Bill Tripp

When prominent yacht designers carry on the legacies of their famous parents, is it nature, nurture or something else?

Is there really such a thing as American yacht design? Some of the Western Hemisphere's top designers plead a convincing case.

Designers and builders of sailing yachts greater than 100 feet (30.4 meters) are being tasked with creating vessels that not only are beautiful, comfortable and safe, but also achieve a high level of sailing performance. The proliferation of international superyacht regattas has upped the ante for owners who not only like their yachts luxurious, but also like to best their competition on the race course.