History of Ron Holland in Timeline

By Popular Timelines Editorial Team · Updated: June 27, 2024

Ronald John Holland is a renowned yacht designer who rose to fame in the 1970s for his exceptional racing yacht designs. He is particularly recognized for his work on superyachts, including the iconic Mirabella V and Ethereal. Currently residing in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, Holland continues to be a prominent figure in the world of yacht design.

1947: Birth of Ron Holland

Ron Holland was born in Auckland, New Zealand in 1947.

1966: First Design - White Rabbit

In 1966, Ron Holland designed and built his first boat, the 26' sloop named White Rabbit, in Auckland.

1973: Eygthene's Quarter Ton Cup Victory

Ron Holland's design, Eygthene, won the Quarter Ton Cup in 1973. This win led to a commission for a One-Ton class yacht, marking a turning point in his career.

1974: Golden Shamrock Debut

Holland designed the 30' Golden Shamrock for the Half Ton Cup in 1974.

1975: Golden Leprechaun Launch

Holland followed up with the Golden Leprechaun, another Half-ton Class design, in 1975.

1975: Golden Delicious Wins Fastnet Race

Holland's Nicholson 33 design, Golden Delicious, won the 1975 Fastnet Race.

1976: Silver Shamrock's Half Ton Cup Win

Silver Shamrock, a variation of Holland's Shamrock design, won the Half-ton Cup in Trieste, Italy in 1976.

1977: Silver Shamrock III

Holland designed Silver Shamrock III, built for the Half Ton Cup in Sydney in 1977. Despite losing its mast, the design was successful.

1977: Imp's Fastnet Victory

Holland's 40-footer design, Imp, won the 1977 Fastnet Race, leading to commissions for larger yachts.

1977: Holland's Designs in Admiral's Cup

Ron Holland's designs were prominent in the 1977 Admiral's Cup races.

1979: Screw Loose Wins Sydney to Hobart

A Holland 30, Screw Loose, emerged victorious in the 1979 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

1979: Continued Success in Admiral's Cup

Holland continued to see success in the Admiral's Cup series in 1979.

1979: SV Grimalkin and the Fastnet Race

Holland's 'Nicholson Half Tonner' design, SV Grimalkin, competed in the challenging 1979 Fastnet Race. The boat was abandoned at sea but later salvaged.

1981: Condor Sails the Whitsundays

The Maxi Class yacht Condor, built in 1981 to a Ron Holland design, is now a passenger boat in Australia's Whitsunday Islands.

1982: Charley Commissioned

Nolan Bushnell commissioned the 67-foot sloop Charley from Ron Holland in 1982.

1982: Freedom 39 PH Production Begins

Production of the Freedom 39 PH, a Holland-designed pilothouse cat-schooner, commenced in 1982.

1983: Charley's Transpacific Triumph

Charley secured Line-Honors victory in the 1983 Transpacific Yacht Race.

1984: Lion New Zealand's Sydney to Hobart Success

Lion New Zealand, a 78-foot maxi designed by Holland, took line honors in the 1984 Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race.

1985: Lion New Zealand's Whitbread Performance

Lion New Zealand achieved second place in the 1985-86 Whitbread Around the World Race.

1986: Whirlwind: A New Breed

The 103-foot Whirlwind was launched in 1986, marking Holland's largest design at that time. It represented a shift towards high-performance superyachts.

1990: Collaboration with Nautor's Swan

Holland designed a series of yachts for Finnish yacht builder Nautor's Swan between 1979 and 1990.

2003: Mirabella V: A Design Milestone

Ron Holland designed the 247-foot Mirabella V, which launched in 2003. This was not only Holland's largest design to date but also the largest single-masted sailing yacht ever built at that time.