6 July 1931 – 4 March 1996
John Spencer was the guru of plywood and glue, and perhaps the most under rated designer of our time. John’s intention was to make sailing accessible to all ages, abilities and wallet sizes.
His easy driving, sensible boats have been at the fore front of international yachting through out the last four decades. He has left us with a portfolio of wonderful yacht designs including Sir Tom Clark's legendary 62' hard chined 'Infidel'.
A regular writer in the New Zealand boating magazines, John was a champion to those who liked fast and easy to sail boats and he never minded rattling the status quo in the yachting establishment.
The Jollyboat followed in the footsteps of his other fast skiff designs like the Cherub, the Firebug, the Javelin and the Mustang.
John spent his final years doing what he liked best - getting children into sailing at the Bay of Islands in Northland ... and having the more than the occasional drink.
The J14 (and Jollyboat) Associations owe a lot to John's inspirational design.
John Spencer's page on Wikipedia
John Spencer's obituary by Peter Tait
His easy driving, sensible boats have been at the fore front of international yachting through out the last four decades. He has left us with a portfolio of wonderful yacht designs including Sir Tom Clark's legendary 62' hard chined 'Infidel'.
A regular writer in the New Zealand boating magazines, John was a champion to those who liked fast and easy to sail boats and he never minded rattling the status quo in the yachting establishment.
The Jollyboat followed in the footsteps of his other fast skiff designs like the Cherub, the Firebug, the Javelin and the Mustang.
John spent his final years doing what he liked best - getting children into sailing at the Bay of Islands in Northland ... and having the more than the occasional drink.
The J14 (and Jollyboat) Associations owe a lot to John's inspirational design.
John Spencer's page on Wikipedia
John Spencer's obituary by Peter Tait