In his 97th year, Stephens takes the helm of Bolero, the elegant yawl he designed in 1948 and often raced.

by John Rousmaniere

Amid the ongoing euphoria about canting keels, carbon fiber construction, super-tech electronic instruments, and other developments, it seems appropriate to take a reality check regarding the present and future of boat design with Olin J. Stephens, II. He has been a close observer of maritime technology since co-founding the yacht design firm of Sparkman & Stephens in 1929. Although his name is often identified with the America’s Cup and other grand-prix events, Stephens was one of the world's most successful and influential designers of cruiser-racers. His family's Dorade (his seventh design, built in 1930) was the prototype for a new type of fast cruiser that could go anywhere.…