Perry Yacht Design

Perry Yacht Design
Name	Perry Yacht Design
Type	Private design firm
Industry	Naval architecture
Founded	1974
Founders	William H. Perry, Robert H. Perry
Headquarters	Newport, Rhode Island, United States
Key people	William H. Perry, Robert H. Perry
Products	Sailboat designs, powerboat designs, naval architecture services

Perry Yacht Design is an American naval architecture and yacht design firm founded in the 1970s by brothers William H. Perry and Robert H. Perry. The studio gained prominence through a portfolio that spans cruising yachts, performance cruisers, racing yachts, and custom powerboats, influencing design trends across the United States and international markets including United Kingdom, France, Italy, and Australia. Its practice intersects with prominent shipyards, naval architects, skippers, and racing syndicates, contributing to both recreational and competitive sailing communities.

History

Perry Yacht Design was established in the context of 1970s shifts in recreational boating, contemporaneous with designers such as Olin Stephens, Philippe Briand, Ron Holland, and firms like Sparkman & Stephens. Early commissions placed the firm alongside builders including Nautor's Swan, Hinckley Yachts, and Tartan Yachts, while its emergence paralleled technological developments at institutions such as the Scripps Institution of Oceanography and the University of Southampton. The Perrys expanded during the 1980s and 1990s amid international regatta circuits like the Whitbread Round the World Race and the America's Cup, engaging with naval research from entities such as the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and collaborating with sailmakers in the tradition of Dimension-Polyant and North Sails.

Notable Designs

Signature projects include production cruisers and custom racers built by yards including Hinckley Yachts, Hylas Yachts, J Boat, C&C Yachts, and Ta Shing. The firm's portfolio features designs that appeared in events such as the Transpacific Yacht Race, the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race, and regional regattas hosted by clubs like the New York Yacht Club and the Royal Ocean Racing Club. Several Perry designs were campaigned under skippers who also sailed in series run by organizations such as International Sailing Federation affiliates and class associations like the Class40 and IRC fleets. Notable hulls have been featured in publications such as Yachting Magazine, Sailing World, and Cruising World.

Design Philosophy and Innovations

The Perrys have emphasized a balance of performance and comfort, drawing on principles employed by designers like Olin Stephens and naval engineers from MIT and University of Auckland. Their approach integrates hull form optimization informed by tank testing traditions at facilities such as the David Taylor Model Basin and computational methods developed at Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. Innovations included advances in shallow-draft keels, balanced sailplans compatible with Fractional rig configurations, and interior ergonomics influenced by Scandinavian builders like Nautor's Swan and Italian design houses collaborating with firms such as Frers. The studio has also incorporated composite construction trends utilizing materials from suppliers like Gurit and resin systems pioneered by West System.

Operations and Locations

Originally based in Newport, Rhode Island, the practice maintained offices and project collaborations across North America and Europe, engaging with maritime clusters in Annapolis, Maryland, Lymington, England, La Rochelle, France, and Genoa, Italy. Projects required coordination with shipyards including J Boats, Tartan Marine, and custom builders like Marlow Yachts. The firm's network extended to brokers and marinas such as Fraser Yachts and Denison Yachting, and to certification bodies including Lloyd's Register and American Bureau of Shipping for larger custom projects.

Collaborations and Partnerships

Perry Yacht Design worked with a range of industry partners: sailmakers like North Sails and Contender Sailcloth, naval consultancies including Graham & Woolnough, and builders such as Ta Shing and Hinckley Yachts. The firm collaborated with yacht brokers, delivery captains, and international regatta organizers like the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race committee and the Newport Bermuda Race organizers. It also engaged with marine suppliers, naval research centers such as Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, and educational programs at institutions like Rhode Island School of Design and University of Rhode Island through guest lectures and internships.

Awards and Recognition

Designs by the Perrys have been recognized in industry awards presented by organizations including the Yachting Journalists' Association, Cruising Club of America, and class associations that administer honors at events like the Rolex Big Boat Series. Coverage and accolades appeared in outlets including Sail Magazine, Boat International, and Motor Boat & Yachting. Individual projects received mentions in year-end lists produced by trade publications and were shortlisted in international design competitions judged by panels featuring members from the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers.

Influence on Yacht Racing and Industry Standards

Perry designs influenced trends in offshore cruiser-racer development competing under rating systems such as IRC and ORC, and informed practices in hull form scalability that affected production yards including J/Boats and Hylas. Their work intersected with regulatory frameworks administered by bodies like World Sailing and classification societies such as Lloyd's Register where hull safety and stability criteria were addressed. The firm’s emphasis on combining cruising comfort with competitive performance contributed to the evolution of the cruiser-racer genre alongside contemporaries like Najad, Hallberg-Rassy, and Beneteau.

Category:Naval architecture firms Category:American yacht designers