Yacht Designer
George Kenneth Collyer was the Chief Designer and a Director of Morgan Giles Ltd. Known as Colly to his friends and Kenneth to his family was born in Paignton in 1904.
From an early age he was interested in all things nautical and was a keen sailor and model yacht builder and racer. He went to school at St Edwards in Oxford and at the age of nineteen he came to Teignmouth’s recently opened shipyard of Morgan Giles Ltd. where, for the next five years, he learnt the art and science of boat building and design under the guidance of F.C. Morgan-Giles. He spent much of his time on his knees ‘laying off’ in the mould loft, marking out frames full size on the mould loft floor from the lines plans and offsets.
Kenneth was very fortunate that he was able to live with Morgan-Giles in Shaldon from 1928 until 1947 when he married and he was treated as one of the family. His wife, Sheila was called up to work at the yard during the war, which is where they first met.
He was to become a director of the firm in the 30’s and would spend time with Morgan-Giles driving around the Devon countryside looking at oak trees for their shape and grain suitability for use in the boatyard. He was very much a ‘character’ at the yard where everyone knew him and liked him.
Throughout the war years Kenneth was fully occupied on design work for the naval vessels being built in the yard including Motor Torpedo Boats, RAF and Harbour Defence Launches, Landing Craft and various pinnaces. Interestingly the Morgan Giles MTB’s were half a knot faster than the Vosper ones due to high engineering standards of Jack Hawkin. In addition Kenneth was a special constable in the local Police force for approximately 25 years.
Following the war he continued racing and being an expert helmsman was very successful. In the 20’s and 30’s he had won many races in 14ft dinghies of his own design and later in 12ft national racing dinghies.
Although his first love was sail he was also involved in the design and development of the Monaco range of luxury cruisers of which 64 were built at the yard in the late 1950’s and early 60’s.
With the death of Morgan-Giles in 1964 the yard came under new ownership and Kenneth remained to continue designing craft for various clients until 1968 when the yard finally closed down.
Kenneth designed his own 23ft cruising yacht to be built by David Coysh in 1970 Named ‘Sheign’ which is still afloat and in use today. He spent much of his time in retirement designing model yachts for the Model Boat Magazine and generally keeping his mind active on various projects when he was well into his 80’s.
Kenneth died in 1992 aged 88 and it is a testament to his skills that many of the ships and boats that he designed are still afloat today.
Kenneth Collyer wanted to record the history of the Morgan Giles Shipyard and a series of articles written by him appeared in the Teignmouth News in 1984. This is now published as a monograph by the Teign Heritage Centre.
