3 sources · updated 3 Nov 2026
Sparkman & Stephens was formed in 1929 in New York around yacht broker Drake Sparkman and brothers Olin and Roderick Stephens, self-taught sailors from Massachusetts. The firm designs racing and cruising sailboats as well as powerboats.
Its designs have won major events including the America's Cup, the Fastnet and the Sydney to Hobart, and the Whitbread with Sayula II (1974) and Flyer (1978). It has also drawn for builders such as Nautor's Swan; the Swan 36 is its most-built design.
During World War II the firm designed the hulls of the DUKW and Ford GPA amphibious vehicles. Donald Tofias bought the company in 2018 and is its president; it is based in Newport, Rhode Island, with an office in Florida.