Roderick Stephens
Encyclopedia
Roderick Stephens, Jr. (1909–1995) was one of American's best known and respected sailors. In 1933 he became Associate Designer, later promoted to President, of Sparkman & Stephens
naval architecture and yacht design firm, a company founded in 1929 by his brother Olin Stephens
and Drake Sparkman.
in 1909 Rod Stephens and his family moved to Scarsdale
, NY. He graduated Scarsdale High School
and attended Cornell University
. In 1928 Rod Stephens left Cornell University to join the well-respected Henry Nevins boatyard
in City Island, New York
. He held an honorary Master of Arts (postgraduate)Master of Arts degree, awarded jointly to his brother Olin in 1958 by Brown University
to "a rare team of designers of yachts, ships and amphibious vehicles."
He was a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
, the New York Yacht Club
, the American Yacht Club, a former Commodore of the Cruising Club of America
and a winner of its Blue Water Medal
, a member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club
(U.K.), a former Commodore of the Storm Trysail Club, a former Commodore of the Off Soundings Club—North American Station, a former Post Captain of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club, an honorary member of the United States Naval Academy
Fales Committee, Chairman of the New Ship Committee of the Sea Education Association
, a member of Mystic Seaport Museum
, and the National Maritime Historical Society's
WAVETREE Foundation.
He received the Medal of Freedom
, the United States's highest civilian award, for his contributions during World War II
in his design and engineering of the DUKW ("duck")
military amphibious vehicle.
He was the first mate aboard Dorade
for her 1931 Trans-Atlantic and Fastnet Race
triumphs, repeating those victories as the skipper of Stormy Weather
in 1933. In 1937 he was in the afterguard of the J-Class Ranger
for her successful defense of the America's Cup
. In 1958 and 1964 he served in the afterguard of the Sparkman & Stephens
designed 12-metre class
yachts COLUMBIA and Courageous
for two more successful defenses of the America's Cup.
In addition to the above notable racing, he cruised and raced hundreds of thousands of miles throughout the world as the chief inspector for S&S and he had the final word on numerous details during the construction and sea trials of more than 2,000 S&S-designed sailing and motor yachts.
A trophy is awarded annually by the Cruising Club of America
in Rod Stephens' honor. The Rod Stephens Trophy is awarded for an act of seamanship which significantly contributes to the safety of a yacht, or one or more individuals at sea.
Sparkman & Stephens
Sparkman & Stephens is a naval architecture and yacht brokerage firm with main offices on 5th Avenue in New York City, USA and offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and Newport, Rhode Island, USA. The firm performs design and engineering of new vessels for pleasure, commercial, and military use....
naval architecture and yacht design firm, a company founded in 1929 by his brother Olin Stephens
Olin Stephens
Olin James Stephens II was an American yacht designer of the 20th century. Stephens was born in New York, but spent his summers with his brother Rod, learning to sail on the New England coast. He also attended the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for a term.Stephens' name had a long history...
and Drake Sparkman.
Biography
Born in New York CityNew York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
in 1909 Rod Stephens and his family moved to Scarsdale
Scarsdale, New York
Scarsdale is a coterminous town and village in Westchester County, New York, United States, in the northern suburbs of New York City. The Town of Scarsdale is coextensive with the Village of Scarsdale, but the community has opted to operate solely with a village government, one of several villages...
, NY. He graduated Scarsdale High School
Scarsdale High School
Scarsdale High School is a public high school in Scarsdale, New York, a coterminous town and village in Westchester County, New York. The school was founded in 1917...
and attended Cornell University
Cornell University
Cornell University is an Ivy League university located in Ithaca, New York, United States. It is a private land-grant university, receiving annual funding from the State of New York for certain educational missions...
. In 1928 Rod Stephens left Cornell University to join the well-respected Henry Nevins boatyard
Henry B. Nevins
Henry B. Nevins was a master yacht builder and author on vessel construction in City Island, New York. Born in New York in 1878, Nevins wanted to be a doctor but was too frail, so he decided to work Gas Engine & Power Company before deciding upon his hobby, shipbuilding by apprenticing at Charles...
in City Island, New York
City Island, Bronx
City Island is a small island approximately 1.5 mi long by .5 mi wide. At one time attached to the town of Pelham, Westchester County, it is now part of the New York City borough of the Bronx. As of the 2000 census the island had a population of 4,520. Its land area is 1.023 km²...
. He held an honorary Master of Arts (postgraduate)Master of Arts degree, awarded jointly to his brother Olin in 1958 by Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
to "a rare team of designers of yachts, ships and amphibious vehicles."
He was a member of the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers
The Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers is a professional society that provides a forum for the advancement of the engineering profession as applied to the marine field...
, the New York Yacht Club
New York Yacht Club
The New York Yacht Club is a private social club and yacht club based in New York City and Newport, Rhode Island. It was founded in 1844 by nine prominent sportsmen. The members have contributed to the sport of yachting and yacht design. The organization has over 3,000 members as of 2011. ...
