Ian Nicolson started collecting data about boats from his father and grandfather when he was still at school. After his apprenticeship as a naval architect he joined A Mylne & Co, where he has been a senior partner since 1979. Ian Nicolson has built a large number of boats himself and owns a race winning Sigma 33. He has written over 20 books on nautical subjects, many of them published by Adlard Coles Nautical.