Even if you think you know everything there is to know about Des Townson – one of the country’s best-loved designers – it’s a safe bet that reading this book will reveal a lot more about his enigmatic work and life.

Peet’s biography – meticulously researched over more than a decade – is detailed and thorough yet hugely readable. He writes with an easy, almost colloquial style – with plenty of anecdotes – a clever tactic that helps to draw you into the mind of the complex and somewhat reclusive Townson.

And it’s an intriguing portrait he paints: getting your head around the sheer volume and variety of Townson’s work is one thing (it’s a lot more diverse than I believed). That it flowed from the pen of someone who was innately shy and withdrawn, who shunned the fame and publicity his boats/designs attracted, is a great irony.

In fact, it’s that ‘human’ side of Townson that I found most fascinating in Peet’s book – the slightly fractious relationship with his father (which probably spurred his stubbornness/ determination); his remarkable powers of observation (from even a young age his ability to absorb ‘boat theory’ simply by watching others, apply it and improve on it was extraordinary); his inventiveness; his mental strength and abilities as a competitive sailor.

Enthusiasts of the Townson ‘classics’ are particularly well-served in the pages: the genesis of the Zephyr, Starling, Mistral, Dart and Pied Piper – each is explored in colourful detail. As is his venture into bigger keelers – and the race boats with their complicated rules.

The legacy is extraordinary – particularly in terms of its impact on the evolution of New Zealand sailing. So much of this country’s sailing tradition can be traced to the Townson boats still being used by youngsters learning to sail and race.

I found myself reading large swathes of this book in a single sitting – but I’d suggest much of its appeal lies in its suitability for ‘grazers’ – readers who like to dip in and out of a book over weeks or even months. It runs to nearly 350 pages and is filled with scores of rare monochrome and colour images – sourcing them must have been an epic in itself.

Plenty of material already exists about Townson. For me this is the ‘Definitive Townson’. A finely-produced publication that’s guaranteed to generate plenty of discussion if left on your coffee table. It won’t fit into a Christmas stocking, but it will look good under the tree. Ed

The book is available in most bookstores but can also be ordered from: www.destownson.co.nz

Des Townson – A Sailing Legacy By Brian Peet

Mary Egan Publishing RRP $80.00