The Yacht Mary
Private yacht of King Charles II of England

• Launched in 1660 by the Dutch East India Company
• Purchased by the City of Amsterdam and presented as a gift to Charles II of England upon his restoration to the throne
• It was the fore-runner of pleasure yachts of which Charles II owned and raced many
• The English word “Yacht” comes from the Dutch word “Jagen” which means to hunt
• She had a very shallow draft and needed the “leeboards” instead of a deep keel
  
• The leeboards could be raised and lowered depending on the point of sailing
• When Charles II acquired a faster yacht, HMY Mary was used to transport diplomats and civil servants between Holyhead, England and Dublin, Ireland
• She sank in 1675 after hitting rocks off the coast of England
• Her discovery by SCUBA divers in 1971 led Britain to pass the Protection of Wrecks Act in 1974