Bluebottle

[shipstamps]

Although not much of the craft is depicted, the 10 cents Cook Islands stamp depicting Prince Phillip and Prince Charles, when a boy, with the famous yacht builder and yachtsman Uffa Fox, is taken from an old photograph of them aboard the Bluebottle, an International Dragon Class, sail-number 192. She was designed by J. Anker, and is a Bermuda-rigged sloop, four tons Thames measurement, her dimensions being 29 ft. 2 ins, by 6 ft. 4 ins, by 3 ft. 111/2 ins. Sail area is 235 sq. ft. excluding the spinnaker. The yachts have names as well as numbers and the class is one of the most popular in Europe, the hull being entirely one design. Johan Anker designed this exciting little boat in 1929 as a cruiser/racer, but it has now become an out and out racing craft since its acceptance in 1948 as an Olympic Class. In 1962 the International Dragon Association was formed to assist the International Yacht Racing Union in its general control, particularly with reference to rules.
SG347 Sea Breezes 11/71

[aukepalmhof]

The set of stamps were issued in 1971 by the Cook Islands to mark the visit of Prince Philip to Raratonga on 27 February 1971. Two stamps in the set have a maritime theme the 10c shows Prince Philip in the Royal yacht BLUEBOTTLE and the 25c shows the Royal yacht BRITANNIA.

The BLUEBOTTLE was a wedding present from the Island of Wight sailing Club at Cowes to the Royal couple Princess Elizabeth and Prince Philip. She was named THE ROYAL DRAGON till 1962 when she was renamed in BLUEBOTTLE.

Built by the famous yacht building yard of Camper & Nicholsons in Gosport.

Over the years she had a various racing career, in 1956 she won a bronze medal in the Melbourne Olympic Games.
1962 She was lent to the Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth to the cadets to handle and race a yacht of that type.
In 2002 she was donated to the National Maritime Museum in Cornwall and she underwent a re-fit by Maurice Hunkin before she went on show at the museum.
2017 She is moored alongside the museum pontoon at Falmouth.

Cook Island 1971 10c SG347, scott 209.
Source: Various internet sites.