Madiz
Encyclopedia
Madiz is an elegant 57 metre twin screw steel yacht built on the River Clyde in Scotland, in 1902. In 2006, she broke a record in the shipping industry by being the only ship in the world to be in class "+100A1" with Lloyd's Register of Shipping, 100 years after the date of its building.
Current status
Madiz is privately owned and has not been used for commercial purposes except once, at the request of Granada Television for the filming on her of Agatha Christie’s Poiroit episode “Problem at Sea”.Madiz underwent a major refit during 2003-2006, out of which 17 months in Drydock, and was re-classed under Lloyd’s Register of Shipping in her original Class of +100A1, making her the only ship to ever do so.
History
Madiz was designed by G. L. WatsonGeorge Lennox Watson
George Lennox Watson was a Scottish naval architect. He was born in Glasgow, son of Thomas Lennox Watson, a doctor at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, and grandson of Sir Timothy Burstall, engineer and entrant at the 1829 Rainhill Trials.-Early life:...
, the pioneering yacht designer, who created the first design office exclusively for yachts and who designed some of the most successful America’s Cup yachts. It is the last surviving ship to have been designed by him personally. She was built on the Clyde, where one of the first and most famous ship building industries in the world, developed. In the 1900s 25% of all ships built worldwide were built there and the term "Clyde-Built" became a guarantee of quality and craftsmanship.
She is the only vessel in the world over 100 years old to still maintain its class with Lloyd's Register
Lloyd's Register
The Lloyd's Register Group is a maritime classification society and independent risk management organisation providing risk assessment and mitigation services and management systems certification. Historically, as Lloyd's Register of Shipping, it was a specifically maritime organisation...
of Shipping. This milestone becomes more significant when related to the number “100” contained in the Lloyd’s Register class symbols. The number “100” was added to their classification symbols to distinguish the iron and later steel hull ships from wooden ones, based on the assumption, at the time, that the former would have a life span of 100 years and over. The first “Rules for Iron Ships” were published in the 1855 Register. These were revised and the classification symbol updated in 1870. The iron barque Lizzie Leslie was the first iron vessel to be assigned the new notation +100A1. After over 137 years, Madiz is the only ship to actually prove that this assumption, that iron ships would live 100 years, was correct.
Triton as the yacht was originally named, was built at Troon
Troon
Troon is a town in South Ayrshire. It is situated on the west coast of Scotland, about eight miles north of Ayr and three miles northwest of Glasgow Prestwick International Airport. Lying across the Firth of Clyde, the Isle of Arran can be seen. Troon is also a port with freight and ferry services...
on the Firth of Clyde
Firth of Clyde
The Firth of Clyde forms a large area of coastal water, sheltered from the Atlantic Ocean by the Kintyre peninsula which encloses the outer firth in Argyll and Ayrshire, Scotland. The Kilbrannan Sound is a large arm of the Firth of Clyde, separating the Kintyre Peninsula from the Isle of Arran.At...
, by the Ailsa Shipyard
Ailsa Shipbuilding Company
-History:The company was founded in 1885 by the 3rd Marquess of Ailsa.In 1902 the Ailsa yard fitted out the polar exploration ship Scotia for the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition of 1902-04...
. Her first owner was philanthropist James Coats
Coats Baronets
The Coats Baronetcy, of Auchendrane in Maybole in the County of Ayr, is a title in the Baronetage of the United Kingdom. It was created on 7 December 1905 for James Coats, Director of J. and P. Coats Ltd, sewing cotton manufacturers...
junior. Following his death, she was purchased in 1913 by Sir George Bullough
Sir George Bullough, 1st Baronet
Sir George Bullough, 1st Baronet was an English businessman, soldier, and Thoroughbred racehorse owner and breeder.Born in Accrington, Lancashire, George Bullough was educated at Harrow School...
, owner of the Scottish island of Rùm
Rùm
Rùm , a Scottish Gaelic name often anglicised to Rum) is one of the Small Isles of the Inner Hebrides, in the district of Lochaber, Scotland...
. He renamed her Rhouma. During World War I
World War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Rhouma was hired for use as an auxiliary patrol yacht from October 1914 until April 1919. Between the wars, she was lengthened and had an upper deck of cabins added, and her engines were converted to run on oil fuel.
In World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, she served in the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
as a Royal Patrol Yacht, with King George VI, Queen Elizabeth
Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon
Elizabeth Angela Marguerite Bowes-Lyon was the queen consort of King George VI from 1936 until her husband's death in 1952, after which she was known as Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother, to avoid confusion with her daughter, Queen Elizabeth II...
and the present Queen Elizabeth using her on several occasions. During this period Madiz also participated in the development of the Radar
Radar
Radar is an object-detection system which uses radio waves to determine the range, altitude, direction, or speed of objects. It can be used to detect aircraft, ships, spacecraft, guided missiles, motor vehicles, weather formations, and terrain. The radar dish or antenna transmits pulses of radio...
, by carrying out the trials for the calibration and development of HF/DF (High Frequency Direction Finder, a prelude to the radar). It is interesting to note that, as available records show, Madiz and the Norwegian Royal Yacht , are probably the only ships still active that were involved in the Battle of the Atlantic.
Many changes of owner and name followed.
Construction
Originally she was powered by 2 steam engines. These were changed to Diesel engines (MTU Mercedes Maybach) in 1975.