NEWSBritish yacht builder dies18/10/2022Save articleBritish yacht builder, designer and racing sailor, Jeremy Rogers MBE has died at the age of 85.SHOW FULLSCREENJeremy Rogers MBE has died at the age of 85Founder of the Jeremy Rogers boatyard in Lymington in 1961, Jeremy was evacuated to rural Canada during the Second World War where he and his brothers occupied themselves by building model boats.After the war the family returned to the UK and he began sailing dinghies, building his first Cadet when he was just ten.His boatbuilding career continued throughout his school years with his younger brother Jonathan recalling how Jeremy was the only pupil who was allowed time off lessons and given a key to the workshop: “There were Canoes, a Planet with a sliding seat, he rebuilt several Finns as well as a number of old 1920s Austin 7s which were salvaged from scrap yards.”SHOW FULLSCREENJeremy Rogers in 1979, photo credit Rogers familyAfter leaving school, Jeremy completed a five-year apprenticeship with wooden boat builder Jack Chippendale, before opening his boatyard aged 23.Boats built included a Nordic Folkboat, Finn and Ok dinghies, before Jeremy moved into a factory and began constructing larger GRP boats, building a GRP Folkboat followed by Contessa 26 yachts.The Contessa 32 followed, co-designed with David Sadler and launched in 1971, along with further Contessa designs, largely launched aimed at the cruiser-racer market.Yachts were exported across the world with construction taking place over five factories with 200 employers at the yacht’s height.The business went into receivership in the 1980s and the Contessa 26 and 32 moulds were sold, with Jeremy continuing to build Etchells keelboats and one-off racing and cruising yachts.In 1995 Jeremy bought back the Contessa 32 moulds and restarted production, while also refitting and refurbishing older 32s.The business was passed to Jeremy’s son Kit in 2012 with Jeremy remaining a key team member.

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