The design emerged in 1986 when after considering our Keyhaven Yawl design and finding it to be just a little on the small side, Emsworth boat builder Stuart Lukey commissioned a new design largely similar to the Keyhaven.

The steel multi chine yacht features a ballasted swing keel giving the yacht a shallow draught of just 1.2 m. In 1995 the drawing set was reviewed and totally updated using computer aided design specifically for both novice and professional boat builders. Two years later the design was developed further and Jean of Liverpool (design number 1214) was the first to be of strip plank timber construction as a round hull form, she was built with a full keel with a draft of 1.5m., but there is also a full keel version with a shoal draft of just 1.4m. Altogether twelve have been built.