Naval Architect, De Fever Marine Enterprises

Mr. Art DeFever is a successful and world-renowned naval architect and yacht designer. His signature trawler-style yachts are a mainstay of both East and West Coast boating. After studying engineering at the University of Southern California, DeFever studied for and passed the naval architecture exams at UC Berkeley. DeFever began his career in the 1940s, designing Tuna Clippers in southern California. These wooden single-engine deep-draft boats were of massive displacement, for safe sea-keeping ability, great storage of supplies and (hopefully) payloads of tuna. In the late 50s, a group of offshore sailors wanted power cruisers that could safely take them up and down the unforgiving Pacific coast. They formed the Offshore Cruising Society and enlisted DeFever to design several cruisers meeting the group's stated credo "...to encourage the development of vessels and equipment worthy of the sea..." Throughout the 60s, he designed many other wooden, steel, and aluminum vessels, always with attention to safe comfortable offshore cruising and sea-keeping capability. The Alaskan 46, designed by DeFever for American Marine, set the standard for cruising grace and comfort. His offices have always been on Shelter Island, the heart of San Diego's yachting activity.

DeFever has been on the board of Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute since 1990. He is a member of the San Diego Yacht Club and is active on other local community organizations.

DeFever and his wife, Ruth, live in Point Loma, California.