CAREER HIGHLIGHTS:
- Five years (‘74-'78) with Ted Hood, designing large offshore
racers and production cruisers.
- 1977 America's Cup; Responsible for Hood’s upgrade to Cup winner
COURAGEOUS.
- Started JIM TAYLOR YACHT DESIGNS in November, 1978
- Designed, built and successfully campaigned Mini-IOR/MORC/PHRF racer,
1978-1981
- String of successes in both IOR racing and production cruising markets,
1981- 1987
- Began focus on IMS racing in 1987; TAYLOR 40 pioneered "grand
prix" IMS racing
- Joined America^3 America's Cup design team in 1990; A^3 beat Italy’s
IL MORO 4-1 in ’92 final
- Designed SABRE 362 and SABRE 402, both Boat of the Year, with Sabre
Yachts design team
- Designed COLGATE 26, Cruising World Boat of the Year, selected by
Naval Academy sailing program
- Racing designs continue to win in top level competition from New England,
to "Olde" England, to Japan.
- Member of ’95 America^3 design team, this time for The Women’s
Team (MIGHTY MARY)
- IMS 50 NUMBERS a winner at Key West & SORC, helmed by Russell
Coutts at Admiral’s Cup
- Designed SABRE 452, yet another Boat of the Year with Sabre Yachts
- Asked to join the Offshore Racing Council’s International Technical
Committee
- IMS racer SFORZANDO a 2-time winner of the New York Yacht Club’s
prestigious ‘Herreshoff Award’
- SABRE 426, chosen by Sail Magazine as one of their ‘Top Ten’
new boats for 2002
- Precision 185 selected
as Sailing World Boat of the Year
- International 8-meter class sloop PLEIONE featured in Wooden Boat
and Sailing World magazines
- Designed SABRE 386, still another Boat of the Year in collaboration
with Sabre Yachts
- Designed a total of Six (6) Boat of the Year Winners, Sailing World
Magazine.
- COLGATE 26 Used by the United States Naval Academy, 25 boats
- COLGATE 26 Used by the United States Coast Guard Academy, 15 boats
DESIGNS
INCLUDE:
- BLACKJACK; 23-ft daggerboard flat-out racer, startling race record
- GRAVES 37/STARFLIGHT 38; classic production cruiser/racer, ahead of
her time
- PRECISION 165, Unique
shoal draft fixed keel family daysailer.
- TAYLOR 38; Semi-custom racers, winners first in IOR, then in both
IMS and PHRF.
- PRECISION 23; Trend setting
maxi- trailerable, enviable reputation for performance, over 500 sold.
- TAYLOR 40; Benchmark semi-custom IMS racers, 7 built. Japanese T-40
never lost a race!
- ESPRIT; Innovative 41-ft water-ballasted custom performance cruiser;
lots of blue-water miles.
- TAYLOR 42; 4-time winners at Block Island Race Week, winner NYYC Herreshoff
Trophy for design
- PRECISION 18; Broad market
family cruiser, over 500 sold
- BE-ONE; 43-ft IMS racer, 2nd at ‘92 Kenwood Cup, winner of Japan’s
prestigious Gold Cup
- SABRE 362; Cruising World’s ’94 ‘Boat of the Year,’
with the Sabre Design Team
- PRECISION 28; Broad market
racer/cruiser with diesel, rare combination of performance and style
- STARWIND 19; Maxi-mini keel/ centerboard for Wellcraft Marine, over
500 sold.
- TAYLOR 41; instantly successful "all around racers;" Class
winner at ’97 Key West
- TEMDEH; 39-ft Custom cruiser, classic style and state of the art performance;
a personal favorite
- TAYLOR 47; Grand Prix IMS racer, 1st in Class 1 in RORC’s Commodore’s
Cup
- DANGER ZONE; leading-edge 32-foot wing deck “Sport Boat”,
spectacular performer
- SABRE 402; 40-ft racer/cruiser, Instant classic, Cruising World ’97
overall ‘Boat of the Year’
- RESOLUTE Racing Shells; Eights, Fours, Doubles and Singles; winners
of numerous collegiate titles
- COLGATE 26; Performance-oriented sail trainer and daysailer, another
’97 ‘Boat of the Year’
- STARWIND 27; Shoal draft diesel inboard for Wellcraft Marine.
- PRECISION 15; Stable comfortable
family dinghy with over 800 sold.
- NUMBERS; 49 ft Admiral’s Cupper, winner at Key West, SORC, and
NYYC Spring Reg,’97
- SABRE 452; ‘Grand touring’ speed and elegance, yet another
‘Boat of the Year’
- PRECISION 21; Quick keel/centerboard
family cruiser, over 300 sold.
- SPINDRIFT 22; Innovative keel/centerboard with unique interior, over
400 sold.
- SFORZANDO; exceptional style and grace in a winning 44-ft IMS Cruiser/Racer
- SABRE 426 especially elegant and refined production cruiser/racer,
among year’s ‘Top Ten’
- Int’l 8-Meter; classic style above waterline, state of the art
‘Meter Boat’ performance below
- SABRE 386; hot selling performance cruiser/racer, overall ‘Boat
of the Year’
- PRECISION 185; High performance
CB and Keel, another ‘Boat of the Year’
CURRENT
PROJECTS:
- 54-foot ‘Spirit of Tradition’ cruiser; classic style,
state of the art, materials, engineering, and performance
- Numerous performance optimizations to IRC handicap rule
MORE SMALL
BOAT PROJECTS:
Aside from his own
“youth” experiences in sailing small dinghies as well as
boats such as Rhodes 19’s, Jim has designed a line of entry level
boats for Precision Boat Works. As one of the very few small builders
in the U.S. that actually employs a noted Yacht Designer, all of these
models, most in production since the mid 80’s, are renowned for
their ergonomically correct cockpits, good looks and most importantly,
their well mannered sailing traits.
And he still enjoys
sailing & racing small boats personally. He has been ‘hands
on' involved with junior sailing since 1995.
He has also helped/followed/coached
his own son as he progressed from Opti beginner, to Junior Olympics
winner, to 2-time high school state champion.
Jim is very well
versed and has first-hand experience with, and knowledge of, Opti‘s,
Bluejays, Widgeon's, N-10's, Flying Juniors, Tech Dinghies, Mercury's,
Larks, Lasers, and Club 420's.
Although busy with
his design studio, he finds time to be part of the Program Committee
and Board of Directors of the Pleon Yacht Club (A 115 year old 'kids
only' club for ages 9 thru 18) for ten years. Also has personal experience
with kid’s transition from Opti‘s to Lasers and 420's throughout
this period. Pleon currently uses Opti‘s, JY-15's (w/short rigs),
Lasers and 420's.
In addition, Jim
was instrumental in starting a junior sailing program at his home adult
club (mainly to handle oversubscription at the Pleon YC), and has been
part of its 'operations committee' since.
