CSJ (Jim) Roy, designer of the Macwester 26 and founder of Macwester Marine, which was based at Littlehampton, West Sussex has died aged 94.

Macwester Marine built more than 1,500 CSJ Roy-designed yachts until he retired in 1979.  When Macwester models were superseded the moulds were sold to other companies including Atlanta Marine and Trident Marine.

When Jim was a boy, his father built a large pond in the garden.  The young boy started to float objects in the pond and was given a few model boats.  This small start developed into a passion that endured for the rest of his life.    

At home as a teenager Jim continued to collect and make model boats and ships. In the 1930s he kept a boat at Dell Quay in Chichester Harbour and developed a great love for the area.

In 1947, when Jim’s mother moved to Broadstairs in Kent, he got to know local boatbuilders Eric and Arthur Pearson.  They commissioned him to design a large wooden tripper boat, which they built for the Kent coast.  However in 1950, with little boatbuilding work available and his marriage to Vivien approaching, he joined a plastics company in Surrey as the works engineer.  At home in Carshalton he designed and built a small motor boat for family use and later in 1958 had a 27ft motor cruiser built at Gibbs Boatyard on the Thames for family holidays in and around Chichester Harbour.  

 
Later the plastics company relocated to Havant, which prompted a move to West Wittering, close to Chichester Harbour.  Very soon this led to the design and construction of an innovative small sailing dinghy for his son and the chance to re-explore Chichester Harbour.