Alan Slater

Alan Slater was a Canadian yacht designer who specialized in catamaran design and co-founded PDQ Yachts in Whitby, Ontario in 1987. A manufacturing consultant and steadfast believer in catamarans, Slater had been designing one-off catamarans for 20 years before joining PDQ Yachts as chief engineer alongside Dr. Harvey Griggs and his son Simon Slater. His most notable designs include the PDQ 32 (launched 1994, 53 boats built) and the PDQ 36 Capella, which became one of North America's most successful cruising catamarans with 100 units built. Originally conceived as lightweight racer/cruisers, his designs evolved to meet customer demands for full cruising amenities. Slater was instrumental in founding the Toronto Multihull Cruising Club over 50 years ago when traditional yacht clubs wouldn't accept multihulls. His legacy in yacht design is marked by innovative catamaran designs that successfully combined performance with practical cruising capabilities. Slater passed away in 2023.