Alan Payne (naval architect)

Alan Newbury Payne AM (11 December 1921, London – 20 June 1995, Sydney) was a naval architect[1] born in England but who worked in Australia.

[6] His father, Sidney, was a ship's master, but went to shore based activities and then emigrated with the family to Brisbane, Queensland to work for Dalgety's on the waterfront.

[1] Payne created a private practice in naval architecture immediately after World War II, initially designing yachts and launches, then later some fishing trawlers.

In the mid-1960s he left yacht design to work as an engineer for client Russell Slade at his Bonds clothing plant, but eventually returned to his first profession.

He was attached for a short period to the English naval architects Burness, Corlett & Partners when they established an office in Sydney in the 1970s, and formed a partnership with Howard Peachey in the late 1980s.

Sir Frank Packer commissioned Payne to design Australia's first America's Cup challenger for the 1962 event, the 12 metre class Gretel.

[9] In partnership with 1945 graduate and colleague Keith Lawson at Seawork Pty Ltd, Payne developed the design for the first catamaran ferry on Sydney Harbour, the First Fleet class.

[1] Whilst yachts tended to be the major output of his design work he also prepared plans for launches and motorboats, dinghies, a small number of commercial fishing trawlers and as a consultant advised on many rig changes and other details.

[1] Payne was also highly influential in the lives of two nephews, David (industrial designer) and Geoff (draughtsman/designer and award-winning cruising sailor), who also continued the tradition.