HMY Bezan
| History | |
|---|---|
 England
| |
| Name: | HMY Bezan |
| Launched: | 1661 |
| Fate: | Broken up in 1687 |
| General characteristics | |
| Class & type: | Royal yacht |
| Tons burthen: | 35 (bm) |
| Length: | 34 ft (10 m) (overall) |
| Beam: | 14 ft (4.3 m) |
| Draught: | 3 ft 6 in (1.07 m) |
| Armament: | 4 guns |
HMY Bezan (or Bezaan) was a Royal Yacht of the Royal Navy of England. The Bezan was a Dutch pleasure yacht built in 1630 and presented to Charles II by the Dutch East India Company. The Bezan 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.
HMY Mary, which was also presented by the Dutch East India Company to Charles the same year, had “square riggingâ€.
Charles and his brother James raced their craft against each other. There was a race between the Dutch-built Bezan and the King’s yacht Jamie (named after James Scott, 1st Duke of 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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