Tony Castro

Last updated
Tony Castro
Born
Antonio Maria de Lancastre de Mello e Castro

1952 (age 71–72)
Lisbon, Portugal
Occupation Yacht designer

Tony Castro (full name Antonio Maria de Lancastre de Mello e Castro), Conde das Antas, Conde da Lousa, Visconde de Pernes, born 1952, [1] is a British yacht designer, known for numerous winning designs. Born in Lisbon, Portugal, he has been designing sailing and motor yachts since about 1980, with more than 10,000 boats launched, ranging from custom boats and one-design production models to superyachts. His design firm is based in Hamble-le-Rice, England.

Contents

Career

As a Chartered Engineer, his first job came about when it was discovered that Denis Doyle's yacht Moonduster was floating above her 'marks', having been built less heavily than had been intended her designer, Germán Frers. Castro advised that lead be attached to the underside of the coachroof and had a hole drilled in the keel to reduce her stability, which gave the vessel an exceptionally good handicap for a boat of her size. Moonduster held the Round Ireland monohull record from Wicklow to Wicklow for nearly 15 years until the record was broken by a Whitbread around the World yacht. Her fastest elapsed time for the race came in 1984, when she took only 88h, 15m and 43s to complete the course.

After leaving Ron Holland’s design team in 1980, Castro's first significant racing yacht design was Justine III, for Frank Woods of the National Yacht Club in Ireland. She was the first and only yacht to win the One Ton Cup with five straight first place victories. The same owner then built Justine IV, which was crowned best Offshore Admiral's Cupper in 1983.

Then followed Iztanother Purla, a 43 footer which missed being chosen for the British Admiral's Cup Team, but then went on to win all 7 races in Cowes Week, beating all the Admiral's Cuppers, helmed by the late Sir Peter Blake and his NZ crew from Steinlager. A boat full of innovative ideas, including praddle steering, a method of steering using a vertical arm rising from below the cockpit floor. [2] [ citation needed ]

Later successes included the two-time Quarter-Ton Cup winner McDonald's, the Half Ton Cup winner Balthazar, and the 6mR World Championship and Coupe de France winner Thisbe.

He was appointed by a member of Royal Cork Yacht Club to redesign the J24, with the aim of producing an exciting sports boat. The client expected a bigger mainsail, a new deck moulding and an effective keel to give greater stability. The result was the 1720 sportsboat. A new era in Sportsboat racing had started: the boats were built in County Kerry, and about 100 were built starting with sail number 1720.

Castro's designers work with many boatyards internationally, including the Royal Huisman, Jongert, Palmer Johnson, Neptunus, CS Yachts, Laser, and Jeanneau, Beneteau, Galeon, Focus, Williams, etc.

Achievements

Major achievements

His designs have won Yacht of the Year awards, a Superyacht Design award and several World championships. He has also designed yachts for use in television drama productions by the BBC.

Designs

Castro's boat designs are: [3] [4]

Other achievements by date [5]

