David Hillyard set up his yard in Littlehampton, Sussex, around 1904 and established his reputation as a builder of pinnaces and other small wooden vessels for the Admiralty in the First World War. In the very early 1920’s he commenced building sailing yachts for private ownership. One of the earliest, ‘Twinkler’, a 4 tonner built in1922, is still being sailed by owners Ted and Diana Evans out of Woodbridge on the River Deben, Suffolk.

The exact number of yachts built by Hillyard’s is not known. It could have been as many as 800 and there are records of around 600 ranging from 2.5 to 29 tons. The yacht’s quality of sea kindliness is legendary.

'Built to a range of standardized sizes and designs, the Hillyard yachts were among the first to be produced en masse at moderate prices, prior to GRP. The yard's development of production line techniques enabled large numbers to be built in an incredibly short time, and it is said that at the height of production they could turn out one per week.'

Hillyard Boatyard is still continuing under the care of the Founder’s Great Nephew, Simon Cullingford, and can be contacted at:

David Hillyard Limited, Rope Walk, Littlehampton, West Sussex, BN17 5DG,

E-mail: info@hillyards.co.uk