cropp was born on a small farm at kowhitirangi, near hokitika. when he was a toddler, his family moved to macormick bay, christchurch. there he started sailing, together with mander who lived nearby. cropp initially worked as a lithographer in the printing industry, but after becoming a prominent sailor turned into a professional boatbuilder and designer. in 1973 cropp, his wife judith and their three children moved to takaka, where he died aged 89.