, the American Yacht Club, a former Commodore of the Cruising Club of America
Cruising Club of America
-History:It was launched in the winter of 1921-1922 by a handful of experienced offshore sailors interested in cruising and the development of the cruising type of yacht....
and a winner of its Blue Water Medal
Blue Water Medal
The Blue Water Medal is an honor awarded annually by the Cruising Club of America for a remarkable sailing feat. The first award was issued in 1923.-Winners:*Alex Whitworth "for a circumnavigation of the world via the Northwest Passage west to east."...
, a member of the Royal Ocean Racing Club
Royal Ocean Racing Club
The Royal Ocean Racing Club also called RORC was established in 1925 as a result of a race to the Fastnet rock from Cowes and finishing in Plymouth. The RORC is the principal organiser of offshore yacht races in the UK, including the Fastnet race, the Admirals Cup and the Commodore's Cup...
(U.K.), a former Commodore of the Storm Trysail Club, a former Commodore of the Off Soundings Club—North American Station, a former Post Captain of the Royal Swedish Yacht Club, an honorary member of the United States Naval Academy
United States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
Fales Committee, Chairman of the New Ship Committee of the Sea Education Association
Sea Education Association
The Sea Education Association is a private, nonprofit educational organization which offers a hands-on experience to college and high school students in sailing at sea. Founded in 1971 by Corwith Cramer, Jr. SEA operates two sailing ships traveling throughout both the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans...
, a member of Mystic Seaport Museum
Mystic Seaport
Mystic Seaport, the Museum of America and the Sea, in Mystic, Connecticut, is notable both for its collection of sailing ships and boats, and for the re-creation of crafts and fabric of an entire 19th century seafaring village...
, and the National Maritime Historical Society's
National Maritime Historical Society
The National Maritime Historical Society is a non-profit organization in USA devoted to historical ship preservation and maritime education...
WAVETREE Foundation.
He received the Medal of Freedom
Presidential Medal of Freedom
The Presidential Medal of Freedom is an award bestowed by the President of the United States and is—along with thecomparable Congressional Gold Medal bestowed by an act of U.S. Congress—the highest civilian award in the United States...
, the United States's highest civilian award, for his contributions during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
in his design and engineering of the DUKW ("duck")
DUKW
The DUKW is a six-wheel-drive amphibious truck that was designed by a partnership under military auspices of Sparkman & Stephens and General Motors Corporation during World War II for transporting goods and troops over land and water and for use approaching and crossing beaches in amphibious...
military amphibious vehicle.
He was the first mate aboard Dorade
Dorade (yacht)
Dorade was a yacht designed in 1929 by Olin Stephens of Sparkman & Stephens and built 1929-1930 by the Minneford Yacht Yard in City Island, New York....
for her 1931 Trans-Atlantic and Fastnet Race
Fastnet race
The Fastnet Race is a famous offshore yachting race. It is considered one of the classic offshore races. It takes place every two years over a course of . The race starts off Cowes on the Isle of Wight in England, rounds the Fastnet Rock off the southwest coast of Ireland and then finishes at...
triumphs, repeating those victories as the skipper of Stormy Weather
Stormy Weather (yacht)
Stormy Weather is a ocean-racing yawl that was designed by Olin Stephens when he was only twenty-five, and launched from the Henry B. Nevins yard in New York in 1934....
in 1933. In 1937 he was in the afterguard of the J-Class Ranger
Ranger (yacht)
The J-class yacht Ranger successfully defended the 1937 America's Cup, defeating the British challenger Endeavour II 4-0 at Newport, Rhode Island. It was the last time J-class yachts would race for the America's Cup.-Construction:...
for her successful defense of the America's Cup
America's Cup
The America’s Cup is a trophy awarded to the winner of the America's Cup match races between two yachts. One yacht, known as the defender, represents the yacht club that currently holds the America's Cup and the second yacht, known as the challenger, represents the yacht club that is challenging...
. In 1958 and 1964 he served in the afterguard of the Sparkman & Stephens
Sparkman & Stephens
Sparkman & Stephens is a naval architecture and yacht brokerage firm with main offices on 5th Avenue in New York City, USA and offices in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and Newport, Rhode Island, USA. The firm performs design and engineering of new vessels for pleasure, commercial, and military use....
designed 12-metre class
12-metre class
The 12 Metre Class is a rating class for racing boats designed to the International rule. It enables fair competition between boats that rate in the class whilst retaining the freedom to experiment with the details of their designs. The first 12 Metres were built in 1907. The 12 Metre Class was...
yachts COLUMBIA and Courageous
Courageous (yacht)
Courageous is a 12-metre class yacht. It was the third boat to win the America's Cup twice, in 1974 and 1977, after Intrepid in 1967 and 1970, and Columbia in 1899 and 1901. All three of these boats won for the NYYC and thus the United States...
for two more successful defenses of the America's Cup.
In addition to the above notable racing, he cruised and raced hundreds of thousands of miles throughout the world as the chief inspector for S&S and he had the final word on numerous details during the construction and sea trials of more than 2,000 S&S-designed sailing and motor yachts.
A trophy is awarded annually by the Cruising Club of America
Cruising Club of America
-History:It was launched in the winter of 1921-1922 by a handful of experienced offshore sailors interested in cruising and the development of the cruising type of yacht....
in Rod Stephens' honor. The Rod Stephens Trophy is awarded for an act of seamanship which significantly contributes to the safety of a yacht, or one or more individuals at sea.