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| Winner of NMMA 1996 Award |
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Jack B. Hargrave (1922 - 1996)
Jack Hargrave is among the most famous and respected yacht designers of the twentieth century. His designs, noted for thier seaworthieness and durability, helped make the American Yacht the standard for the entire world.
Mr. Hargrave was born and raised in Upper Michigan and attended Saint Olaf College in Northfield Minnesota. There he studied art and music and met his wife, Janet, to whom he would be married for 49 years.
He was a merchant mariner during World war II and afterward he ran a charter boat on Lake Superior and did some sailboat racing, as well. His professional career took a turn when he graduated from the Westlawn School Of Yacht Design and began designing sportfishing boats for Rybovitch. In 1958, he opened his own design shop, J. B. Hargrave, Naval Architect.
History was made in 1959 when Willis Slane, founder of Hatteras Yachts asked Hargrave to design the world's first large production fiberglass boat. The result was the legendary Knit Wits, a 41' convertible sportfisherman. Knit Wits was recently located, repurchased and restored by Hatteras Yachts as a tribute to this innovative design and the company's heritage.
Jack Hargrave created the boats that defined the gold-plated Hatteras brand during his long, fruitful tenure there. The original Hatteras 41, and the Hatteras 34, his second design for the company, exemplified his creativity in space utilization, sea worthiness and performance. Drawn with care and foresight, these classic lines continue to stand out as a testament of a bygone era in yachting and to Jack Hargrave's talent as a naval architect and yacht designer.
Jack's designs were also produced by other builders, most noteably Burger, Striker and Prairie Trawler.
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