George Hinterhoeller yacht designer and one of the finest production yacht builders in the world

George Hinterhoeller — The Visionary Yacht Designer
Discovered at Niagara Lake Shore Cemetery, Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario

On my walk near Old Town, Niagara-on-the-Lake, I discovered the grave of George Hinterhoeller, one of the world’s greatest yacht designers and builders.

Arriving from Austria in 1952 at just 24 years old, George had a clear goal: to design “a boat dat vould go like hell ven da vind blows.” He wanted a yacht large enough for Lake Ontario but faster than the heavy, full-keel wooden boats common at the time.

His breakthrough was the SHARK 24 — a fiberglass sailboat that was affordable, low-maintenance, and, most importantly, fast. The SHARK 24 quickly became popular, filling the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence waters with its sleek presence.

George at a Toronto regatta on the first Shark. 

Today, around 2,000 SHARK 24s continue to sail across North America and Europe — a lasting testament to George’s vision and innovation.

The Crawfish, 1968, Number 582.

The international boating community lost an immensely talented boat designer, boat builder and Canadian Boating Hall of Fame inductee on March 18, 1999. He was 71.

1928-1999

After my visit at the cemetery, I walked to NOTL Yacht Club and discovered several SHARKS dry docked for the winter and also the same yacht club The Hinterhoeller’s sailed from for decades.

*All photos owned by Philip Crawford with exception of photo of George Hinterhoeller.