Yacht designer Ed Dubois passes away

Renowned naval designer Ed Dubois has died at the age of 64

Ed Dubois

Dubois Naval Architects have announced the death of top yacht designer Ed Dubois, 64, following an illness.

Despite not coming from a sailing family, Dubois’s passion for designing boats started early. He then trained in Southampton as a naval architect, graduating in 1974.

Following his graduation Dubois joined Jersey’s architects Alan Buchanan where he designed his first yacht, the Borsalino Trois, which won the British Trials for the 1976 Three-Quarter Ton Cup, the RORC Class IV overall prize and the Solent Points Championship.

This was only the start of Dubois’s stellar career, as many of his designs went on to win several important offshore racing trophies around the world, including the Fastnet race, the Admiral’s Cup and the Sydney to Hobart.

Dubois’s passion was not only designing craft, but sailing too and he raced on many of his boats.

Dubois Naval Architects have announced Dubois’s sad passing and confirmed that Senior Designer Peter Bolke has been appointed Managing Director of the company. Their statement reads:

“It is with enormous sadness that Honor Dubois and the team at Dubois Naval Architects announce the death of Ed Dubois yesterday (Thursday).

Following a period of illness last year, Ed had been in better health and working as normal. Unexpectedly he was admitted to hospital last week and sadly died on Thursday.

Ed’s career spanned decades and his passion, commitment to his work and love of his clients created a unique business, driven by exceptional design and technical talent and a genuine desire to create the most breathtakingly beautiful and technically advanced yachts; now scattered across the globe.

Although created by Ed, Dubois Naval Architects has always been underpinned an incredibly committed and talented, team of naval architects, none more so than those working with Ed at the moment.

The business will continue. Peter Bolke, who is Senior Designer and has been a valued member of the Dubois team for 23 years, will become Managing Director with immediate effect.

Peter will be supported by the rest of the Dubois team.

With one of the industry’s most innovative 58m yachts currently in build and a number of similarly ambitious projects in the design stage, Ed left the business at an exciting moment in its development.

Peter and his team will be supported by Ed’s great friends, Richard Cunningham, and Andrew Prynne QC, Ed’s friend for fifty years.

Ed Dubois was a huge talent, and his legacy will continue as one of the world’s great yacht designers. Known not only for his love of all things boat-related but also music, art, travel and most of all his family and friends. Ed leaves his darling wife Honor and four wonderful children, to whom he was completely devoted.

We would respectfully ask that any enquiries regarding this news is made via email over the next few days to allow Ed’s family and team to adjust to the news.”