DateBoatAward/RaceAchievement
1981Justine IIIOne Ton World Cupwinner, (only yacht ever to win all five races)
1983Jeanneau SunshineYacht of the year - Francewinner
1983Justine IVAdmirals Cuptop offshore Admiral's Cupper in 1983
1983SunstreakerOne Ton Cup Worlds2nd
1984BalthazarHalf Ton Cuptop production Half-Tonner
1984BalthazarTomatin Trophy Scottish Serieswinner
1984SunstreakerChina Sea Series Raceoverall winner
1984TsunamiChina Sea Racewinner
1985IntrigueAdmiral's CupTop Australian Admiral's Cupper
1985IntrigueYacht of the year - Australiawinner
1985WhirlwindR.O.R.C. Yacht of the yearwinner
1986Barracuda Of TarrantR.O.R.C. Yacht of the Yearwinner
1986BladeFreeman Cup (Canada)winner
1986BladeLake Ontario Cupwinner
1986C.S.40(Production) Yacht of the Year USAwinner
1986Maiden Hong KongChina Sea Race (700 mls)winner
1986Maiden Hong KongChina Sea Series Raceoverall winner
1986WhopperQuarter Ton Cup Worlds2nd, (after protest only)
1987McDonalds & Scandinavian SeawaysQuarter Ton Cup Worldswinner
1987MG 26Top Production Quarter Tonnerwinner
1987VentoKiel Week Germanywinner
1988Blue ArrowBritish America's Cup Challengeco-designer
1988JelikChina Sea Serieswinner
1988McDonalds & Scandinavian SeawaysQuarter Ton Cup Worldswinner
1988Mg 26Top Production Quarter Tonnerwinner
1988SunstreakerChina Sea Racewinner
1988Turkish DelightSpi Ouest Francewinner
1989Intrigue1989 Sydney-Hobart Racewinner, Class II
1989Juno IVAdmiral's Cupwinner - British 3 yacht team
1989Juno IVSouthern Cross Cup 1989 series, Australiawinner - British 3 yacht team
1990BladeFreeman Cup (Canada)winner
1990Juno IV 45'ACKings Cup Spain2nd
1990Juno IV 45'ACSardinia Cup2nd
1990Juno IV 45'ACSetimana Del Boque Race, Sardiniawinner
1990Miss PiggyMini Admiral's Cupwinner
1990Red Stripe 45'ACBritannia Cupwinner
1990Red Stripe 45'ACCoronation Cupwinner
1990Red Stripe 45'ACNew York Cupwinner
1991BimblegumbieFastnet Race3rd, Two Ton Class
1991Flair (MG335)COWES WEEKwinner, Class IV
1991Miss Piggy (1/2 Tonner)Burnham Weekwinner, Class II
1991Red Stripe 45'ACCoronation Cupwinner
1991Red Stripe 45'ACRocking Chairwinner
1992IntrigueMaria Island Race- Tasmaniawinner
1992JelikChina Sea Racewinner, CHS overall
1992Red SourceCommodore's Cupfifth, IMS
1993BladeCentennial Race, Canadawinner, IMS overall
1993BladeFreeman Cup, Canadawinner, IMS overall
1993Espirito De MadeiraAMERICA 500 (Transatlantic Race)winner
1993Flair (MG346)Britania Cupwinner
1993Miss PiggyPatison Cup - East Angliawinner
1993Miss PiggyPatison Cup - East Angliawinner
1993Red SourceWinter Series - Solentsix-times winner
1994BladeBoat of the Year, Canadawinner
1994BladeCentennial Race, Canadawinner, IMS overall
1994BladeFreeman Cup, Canadawinner, IMS overall
1994BladeLake Ontario Cupwinner, IMS overall
1994Flair (MG346)CORK WEEK ClassIVwinner
1994MillenniumChina Sea Racewinner, CHS overall
1994Red SourceAutumn Series Lymington UKseven-times winner
1994Red SourceRocking Chair -Cowes Weekwinner
1994Red SourceSpring Series - Solentwinner
1995Cordon Rouge (MG345)NECRA CHS95winner, CHS overall
1995IntrigueKing of Derwent -Tasmaniawinner, IMS overall
1995MG26Tour of Portugalwinner, CHS overall
1995Miss PiggyBuckleys Goblet - EAORAwinner, Class IV
1995Miss PiggyCork Sand Racewinner
1995Miss PiggyCOWES Weekwinner, Class IV
1995Miss PiggyEAORA CHS95winner, CHS overall
1995Miss PiggySunk Race - EAORAwinner
1995Miss PiggyWalton Trophywinner
1995Mota GalizaTour of Portugalwinner, IMS overall
1995RocioRuta de la Sal -Spainwinner
1996BlazeFalmouth Weekoverall winner
1996CircuiteerCHS Nationalswinner, CHS Class II
1996CircuiteerCORK Week2nd, Class II
1996CircuiteerPlymouth Spring Serieswinner, CHS overall
1996Cork One Design -1720Red Funnel Easter Challengewinner, CHS overall
1996Cork One Design -1720Warsash Spring Serieswinner, Sportsboat Class
1996Flair IICork Week2nd, Class III
1997CircuiteerCowes Weekwinner, Class III
1997CircuiteerHamble Week -Weekendfour-times winner, Class I
1997Cork One Design -1720Round the Island Dinghy Racewinner, Sportsboat Class
1997Cork One Design -1720Rover Serieswinner, Sportsboat Class
1997Fend-La-Bise (ILC30)RIAS (Spain)winner, IMS overall
1997Fend-La-Bise (ILC30)Tour of PORTUGALwinner, IMS overall
1997Flair IIRound the Island Racewinner, Class III
1997Red SourceLymington Spring Serieswinner, Class I
1998CircuiteerEaster Regattawinner, Class III
1998CircuiteerRound Island Racewinner, Classes 1 to 4
1998Cork One Design -1720Spi Ouest - (France)overall winner
1998Miss CarolRio Circuit (Brasil)overall winner
1998Red SourceLymington Spring Serieswinner, Class I
1998Shoot The BarNorth Sea Racewinner, Class II
19991720 One DesignEaster regatta - UKoverall winner
1999CircuiteerUK National Championshipswinner, CHS Class II
1999Cork One Design -1720Spi Ouest - La Rochelle- (France)winner, sportsboat Class
1999Fend-La-BiseAsturias Trophywinner, IMS Class II
1999Number OneInternational Superyacht design Awardsone of the five sailing yacht candidates over 36m
2000Cork One Design -1720Spi Ouest -La Rochelle- (France)1st, 2nd and 3rd sportsboat Class
2000Williams 30Motorboat & Yachting 'Cameron Diaz Award'
2001FidelInternational Superyacht design Awardsone of six 23-36m sailing yacht candidates
2001Passe PartoutInternational Superyacht design Awardsone of six sailing yacht candidates over 36m
2004SimeronInternational Superyacht design Awardsone of the five 23-36m sailing yacht candidates
2005AmeenaShowboats international Awardsbest sailing yacht under 40m
2006ArcadiaInternational Superyacht design Awardscandidate, 32-43m power yachts
2010Galeon 700 Raptor SkydeckWorld Yachts Awards - best designwinner
2010Galeon 700 Raptor SkydeckWorld Yachts Awards - most innovative designwinner
2010Scorpione Dei MariSuperyacht Cup Palma (Regatta)winner
2014Velasco 43European Motorboat Of The Yearwinner
2014Elan 30 PowerEuropean Motorboat Of The Year Under 35 ftwinner
2015Gunfleet 58Sail Magazine's Best Boatwinner
2016Galeon 500 FlyEuropean Motorboat Of The Year Under 45 ftwinner
2016Galeon 510 SkydeckMost Innovative Yacht Under 24Mwinner

Memberships

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References

  1. ↑ Geneall [ dead link ]
  2. ↑ Seen at Wicklow Sailing Club before competing in Round Ireland Yacht Race as 'The Famous Grouse'.
  3. ↑ McArthur, Bruce (2022). "Tony Castro". sailboatdata.com. Archived from the original on 7 December 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  4. ↑ Sea Time Tech, LLC (2022). "Tony Castro". sailboat.guide. Archived from the original on 17 October 2022. Retrieved 28 October 2022.
  5. ↑ Yacht Design Awards we have won www.tonycastroyachts.com, accessed 7 November 2019
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