Nimble, a Q Class yacht designed by Des Townson in 1954 for his first commercial customer, John Peet. This design evolved into the popular Mistral Class.

Photographer unknown, reproduced courtesy of Auckland Museum Tamaki Paenga Hira, Marine Photos Collection (C37518) / Portrait: Photographer unknown, Sea Spray Collection, New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa

Peer Gynt, a Townson 32. It was initially designed this 32-foot (9.75m) keeler as a family racer–cruiser for the Hauraki Gulf. Over 70 were built and the type became popular. Some have been slightly modified to race and cruise the Tasman and to the Pacific Islands.

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

Des Townson in Atarangi at the 50th anniversary celebration of the Zephyr Class, 2006.

Photograph by and courtesy of Ivor Wilkins

DES TOWNSON MNZM

(1934–2008)

Des Townson was the creative genius behind centreboard classes like Zephyr, Mistral and Starling, and the keelboat class Pied Piper.

Self-taught designer

Des Townson’s interest in yachts developed from his father’s involvement in yachting, and his early experience was aboard his father’s mullet boat. He was soon racing P Class dinghies and won the Tanner Cup in 1950.

Townson quit an apprenticeship as a motor-body builder to design and build boats. He was self-taught but was influenced by Arch Logan, Jack Brooke and Jim Young. In 1952, he designed his first sailing dinghy, Eagle.

DES TOWNSON

Zephyr – design storm

In 1956, Townson designed the cold-moulded Zephyr racing dinghy. A ‘zephyr’ is a gentle breeze – but the boat took Auckland by storm. More than 200 were built in 15 years.

Townson designed the slightly longer Mistral as a two-handed development of the Zephyr. The Mistral was primarily used as a ‘father and son’ racing dinghy and is still raced today.

Other centreboard designs followed, notably the Dart and the Starling. The 3-metre plywood Starling has become the most successful locally designed youth training boat in New Zealand, with over 1400 boats built.

DES TOWNSON

Keelers

In 1960 came Townson’s first keeler – the 26-foot (7.9m) Serene. Various one-off keelboat designs followed. In 1964, Townson designed a plywood 22-foot (6.7m) cruiser, Mercia. Alan Warwick built Pied Piper to the same design. As Warwick’s boat was launched first, ‘Pied Piper’ became the name of this economical and popular class.

In 1968, Townson designed the racer–cruiser Moonlight, forerunner to the successful Townson 32s. In 1974, the slightly larger Dreamtime heralded the first of many Townson 34s.

Legacy

By Townson’s death in 2008, more than 3,500 boats carried his name. His contribution to the yachting community was as varied as it was large, and his designs continue to give enjoyment to succeeding generations of yachties.

LISTEN

DL02 Des Townson.mp4

Des Townson talks about how new construction materials made yachting accessible and affordable for many more people.

Runs for 2:55 minutes

ON DISPLAY

See the Townson-designed yachts Atarangi, Starling and Mistral in the Gallery of Yachts.