Bruce Nelson (naval Architect)

Bruce Nelson (naval Architect)

Bruce Nelson is a University of Michigan graduate in Naval Architecture. He has been most notable as a principal yacht designer for the America’s Cup contenders and America One challenge. Nelson is a veteran America's Cup racer as well as designer, he teamed with Dennis Conner on three Stars & Stripes boats (12-meter, catamaran, and IACC) from 1985 to 1995 as both a racer and designer. In 1995, he was the principal designer for the PACT 95 defense syndicate yacht Young America, which was ultimately chosen to be the defender.

Nelson is also an Etchells 22 sailor of some note, having won many local regattas in the San Diego fleet at the National level.

Bruce Nelson and Bruce Marek were the principles of a prolific San Diego California yacht design team, Nelson Marek, formed in 1979. Their first custom design was the incredibly successful One Ton "RUSH". Built in just 72 days, and launched 3 hours before the San Diego Yachting Cup, it's lived up to its name. It was the most successful racing yacht in the U.S. in 1980 winning 21 races including the North American One Tons, Chicago to Mackinac, Port Huron to Mackinac, and Great Lakes champion. Nelson continues to operate Nelson Marek, while Marek is an independent designer on the East Coast. Most of their designs are for custom built yachts including world class racers, although they have designed some production models including the Catalina 42 and Merit 28.

One of the more interesting stories is the Catalina 42 (foot yacht), the hull of which was originally designed as a limited production ocean racer. Catalina Yachts which at the time produced mostly smaller yachts 30-foot (9.1 m) and under, acquired the rights to produce the Nelson-Marek designed hull in the late 1980s. Designer Gerry Douglas modified the hull to accept a higher cabin top and cruiser style cabin—the result was Catalina's largest sized offering for many years, and a strong product which is still in production, with roughly 1,000 hulls on the water.