Awards & Recognition
45 years of design excellence, record-breaking achievements, and industry-leading innovations that have shaped modern yacht design.
Record-Breaking Debut
First design "Get More Fun Telefunken" breaks Durban-Mauritius record on maiden voyage, followed by line honours in the 1989 Crystic Beachcomber crossing - completing it in just six days, knocking more than two days off the previous record.
Production Success
Sovereign 54 becomes flagship of John Robertson Yachts - the largest and most versatile production yacht in Southern Africa. 14 orders placed representing over R20 million in revenue, establishing Southwell as a leader in production yacht design.
Southern Hemisphere Record
Richleigh 63 launched as the largest production yacht manufactured in the Southern Hemisphere - a major coup for the South African boat building industry and commissioned for Mediterranean and Caribbean charter operations.
Catamaran Excellence
Island Spirit 380 achieves remarkable production success with 50 units built. Award-winning charter catamarans commissioned for Caribbean operations, setting new standards for commercial yacht design.
2010 Boat of the Year
Awarded Boat of the Year and Best Leisure Craft in all categories by South African Boat Awards. A landmark achievement recognizing excellence in design, performance, and innovation across the entire leisure boating industry.
Innovation in Software
Launch of YachtSoft plugins - pioneering parametric yacht design tools. Becomes the world's first fully parametric yacht designer, combining 45 years of hands-on experience with cutting-edge computational methods.
Charter Boat of the Year 2022
Awarded Charter Boat of the Year by Cruising World magazine. Winner of the prestigious "Best Charter Boat" category in Cruising World's Boat of the Year awards, recognizing outstanding design and performance in the charter yacht sector.
Continued Excellence
Over 100 designs completed across all categories - from performance racers to luxury charter vessels. Expanded YachtSoft suite to include HullZero, GravityOne, and advanced parametric design tools used by designers worldwide.
Key Achievements
Record-Breaking Performance
Multiple ocean racing records including the Durban-Mauritius crossing and 1989 Crystic Beachcomber line honours.
Award-Winning Designs
Caribbean-based charter catamarans recognized for excellence in design, comfort, and operational efficiency.
Production Leadership
50+ Island Spirit 380 catamarans built, establishing one of the most successful production catamaran lines in the industry.
Industry Firsts
Designed the largest production yacht in the Southern Hemisphere (Richleigh 63) and pioneered fully parametric yacht design methodologies.
Innovation Pioneer
World's first fully parametric yacht designer, developing revolutionary design tools that transform the entire yacht design workflow.
Professional Recognition
Member-eligible for the Royal Institute of Naval Architects (RINA) with CDip in Yacht & Boat Design and BSc in Computer Science.