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Draft:Gerry Douglas

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Gerry Douglas, (August 1, 1950) American Yacht Designer of American built, sloop-rigged, fiberglass production sailboats, became Chief Engineer and Vice President of Catalina Yachts in the early 1980s. The company was founded in California by Frank Butler in the late 1960s, and Douglas joined the firm in 1976. He designed and supervised production of every boat in the Catalina Yachts line since that time,[1] from sailing dinghies to the Catalina 545. He developed construction techniques that have become widely adapted by the production sailboat industry. During his four-decade long tenure as chief of engineering and design, Catalina Yachts became one of the top sailboat manufacturers in the world. Gerry Douglas was a partner with Frank Butler in this privately owned company for more than two decades.

As chief engineer of Catalina Yachts, Douglas required all Catalina models be built to the sailboat industry's most rigorous standards: CE standards.[2] Catalina was the first American production sailboat builder to adopt CE certification, and Catalina models (30' or more) are all built to CE "Category A" standards. CE design categories help quantify "a boat's degree of seaworthiness, based on factors such as wave height and the wind speed the boat is likely to encounter and handle. The further offshore the vessel is expected to venture, the higher the expectations for construction strength, stability, freeboard, reserve buoyancy, resistance to down flooding, deck drainage and other engineering criteria."

As chairman of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC), he was instrumental in the National Marine Manufacturers Association (NMMA) adoption of ABYC construction and safety standards for the yacht certification program. Over the course of his career with Catalina Yachts, Gerry Douglas designed, and the factory built, more than 40 models. Catalina Yachts is responsible for putting thousands of sailors and their families in vessels that are reliable, comfortable, and safe to operate.

Douglas' work for Catalina Yachts has won 15 marine industry "Boat of the Year" awards. The Catalina 275 Sport won the 2014 Cruising World Boat of the Year Award for "Best Pocket Cruiser" and Sailing World 2014 Boat of the Year Award for "Best Recreational Racer." It was the third boat in the 27-year history of Boat of the Year awards to win both prizes.

His final boat, before his 2021 retirement, was the Catalina 545, awarded Boat of the Year from both Cruising World and SAIL magazine.

He has served on the board of Sail America, and as board chairman of the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC). He is a member of the Industrial Designers Society of America, and the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers, and is a nominee for the National Sailing Hall of Fame award. Douglas received the "Crimson Blazer" jacket for his support and work on behalf of the world's premier match racing event, The Congressional Cup. The matched Catalina 37[3]s, owned by the Long Beach (CA) Sailing Foundation,[4] were designed by Gerry Douglas, built and donated by Catalina Yachts.

Although retired, Douglas continues to consult with yacht designers, sailboat builders, and boat yards. He actively cruises and races his own boats; volunteer activities include his work as a presenter at Safety at Sea seminars, regatta and club race organizer, and public arts commission board member. He actively supports junior sailing programs on both coasts.

Gerry Douglas is a graduate of Parsons School of Design, where he studied industrial design[5]; he is also an alumnus of the Westlawn School of Yacht Design.[6]

Cruising World "Boat of the Year" winners

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  • 2019 - Catalina 545[7]
  • 2017 - Catalina 425[8]
  • 2014 – Catalina 275 Sport[9]
  • 2013 – Catalina 315[10]
  • 2012 – Catalina 385[11]
  • 2011 – Catalina 355[12]
  • 2010 – Catalina 445[13]
  • 2009 – Catalina 375[14]
  • 2007 – Catalina 309[15]
  • 2004 – Catalina 440[16]
  • 2001 – Catalina 390[17][18]
  • 1999 – Catalina 310[19]
  • 1997 – Catalina 380[20]
  • 1996 – Catalina 28[21] Mark II
  • 1995 – Catalina 36 Mark II[22]
  • 1992 – Catalina 270[23][24][25][26]

Catalina 445: Best Full-Size Cruiser, 40 to 50 Feet | Cruising World[27]

Catalina 275 Sport | Cruising World[28]

Catalina 545 Named 2020 Overall Boat of the Year | Cruising World[29]

Boat Review: Catalina 545[30]

Catalina 385[31]

Catalina 445 Sailboat Review | Cruising World[32]

