Tony Castro (full name Antonio Maria de Lancastre de Mello e Castro), Conde das Antas, Conde da Lousa, Visconde de Pernes, born 1952,Geneall is a British yacht designer, known for numerous winning designs. Born in Lisbon, Portugal, he has been designing sailing and motor yachts since about 1980, with more than 10,000 boats launched, ranging from custom boats and one-design production models to superyachts. His design firm is based in Hamble-le-Rice, England.
Career As a Chartered Engineer, his first job came about when it was discovered that Denis Doyle's yacht Moonduster was floating above her 'marks', having been built less heavily than had been intended her designer, Germán Frers. Castro advised that lead be attached to the underside of the coachroof and had a hole drilled in the keel to reduce her stability, which gave the vessel an exceptionally good handicap for a boat of her size. Moonduster held the Round Ireland monohull record from Wicklow to Wicklow for nearly 15 years until the record was broken by a Whitbread around the World yacht. Her fastest elapsed time for the race came in 1984, when she took only 88h, 15m and 43s to complete the course.
After leaving Ron Holland’s design team in 1980, Castro's first significant racing yacht design was Justine III, for Frank Woods of the National Yacht Club in Ireland. She was the first and only yacht to win the One Ton Cup with five straight first place victories. The same owner then built Justine IV, which was crowned best Offshore Admiral's Cupper in 1983.
Then followed Iztanother Purla, a 43 footer which missed being chosen for the British Admiral's Cup Team, but then went on to win all 7 races in Cowes Week, beating all the Admiral's Cuppers, helmed by the late Sir Peter Blake and his NZ crew from Steinlager. A boat full of innovative ideas, including praddle steering, a method of steering using a vertical arm rising from below the cockpit floor.Seen at Wicklow Sailing Club before competing in Round Ireland Yacht Race as 'The Famous Grouse'.
Later successes included the two-time Quarter-Ton Cup winner McDonald's, the Half Ton Cup winner Balthazar, and the 6mR World Championship and Coupe de France winner Thisbe.
He was appointed by a member of Royal Cork Yacht Club to redesign the J24, with the aim of producing an exciting sports boat. The client expected a bigger mainsail, a new deck moulding and an effective keel to give greater stability. The result was the 1720 sportsboat. A new era in Sportsboat racing had started: the boats were built in County Kerry, and about 100 were built starting with sail number 1720.
Castro's designers work with many boatyards internationally, including the Royal Huisman, Jongert, Palmer Johnson, Neptunus, CS Yachts, Laser, and Jeanneau, Beneteau, Galeon, Focus, Williams, etc.
Achievements
Major achievements His designs have won Yacht of the Year awards, a Superyacht Design award and several World championships. He has also designed yachts for use in television drama productions by the BBC.
4 International Offshore Racing (IOR) World Championships Designer of the only IOR boat ever to win all its races in a World Championship International 6m World Champion Designer of 4 "Boat of Year" awards in the UK, France and US Admirals Cup Winner 1989 with "Juno IV" Co-Designer for "BLUE ARROW", a British America's Cup challenger
Designs Castro's boat designs are:
