Naval architect Doug Peterson passed away on Monday following a long battle with illness.
This Monday, June 26th, will remain a somewhat special date in the history of sailing, regattas, and the America’s Cup. The day the Kiwis reclaimed the oldest trophy in history from the Americans, one of the yachting architects, who was the architect of the victories of these two nations, dies.
Indeed, the career of this renowned naval architect, born in 1945, began in the 1970s. He would go on to design numerous production sailboats that would leave their mark on their era. A true IOR enthusiast, he designed several half-tonners, including North Star, which won the Half Ton Cup in La Rochelle in 1974. He was one of the key figures in the development of this class, along with Ron Holland. One of his greatest successes is the Contessa 35.
He designed few production sailboats, but his models left their mark on their era. Notable examples include the Contessa 35 and, to a lesser extent, the Contessa 28, the Contentions 30 and 35, as well as the Show 34, a very handsome Italian boat. In France, he designed only one model, the Sun Legende 41, one of his rare non-racing-cruising vessels, launched in 1986 from the Jeanneau shipyard.
He returned to the forefront of the scene in the 1990s with the America’s Cup. He was the driving force behind the monohulls America 3, Luna Rossa, and Black Magic. He won the cup with the first one, for the Americans, and also with Black Magic for the Kiwis.