Whether designing a racer, cruiser, custom or production yacht, our approach to design and to the key tenets of success remain the same. Our goal is to design a superior yacht that exceeds client expectations and to deliver it on time.

Our approach to design focuses on learning from the past while looking to the future. We examine the possible design parameters and the rule(s) a yacht may ultimately race under. Multiple-hull, appendage and rig configurations are analyzed using the empirical hydrodynamic and aerodynamic force predictions. In addition, within our office, we develop proprietary non-dimensional coefficients that are calculated to examine the varied configurations over various courses against our design library of record-breaking, proven winners.

Throughout the life of a project, the key tenets to our success include:

• Understanding the Client’s Needs / We work closely with clients to identify their wants, needs and objectives. In a series of interviews, we sharpen our understanding of the client’s vision and provide options accordingly. Reichel/Pugh plays an integral role in helping clients to evaluate choice of vendors based on quality, experience, personal preferences, budget and other factors.
• An Integrated Team / Reichel/Pugh has developed successful, productive partnerships with leading international boat builders, spar manufacturers, project managers and sailmakers. We encourage and are committed to continuous communications and exchanges of ideas with project team members, resulting in a truly integrated product.

Reichel/Pugh has developed strong capabilities in naval architecture and engineering design, but we remain committed to complementing our firm’s offerings with fresh innovations. We have invested considerable resources into the research and development of new ideas to stay ahead of the latest technological advances in yacht design and related fields. We’ve established relationships with experts in a wide variety of disciplines, including tank-testing, Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), advanced composite engineering, aerodynamics and metallurgy – all of which help Reichel/Pugh’s designs by exploiting the benefits of analysis. This results in ever-faster and more seaworthy performance yachts.

Reichel/Pugh utilizes state-of-the-art tools as the most efficient and lowest-risk approach of optimizing a design. These tools are used to develop hull shapes and appendage packages, as well as fill in the internal geometry of the structure, interior, deck, rig, and the modeling of parts and appendages for finite-element analysis. We also use a number of proprietary in-house design tools that have been developed and refined over 30 years of racing yacht design. We have invested a considerable amount of effort in validating performance predictions (VPPs) for a range of modern racing yachts, and a proprietary data-fitting method has been developed to permit tank and CFD data to be used in a very accurate manner. Finally, we routinely tank-test at Oceanic/Institute of Ocean Technology in St. John’s, Newfoundland.

Using this approach Reichel/Pugh continues to create designs that make a significant impact on the sport of sailing by leading the way yachts look and perform. Today our portfolio represents some of the world’s most innovative yachts owned by the most discerning clientele in the world. The Reichel/Pugh reputation for stunning beauty and outstanding performance matches our owners aspirations to win and stand apart from the rest of the fleet. We hope this portfolio gives you an idea of the range and quality of our vision and capabilities, and that this will inspire possibilities for future collaboration.