Dubois Naval Architects
Dubois Naval Architects, founded by Ed Dubois in 1977, was one of the world's foremost sailing yacht design firms. Ed Dubois (1952-2016) designed 47 superyachts between 110-217ft, including the iconic Perini Navi ketch Squall and numerous Admiral's Cup winners.
Founding and Early Career
Edward George Dubois (18 April 1952 – 24 March 2016) was a British yacht designer who founded Dubois Naval Architects in 1977. Born in Surrey, he was educated at Whitgift School and graduated from Southampton College of Technology (now University of Southampton). He began his career working for naval architect Alan Buchanan in Jersey and wrote for Yachts & Yachting before designing his first yacht, Borsalino Trois, in 1976 for Jersey restaurateur George Skelley.
Racing Success and Superyachts
Dubois designed Police Car for Peter Cantwell, which won the Admiral's Cup in 1979. His first superyacht, Aquel II, came in 1986. In 1987, he designed Esprit for Neville Crichton; the owner retained the building team to found Alloy Yachts shipyard. Over his lifetime, Dubois designed 47 sailing yachts between 110 ft and 217 ft, including Kokomo, Timoneer II, Silvertip, Tiara, Zulu II, and Mondango II.
Squall: Iconic Collaboration
Dubois Naval Architects collaborated with Perini Navi on the iconic 53m ketch Squall, described as 'the best of designer Dubois married to the best of Perini Navi'. This groundbreaking project marked Perini's first collaboration with an external naval architect and first aluminium hull. Squall combined Dubois's sporty profile with Perini's renowned quality and Rémi Tessier's minimalist interior, creating a high-performance cruising yacht with trans-oceanic capability. Dubois was a Fellow of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects and the Royal Academy of Engineering, receiving an honorary doctorate from Southampton Solent University in 2004. The Dubois Cup regatta was named in his honour in 2007.
