UK-based yacht designer Tony Castro has been designing sail and power boats for over 30 years from his namesake headquarters in Southampton. He’s won a string of awards and his vessels that include custom yachts and one-design production models are famous the world over, participating in major races and even making it onto national television (his Spring 25 appeared on UK TV show Howard’s Way). He talks to The Marine Guide about his lifelong passion for the nautical world.

TMG: When did you first discover your love for boats?

T: I was born by the sea in Lisbon, Portugal, a country very connected with all things nautical. My father owned a little 10 meter boat and I started sailing school when I was seven. I became crazy about sailing and boats and used to go out on the water every weekend.

Unfortunately in Portugal at that time, there was no naval architecture school so after graduating from high school I started studying civil architecture until someone suggested that I should go study naval architecture in another country. I moved to Scotland where I did a degree in naval architecture at Strathclyde University and then a postgraduate in Hydrodynamics and Aerodynamics in Glasgow. One day I received a phone call from yacht designer Ron Holland asking if I would like to go work with him, which I did for about five years until 1980 when I started my own business.

From the age of 18, I was also sailing competitively every weekend and racing in Europe, the US and across the Atlantic Ocean.

TMG: What is your role in the company today? Are you still designing yachts yourself?

T: Yes, I do all the line plans and decide on the main parameters as well as supervising all the projects.

TMG: Which yacht design are you most proud of and why?

T: It’s hard to say because I design so many different styles of sail and power boats. It’s not just about the boat, a lot of the time it’s the people involved with the project that make it enjoyable. I guess the most famous boat we’ve ever made is still the Justine III that won all the races in the One Ton Cup, something nobody has done to this day. I look back and think, Wow how did I manage to do that?

There’s also Ameena that won the “Showboats” Award for “Best design under 40 meters”, built by Jongert. That boat had some very novel design features. Or, the Galeon Raptor 700 that won “best design 2010” and “most innovative design 2010”. Our Laser SB3, a 20-foot three-man keel boat, has been a huge success in England. We designed it five and a half years ago and the builder has already sold 680 boats. It’s a great pleasure to know you created a boat that some 2,000 people go out on every weekend.

TMG: What do you love most about your job?

T: The fact we are creating new designs all the time. The challenge and the adrenaline that flows when you start to develop a new design and you’re not sure how it will turn out! It’s exciting…

TMG: You have won a string of prestigious awards. What do you think sets you apart from other yacht design companies?

T: The biggest difference is that we design many different styles, covering Sail and Power and offer a complete package from naval architecture to exterior and interior design.

TMG: What projects have you got lined up for the rest of the year?

T: I am working on several new production boats, including a 92m motor yacht for Oceanco.

TMG: What kind of boats do you like to sail yourself?

T: I like to sail the boats we design of course. Competitively I do some racing in the Dragon which I like because the fleet is full of outstanding sailors and it’s very difficult to win!

TMG: If you could go on a sailing holiday anywhere in the world where would it be?

T: Galapagos and then Antarctica.

http://www.tonycastro.co.uk/