Taken place on Saturday, March 23, the Royal Southern Yacht Club‘s annual Fitting Out Supper provided the club’s members with a rare opportunity to participate in a unique question and answer session with three world-class yacht designers.

Gentlemen. Your presence is requested....Photo by Sheelagh Cohen

Following dinner, 150 members of the Hamble-based Club that celebrated its 175th Anniversary in 2012, welcomed Bill Dixon, Rob Humphreys and John Munford, each of whom gave a short presentation based upon their most satisfying project.

Yacht designer Bill Dixon chose the design process of the Moody 45DS as one of his most challenging and satisfying projects liking it to ‘Marmite’, as in some might like it whilst others might not. Dixon highlighted the design that allows the twin benefits of fast passage under sail and advantages of motor sailing whilst featuring excellent visibility and control of a unique design of cockpit and deckhouse saloon on its single level.

Rob Humphreys gave a short synopsis of many projects including an Oyster 885 (example is sailing yacht Lush), an Elan 350 and Ermis2, a custom build posing a real technical challenge that had made it particularly interesting and enjoyable. As a project deemed most satisfying, Humphreys settled on Apriori, a custom wooden sailing yacht which started life by winning RORC Yacht of the Year twice and has enjoyed the same ownership for some 27 years.

John Munford featured his design of Archimedes, noting particular challenges as being fireplaces and mosaic floors. Munford likened his projects as being ‘strawberries for breakfast, irrespective of where and when’.

Whilst each designer opted for quite differing projects, the trio agreed that design is an art form, the use of computers being mere tools to make life easier.