Eliot Amsden "Al" Spalding (December 12, 1932 – May 6, 2022) was an American

naval architect This is the top category for all articles related to architecture and its practitioners. {{Commons category, Architecture by occupation Design occupations Occupations Occupation commonly refers to: *Occupation (human activity), or job, one's rol ...

. He designed and surveyed boats that were built throughout the United States and in twenty other countries. He was chief designer at John G. Alden, Inc. for fifteen years.

Life and career

Spalding was born in 1932 in

Fitchburg, Massachusetts Fitchburg is a city in northern Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The third-largest city in the county, its population was 41,946 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. Fitchburg State University is located here. History ...

, to Roland Spalding and Esther Amsden, their second of two children, following his sister Carolyn. Carolyn died in 2019, aged 91. He grew up in nearby

Leominster Leominster ( ) is a market town in Herefordshire, England; it is located at the confluence of the River Lugg and its tributary the River Kenwater. The town is north of Hereford and south of Ludlow in Shropshire. With a population of almos ...

, graduating from Leominster High School. He then studied

technical drawing Technical drawing, drafting or drawing, is the act and discipline of composing drawings that visually communicate how something functions or is constructed. Technical drawing is essential for communicating ideas in industry and engineering. ...

Worcester Technical High School Worcester Technical High School (WTHS) is a vocational-technical high school, part of Worcester Public Schools district in Worcester, Massachusetts, United States. It opened on August 28, 2006, replacing the old Worcester Vocational High Sch ...

(formerly Worcester Trade School), and graduated from the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology. During

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, Spalding was a

staff sergeant Staff sergeant is a Military rank, rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administr ...

in the

United States Army The United States Army (USA) is the primary Land warfare, land service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is designated as the Army of the United States in the United States Constitution.Article II, section 2, clause 1 of th ...

, serving in Germany with the 1st Division. Spalding began working for John G. Alden, Inc., in Boston, where he spent fifteen years as a naval architect. He became the firm's chief designer. He was also a principal partner with Andel Associates, Lowell and Spalding and Marbridge Associates, as well as working with John Gilbert and

Ted Hood Frederick Emmart Hood (May 5, 1927 — June 28, 2013) was an American yachtsman and naval architect. He founded the sailmaker Hood Sails in Marblehead, Massachusetts in 1952. Hood Sails operated until purchased by Quantum Sails in 2017. Hood ...

. He also worked as a marine consultant and led courses teaching naval architecture and marine surveying, and was self-employed for a period. Several of Spalding's designs were featured in national and international magazines and journals. File:Lilly B ferry.jpg, The Spalding-designed '' Lilly B'', a ferry that runs between South Freeport, Maine, and nearby

Bustins Island Bustins Island is an island in inner Casco Bay, Maine, United States. It is part of the town of Freeport. Although physically located within Freeport, the Bustins Island Village Corporation is a self-governing entity. The island has approximately ...

Personal life

Spalding married Sue Crabtree, with whom he had two sons: Sam and Andy. He was a lifelong summer resident of

Maine Maine ( ) is a U.S. state, state in the New England region of the United States, and the northeasternmost state in the Contiguous United States. It borders New Hampshire to the west, the Gulf of Maine to the southeast, and the Provinces and ...

,An Owner's and Renter's Guide to Bustins Island, Summer 2011
- BIVC.net for whose village committee his wife is the clerk. It is believed his passion for boats was formed there. Spalding was a keen musician. He was a banjo player with the Royal River Philharmonic Jazz Band for almost thirty years, and was a regular listener of WYAR, a heritage radio station in

Yarmouth, Maine Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States, twelve miles north of the state's largest city, Portland, Maine, Portland. When originally settled in 1636, as North Yarmouth, Maine, North Yarmouth, it was part of the Massachusetts ...

Death

Spalding died in 2022, aged 89.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Spalding, Al 1932 births 2022 deaths Engineers from Massachusetts American naval architects People from Fitchburg, Massachusetts Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology alumni