Plenty of people change careers. Imagine if Bruce Johnson hadn’t left the automotive field to pursue yacht design. He never would have become president and chef designer of Sparkman & Stephens, arguably the most famous naval architecture firm in the world. In fact, the company has designed more than 2,700 vessels, ranging from superyachts to military craft, both power and sail. Johnson personally has overseen a variety of different designs, from small wooden boats to replicas of famous sailing yachts that S&S designed in years past. In this podcast, he talks about his years of working with the late Olin Stephens, how clients are sometimes more knowledgeable about practical things than designers are, and what opportunities he sees for the near future.

 

 

Written by: Diane Byrne
Diane M. Byrne is the founder and editor of the daily updated website Megayacht News. A longtime yachting writer, she also contributes to Yachts International, Boat Exclusive, and other magazines. She is additionally a member of the International Superyacht Society Board of Directors and Vice Chair of the U.S. Superyacht Association.