Boat International – April 2018

ALLOY ACES: THREE OF HAMBROOK’S FAVOURITE PROJECTS

ItwasMarch2016whenIlastspoketoTony
Hambrook,writes contributing editor Cécile Gauert.
TheformermanagingdirectorofAlloyYachtswas
abouttogosailingwithhiswifeona15mBeneteauhe
hadrevampedforaworldcruise.
Aftermanybrightyearsandhighs,whichincluded
multiple award-winning sailing and motor yachts,
theshipyardhadfalteredundereconomicpressures
beyonditsMD’scontrolandclosedin2015.
I had contacted Hambrook for comments on the
passingofanotheryachtinggreat,EdDubois.Inhis
matter of fact way, he described their relationship
as “a mutually beneficial arrangement”.
“Heintroducedustosomecustomersand
converselyweintroducedclientstohim.Itwasnot
acontractualthing;Ithinkweappreciatedeach
other’s ability,” he said. Great praise from a man of his
restraintandskill.Theyardhemanagedfornearly30
yearssetmanymilestones,including48.5mGeorgia,
the world’s largest sloop at her 2000 launch.
AnativeofasmalltownonNewZealand’sSouth
Island, Hambrook built his first boat at 30, taught
himselftosail,embarkedonathreeandahalfyear
adventure, returned and got involved with the nascent
AlloyYachts.Hewasproductionmanagerin1986,and
squarely at the helm three years later.
“FromhisandAlloy’shumblebeginningthestory
that unfolded has been quite extraordinary,” says
designerGregoryMarshall,whowasinhis20sand
employed by fellow naval architect William Garden
whenheworkedonAlloy’sAY01.“Itwasn’tuntilwe
designed the 34m yachtVvS1thatwegotachancetobuildayacht
with Tony again. By this time the Alloy machine was well oiled
andtheproject[was]pictureperfect,”Marshallsays.“Iattribute
muchofthesuccessoftheNewZealandyachtingindustrytoTony
Hambrook’s drive, focus, vision and worldly approach to developing

aworldclassbuilderinaveryremotepartoftheworld.Ourindustry

lostoneofthegreatsbut,moreimportantly,Iwillmisshim.”

Hambrook’swifeKristinandfamilywereathissidewhenhe

diedon7February.Heleavesbehindaproudmaritimeheritage

andafleetofspectacularyachts.

Antony Brian

“Tony” Hambrook

1946-2018

http://www.boatinternational.com | April 2018

The 2011, 67.2mVertigo, with exteriors by Philippe

Briand and interiors by Liaigre

The 2012, 47mLoretta Anne,byDuboisNaval

Architects and Donald Starkey

The 2010, 44mImagine D,designedbyDubois

NavalArchitectsandAlloyYachts