I started designing mechanical things at age 6, beginning with a speedboat. I moved on to airplanes, cars, snowmobiles, helicopters, ships, spaceships, and then explored architecture, habitat design, furniture, and exhibit design. Now, I'm back to designing boats. I focus on comfort, speed, stability, lightness and ease of use. It is not a coincidence that the Sunfish, the most popular small sailboat, is also the easiest to rig and launch. I keep this in mind when designing boats. All my sailboat designs can go over 8 knots, which is fast for an open boat, so I use self-bailing cockpits with floors above the waterline. As a chair designer, I prioritize comfort, especially when considering you may be on your boat all day.

Here are highlights from 50 years of design. I’m just getting started!