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LaurieDavidson by a country mile. He designed across the size, type and rule range from the 50s till late in life probably a career of around 60 years - that to be confirmed next post when I get some good links. So pre IOR rule cruiser racers to IOR champions then on to IRC and TP52 and America's Cup. Cruiser racers all the way through.
Yes. Laurie Davidson and Alan Wright. Both Kiwi Legends. John Spencer also worth a mention.
The Doug Peterson 40 odd footers from the 80s are fantastic as well.
Laurie is up there, Farr changed the shape of yacht racing, Farrier carved out a niche in multihulls, as did Crowther before him, Adams threw out the rulebook and designed fast comfortable boats... Young did too, but having owned an E7, my pick this minute is Greg Elliott - however ask me in an hour...
Great responses obviously.
Apologies I need to dial back my "country mile" original text more than a tad, maybe we can put "favourite designers" into "who do you reckon are the top shelf designers...". Obviously this will broaden the field wide open including all mentioned above.
The best Laurie Davidson records are here in 3 parts - if anyone knows how to get them off the web please advise.
natlib.govt.nz/records/31815805
The below link is a superb record of the NZ designers.
www.coolmobility.com.au/Yacht/LightBrigade.pdf
Of course Bruce Farr is on the top shelf obviously - his 1/4 tonner winning in France ~74 was presumably what All@sea was referring to......I owned a Farr727 and wish I never sold it.............
For Aus designers Alan Payne started it as below with Nocturne and many others.............his 12 metre Gretel 2 should have won the Americas Cup 1970 see pages 14-16 of Sept Afloat - thanks David.
www.classic-yacht.asn.au/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Alan-Payne-story.pdf
And then of course Warwick Hood, BobM/BenL, Kim and John Swarbrick, Joe Adams, John King, Graham Radford, Peter Lowe, David Lyons, Scott Jutson, Frank and Julian Bethwaite, Murray Burns and Dovell, Merv Anderson, numerous others.
I could add Khan Walker to the Aussie but I am possibly a bit biased
Nothing earth shattering but a couple of honest designs
Regards Don
Bruce Farr by far. Young as well but they are Kiwis.
Aussie designers - I have a real soft spot for Peter Cole - could that guy draw a boat - fat ones, skinny ones and in between. I was Ben Lexcen's paper boy and he did draw Australia 2 and designed Venom (his other yachts weren't super fab - we owned a small Apollo and it was nice enough). He could draw butt ugly boats though. The green gerkin Apollo was pretty tragic although Ballyhoo was okay.
Crowther did well in the multi scene and spawned a new generation of designers. But Lock's eye was never great - some boats were good looking - Krakens were up there, but most had something a bit wonky with their lines somewhere. A guy I met cleaned up the stem and stern of the Spindrift 37 (stretched it to 38 too) and it looked so much better. Lock updated the design to copy the changes.
Joe Adams could draw heavy steelies and light fliers, fat and thin. Radford only seems to draw one type of boat. I passed a Bounty 35 today - still looks good after all these years. So at the moment, Peter Cole gets my vote.
For sure BruceF and JimY are a given and covered in the LightBrigade pdf. But I should have noted them. As well as the top shelf kiwis Des Townson and Bo Birdsall.
Assume your small Apollo was Tampico?
Yes Lock Crowther's legacy lives on in the Incat Crowther company - both due to Phil Hercus's design genius and beanhead Robert Clifford's building efforts as well as the Tasmanian governments sponsorships...............which were needed at their time, and should continue as an Australian government model.................
Of course Joe Adams did so many super yachts after his breakout boat Plum Crazy.................probably the Adams 10 the best. It was such a shame that the Adams 8 was late on the market after the S80, and also was a tad too tippy............
So my real bad to have forgotten Peter Cole. He went from sail designing and making, to mast designing to yacht designing - from the Cole 19 to Steak and Kidney the 12m and many numerous in between...........S+K would have won the 1987 Perth Americas Cup if the correct keel was installed when it was launched - and it had not been launched so late - and the Australian defender series had not been so biased to point scoring to those who were winning early in the defender series.............you will know after helming South Australia in that 1987 series.
Going with Bruce Farr and Jim Young as their power boats where brilliant as well.
David Lyons should be recognised as great.
Warrick Hood changed small keelboat sailing for ever.
Peter Cole took it the next step.
MBD to get 65 one design 38 footers built in the Australian market is amazing.
Crowther for diversity as with Joe Adams
As for best ever, still thinking
No body engineers like David.
Completely different level of composite engineering whose work is found in so many boat and places here and overseas.
And there is Cuckoo Nest to prove the point.
Also long time member of the ORC technical committee (about 20 years) which set the standards adopted in classifications that modern productions boats are built to.
Motor sport paid a lot better.
Now lecturing at UNSW in composite engineering.
I like Peter Coles designs 26 foot and upwards. Rolly Tasker's Siskas always appealed. Of the New Zealanders I think Farr is the best but I like Lidgard as well.
seems you guys are all missing the old artists logan and bailey in nz their pre turn of the century boats are still fast with some truly amazing innovations in aus we have also some great designers in the early days swnanson muir halverson alan payne they didnt name the designers trophy for the hobart after him for nothing and his plans are like a work of art
David Lyons
Allan Payne
Swarbrick
Swanson
Joe Adams
Ian Radford
Bruce Farr
Ian Murray
Doug Brooker
Jim Roberts
Ken Beashel
Ken McAlpine
John King
Kanga Birtles
So many great designers mentioned. Thanks for last nights reading, only half way through LightBrigade.
For me It has to be John Spencer, sailed Cherub, Javelin and Flying Ant and been lucky enough to experience some of those NorCal ULDB designs that came after Infidel/Ragtime.
Surprised nobody has mentioned Robert Hick.
Midnight Rambler was an amazing boat as well as the series of robust cedar strip racer/cruisers that followed. Loved his HM1300.
www.mysailing.com.au/news/australia-s-10-greatest-sailing-achievements-no-6-afr-midnight-rambler
lisablairsailstheworld.com/theboat
A
Yes Robert Hick obviously is or was a top shelf designer, builder and sailor and must be on the list. Hopefully he is still involved in designing or building or both?
