Heritage Marine (Costa Mesa, CA)

Heritage Marine was an American sailboat manufacturer founded in 1976 by Lyle C. Hess in Costa Mesa, California, specializing in traditional, seaworthy cruising sailboats designed for offshore capability. The company was later acquired by Nor'Sea Marine in the early 1980s, which continued production of Heritage Marine designs under the Nor'Sea brand name. Heritage Marine emerged during the golden age of American fiberglass sailboat construction, focusing on Lyle C. Hess's design philosophy of creating genuinely seaworthy vessels that prioritized safety, stability, and offshore capability over speed or modern racing features. The company's approach emphasized traditional seamanship values, building boats with conservative sail plans, long keel configurations, and robust construction methods that could handle serious blue-water cruising.