From its beginning in 1960 and into the 1980’s, the focus and reputation of Brooklin Boat Yard was based on traditionally built plank-on frame yachts and workboats. That enviable reputation was well-deserved and continues to this day.

However, near the end of this time period, Brooklin Boat Yard began toward cold-molded, wood-epoxy composite hulls that would become the bread and butter of the yard’s new boat construction today.

This transition started in 1981 with smaller boats like the Joel White-designed Bangor Packet, then continued with the pair of 26-foot Johmn Hacker-designed Gold Cup racer hulls.

In these early forays into cold-molded, wood-epoxy construction, Steve received guidance and tutelage from fellow boatbuilders Walter Greene, Brion Reiff and Meade Gougeon of WEST System, who provided laminating equipment and panel testing as well as the WEST System products that Brooklin Boat Yard still uses today.

Realizing that cold-molded, wood-epoxy construction was the path to take for the future for both wooden boats and Brooklin Boat Yard. Steve White decided to build a bigger boat to help promote this new type of construction. His motive? To prove that boats built in this fashion could have an advantage not only in cost but also in durability.

Steve was attracted to a design he had seen in Nautical Quarterly of a long and lean fractionally-rigged sloop designed in 1975 by Knud Reimers for members of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club.

Known as the Swede 55, thirty-three were built by Swedish boatbuilders Ficksatra Varv and Aqua Bot from 1976 to 1984, all of fiberglass.

Steve purchased the building rights for a Swede 55 in wood, but not one to leave well enough alone, he “tweaked” the design to include 1) an increase in draft and ballast for better upwind performance 2) a low toe rail / bulwark for safety and 3) a one-level trunk cabin for sleeker appearance.

Vortex was built over the course of two years as fill-in work when Steve and his crew were not otherwise occupied, and was launched in 1990 just in time for that year’s Eggemoggin Reach Regatta.

Since her debut performance, she has enjoyed over three decades of racing with gratifying results in classic yacht and spirit of tradition regattas in Maine, New England, Bermuda, and the Caribbean—all while logging thousands of delivery and cruising miles.

Vortex has also fulfilled Steve’s goal of carrying custom wooden boatbuilding into the 21st century and continued to bringing the world to Brooklin Boat Yard.