The already legendary Olin James Stephens II turned 100 years old this April. One of the most widely respected and accomplished yacht designers of our time, Stephens and yacht designer Drake Sparkman established Sparkman & Stephens in 1929. The company became a proving ground for some of the industry’s most successful yacht designers and naval architects. Among Stephens best known designs are the offshore racing yachts Dorade and Stormy Weather, the J-Class America’s Cup yacht Ranger, and 12-meters Columbia, Constellation and Intrepid.
To honor its founder, the company has planned a number of events this summer. The first, May 30 to June 2, will coincide with the Annual General Meeting of the Sparkman & Stephens Association in Holland. Following that, the New York Yacht Club will be hosting a party in Newport, R.I., at the their Harbour Court facility. Other events include a birthday party at the Eastern Yacht Club in Marblehead, Mass. This event will also kick off fleet racing from Marblehead to Castine, Maine, and lead into DownEast Race Week and the Eggemoggin Reach Regatta in August. More S&S boats than ever are expected to attend.
Other S&S related events this summer include an exhibit at Newport’s International Yacht Restoration School (IYRS). The exhibit, “Excellence in Design,” will focus on Stephens and his brother Rod Stephens and take the visitor from the company’s beginning through its current projects. Part of the Newport exhibit will also include construction of S&S design Number 10, the six-meter Cherokee, scheduled for completion in the fall of 2008.
