Alan Buchanan

Alan Buchanan (1922-2015) was a prolific English naval architect who designed over 2,400 vessels during his distinguished career. Starting as an aircraft engineer at De Havilland, he transitioned to boat design in the 1940s, establishing his office in Burnham-on-Crouch by 1950. Buchanan was a pioneer in fiberglass yacht construction, credited with designing the first glassfibre yacht in Europe with his Bonito design in the mid-1950s. His designs won major races including the Admiral's Cup, Cowes Week, and Fastnet Race. Notable production designs include the popular Halcyon 23 (over 1,000 built) and Halcyon 27. In 1979, he received the medal of the Small Craft Group of the Royal Institution of Naval Architects in recognition of his achievements. Buchanan continued designing well into his eighties from his home in Jersey until his death in 2015.