Restless (1920) was built by brothers Lou, Frank, Roy, and Leo Tercel to a design that Lou adapted from John Alden’s Discovery. Lou fine-tuned the design for maximum speed, even though the 40-footer was primarily a cruiser.

Photographer unknown, reproduced courtesy of Auckland Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira (9174) / Portrait: Photographer unknown, Sea Spray Collection, New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa

Revel (1932) was the first boat that the Tercel brothers built on commission – from Alf ‘Kiri’ Carmichael. On advice from Arch Logan, Lou built this comfortable 29.5-foot (9m) cruiser in two-skin kauri.

Photograph by William Bond, reproduced courtesy of Auckland Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, Bond Collection (C43121)

The renowned Ranger (1938) was designed, built, and skippered by Lou Tercel. She dominated Auckland yachting for 30 years, inspiring an era of yacht construction to build a ‘Ranger beater’.

Photographer unknown, Sea Spray Collection, New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa

LOU TERCEL

(1897–1990)

With his brothers, amateur boat designer Lou Tercel created the legendary Ranger, which dominated Auckland yachting from 1938 to 1968.

Tough times

Lou Tercel was the third of eight children born to immigrant parents – a Slovenian seaman father and an Irish mother. He and his siblings learned to sail in the family dinghy in Whangarei.

Their father died after they moved to Auckland. Times were tough, but the boys immersed themselves in the yachting scene, becoming respected sailors.

Backyard builders

In 1914, Tercel built his first boat – the 26-foot (7.92m) keelboat Naiad – with help from brothers Frank and Cyril. After World War I came the ambitious 40-foot (12.19m) Restless (1920), which Lou, Frank, Roy and Leo built.

LOU TERCEL

Building on commission

The reputation the Tercel borthers earned from Restless attracted commissions that helped them through the 1930s Depression. They built all their boats in their backyard.

Lou Tercel was the main designer, though he worked professionally as an Auckland Harbour Board crane operator. He read American yachting magazines to ‘keep himself updated’.

LOU TERCEL

RANGER – 30-year reign

Tercel’s best and last design was Ranger, built in 1938, just before World War II.

Ranger, with Tercel at the helm, shocked everyone by immediately winning major A Class races in 1939. She beat the reigning Arch Logan boat Ariki, which had dominated for 30 years.

Ranger would rule over Auckland’s A Class for the next 30 years. Much money was spent trying to beat her. The yacht inspired many top sailors, including Peter Blake, Chris Bouzaid and Russell Coutts, and also influenced a new era of experimentation in design and construction.