ALEX LAIRD
Restorations Project Lead
alex(at)classicworks.fr | +33 6 23 42 45 09
After learning to sail at his childhood home on the Isle of Wight, England, Alex, aged 19, found the hull of Partridge in 1979. He spent the next 18 years, on and off, restoring the yacht and carried out most of the tasks with his own hands.
At the beginning of Partridge’s restoration, Alex undertook a shipwright’s apprenticeship with Fairey Marine in East Cowes. He obtained woodworking qualifications on a full time boatbuilding course and in the mid 1980’s, still sponsored by Fairey Marine, he gained a Diploma in Yacht and Boat Design from The Southampton Institute.
Prior to founding CLASSIC WORKS in 2003 with Butch Dalrymple-Smith, Alex was project manager on the restoration of the classic sailing yachts Royono and Orion in the La Ciotat shipyard, working closely with Butch and a large team of craftsmen.
Alex has been the captain of Partridge since her re-launch in 1998. He now keeps an eye on Partridge throughout the year as she is berthed in the old port of La Ciotat and the team at CLASSIC WORKS look after her.