Clark Boat Company: Difference between revisions
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[[File:Star 001.jpg|thumb|[[Star (keelboat)|Star]] keelboat]] |
[[File:Star 001.jpg|thumb|[[Star (keelboat)|Star]] keelboat]] |
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[[File:San Juan 21 sailboat Iris 4253.jpg|thumb|The Don Martin-designed [[San Juan 21]], a design that was well-received at the 1970 Seattle Boat Show.]] |
[[File:San Juan 21 sailboat Iris 4253.jpg|thumb|The Don Martin-designed [[San Juan 21]], a design that was well-received at the 1970 Seattle Boat Show.]] |
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The first design produced was the [[Lightning (dinghy)|Lightning]], a racing [[dinghy]]. The company was one of |
The first design produced was the [[Lightning (dinghy)|Lightning]], a racing [[dinghy]]. The company was one of the first to produce this boat design in fiberglass. The company went on to produce the [[OK (dinghy)|OK]], [[505 (dinghy)|505]], [[Thistle (dinghy)|Thistle]] dinghies and the [[Star (keelboat)|Star]] keelboat.<ref name="data"/> |
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Star production began with the building of the mold "plug" by Olympic Star class sailing gold medalist, [[William Earl Buchan]]. Later the molds went sent back to Buchan at the end of production.<ref name="data"/> |
Star production began with the building of the mold "plug" by Olympic Star class sailing gold medalist, [[William Earl Buchan]]. Later the molds went sent back to Buchan at the end of production.<ref name="data"/> |
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Revision as of 18:55, 29 September 2018
| Company type | Privately held company |
|---|---|
| Industry | Boat building |
| Founded | 1960 |
| Defunct | 1984 |
| Headquarters | , |
Key people | President: Bob Clark |
| Products | Sailboats |
The Clark Boat Company was an American boat builder based in Kent, Washington. The company specialized in the design and manufacture of fiberglass sailboats.[1]
The company was founded by Bob Clark in 1960 and continued in business until 1984.[1]
History
The first design produced was the Lightning, a racing dinghy. The company was one of the first to produce this boat design in fiberglass. The company went on to produce the OK, 505, Thistle dinghies and the Star keelboat.[1]
Star production began with the building of the mold "plug" by Olympic Star class sailing gold medalist, William Earl Buchan. Later the molds went sent back to Buchan at the end of production.[1]
The company employed many members of Clark's family. Bob's son Dennis started his own sail manufacturing business in 1971, the Clark Sails Loft in 1971. Dennis Clark was also a one design champion in several boat classes.[1]
Son Dave Martin became the head of sales and marketing for the company.[1]
Son Don Martin earned a degree in engineering and completed addition studies in naval architecture. He designed the San Juan 21, which was introduced at the 1970 Seattle Boat Show to positive acclaim. This design had a production run of 2600 boats and was the first of the San Juan series of boats, named for the nearby chain of islands, a line that achieved commercial success.[1]
With business growing the company established an east coast plant at New Bern, North Carolina in 1972.[1]
The company hired Bruce Kirby of Laser fame to design the San Juan 24 and it entered production the following year, in 1973.[1]
The company was sold to San Juan Manufacturing in 1984 and it soon went bankrupt. The molds were sold off with some designs being bought by Tanzer Industries in Montreal, who built some boats from the line until its bankruptcy in 1986.[1][2]
Boats
Summary of boats built by Clark:[1]
- 505
- Blue Jay
- C-Lark
- Crown 34
- Geary 18
- Lightning
- OK
- San Juan 7.7
- San Juan 21
- San Juan 21-2
- San Juan 23
- San Juan 23-2
- San Juan 24
- San Juan 26
- San Juan 28
- San Juan 29
- San Juan 30
- San Juan 33S
- San Juan 34
- Star
- Thistle
See also
References
External links
Media related to Clark Boat Company at Wikimedia Commons