Marque of respect
The market town of Lymington has a colourful maritime history going back to Saxon times. A booming salt industry started in the Middle Ages and in the 17th century began a long heritage of boatbuilding, trading and smuggling. In recent times it has become known as a magnet for yachtsmen and naval architects. Lymington can also call itself home to the much-loved Contessa marque of sailing boats. In the 1970s, 200 employees worked day and night in Jeremy Rogers’ factories building Contessa yachts, while today a much smaller operation is still run by his son Kit, based in the Yacht Haven.
Born in 1937, Jeremy Rogers was always fascinated by boats and the water; as a child he and his brothers were evacuated to Canada, where Jeremy built model boats during the long snowy winters, progressing to full-size dinghies on his return to the UK. As a young man he completed a five-year apprenticeship with respected boatbuilder Jack Chippendale OBE in Fareham,
