German Frers

Germán Frers (born 1941) is an Argentine naval architect and the principal of Frers Naval Architecture & Engineering in Buenos Aires and Milan, widely regarded as one of the most influential yacht designers of the modern era, with over 1,400 designs spanning 30 to 200+ feet since taking over his father’s firm in 1970. Trained under his father, Germán Frers Sr. (a legendary designer of classics like Santana and Fife yachts), and at the University of Buenos Aires, Frers Jr. blended traditional aesthetics with cutting-edge hydrodynamics, pioneering light-displacement, wide-sterned, high-ballast monohulls that dominated IOR, IMS, and Maxi racing in the 1980s and 1990s. His signature designs—characterized by sleek sheerlines, powerful fractional or masthead rigs, and balanced performance—include Beneteau First 51, Swan 45, Hallberg-Rassy 42F and 53, Hylas 54 and 70, and record-breaking Maxis like Stealth (Farr rival in speed) and Bristolian. Frers excelled in luxury performance cruisers and superyachts, designing for Nautor’s Swan, Wally, Southern Wind, and custom projects like the 125-foot Ngoni and 200-foot Hetairos. A multiple America’s Cup consultant (for Il Moro di Venezia, 1992), Admiral’s Cup winner, and Transpac record holder, Frers continues to lead the firm with son Germán Frers III (Mani), focusing on sustainable, high-performance sailing yachts that marry speed, beauty, and seaworthiness.