| Tony Castro | |
| Birth Name: | Antonio Maria de Lancastre de Mello e Castro |
| Birth Place: | Lisbon, Portugal |
| Occupation: | Yacht designer |
Tony Castro (full name Antonio Maria de Lancastre de Mello e Castro), Conde das Antas, Conde da Lousa, Visconde de Pernes, born 1952,[1] is a British yacht designer, known for numerous winning designs. Born in Lisbon, Portugal, he has been designing sailing and motor yachts since about 1980, with more than 10,000 boats launched, ranging from custom boats and one-design production models to superyachts. His design firm is based in Hamble-le-Rice, England.
As a Chartered Engineer, his first job came about when it was discovered that Denis Doyle's yacht Moonduster was floating above her 'marks', having been built less heavily than had been intended her designer, Germán Frers. Castro advised that lead be attached to the underside of the coachroof and had a hole drilled in the keel to reduce her stability, which gave the vessel an exceptionally good handicap for a boat of her size. Moonduster held the Round Ireland monohull record from Wicklow to Wicklow for nearly 15 years until the record was broken by a Whitbread around the World yacht. Her fastest elapsed time for the race came in 1984, when she took only 88h, 15m and 43s to complete the course.
After leaving Ron Holland’s design team in 1980, Castro's first significant racing yacht design was Justine III, for Frank Woods of the National Yacht Club in Ireland. She was the first and only yacht to win the One Ton Cup with five straight first place victories. The same owner then built Justine IV, which was crowned best Offshore Admiral's Cupper in 1983.
Then followed Iztanother Purla, a 43 footer which missed being chosen for the British Admiral's Cup Team, but then went on to win all 7 races in Cowes Week, beating all the Admiral's Cuppers, helmed by the late Sir Peter Blake and his NZ crew from Steinlager. A boat full of innovative ideas, including praddle steering, a method of steering using a vertical arm rising from below the cockpit floor.[2]
Later successes included the two-time Quarter-Ton Cup winner McDonald's, the Half Ton Cup winner Balthazar, and the 6mR World Championship and Coupe de France winner Thisbe.
He was appointed by a member of Royal Cork Yacht Club to redesign the J24, with the aim of producing an exciting sports boat. The client expected a bigger mainsail, a new deck moulding and an effective keel to give greater stability. The result was the 1720 sportsboat. A new era in Sportsboat racing had started: the boats were built in County Kerry, and about 100 were built starting with sail number 1720.
Castro's designers work with many boatyards internationally, including the Royal Huisman, Jongert, Palmer Johnson, Neptunus, CS Yachts, Laser, and Jeanneau, Beneteau, Galeon, Focus, Williams, etc.
His designs have won Yacht of the Year awards, a Superyacht Design award and several World championships. He has also designed yachts for use in television drama productions by the BBC.
Castro's boat designs are:[3] [4]
| Date | Boat | Award/Race | Achievement | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1981 | Justine III | One Ton World Cup | winner, (only yacht ever to win all five races) | |
| 1983 | Jeanneau Sunshine | Yacht of the year - France | winner | |
| 1983 | Justine IV | Admirals Cup | top offshore Admiral's Cupper in 1983 | |
| 1983 | Sunstreaker | One Ton Cup Worlds | 2nd | |
| 1984 | Balthazar | Half Ton Cup | top production Half-Tonner | |
| 1984 | Balthazar | Tomatin Trophy Scottish Series | winner | |
| 1984 | Sunstreaker | China Sea Series Race | overall winner | |
