Sailing
been at the forefront of fine design. Technologically speaking, Aquel II, which
indroduced captive winches, hidden ventilation systems, brought an altogether new approach to the architecture of yacht design; and the 33.6 meter sloop, Imagine, which lead to many new commissions through its astounding visual aesthetics and performance. At the moment, the company is hard at work
on even more revolutionary designs including a 56m ketch for the owners of Mondango Yachts and an impressive 100m sloop which is expected to cost around £100 million. Dubois says, “Tis will be a ground breaker
for many reasons. It is for an existing Dubois client who has specific requirements for a fast tender of 16m and other boats for exploring the surrounding areas wherever the yacht travels. It’s a wonderful project. “Te specification is a development process with the owner and the interior designer. We are invited to come up with new ideas at every turn and so it is very much an innovative boat but we are pushed in a positive way to think of new solutions by the client. It’s a very productive process with a very imaginative team.” When coming up with new ideas, Dubois
admits that great client feedback is essential in creating the perfect yacht, as he states, “Over the years, over half our business has been repeat business with imaginative and successful clients. Terefore the market research in a way happens without us thinking about it. However, there is no doubt that a
lot of sail boat owners now want as much performance as possible without compromise to seaworthiness and cruising integrity. We spend a lot of time working on the balance between performance, comfort and so on.” But for those who have not yet ventured
into yacht ownership, Dubois have their own brokerage company which specialises in the sale and charter of existing Dubois designs. Ed recommends that anyone considering buying a yacht of this type should fist charter one to decide on their particular requirements. Despite such a highly demanding work load, Ed has managed to turn his attentions away from the water as he and his wife, Honor, launched the Dubois Child Cancer Fund in 2011. “Te DCCF came about as a direct result of
one of my children who contracted a rare form of childhood cancer called neuroblastoma. Te chances of surviving this disease are only about 40% and the only way to improve survival rates is through research. “To give a comparison, childhood leukaemia used to kill 90% of those children who were struck down with the disease. 20 years on from that statistic, only about 10% are killed. Purely as a result of research into treatment and drugs has this amazing improvement has occurred. We want to achieve the same thing with neuroblastoma.”
Luckily, Ed and Honor’s daughter is now
happily living a normal love, however from their experience in dealing with the possible tragedy of losing a child has made them strive to help others in the same situation. So far, the DCCF has raised close to £1 million and are allotting funds carefully with the help of an established Peer Review group. Such a noble cause, amidst what is an immensely heavy working schedule, really is the upmost of commendable actions. From the young boy who first designed and created a boat in the mid 70s; to heading a company which strives for excellence in every aspect of its craft; to a patron which brings joy and hope to so many lives, Ed Dubois really is a role model to any aspiring young person who wants to make a difference in the world.
For more information on Dubois Naval Architects, visit
www.duboisyachts.com. If you’re interested in chartering a Dubois yacht, contact Toby Walker:
tobywalker@duboisyachts.com For more information on the Dubois Child Cancer Fund, visit
www.duboischildcancerfund.com
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