Benford, Jay R.

Jay R. Benford (born 1943) is a renowned American naval architect and boat designer, celebrated for his innovative, practical designs emphasizing seaworthiness, efficiency, and craftsmanship. A graduate of the University of Michigan's naval architecture program (B.S., 1966), he founded Benford Design Group in 1972 in Mount Desert, Maine, where he has crafted over 300 custom vessels, ranging from rugged workboats and pilot schooners to elegant cruising yachts. His philosophy prioritizes "boats that work," blending traditional wooden construction with modern hydrodynamics for blue water capability, as seen in iconic designs like the 42-foot Benford Bounty schooner and the 56-foot Squarerigger brigantine. Benford's work has earned him the prestigious WoodenBoat Magazine Design Award (1986) and features in publications like Professional BoatBuilder. As of 2025, at age 82, he remains semi-active, consulting on sustainable maritime projects and authoring books such as Understanding Boat Design (1985, revised 2002), influencing a new generation of builders focused on durable, human-centered vessels.