Tom Fexas (1941 – November 29, 2006) was an American yacht designer who adopted a retro design from vintage commuter yachts of the 1930s to modern construction techniques. His design for ''Midnight Lace'' in 1978 helped launch a new movement that became known as Italian styling.

Early life and career

Growing up in

Queens Queens is the largest by area of the Boroughs of New York City, five boroughs of New York City, coextensive with Queens County, in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York. Located near the western end of Long Island, it is bordered by the ...

, New York, Fexas was inspired to become a yacht-designer after watching the boats come in at

Long Island Sound Long Island Sound is a sound (geography), marine sound and tidal estuary of the Atlantic Ocean. It lies predominantly between the U.S. state of Connecticut to the north and Long Island in New York (state), New York to the south. From west to east, ...

, and by time he spent on his family's yacht. Starting at age 7, Fexas spent time drawing and painting designs of yachts, and after completing his secondary education decided to pursue a degree in

marine engineering Marine engineering is the engineering of boats, ships, submarines, and any other marine vessel. Here it is also taken to include the engineering of other ocean systems and structures – referred to in certain academic and professional circ ...

SUNY Maritime College State University of New York Maritime College (SUNY Maritime College) is a public maritime college in the Bronx, New York City. It is part of the State University of New York (SUNY) system. Founded in 1874, the SUNY Maritime College was the fi ...

. Upon graduation, Fexas took a position on the as its

third engineer A third engineer or second assistant engineer is a rank of engine officer who is part of the engine department on a ship. The third engineer is usually in charge of boilers, auxiliary engines, condensate and feed systems, record keeping of che ...

, and finished the yacht design program from the Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology during the voyage. After returning from the ''Independence'' in 1965, Fexas moved to

Mystic, Connecticut Mystic is a village and census-designated place (CDP) in Groton and Stonington, Connecticut, United States. Mystic was a significant Connecticut seaport with more than 600 ships built over 135 years starting in 1784. Mystic Seaport, located in ...

and took a position at

General Dynamics Electric Boat General Dynamics Electric Boat (GDEB) is a subsidiary of General Dynamics Corporation. It has been the primary builder of submarines for the United States Navy for more than 100 years. The company's main facilities are a shipyard in Groton, Co ...

designing submarines, while working on yacht design after work hours.

''Midnight Lace'' and following career

Fexas opened his own yacht design company, Tom Fexas Yacht Design, while continuing to work at Electric Boat on s. Fexas quit his Electric Boat position in 1972 (some sources list 1977) and dedicated his time towards designing the ''Midnight Lace'', which was noticed and ordered by a client several years later. Upon completion of the ''Midnight Lace'', Fexas moved to

Fort Lauderdale, Florida Fort Lauderdale ( ) is a coastal city located in the U.S. state of Florida, north of Miami along the Atlantic Ocean. It is the county seat of and most populous city in Broward County, Florida, Broward County with a population of 182,760 at the ...

, where his yacht premiered at the Fort Lauderdale Boat Show in 1978. The low profile, black boat was complimented for its use of wood (as opposed to most other yachts of that era) and its resemblance to older craft of the 1930s and 1940s, and the style became known as Italian styling. After Fexas became notable for his work on ''Midnight Lace'', he went into production with Chinese boat maker Cheoy Lee, and also worked with builders like Mikelson Yachts and Abeking & Rasmussen. He wrote articles for several magazines, and became the editor of (and monthly writer for) Power and Motoryacht in 1985, a position he held until 2003. Fexas also spent several years as a member of the Westlake Board of Directors, while continuing to run his yacht design company. Due to popular demand, Fexas redesigned ''Midnight Lace'' in 2003, and started work on constructing a new model before his death in 2006. His yacht design company was then run by his wife, Regina Fexas, and other former students of the Westlawn design course, until the luxury yacht market collapsed during the worldwide recession and Tom Fexas Yacht Designs was forced to close after 30 years in the business.

Personal Life & Death

Fexas was married to Regina Fexas. Fexas died in

Stuart, Florida Stuart is a city in and the county seat of Martin County, Florida, United States. Located in southeastern Florida, Stuart is the largest of five Municipal corporation, incorporated municipalities in Martin County. The population is 17,425 accordi ...

after being "hospitalized for an unidentified illness."

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Fexas, Tom 1941 births 2006 deaths American yacht designers State University of New York Maritime College alumni Designers from Queens, New York People from Mystic, Connecticut Westlawn Institute of Marine Technology alumni