Robert Perry is a U.S. yacht designer based in Seattle, Washington. He is one of the most influential and prolific designers of modern cruising yachts, with over 200 designs to his credit. He started his career in 1970, working for Jay Benford and then Dick Carter. His first design was the CT 54, a clipper-bowed ketch built by Ta Yang Yacht Building in Taiwan. His breakthrough design was the Valiant 40, a performance cruiser that introduced the concept of a fin keel and skeg hung rudder on a double-ended hull. Perry has designed boats for many well-known brands, such as Tayana, Cheoy Lee, Valiant, Baba, Ta Shing, Islander, Passport and Saga. He has also designed many custom yachts for individual clients, ranging from 24 to 97 feet in length. Some of his most famous and iconic designs include the Tayana 37, the Tayana 48, the Saga 43, the Nordic 44, the Passport 40, and the Flying Dutchman 12 meter (FD-12). Perry has also taught yacht design at Evergreen State College and written several books and articles on yacht design and sailing. He is active on social media and runs his own website where he showcases his designs and shares his insights on yacht design. He is still designing new boats and enjoys sailing on his own boat, a Perry-designed Saga 43 named 'Flashgirl'.