Catalina 315 boat review | Cruising World[33]

Catalina 309 Sailboat Review | Cruising World[34]

Boat of the Year 2017 Overall Winners | Cruising World[35]

Boat Review: Catalina 375[36]

Boat Review: Catalina 425[37]

Domestic Boat of the Year 2017 | Cruising World[38]

Catalina 445[39]

Five Questions for Gerry Douglas | Cruising World[40]

Features of Catalina 5 Series Yachts - History of Catalina - Part 1 of 11 History of Catalina Yachts[41]

End of an Era at Catalina Yachts | Cruising World[42]

Models designed by Gerry Douglas[1][43]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Gerry Douglas | Sailboatdata.com".
  2. ^ "CE marking - European Commission". single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu.
  3. ^ "CATALINA 37 - sailboatdata".
  4. ^ "Long Beach Sailing Foundation | Long, Beach California". LBSF.
  5. ^ "New School - Search". www.newschool.edu.
  6. ^ "Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology". westlawn.edu.
  7. ^ "CATALINA 545 - sailboatdata".
  8. ^ "CATALINA 425 - sailboatdata".
  9. ^ "CATALINA 275 SPORT - sailboatdata".
  10. ^ "CATALINA 315 - sailboatdata".
  11. ^ "CATALINA 385 - sailboatdata".
  12. ^ "CATALINA 355 - sailboatdata".
  13. ^ "CATALINA 445 - sailboatdata".
  14. ^ "CATALINA 375 - sailboatdata".
  15. ^ "CATALINA 309 - sailboatdata".
  16. ^ "CATALINA MORGAN 440 - sailboatdata".
  17. ^ "CATALINA 390 - sailboatdata".
  18. ^ "Quick Look: Catalina 320 | Cruising World". 2007-09-12. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  19. ^ "CATALINA 310 - sailboatdata".
  20. ^ "CATALINA 380 - sailboatdata".
  21. ^ "CATALINA 28 MKII - sailboatdata".
  22. ^ "CATALINA 36 MK II - sailboatdata".
  23. ^ "CATALINA 270 - sailboatdata".
  24. ^ "Catalina 320 MKII | Cruising World". 2007-05-18. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  25. ^ "Quick Look: Catalina 320 | Cruising World". September 12, 2007.
  26. ^ "Catalina 320 MKII | Cruising World". May 18, 2007.
  27. ^ "Catalina 445: Best Full-Size Cruiser, 40 to 50 Feet | Cruising World". 2009-12-16. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  28. ^ "Catalina 275 Sport | Cruising World". 2014-11-04. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  29. ^ "Catalina 545 Named 2020 Overall Boat of the Year | Cruising World". 2019-12-09. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  30. ^ Dove, Tom (2021-06-09). "Boat Review: Catalina 545". Sail Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  31. ^ Doane, Charles J. (2023-02-08). "Catalina 385". Sail Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  32. ^ "Catalina 445 Sailboat Review | Cruising World". 2009-12-01. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  33. ^ "Catalina 315 boat review | Cruising World". 2012-09-21. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  34. ^ "Catalina 309 Sailboat Review | Cruising World". 2006-08-10. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  35. ^ "Boat of the Year 2017 Overall Winners | Cruising World". 2016-12-08. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  36. ^ Staff, Sail (2017-08-07). "Boat Review: Catalina 375". Sail Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  37. ^ Nielsen, Peter (2017-08-11). "Boat Review: Catalina 425". Sail Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  38. ^ "Domestic Boat of the Year 2017 | Cruising World". 2016-12-08. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  39. ^ Livingston, Kimball (2024-06-21). "Catalina 445". Sail Magazine. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  40. ^ "Five Questions for Gerry Douglas | Cruising World". 2020-04-28. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  41. ^ Bill Wiard (2019-01-21). Features of Catalina 5 Series Yachts - History of Catalina - Part 1 of 11. Retrieved 2024-07-15 – via YouTube.
  42. ^ "End of an Era at Catalina Yachts | Cruising World". 2020-12-22. Retrieved 2024-07-15.
  43. ^ Nicholson, Darrell (October 14, 2002). "Catalina 470".
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