J.R. (Rod) Macalpine-Downie
1934 - 1986

by Dick Gibbs, his design partner (beginning in 1964).
(from Buccaneer website)
J.R. (Rod) Macalpine-Downie
Born, Appin, Argyll, Scotland.
His father, a specialist in hypervelocity artillery shells was also an offshore sailor.
Rod attended Eton where he majored in Biology and won the King’s Scholar Award. He considered a career as a concert violinist.
While chicken farming in Scotland in 1961, he saw a Shearwater Cat and although he never designed a boat, concluded he could do a better job. The first boat was Thai MK4 which won all six races of the 1962 European, One of a Kind' regatta. He followed that with the winning of the first International Catamaran Challenge in 1963, and had seven more consecutive wins.
He was the first developer of the 'UNA' rig and wing masts. A series of 'Crossbow' designs won 5 consecutive competitions. Players Fastest sailboat, Trophies at a top official speed of 41 knots, the last of which sailed in 1984, unofficially at 60+ knots. At the time of his death, a new crossbow was underway, which he believed was capable of 70+ knots.
The partnership with Dick Gibbs in 1964, sealed with a handshake, put 80 boats in to commercial production, resulting in 15,000+ boats. Of all his designs, it is probably the BUCCANEER that ended up being the most popular and commercially successful.
Sailboats Designed By J.R. (Rod) Macalpine-Downie
30 Sailboats / Per Page: 50 / Page: 1
MODEL | LOA | FIRST BUILT | FAVORITE | COMPARE |
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APACHE 41 | 40.83 ft / 12.44 m | 1970 |
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APACHE 45 | 45.00 ft / 13.72 m | 1970 |
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AZTEC 23 | 23.00 ft / 7.01 m | 1977 |
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BANDIT 15 | 15.25 ft / 4.65 m | 1972 |
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BANDIT 17 | 17.00 ft / 5.18 m | 1972 |
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BARRACUDA 13 | 13.00 ft / 3.96 m | 1964 |
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BUCCANEER 18 | 18.00 ft / 5.49 m | 1968 |
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CHEROKEE 35 | 35.00 ft / 10.67 m | 1973 |
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COMANCHE 32 (SAILCRAFT) | 32.18 ft / 9.81 m | 1978 |
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COPPERHEAD 14 | 13.75 ft / 4.19 m | 1970 |
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DAGGER 14 (CHRYSLER) | 14.50 ft / 4.42 m | 1976 |
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DINGO 15 | 14.92 ft / 4.55 m | 1963 |
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GLOUCESTER 15 | 15.00 ft / 4.57 m | 1987 |
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GLOUCESTER 18 | 18.00 ft / 5.49 m | 1985 |
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IROQUOIS 30 MKII | 30.00 ft / 9.14 m | 1968 |
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MAN-O-WAR 15 (CHRYSLER) | 15.00 ft / 4.57 m | 1964 |
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MUSKETEER 17 | 16.50 ft / 5.03 m | 1973 |
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MUTINEER 15 | 15.00 ft / 4.57 m | 1972 |
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NAVAHO 46 | 46.00 ft / 14.02 m | 1972 |
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PHOENIX 18 | 18.00 ft / 5.49 m | 1964 |
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PIRATEER 13 (CHRYSLER) | 13.00 ft / 3.96 m | 1974 |
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SHARK CATAMARAN | 20.00 ft / 6.10 m | 1963 |
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SIDEWINDER 16 | 15.50 ft / 4.72 m | 1969 |
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STARWIND 15 | 15.00 ft / 4.57 m | 1984 |
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STARWIND 18 | 18.00 ft / 5.49 m | 1982 |
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THAI MK IV | 17.00 ft / 5.18 m | 1958 |
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ULTIMATE CONCEPTS 32 | 32.00 ft / 9.75 m | 1989 |
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UPSTART 16 | 16.50 ft / 5.03 m | 1967 |
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WHIP 17 | 17.00 ft / 5.18 m | 1974 |
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YACHTING WORLD CATAMARAN | 15.50 ft / 4.72 m | 1964 |
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