| 1984 | Tsunami | China Sea Race | winner | |
| 1985 | Intrigue | Admiral's Cup | Top Australian Admiral's Cupper | |
| 1985 | Intrigue | Yacht of the year - Australia | winner | |
| 1985 | Whirlwind | R.O.R.C. Yacht of the year | winner | |
| 1986 | Barracuda Of Tarrant | R.O.R.C. Yacht of the Year | winner | |
| 1986 | Blade | Freeman Cup (Canada) | winner | |
| 1986 | Blade | Lake Ontario Cup | winner | |
| 1986 | C.S.40 | (Production) Yacht of the Year USA | winner | |
| 1986 | Maiden Hong Kong | China Sea Race (700 mls) | winner | |
| 1986 | Maiden Hong Kong | China Sea Series Race | overall winner | |
| 1986 | Whopper | Quarter Ton Cup Worlds | 2nd, (after protest only) | |
| 1987 | McDonalds & Scandinavian Seaways | Quarter Ton Cup Worlds | winner | |
| 1987 | MG 26 | Top Production Quarter Tonner | winner | |
| 1987 | Vento | Kiel Week Germany | winner | |
| 1988 | Blue Arrow | British America's Cup Challenge | co-designer | |
| 1988 | Jelik | China Sea Series | winner | |
| 1988 | McDonalds & Scandinavian Seaways | Quarter Ton Cup Worlds | winner | |
| 1988 | Mg 26 | Top Production Quarter Tonner | winner | |
| 1988 | Sunstreaker | China Sea Race | winner | |
| 1988 | Turkish Delight | Spi Ouest France | winner | |
| 1989 | Intrigue | 1989 Sydney-Hobart Race | winner, Class II | |
| 1989 | Juno IV | Admiral's Cup | winner - British 3 yacht team | |
| 1989 | Juno IV | Southern Cross Cup 1989 series, Australia | winner - British 3 yacht team | |
| 1990 | Blade | Freeman Cup (Canada) | winner | |
| 1990 | Juno IV 45'AC | Kings Cup Spain | 2nd | |
| 1990 | Juno IV 45'AC | Sardinia Cup | 2nd | |
| 1990 | Juno IV 45'AC | Setimana Del Boque Race, Sardinia | winner | |
| 1990 | Miss Piggy | Mini Admiral's Cup | winner | |
| 1990 | Red Stripe 45'AC | Britannia Cup | winner | |
| 1990 | Red Stripe 45'AC | Coronation Cup | winner | |
| 1990 | Red Stripe 45'AC | New York Cup | winner | |
| 1991 | Bimblegumbie | Fastnet Race | 3rd, Two Ton Class | |
| 1991 | Flair (MG335) | COWES WEEK | winner, Class IV | |
| 1991 | Miss Piggy (1/2 Tonner) | Burnham Week | winner, Class II | |
| 1991 | Red Stripe 45'AC | Coronation Cup | winner | |
| 1991 | Red Stripe 45'AC | Rocking Chair | winner | |
| 1992 | Intrigue | Maria Island Race- Tasmania | winner | |
| 1992 | Jelik | China Sea Race | winner, CHS overall | |
| 1992 | Red Source | Commodore's Cup | fifth, IMS | |
| 1993 | Blade | Centennial Race, Canada | winner, IMS overall | |
| 1993 | Blade | Freeman Cup, Canada | winner, IMS overall | |
| 1993 | Espirito De Madeira | AMERICA 500 (Transatlantic Race) | winner | |
| 1993 | Flair (MG346) | Britania Cup | winner | |
| 1993 | Miss Piggy | Patison Cup - East Anglia | winner | |
| 1993 | Miss Piggy | Patison Cup - East Anglia | winner | |
| 1993 | Red Source | Winter Series - Solent | six-times winner | |
| 1994 | Blade | Boat of the Year, Canada | winner | |
| 1994 | Blade | Centennial Race, Canada | winner, IMS overall | |
| 1994 | Blade | Freeman Cup, Canada | winner, IMS overall | |
| 1994 | Blade | Lake Ontario Cup | winner, IMS overall | |
| 1994 | Flair (MG346) | CORK WEEK ClassIV | winner | |
| 1994 | Millennium | China Sea Race | winner, CHS overall | |
| 1994 | Red Source | Autumn Series Lymington UK | seven-times winner | |
| 1994 | Red Source | Rocking Chair -Cowes Week | winner | |
| 1994 | Red Source | Spring Series - Solent | winner | |
| 1995 | Cordon Rouge (MG345) | NECRA CHS95 | winner, CHS overall | |
| 1995 | Intrigue | King of Derwent -Tasmania | winner, IMS overall | |
| 1995 | MG26 | Tour of Portugal | winner, CHS overall | |
