Hedley (Ted) Gozzard

Hedley (Ted) Gozzard (13 June 1933 – 15 May 2014) was a British yacht designer and builder.

Gozzard was raised in Sheffield, England, where he apprenticed as a carpenter-joiner and gradually earned his journeyman’s papers in boat building, masonry and carpentry. Gozzard served in the Royal Air Force for a number of years as an airframe mechanic.

On leaving the RAF in 1959 Gozzard came to Ontario and worked in the construction business in London, Ontario, where he designed and supervised the construction of homes and subdivisions. In his spare time he built and sailed a much modified Thunderbird. Gozzard had built this trimaran for the sole purpose of returning to the Bahamas aboard a boat with good living space for a family of four and a tutor.

In 1970 Gozzard became involved with designing and building a schooner named Twilight which was built on the waterfront in Bayfield. The Twilight was advertised, and many inquiries came. One individual who inquired wanted to build a smaller version of the Twilight. This smaller version, at , later to be called the Bayfield 25, was the start of the Bayfield line of yachts. The Bayfield 23/25 was the first model produced.

Gozzard designed by carving a wooden hull model, believing that while computers are capable of a great deal, they can’t predict exactly how a hull will perform once built. Gozzard felt a trained eye had a better chance of producing a beautiful boat. Gozzard also offered to modify any aspect of a Bayfield boat for an existing owner as part of his design services, at no charge.

Death Gozzard died peacefully at his home on Thursday, 15 May 2014 at age 80.

Boat designs

Bayfield 25 Bayfield 29 Bayfield 30/32 Bayfield 40 Gozzard 31 Gozzard 36 Gozzard 37 Gozzard 41 Gozzard 44 North Castle 36 Pilgrim 40