Joe Berkman: The Man in the Tyvek Suit
Boatbuilding lost another fine craftsman when Joe Berkman, 64, of Gloucester, Massachusetts, died on Feb. 5, 2026.
Obituary
Vanishingly Rare: Augusto ‘Kiko’ Villalon, 1931-2025
The best journalistic source is one who knows full clear details of the story you are reporting. Ideally, they’ve been around from before the full arc of the narrative commences,… Read more »
Farewell to Delta Marine’s Ivor Jones
Fiberglass boatbuilding started small with dinghies, skiffs, and runabouts—low stakes structures that early adopters could experiment on as they pushed the structural limitations of the new material. Big boats were… Read more »
The Unsinkable Allan Brown, 1935-2025
After living at full throttle for nearly 90 years, Allan “Brownie” Brown could not straighten his head because of neck injuries and had two knees replaced, but what he had… Read more »
Eight Bells Carl Cramer: ProBoat and IBEX Founder Lived in Service of People, Boats
Carl Cramer — 1946–2025 SOUTH PORTLAND, Maine—Carl Cramer, 78, of South Portland, Maine, died at Gosnell Memorial Hospice House in Scarborough, on April 10, 2025 with his wife Melissa Wood… Read more »
Departures: Carl Chamberlin
Passionate, competent, considerate, modest, and thoughtful is how designer and boatbuilder Carl Chamberlin is remembered by those who knew him. He died last November at age of 75 in Port… Read more »
Eight Bells: Buddy Melges Jr. (1930–2023)
Harry “Buddy” Melges Jr. spent almost eight decades boatbuilding, sailmaking, and winning with what he created on soft and hard water. Though only a few American sailors pronounce his last… Read more »
Obituary: Derek Kelsall
The sailing world has lost a pioneering multihull designer and boat-builder. Derek Kelsall, who famously introduced Eric Tabarly to multihulls, and who was one of the first to champion foam… Read more »
Charley Morgan 1929 -2023
A bright, kindly bear of a man who seemed like he might live forever finally gave up the good fight on January 6, at age 93, reportedly just hours after… Read more »
Obituary Eddie Lane
Don’t call his number again. Eddie Lane is “out of the office” for good. Charles Edward “Eddie” Lane, of Lexington, North Carolina, passed away on Monday, November 7, 2022, at… Read more »
