Armonia (Greek for harmony), a Warwick 66-foot (20.12m) sloop built for her Greek owner as a private cruising yacht and for charter work. She was built by Salthouse Boatbuilders Ltd and was launched in 2003.

Photograph by Ivor Wilkins, reproduced courtesy of Warwick Yacht Design Ltd / Profile: Photographer unknown; Sea Spray Collection, New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa

A. Khaliq (now called Fortune Elephant) is a 115-foot (35.05m) high-performance luxury motor yacht from Warwick Yacht Designs Sheerline Range. She was built in 1997 by Alloy Yachts.

Photograph by Ivor Wilkins, reproduced courtesy of Warwick Yacht Design Ltd

Longfellow, a keelboat designed by Alan Warwick.

Photograph by Laurie's Photos, Sea Spray Collection, New Zealand Maritime Museum Hui Te Ananui a Tangaroa

ALAN WARWICK

(1934–2018)

Alan Warwick was the founder of one of New Zealand’s most successful, versatile and prolific yacht design studios.

Architect turned yacht designer

Alan Warwick came to Auckland from Wellington in 1953 to study architecture. He began his career as an architect and became interested in sailing during the 1960s.

During the 1970s, Warwick started to mix small boat design and construction into his architectural practice. By the end of the decade he committed himself to yacht design full time.

The Pied Piper

When Des Townson designed a small inner-gulf cruiser in the early 1960s, Warwick built his own version – Pied Piper. Indeed, Pied Piper became the name of this new class and would gather many followers – as Warwick himself would.

Warwick had success on the water too. In 1969, he crewed on Chris Bouzaid’s Rainbow II for her momentous win of the One Ton Cup.

ALAN WARWICK

Entering Asia

In the 1970s, Warwick discovered a market in Asia for large motor sailers and luxury cruisers, designing a range of yachts which were built in Taiwan. His boats sold well, but he withdrew from that market because their construction quality did not come up to his standards.

ALAN WARWICK

Versatility and excellence

Warwick had by now established the Warwick yacht design studio. His formidable range of projects included sailing dinghies, power and sport-fishing boats, and sailboards. Much development of his sailing design was to satisfy the changing demands of his own children in their progress as sailors.

The Stratus 747 was a particularly popular line of yachts with sailors and apprentice boatbuilders alike. He also built the 30-foot (9.14m) Magic Flute, the most successful of the Townson 30s.

Warwick’s versatility, commitment to quality and technical mastery were key to his success. His drawings were technical masterpieces, and he was also noted for his dramatic action paintings of his new designs.

The Warwick family design studio has built on that success and continues to be a major contributor to export-oriented yacht design in New Zealand.