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Yacht Designer Guy Thompson
Yacht designer Guy Thompson was a British designer who created a series of triumphant racing yachts during the 1940’s and ‘50s.
As a prominent member of the Royal Burnham Yacht Club in Essex, UK, yacht designer Guy Thompson was a great believer in first producing a model yacht for testing prior to the actual building of a yacht, which may not perform to his standards. In doing so, Thompson saved money and was able to produce a series of very successful yachts.
Yacht designer Guy Thompson also believed that in Royal Ocean Racing Club (RORC) racing, there were two prominent features required to make a yacht both fast and safe when sailing – she must be easy to steer when going down wind and the less she pitches, the better she goes.
Thompson also realized that front runners on yachts were too fine near the ends and that the position of the rudder was becoming too far towards the bow. With this is mind, Guy Thompson created a model of a yacht with a fin and a skeg extension on the keel which produced a straighter and faster sailing ship.
In 1956, Thompson built the victorious Calliope VII followed by the Calliope IX in 1958. Out of this grew a very strong link between Thompson and his racer, Dick Pitcher. Pitcher went on to race dinghies and became the World Champion in 1965 when he sailed the Flying Dutchman; in 1966, Pitcher became the North American Champion.
Pitcher then collaborated with yacht designer Guy Thompson to build a cruiser yacht with 5 berths, speed, and safety, and so the 24’ Goosander was created. It was very successful in the 1967 East Anglian Offshore Racing Association (EAORA) events. This yacht design proved so successful that in 1968 it entered into production as the newly named T24.
Built by J.C. Perfect/Thames Marine of the UK, the Thompson 24 had a fin keel hull of glass reinforced plastics (GRP) up to the deck, a deck built of marine ply, and a cabin top made of GRP. The T24 was configured with 5 sleeping berths while the galley provided ample storage and workspace. The cost of the T24 in 1969 was £3,500 GBP or the equivalent of approximately $5,768 USD.
Presented by the Crouch Yacht Club, the Houghton Cup (Britain’s oldest offshore race) was won three times by Guy Thompson designed yachts. The first was crewed by Thompson himself onboard the Maresta in 1947; Pitcher won in 1969 onboard the Willi Waw; and the last by B. T. Moore in 1972 while sailing the Bottom.
The Willi Waw also entered into production in 1968 as the T31, the next endeavour of yacht designer Guy Thompson. Of similar looks as the T24, the larger T31 featured a skeg with a trim tab and moderate bustle, along with GRP construction. The cost of the T31 in 1969 was £5,000 GBP exclusive of the sails; comparatively, the same yacht today would sell for approximately £18,000 GBP or the equivalent of $29,700 USD.
Thompson went on to construct the T27 in 1971 featuring a deep V-hull, skeg hung rudder, and a heavy keel which provided her fast speed and always predictable handling. This was once again proof that the philosophy of yacht designer Guy Thompson to always building a model first, was a true model for success.
Sources:
Royal Burnham Yacht Club
Visual Arts Data Service (VADS)
Crouch Yacht Club
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