| Steve first learned about boats spending summers on New Jersey's Long Beach Island. After receiving a Bachelor’s Degree in Environmental Studies, in 1983 Steve completed a two-year program in Small Craft Naval Architecture from the Yacht Design Institute of Blue Hill, Maine, finishing with honors from it’s first Residential Program.
His first marine industry position was as a production engineer for Lazarra Marine Corp. (LMC) in Tampa, FL., established to utilize pre-preg composite technology in the construction of custom yachts up to 80'. LMC maintained an active composite materials laboratory, and was an industry leader in composites research.
Steve then joined the design office of the Hinckley Company in Southwest Harbor, Maine, where he remained for 13 years. He produced detailed drawings for dozens of semi-production sail and power Hinckley yachts from 36' to 61', and re-designed three McCurdy and Rhodes-designed sailboats to create the Sou’Wester 43, Sou’Wester 52, and Sou’Wester 61. He was project engineer and customer liaison for several high profile custom yachts, including the 60' Hunt-designed ARION, the 76' spirit of tradition sloop SEA ANNE, and the 59' Alden-designed CHIMERA. Steve was the project engineer for the prototype of the Hinckley Picnic Boat, hull #1 of that extremely successful line.
In 1997 Steve was asked to join Oyster Marine Ltd. in Ipswich, UK, to establish an in-house engineering department. During his time at Oyster Steve participated in the development of the Oyster 66 and 53 sailing yachts. In 2000, having returned to Maine, Steve was hired by Morris Yachts to serve as that company’s first in-house engineer, and to participate in the merging with custom builder Able Custom Yachts/Trenton Marine. |
