During fitting out, about 700 tons of excess weight was added high in Victoria and Albert, much of it soundproofing around the royal apartments. That addition damaged the yacht's metacentric height and brought her close to capsizing. White was exonerated personally, but the Admiralty still criticized him for failing to impress the task's novelty and importance on his subordinates. The episode may explain his later micromanagement and inability to delegate during the King Edward VII design. The crisis changed how an already conscientious technical leader supervised an enormous design organization and contributed to his early retirement in 1902.
Notable Point · 8:28-10:06
The royal-yacht crisis and White's leadership burden
The near-capsizing of the royal yacht Victoria and Albert shows how technical accountability could reshape a senior naval constructor's leadership.