Description
Stephens Marine, Inc. product information (HDC1747 SAFR24683) consists of items that advertise the various craft designed
and built primarily by the Stephens family including the 38' Farallone Clipper (1958), the 36' Flush Deck (1960) and the Figure
Five II (1964). There is also a photograph of an unidentified yacht underway. The collection is available for research use.
Background
Stephens Brothers Boat Builders and Designers Company (Stephens Bros.) was an American family-run boat yard. Their boat building
firm in Stockton, California operated from 1902 to 1987. It began in the backyard of brothers Theodore (Thod, 1882-1933) and
Robert (Roy, 1884-1953) Stephens. Over the years, the company became famous for its elegantly designed pleasure craft, including
sailboats, speedboats, cruisers and private yachts. Roy Stephens took over after Theodore died. Before and during World War
II, the yard built boats for the military. A t the end of World War II, Roy retired and turned the company over to his nephews,
Theo, Barre and Dick Stephens. The yard again contracted with the military during the Korean War and the beginning of Cold
War hostilities in 1953. In 1960, the brothers sold the company to the Wrather Corporation, headed by entertainment industry
mogul and Stephens Bros. boat collector, Jack Wrather, and the company name was changed to Stephens Marine, Inc. This proved
to be a
short-lived transaction so the brothers bought the company back just three years later. Through the mid-1960s, the company
continued to gain popularity, with more orders flowing in from the east coast. Late into the 1960s, the boat building market
underwent a transformation. New materials like aluminum and fiberglass were proving to be more durable and affordable. The
demand shifted from wood to these materials; Stephens Bros. launched its last wooden boat in 1974. Over time, expenses rose
and the market slowed. Stephens Bros. was no longer financially viable, and closed down in the spring of 1987.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephens_Bros._Boat_Builders