History
Designs based on experience, ensuring the work always stands up to the demanding and unrelenting laws of nature and the sea.
Walter Wales PE has spent decades designing yachts, boats and ships, including ocean racing sailboats. He has also designed and modified fishing boats and other commercial vessels, such as the 60’ lobster boat shown below, designed for the offshore fleet. His portfolio ranges from 8’ dinghies to 600’ warships.
He has worked for such notable designers as John Gilbert and Ted Hood. More recently, Walter was Chief Engineer at Hodgdon Yachts Inc. in East Boothbay, Maine, during the construction of Scheherazade, a 155’ Bruce King-designed luxury cold-molded wooden ketch shown above.
An industry influencer, Walter spent over a decade teaching Yacht Design, both at Maine Maritime Academy in Castine and The Landing School of Boatbuilding and Design in Kennebunkport, Maine. Many successful designers working today made their start in one of Walter’s classrooms.
Walter holds a Master's Degree in Engineering and is a registered Professional Engineer in the State of Maine. He has built and repaired yachts and small boats and is an experienced seaman and sailor, having cruised and raced in waters from Northern Labrador to the Caribbean and Europe.
