Founded in 2001 by Anton and Charmaine du Toit, Du Toit Yacht Design (DTYD) is South Africa’s premier naval architecture firm, recognised for producing more custom catamaran metres and tonnage than any other yacht designer in the southern hemisphere.
Based in the heart of Cape Town’s boat-building hub, DTYD’s strategic location provides the team of ten designers with easy access to leading boatyards, mast manufacturers, sail lofts, and harbours. Since its inception, DTYD has completed over 120 projects, including over 30 complete custom and production catamarans, establishing itself as a leader in innovative and high-performance yacht design.
DTYD collaborates with boat builders globally, producing both custom and semi-custom designs to meet a wide range of client needs. Among its many partnerships, DTYD has a longstanding relationship with Two Oceans Marine Manufacturing, which began in 2006 with the design of the celebrated Open Ocean sailing and expedition catamaran range. This partnership has led to the launch of 13 custom power and sailing catamarans, ranging from 70 to 110 feet. Since 2021, DTYD has also been the design partner for the semi-custom Two Oceans 555 Power Catamaran, further solidifying this successful collaboration.
Another key partnership is with Balance Catamarans, which began in 2013. DTYD has collaborated on the design of the entire Balance Catamarans range, including the Balance 442, 482, 526, and 750. These cutting-edge vessels are built at Nexus Yachts in St Francis Bay and Balance Catamarans Cape Town, both located in South Africa. The Balance Catamarans range is internationally celebrated for its innovative designs and exceptional performance, with the Balance 482 winning multiple prestigious awards.
A legacy of design excellence
From its early days, DTYD quickly evolved into a busy and successful naval architecture firm. Known for its ability to create complete custom builds, DTYD collaborates with a wide range of marine manufacturers, leading yacht designers, and boat builders.
With a focus on combining innovation, aesthetics, and functionality, DTYD has established itself as a leader in custom and semi-custom yacht design, delivering world-class vessels tailored to client needs.
Design philosophy
At DTYD, building lasting partnerships with clients is at the heart of everything we do. The team values accuracy, attention to detail, and prompt response times, ensuring that clients’ needs are met without delays.
The firm takes immense pride in fostering a happy and collaborative team environment, believing that success comes from strong client relationships and satisfaction. For DTYD, the true measure of success is when every client walks away delighted with the result.
Awards and recognition
2007
- Disa South African Design Excellence Award
2017
- Cruising World Import Boat of the Year — Balance 526
- Cruising World Best Full-Size Multihull Over 50 Feet — Balance 526
2019
- South African Boat Builders Export Council (SABBEX) Trailblazer Award — Anton du Toit
2021
- Cruising World Best Performance Catamaran — Balance 482
- Sailing World Boat of the Year – Best Multihull — Balance 482
- SAIL Magazine Best Boats – Best Multihull Cruising Boat 40–50 ft — Balance 482
2022
- SAIL Magazine Best Boats Winner — Balance 482
- Sailing World Boat of the Year – Best Multihull — Balance 482
- Cruising World Boat of the Year – Best Performance Catamaran — Balance 482
- South African Boat Builders Export Council (SABBEX) Excellence in Yacht Design Award — Anton du Toit
2023
- SAIL Magazine Top 10 Best Boats Winner — Balance 442
- British Yachting Awards Multihull of the Year (Highly Commended) — Balance 482
- South African Boat Builders Export Council (SABBEX) Women in Boatbuilding Giant Award — Charmaine du Toit
2024
- South African Boat Builders Export Council (SABBEX) Yacht Design Excellence Award — Sean van Rensburg
- HopYacht 30 finalist in SAIL Magazine’s Best Boats 2025 Awards
2025
- South African Boat Builders Export Council (SABBEX) Architect of Change Award — Sean van Rensburg
- South African Boat Builders Export Council (SABBEX) Special Mention: Unique Contribution — Stefano Marcia
- Multihulls World Multihull of the Year Nominee — Balance 580
2026
- SAIL Magazine Top 10 Best Boats Winner — Balance 580
Du Toit Yacht Design’s ongoing commitment to innovation, craftsmanship, and client satisfaction has made it a leader in the global marine industry, with its designs earning recognition across the world.
Read the Anton du Toit Story here
DTYD has completed many exciting projects; all of which can be reviewed in the Projects section of the website.
