Stephen J. Renard b.1941

Meteor III was designed and built in the U.S. in 1902 and christened by Alice Roosevelt Longworth, Daughter of President Roosevelt.  She was one of five yachts of the same name owned by Kaiser Wilhelm II, maternal gandson to Queen Victoria.   Wilhelm was notorious for his competitive nature and the 1904 season at Cowes proved to be no exception.

Fifteen yachts started the race with Meteor III and Ingomar.  The latter vessel was designed and built by the Herreshoff manufacturing company of Rhode Island, owned by Morton F Plant and captained by Charles Barr.  As the race progressed Ingomar caught up with Meteor III but Wilhelm refused to concede and a serious collision was narrowly avoided.  Wilhelm was forced to apologise for such unsporting conduct.

Charles Barr had extraordinary success with Ingomar winning nineteen races from twenty-two starts.