Incorporated in 1993, but with designs dating back to 1986, the company has a comprehensive portfolio of ‘on the water’ designs reflecting a passion for design versatility.  Included are a range of production runabouts and small sail boats, mid sized sports fishers, sailing yachts, commercial fishing vessels, customs and police patrol boats, and luxury cruising vessels and super yachts.

A focus on power catamaran design in the mid nineties saw the development of an innovative wavepiercer catamaran, believed to be the first of its type to be built in advanced composite materials and also the first to be specifically built as a private luxury yacht.

Launched in August 1998, and the winner of the prestigious International Superyacht Design Award in the 23-32m power category for that year, the first boat is a truly impressive craft of 26m (87’) overall length. 

Designed for a keen sports fisherman, Ultimate Lady combines ocean crossing range capabilities with a sprint speed of 30 knots – a dual feat that neither high speed coastal cruisers nor trawler style passage makers are generally considered to be capable of matching. 
Her launching has been followed by similar designs and each has been tailored to meet the varying and demanding requirements of their individual owners.

The emergence of the wavepiercer catamaran as a motor yacht has stimulated interest (and imitation) around the world and conceptual drawings are now available for a wide range of wavepiercers designed for a variety of applications.  These range from just 12m overall length to a stunning 85 metres and include a 50m super yacht design, winner of the 1998 Yacht Vision International Design Award. 

Despite attracting international acclaim for wavepiercer designs, the company principals remain focussed on applying their skills to a diverse range of vessels and work in progress always involves a variety of boats, from planing mono hull patrol craft and 45’ sail boats to 9m power catamarans and 40m motoryachts.

The company employs designers from a diverse background, from experienced boat builders who bring strong practical thinking to the design office to diploma and degree qualified engineers and naval architects. With a strong, practically orientated skill base encompassing naval architecture, structural engineering and quality audit expertise and taking a highly professional approach to its work, Craig Loomes Design Group Ltd offers an unparalleled international vessel design service.

Despite the fact that the company bears his name, Craig strongly values the management and operational team that allow the organisation to continue to be a prominent and internationally respected vessel design house. Craig Loomes Design Group is living proof of synergy – that the total is more than the sum of its parts.  The team members that constitute the group and who contribute to its success are introduced on our team page.

Craig Loomes Design Group prides itself on versatility of design, preferring not to be pigeon holed as designers of just one type of boat.  The gallery is indicative of the variety of boats that carry the CLD badge. In addition to the many boats that CLD has designed and which have been launched, there are many that have developed to preliminary design stage – artistic renderings have been produced, interior arrangements, machinery and tankage layouts and in many cases, comprehensive specifications have also been written, permitting accurate estimates of build costs to be determine.

Research forms an important part of the company’s activities as the principals strive for better, smarter ways of achieving the desired end result.

Research programs have included development of portable tow testing rigs, finite element analysis of critical areas, construction of powered  instrumented models, testing of composite joints for improved production efficiency and most recently, work with a New Zealand Crown Research Institute on vessel motions, measuring slamming accelerations on novel hull configurations.

Towing tank work, particularly at the Australian Maritime College facility in Launceston is carried out on a regular basis and comprehensive work on motor yacht hull forms scaling to in excess of 60m has been carried out.

For most owners of a custom boat in build, the designer’s presence at the construction yard during the project is a necessity.  Although many term such a presence to be ‘Project Management’ CLD prefers the term of ‘Quality Audit’, which implies a checking and reporting role, rather than one of management, which is a yard responsibility. 

To this end, CLD offer a quality audit and reporting service, which permits the designers to visit the yard on a regular basis to check general compliance of the build to the design drawings. 

It is usual to report the general state of tidiness of the yard, compliance with drawings, familiarity of the yard principals and the shop floor workers with the necessary drawings and specification, maintenance of and in some cases implementation of quality records, build progress versus milestone predictions, verification of equipment and material purchase against invoice etc.

Photographs are taken and e-mailed to the owner with a concise report detailing what has been observed and discussed during the visit.  The yard is party to all reporting, allowing them to react dynamically to areas of perceived shortfall or to accept acknowledgement of a job well done.