Russell Bowler (left) and Peter Walker compete in the first World Cherub Championships in Perth, Australia, sailing Jennifer Julian II to victory, 1970. This boat, which they built, was the first foam-core fibreglass Cherub.

Photographer unknown, reproduced courtesy of West Australian Newspapers Ltd / Portrait: Photographer unknown, reproduced courtesy of Farr Yacht Design

Benson & Hedges, an 18-Footer designed and built by Russell Bowler, was a New Zealand champion. The yacht came 3rd in the 1977 J. J. Giltinan Trophy – the so-called World 18-footer Championship.

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

KZ1 under sail, 1988. Bruce Farr, Russell Bowler and Tom Schnackenberg jointly designed this yacht for the 1988 America’s Cup challenge.

Photograph by and courtesy of Rob Tucker

RUSSELL BOWLER

(1946–)

Engineer Russell Bowler pioneered the use of lightweight materials and ‘sandwich construction’ to produce internationally successful yachts with Bruce Farr.

Down to physics

Russell Bowler started competitive sailing in the 1960s – comparatively late in age but with astounding success. He won district, national, and international titles in innovative dinghies that he designed and built. Fellow sailor Peter Shaw once said: ‘He was probably a little smarter than most of us.’

The physics of boats fascinated Bowler from very early on but remained a hobby for many years.

He qualified in civil engineering in 1968. Throughout the 1970s, he worked as a structural engineer on projects here and overseas.

RUSSELL BOWLER

Going far with Bruce

In 1976, Bowler began structural consulting for long-time sailing buddy Bruce Farr and joined him full time in 1980. In 1981, they set up the company that came to be known as Farr Yacht Design, moving the business to the United States. The hobby had become a profession.

Since then, Farr and Bowler have revolutionised yacht design with their enormously successful – and sometimes controversial – lightweight yachts. Their designs have won nearly every major international offshore race. Victories include the various ‘Ton’ Cups, Admiral’s Cup, Kenwood Cup and three Whitbread Round the World Races.

Their America’s Cup yachts of the late 1980s sparked a design revolution in that event.

RUSSELL BOWLER

Design pioneer

Bowler pioneered ‘sandwich construction’ techniques using lightweight but strong materials like foam between skins of fibreglass to form the hull. These initially radical methods are now industry standards – a mark of Bowler’s genius.

DISCOVER MORE

See the stories about KZ7 and KZ1 in the America’s Cup section and stories about other Farr designs in Going Global