Arcadia 30 (Jeanneau) Barracuda 45 Clipper 70 CORK 1720 CS 30 CS 34 CS 36 Merlin CS 40 CS 44 Jaguar 24 Jaguar 265 Laser SB3 MG 26 (Castro) MG 335 MG Spring 25 Parker 31 Parker 325 Regatta 39 (Jeanneau) Saga 409 SB3 Sun Dream 28 (Jeanneau) Sun Fast 1/2 Ton (Jeanneau) Sun Odyssey 28.1 (Jeanneau) Sun Shine 36 (Jeanneau) Sun Shine 38 (Jeanneau) Sun Way 28 (Jeanneau) Sun Way 28 CB (Jeanneau)
Other achievements by date DateYacht Design Awards we have won www.tonycastroyachts.com, accessed 7 November 2019BoatAward/RaceAchievement1981Justine IIIOne Ton World Cupwinner, (only yacht ever to win all five races)1983Jeanneau SunshineYacht of the year - Francewinner1983Justine IVAdmirals Cuptop offshore Admiral's Cupper in 19831983SunstreakerOne Ton Cup Worlds2nd1984BalthazarHalf Ton Cuptop production Half-Tonner1984BalthazarTomatin Trophy Scottish Serieswinner1984SunstreakerChina Sea Series Raceoverall winner1984TsunamiChina Sea Racewinner1985IntrigueAdmiral's CupTop Australian Admiral's Cupper1985IntrigueYacht of the year - Australiawinner1985WhirlwindR.O.R.C. Yacht of the yearwinner1986Barracuda Of TarrantR.O.R.C. Yacht of the Yearwinner1986BladeFreeman Cup (Canada)winner1986BladeLake Ontario Cupwinner1986C.S.40(Production) Yacht of the Year USAwinner1986Maiden Hong KongChina Sea Race (700 mls)winner1986Maiden Hong KongChina Sea Series Raceoverall winner1986WhopperQuarter Ton Cup Worlds2nd, (after protest only)1987McDonalds & Scandinavian SeawaysQuarter Ton Cup Worldswinner1987MG 26Top Production Quarter Tonnerwinner1987VentoKiel Week Germanywinner1988Blue ArrowBritish America's Cup Challengeco-designer1988JelikChina Sea Serieswinner1988McDonalds & Scandinavian SeawaysQuarter Ton Cup Worldswinner1988Mg 26Top Production Quarter Tonnerwinner1988SunstreakerChina Sea Racewinner1988Turkish DelightSpi Ouest Francewinner1989Intrigue1989 Sydney-Hobart Racewinner, Class II1989Juno IVAdmiral's Cupwinner - British 3 yacht team1989Juno IVSouthern Cross Cup 1989 series, Australiawinner - British 3 yacht team1990BladeFreeman Cup (Canada)winner1990Juno IV 45'ACKings Cup Spain2nd1990Juno IV 45'ACSardinia Cup2nd1990Juno IV 45'ACSetimana Del Boque Race, Sardiniawinner1990Miss PiggyMini Admiral's Cupwinner1990Red Stripe 45'ACBritannia Cupwinner1990Red Stripe 45'ACCoronation Cupwinner1990Red Stripe 45'ACNew York Cupwinner1991BimblegumbieFastnet Race3rd, Two Ton Class1991Flair (MG335)COWES WEEKwinner, Class IV1991Miss Piggy (1/2 Tonner)Burnham Weekwinner, Class II1991Red Stripe 45'ACCoronation Cupwinner1991Red Stripe 45'ACRocking Chairwinner1992IntrigueMaria Island Race- Tasmaniawinner1992JelikChina Sea Racewinner, CHS overall1992Red SourceCommodore's Cupfifth, IMS1993BladeCentennial Race, Canadawinner, IMS overall1993BladeFreeman Cup, Canadawinner, IMS overall1993Espirito De MadeiraAMERICA 500 (Transatlantic Race)winner1993Flair (MG346)Britania Cupwinner1993Miss PiggyPatison Cup - East Angliawinner1993Miss PiggyPatison Cup - East Angliawinner1993Red SourceWinter Series - Solentsix-times winner1994BladeBoat of the Year, Canadawinner1994BladeCentennial Race, Canadawinner, IMS overall1994BladeFreeman Cup, Canadawinner, IMS overall1994BladeLake Ontario Cupwinner, IMS overall1994Flair (MG346)CORK WEEK ClassIVwinner1994MillenniumChina Sea Racewinner, CHS overall1994Red SourceAutumn Series Lymington UKseven-times winner1994Red SourceRocking Chair -Cowes Weekwinner1994Red SourceSpring Series - Solentwinner1995Cordon