Design No. 59
Gertrude
Design 59 represents Alfred Mylne's work on an auxiliary cutter, a capable vessel type suited to cruising and offshore work. The design is documented through three drawings held in the archive. The original yacht built to this design was named Gertrude. While certain details of the vessel's construction and service remain incomplete in the current archive record, the design itself demonstrates Mylne's continued engagement with practical sailing craft during his design career.
Original Drawings · 3 sheets
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Yachts in the Register · 1
Historical Context
Alfred Mylne (1881–1944) was a Scottish yacht designer of considerable reputation, known for designs ranging from large cruising yachts to smaller cruising craft. His work spanned several decades during a period of significant evolution in yacht design and construction. The auxiliary cutter emerged as a distinct type during the late Victorian and Edwardian periods, representing a practical response to the advancing reliability of small internal combustion engines. Unlike pure sailing yachts, auxiliaries offered owners the security of mechanical propulsion without sacrificing sailing performance—a balance that appealed to serious cruising sailors. Mylne's design practice encompassed a broad spectrum of vessel types and sizes, from racing yachts to working craft. His designs were built by various Scottish and English builders, and many vessels from his board achieved long service lives. The preservation of Design 59 and its associated drawings, though limited in contextual detail, contributes to the historical record of early twentieth-century British yacht design.