Alan Hill RIP

[Saltram31]

Sadly another iconic British designer gone. The Biscay 36 is one top blue water boats.

 

[Goldie]

Sadly another iconic British designer gone. The Biscay 36 is one top blue water boats.

+1. We owned a Biscay 36 (1990 and probably the last until very recently when a new one was launched) for 21 years/40,000nm and loved her. Alan Hill did the survey when we bought her and was very helpful and supportive. Regrettably, we never met face to face and only conversed by ‘phone but I was left with the impression of a thoroughly nice man. What a nautical legacy he leaves. My condolences to his family and friends.

Edit: Biscay 36 as per the picture above, with mizzen staysail.

 

[Toutvabien]

I can only echo the very positive sentiments that others have expressed, very nice boats designed by a very nice man. I had the good fortune to spend a weekend sailing with him on the shakedown cruise of a one off steel ketch, Arwen of Burnham, that he designed for the Cirdan Trust in the mid 1980's. Included a very amusing nocturnal trip by dinghy to the Shipwrights Arm pub at Hollow Shores on Faversham Creek when the pub was lit by candles and gas lights.

 

[Dan Tribe]

A friend tells me that he was also very active in the model yacht racing scene.

 

[Seajet]

A friend tells me that he was also very active in the model yacht racing scene.

That's interesting, so was my all time favourite designer, Oliver Lee; he was ace with the Marblehead model racing yachts.

I suspect designing models was the best such designers as he and Alan Hill could do, without tank testing and fluid dynamics computer programmes.

 

[FulmarJeddo]

Not so slow by modern standards either, in experienced hands: The original Trident No 1 was racing on the Medway until a couple of years ago. Her last season on the Medway she reportedly won every race in club racing. Her owner complained that his club was trying to invent rules to slow him down!

Not sure about every race, but certainly most. She is a fast boat, but it always got a good reaction every time adjusting her handicap was mentioned. The owner Lou and friend John sailed her more like a dinghy continuously tweaking, where the rest of us tend to go for a more relaxed sail. We saw Trident No1 on the Blackwater near Maldon at the end of September, still looking good.

 

[wee_niall]

i remember when i was a nipper about 25 years ago writing a letter to Alan Hill (i think he ran a survey business by that time and i spotted the add in PBO) to get more details on the Striker that my dad had just bought and not only did he write back, he provided a full set of A0 drawings for the boat. Our current Striker has been a great family boat, super safe and roomy for her size....i'm hopeful that in the near future i can replace her with a tomahawk or a sabre as with 3 wee ones we're outgrowing her now.