| 1995 | Miss Piggy | Buckleys Goblet - EAORA | winner, Class IV | |
| 1995 | Miss Piggy | Cork Sand Race | winner | |
| 1995 | Miss Piggy | COWES Week | winner, Class IV | |
| 1995 | Miss Piggy | EAORA CHS95 | winner, CHS overall | |
| 1995 | Miss Piggy | Sunk Race - EAORA | winner | |
| 1995 | Miss Piggy | Walton Trophy | winner | |
| 1995 | Mota Galiza | Tour of Portugal | winner, IMS overall | |
| 1995 | Rocio | Ruta de la Sal -Spain | winner | |
| 1996 | Blaze | Falmouth Week | overall winner | |
| 1996 | Circuiteer | CHS Nationals | winner, CHS Class II | |
| 1996 | Circuiteer | CORK Week | 2nd, Class II | |
| 1996 | Circuiteer | Plymouth Spring Series | winner, CHS overall | |
| 1996 | Cork One Design -1720 | Red Funnel Easter Challenge | winner, CHS overall | |
| 1996 | Cork One Design -1720 | Warsash Spring Series | winner, Sportsboat Class | |
| 1996 | Flair II | Cork Week | 2nd, Class III | |
| 1997 | Circuiteer | Cowes Week | winner, Class III | |
| 1997 | Circuiteer | Hamble Week -Weekend | four-times winner, Class I | |
| 1997 | Cork One Design -1720 | Round the Island Dinghy Race | winner, Sportsboat Class | |
| 1997 | Cork One Design -1720 | Rover Series | winner, Sportsboat Class | |
| 1997 | Fend-La-Bise (ILC30) | RIAS (Spain) | winner, IMS overall | |
| 1997 | Fend-La-Bise (ILC30) | Tour of PORTUGAL | winner, IMS overall | |
| 1997 | Flair II | Round the Island Race | winner, Class III | |
| 1997 | Red Source | Lymington Spring Series | winner, Class I | |
| 1998 | Circuiteer | Easter Regatta | winner, Class III | |
| 1998 | Circuiteer | Round Island Race | winner, Classes 1 to 4 | |
| 1998 | Cork One Design -1720 | Spi Ouest - (France) | overall winner | |
| 1998 | Miss Carol | Rio Circuit (Brasil) | overall winner | |
| 1998 | Red Source | Lymington Spring Series | winner, Class I | |
| 1998 | Shoot The Bar | North Sea Race | winner, Class II | |
| 1999 | 1720 One Design | Easter regatta - UK | overall winner | |
| 1999 | Circuiteer | UK National Championships | winner, CHS Class II | |
| 1999 | Cork One Design -1720 | Spi Ouest - La Rochelle- (France) | winner, sportsboat Class | |
| 1999 | Fend-La-Bise | Asturias Trophy | winner, IMS Class II | |
| 1999 | Number One | International Superyacht design Awards | one of the five sailing yacht candidates over 36m | |
| 2000 | Cork One Design -1720 | Spi Ouest -La Rochelle- (France) | 1st, 2nd and 3rd sportsboat Class | |
| 2000 | Williams 30 | Motorboat & Yachting 'Cameron Diaz Award' | ||
| 2001 | Fidel | International Superyacht design Awards | one of six 23-36m sailing yacht candidates | |
| 2001 | Passe Partout | International Superyacht design Awards | one of six sailing yacht candidates over 36m | |
| 2004 | Simeron | International Superyacht design Awards | one of the five 23-36m sailing yacht candidates | |
| 2005 | Ameena | Showboats international Awards | best sailing yacht under 40m | |
| 2006 | Arcadia | International Superyacht design Awards | candidate, 32-43m power yachts | |
| 2010 | Galeon 700 Raptor Skydeck | World Yachts Awards - best design | winner | |
| 2010 | Galeon 700 Raptor Skydeck | World Yachts Awards - most innovative design | winner | |
| 2010 | Scorpione Dei Mari | Superyacht Cup Palma (Regatta) | winner | |
| 2014 | Velasco 43 | European Motorboat Of The Year | winner | |
| 2014 | Elan 30 Power | European Motorboat Of The Year Under 35 ft | winner | |
| 2015 | Gunfleet 58 | Sail Magazine's Best Boat | winner | |
| 2016 | Galeon 500 Fly | European Motorboat Of The Year Under 45 ft | winner | |
| 2016 | Galeon 510 Skydeck | Most Innovative Yacht Under 24M | winner |