Rouge (MG345)NECRA CHS95winner, CHS overall1995IntrigueKing of Derwent -Tasmaniawinner, IMS overall1995MG26Tour of Portugalwinner, CHS overall1995Miss PiggyBuckleys Goblet - EAORAwinner, Class IV1995Miss PiggyCork Sand Racewinner1995Miss PiggyCOWES Weekwinner, Class IV1995Miss PiggyEAORA CHS95winner, CHS overall1995Miss PiggySunk Race - EAORAwinner1995Miss PiggyWalton Trophywinner1995Mota GalizaTour of Portugalwinner, IMS overall1995RocioRuta de la Sal -Spainwinner1996BlazeFalmouth Weekoverall winner1996CircuiteerCHS Nationalswinner, CHS Class II1996CircuiteerCORK Week2nd, Class II1996CircuiteerPlymouth Spring Serieswinner, CHS overall1996Cork One Design -1720Red Funnel Easter Challengewinner, CHS overall1996Cork One Design -1720Warsash Spring Serieswinner, Sportsboat Class1996Flair IICork Week2nd, Class III1997CircuiteerCowes Weekwinner, Class III1997CircuiteerHamble Week -Weekendfour-times winner, Class I1997Cork One Design -1720Round the Island Dinghy Racewinner, Sportsboat Class1997Cork One Design -1720Rover Serieswinner, Sportsboat Class1997Fend-La-Bise (ILC30)RIAS (Spain)winner, IMS overall1997Fend-La-Bise (ILC30)Tour of PORTUGALwinner, IMS overall1997Flair IIRound the Island Racewinner, Class III1997Red SourceLymington Spring Serieswinner, Class I1998CircuiteerEaster Regattawinner, Class III1998CircuiteerRound Island Racewinner, Classes 1 to 41998Cork One Design -1720Spi Ouest - (France)overall winner1998Miss CarolRio Circuit (Brasil)overall winner1998Red SourceLymington Spring Serieswinner, Class I1998Shoot The BarNorth Sea Racewinner, Class II19991720 One DesignEaster regatta - UKoverall winner1999CircuiteerUK National Championshipswinner, CHS Class II1999Cork One Design -1720Spi Ouest - La Rochelle- (France)winner, sportsboat Class1999Fend-La-BiseAsturias Trophywinner, IMS Class II1999Number OneInternational Superyacht design Awardsone of the five sailing yacht candidates over 36m2000Cork One Design -1720Spi Ouest -La Rochelle- (France)1st, 2nd and 3rd sportsboat Class2000Williams 30Motorboat & Yachting 'Cameron Diaz Award'2001FidelInternational Superyacht design Awardsone of six 23-36m sailing yacht candidates2001Passe PartoutInternational Superyacht design Awardsone of six sailing yacht candidates over 36m2004SimeronInternational Superyacht design Awardsone of the five 23-36m sailing yacht candidates2005AmeenaShowboats international Awardsbest sailing yacht under 40m2006ArcadiaInternational Superyacht design Awardscandidate, 32-43m power yachts2010Galeon 700 Raptor SkydeckWorld Yachts Awards - best designwinner2010Galeon 700 Raptor SkydeckWorld Yachts Awards - most innovative designwinner2010Scorpione Dei MariSuperyacht Cup Palma (Regatta)winner2014Velasco 43European Motorboat Of The Yearwinner2014Elan 30 PowerEuropean Motorboat Of The Year Under 35 ftwinner2015Gunfleet 58 Sail Magazine's Best Boat winner2016Galeon 500 FlyEuropean Motorboat Of The Year Under 45 ftwinner2016Galeon 510 SkydeckMost Innovative Yacht Under 24Mwinner
Memberships Member of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects ( UK - RINA) Member of the Society of Naval Architects ( USA - SNAME) Member of FEANI Member of the Royal Cork Yacht Club Member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club Member of the Royal Southern Yacht Club Member of the Associacao Naval de Lisboa Member of the Clube Naval de Cascais
References
Yachts designed by Tony Castro