It doesn’t matter which dock you walk down. It could be in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, Port Townsend, Washington, Newport, Rhode Island, or anywhere in between. Every single boat on those docks—the styling cues, hull shapes, sheerlines—began as visions in the minds of boat designers.
Trying to decide which designers made the biggest impact during the 60 years Soundings has been published is like trying to decide which cruising ground is the best. They’re all exceptional in their own ways, with the beauty being in the eye of the beholder. As we chose 12 designers from the past six decades, we aimed to include people who achieved not just excellence, but also legacy.
To come up with a dozen names we started with a list of over 50 designers. We know that some may disagree with this list or feel that someone was overlooked. So please let us know who you think should have been included by writing us at editorial@soundingspub.com.
C. RAYMOND HUNT
The deep-V hull that C. Raymond Hunt developed and patented in the late 1950s and early 1960s continues to influence the way powerboats are built today. The deep-V is known for being safe and comfortable, including in rough seas at higher speeds, which was proven when the 31-foot wooden Moppie that Hunt designed for Richard Bertram won the 1960 Miami-Nassau Race.
Hunt originally made a name for
