Peter Milne, best known as the designer of the International Fireball dinghy, has died.

He designed over 40 types of dinghies, cruisers and powerboats, but is best known for the International Fireball, which has seen over 15, 000 boats built since it was introduced in 1962. Other designs included the Mirror 14 Marauder, the Skipper range of dinghies, the Nicholson 26, 27, 37 and 40, along with the 26.5ft Salty Dog, 23ft Salty Pup, 22ft Outlaw and 28ft Stag.

Milne took the prototype Fireball to Yachts & Yachting magazine in 1962 and was asked to write a feature about the design. Both the boat and the report so impressed the editor that Milne was asked to join the magazine as Assistant Editor. Later resigning to concentrate on boat design, he returned to magazine journalism to edit Chandler & Boatbuilder magazine, before becoming Technical Editor of Yachting World and, subsequently, editor of Classic Boat magazine.

He died at his home in Chichester on Friday, and is survived by his wife, two daughters and three grandchildren.