Sail Far Live Free

"I have to say that I don't believe sailboats with rakish and slippery superstructures that look like they are out of aerodynamic superfast vehicles enjoy mixing the company of spars, rigging, cloth sails and large angles of heel and pitching in heavy chop." -German Frers This week I'm welcoming German Frers to the helm of SailFarLiveFree.com.  Below is my mini-interview with German that continues the blog series asking four questions to prominent cruising sailboat designers. If the name German Frers doesn't ring any bells for you, you're still almost certainly familiar with some of his designs. He has been the exclusive designer for Nautor's Swan in Finland, much of the Hallberg-Rassy range and several Hylas sailboats . In fact, Frers firm, Frers Naval Architecture & Engineering , is responsible for many high end racers, cruisers, superyachts, day sailers, multihulls and even some motor yachts. Far too many to list here! The Hallberg Rassy

"I believe designing a fast, good looking sailboat does not require any design compromise." -Ron Holland Here's number 4 i n my series of mini-interviews with prominent sailboat designers. Today I'm welcoming Ron Holland , the premier large yacht designer.  Born in Auckland, New Zealand, Ron's love for sailing began at an early age. Ron's father, wanting the best for him, bought Ron a sailing dinghy for his 7th birthday. Ron recalls feeling upset because he really wanted a rowing dinghy, not a sailing dinghy. He was afraid the dinghy would tip over and sure enough, it capsized on their first trip out on the water. By the age of 15, Ron was a well-known crew member of several successful yachts. One of which was the 36-foot ketch Aloha on which he sailed from Auckland to Sydney, a journey of over 1,000 miles. His experiences lead to an apprenticeship with boat builder Keith Atkinson through the Auckland Technical Institute. While there, two teachers recogn

"No matter how hard I work on the aesthetics, I never arrive at a place where I feel the boat is "perfect". It may look perfect on Monday, but by Tuesday I will know I can improve it." -Bob Perry This is the third entry in a series of my mini-interviews with prominent sailboat designers. My guest this time is SailFarLiveFree guest blog veteran and one of my personal favorite designers - Bob Perry . You probably already know many of Bob's designs, but some of my personal favorites are the Babas (30, 35, 40), the Nordic/Valiant Esprit 37, and the Lafitte 44. It's hard to sum up Bob's sailboat design work in just a paragraph, so instead of trying I'll just give you a few more examples of his production designs: Islander Freeport 36/38, Norseman 447, several Passports (456, 470, 485, 515), Tashiba 31/36/40, Tayana 37, and many Valiants (32, 40, 42, 47, 50). And did you know Bob also designed the Westsail 38, the big CTs (48-72), and the very unique D

"Wherever you go, no matter the weather, always bring your own sunshine." - Anthony J. D'Angelo ...or at least bring a good all-weather jacket.  Zhik's Kiama jacket is just the ticket for most of the sailing that I do here on the Great Lakes. It's design is simple, and I mean that in a very good way. There aren't a ton of panels sewn together or several colors competing for you attention. Instead, the Kiama offers a clean look and a fit that's comfortable. Even in simplicity, this jacket is more than just a shell to fend off the wind and repel rain and spray. It's got a certain heft to it that adds just the right amount of warmth and insulation. Zhik says it's designed for inshore sailing in mild to moderate cool conditions, but I'm inclined to think it can handle more and will even make a really functional winter ski coat so long as you add a medium weight base layer. Regardless of how it's used, movement isn't restricted

This is the second entry in a series of my mini-interviews with prominent sailboat designers. My guest this time is Bill Dixon. Bill leads Dixon Yacht Design and has done so ever since he took over Angus Primrose Design more than 27 years ago. To cruising sailors, perhaps Bill's best known designs include sailboats from Moody Yachts  since 1981. Of particular note are the unique and innovative Moody deck saloons. As Moody Yachts puts it, "Bill Dixon is more than a designer. Each one of his developments is filled with life." Dixon Yacht Design has also been involved with the Passport Vista 615 , Passport 58TC , the Discovery 50 catamaran , the Tayana 54 and many others including  several superyacht sailboats  and powerboats. A very big THANK YOU to Bill for participating! And now on to my questions and Bill's responses: 1) Sum up your sailboat design philosophy in a few sentences. I enjoy designing sailing yachts, based on the lifestyles of owners. This, I believ