sailing down the bay from Williamstown to outside the Rip at the heads and fulfilling its role as the pilot ship for Port Phillip. It was wrecked at the Rip. SignificanceCaptain Henry Press was a Port Phillip Pilot, successful yachtsman, first Commodore of the Hobsons Bay Yacht Club in 1888 and noted marine painter. His son Edwin was also a master mariner and the second Commodore of the HBYC.