Experience

Aquatic Engineering

• Environmental Services
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Director

  • Feb 1997 - Present

  Yacht design, naval architecture, computational fluid dynamics and yacht engineering services, working in the Americas Cup since 1997.Projects include:- Commercial day charter catamaran- Moth foils- IMS/IRC optimisations (2 x NZ Championships)- Volvo Ocean Race (Puma, Camper)- Maxi canting keelers (Maximus, Genuine Risk)- Foiling catamarans (Doyle Stratis)- Imoca60 foils and optimisation (Jeremie Beyou's Maitre Coq, winner 2016 Transat NY-Vendee)Now lucky enough to collaborate with likes of Guillaume Verdier, Jeremie Beyou, Jim Farmer and George Jakich



INEOS Britannia

• United Kingdom
• Spectator Sports
• 1 - 100 Employee

• Principal Designer at INEOS Team UK

  • Jan 2018 - Apr 2021

  Managing a talented group to design to the AC75 foiling monohull rule. Key interests/areas involve extending the capabilities of simulation based design in naval architecture, optimisation methods, integration of design and sailing activities, budgeting to maximise R&D returns and staff development to improve technical capabilities, decision making and cohesion. Managing a talented group to design to the AC75 foiling monohull rule. Key interests/areas involve extending the capabilities of simulation based design in naval architecture, optimisation methods, integration of design and sailing activities, budgeting to maximise R&D returns and staff development to improve technical capabilities, decision making and cohesion.



Softbank Team Japan

• Technical Director

  • Aug 2015 - Sep 2017

  Responsible for the technical setup of a new Americas Cup challenger for the 35th Americas Cup in beautiful Bermuda (2017)A fantastic group, nice culture and a good start - time will tell. Responsible for the technical setup of a new Americas Cup challenger for the 35th Americas Cup in beautiful Bermuda (2017)A fantastic group, nice culture and a good start - time will tell.



Emirates Team New Zealand

• Technical Director

  • Aug 2007 - Jun 2015

  Head of the research and design programs for:- the aborted AC90 and AC33 monohulls, - NZL380 TP52, 2009, 2010 Audi MedCup winner- Camper VO70, 2nd overall, leg winner and fastest 24hr in 2011 Volvo.- NZL 2 and NZL5, the worlds first foiling AC72 catamarans and so very nearly successful Americas Cup challengers!!Responsible for design teams up to 35 people spending approximately 1/3 of the AC budget. Setting the overall design strategy and deciding on the resource allocation to key areas of research. Recruiting scientists and engineers both from within the yacht design industry and making successful lateral hires from areas as diverse as aerospace, hydraulics and control systems, data analytics and machine learning.I resourced the group by structuring technical sponsorships and supplier relationships with industry leaders such as:- Dell Computers- ANSYS- Numeca ( https://youtu.be/7hVlwSpYe-E )- Dassault Systems/SolidworksAlong with a number of local suppliers and the University of Auckland.I worked as a member or the executive team to coordinate with the sailing and build programs to maximize our institutional knowledge and produce great yachts on time and on budget.



Emirates Team New Zealand

• Naval Architect / Designer

  • 1997 - 2007

  Appendage designer and Naval Architect:- NZL 57/60 of AC30 Auckland, 2000- NZL81/82, spectacular loser of AC31 in 2003 and one of my greatest learning experiences.- ZNL84/92, LV winner, and 5:2 runner up in AC32, ValenciaI worked for Blakey and met Sir Edmund Hillary during my first AC campaign. Icons. I was lucky to be mentored by some of the greats in this profession in Tom Schnack, Laurie Davidson and Russell Coutts; a pioneering scientist, the consummate artist, and a great drive and talent.I ran CFD, and designed the appendages for NZL60, more appendages, tank testing and modeled the 'hula' for NZL82, drew appendages, ran tests, rule compliance and naval architecture for NZL92. I worked with mechanical wizards like Neil Wilkinson and Loren Poole, gained a passion for the art of composites from Giovanni Belgrano and Andy Kensington, watched the likes of Dean Barker, Warwick Fleury, Simon Daubney, and Don Cowie hone their craft (I'm still a mainsheet trimmer at heart). I got to prosecute arbitration/jury cases with James Farmer QC and I laughed at Joey Allen and Andy "Raw Meat" Taylor. They took me sailing regularly, and actually paid me...



Bradamante Racing Team

• Mainsheet Trimmer, Preparateur, Logistics Manager

  • 1993 - 1996

  Tim Barrett (largely advised by ex 470 olympian, Cathy Foster) created a remarkable Mumm 36 campaign that went on to win her class in the 1997 Admirals Cup. With a gift for nurturing talent, graduates from the program went on to win the Volvo (Ian Walker), post remarkable Vendee Globe results (Samantha "Bowspice" Davies), become stalwarts of the NZ E5.9 and Y-88 scene (Mike, Rod and Scotty) and win the Americas Cup (me).You have to admire a top effort by the UK yachting establishment to rort a genuinely good owner and drive him out of the sport. (and on to competitive aerobatics...)



Proctor Masts

• Head of Design

  • 1993 - Jul 1995

  Sourcing a new rig for Bradamante from Proctors, I met Glyn Charles (British star class olympian, who unbelievably perished in the 1998 Sydney Hobart tragedy), who then asked me to work with him in the design office at Proctors. Soon after joining I found myself in charge of the design office - with hindsight I wasn't a great mast designer. The MD, H Washburn, imparted to me the immortal line, "Sell the dream, deliver the nightmare..." Sourcing a new rig for Bradamante from Proctors, I met Glyn Charles (British star class olympian, who unbelievably perished in the 1998 Sydney Hobart tragedy), who then asked me to work with him in the design office at Proctors. Soon after joining I found myself in charge of the design office - with hindsight I wasn't a great mast designer. The MD, H Washburn, imparted to me the immortal line, "Sell the dream, deliver the nightmare..."