I first met Bob and Linda Chilton fourteen years ago when they approached Gary Carlin of Kiwi Boats in Florida for a special version of my Quarter Ton Cup winning design. Swedish Engineer Lars Bergstrom teamed up with us to create a light-weight version around a light alloy space frame structure. The Chiltons missed winning the Quarter Ton Cup by a narrow margin, but went on to build four yachts to my design. After thousands of miles cruising far afield in Royal Eagle, a 76 foot centreboard cutter which I designed for them, they commissioned Royal Eagle II at 100 feet overall length.

Cruising the Caribbean in company with Whirlwind XII the Chiltons had admired her looks, sparkling performance and her accommodation layout, especially the open plan split level pilot house and saloon. They gave us a very detailed design brief, with dimensions of bunks and hanging lockers, guest cabins, galley and storage areas based on Royal Eagle. The interior was entrusted to Andrew Winch, based on our preliminary arrangement. A light, modern, simple style with plenty of storage space was required.

A full size mock-up of the pilot house, navigation and galley areas allowed the design I had developed with the clients to be analysed and modified in detail by Andrew Winch and the builders, Camper & Nicholsons. This mock-up stage is essential since it allows detail decisions to be taken in advance of construction commitments. The price and effort of building such a mockup is a fraction of the time and cost saved in the long term.

Camper and Nicholsons are one of the oldest established yacht building businesses in England, with a depth of talent and skill which comes only after three or four generations of craftsmen have devoted their working lives to the creation of fine yachts. I had first worked with them in the early seventies, when