Welcome to Seaton Design - Custom Yachts & Ships by Stephen R. Seaton, Naval Architect

About Stephen R. Seaton

Stephen R. Seaton has been actively and professionally designing sailboats and motor yachts for 40 years, (Jan of 1969). Born in southern Illinois the son of an U.S. Army officer, he spent most of his early years living overseas. When military service became an option for him, the U.S. Navy (he is a current Life Member in the Navy League) was the logical choice, culminating a lifelong fascination with the water, boats, and what makes them go. From America's Cup 12 meters to 94 knot racing power boats, Seaton has worked on almost every type of marine craft, both commercial and pleasure.

Sketching boats (at 8 years old) was a pastime for Seaton long before he was ready to earn a living. The chance to do both, however, began when he went to work for Bill Garden, the premier Seattle yacht designer in 1963. The experiences that he gained there lead him to the top production boat company of in the United States,Morgan Yacht Corp of St. Petersburg, Florida. Seaton later ran his own boatyard, Hidden Harbor Boat Works, Inc, of Sarasota, Florida. During those years he designed as well as built a number of well known custom yachts, all in what is known as "Goldplatters." The ability to own and run this shipyard makes our office very unique as we know both sides of the custom boatbuilding experience. (As a side note the company was in the "black" all the years it was run by Seaton.) Seaton was one of three individuals who formed the shipyard in Anacortes, WA known as Northern Marine and did a long series of designs for Delta Marine in Seattle, WA. The first yachts built by Delta were Seaton Designs, the most famous being the 70 footer "Zopolite".

Building yachts, however, took too much time away from designing, so leaving the financially successful boat yard business behind, Seaton concentrated all of his efforts on his own design firm. He later joined talents with one of his employees and friend, Chuck Neville of Palm Harbor, Florida, forming Seaton-Neville Naval Architects of Clearwater, Florida. For over 11 years the partnership was successful and productive until both partners decided to dissolve the partnership so that they could pursue their own personal goals. Late in 1988 Seaton moved to the Northwest to open a design office that kept the count of clients to a minimum. Steve still maintains a direct and close relationship with each client. His diversified abilities have helped him to work on a wide variety of both large and small projects for both custom and production clients.

Seaton's office is modeled closely on the prestigious firms of decades past. It tackles a little bit of everything: large custom motor yachts; small production sailboats; go fast sport boats; and even commercial and US Coast Guard approved passenger vessels of all sizes and descriptions. For Steve it's what makes the design business fun. It also helps him to bring to each new project the freshness of talents which are active in many varied disciplines.

Seaton Design is a firm whose designs range in size from eight foot dinghies to vessels of over a hundred and fifty feet and, unlike most firms, they have become equally known for their motor yachts and sailboats alike. The yachts Seaton designs are as different from project to project as the clients who commission him. The list goes on and on with a host of "dyed-in-the-wool" real sailors as well as having a received call from the President of the United States for his advice on the boatbuilding industry.

Whether it’s power or sail, all Seaton designed vessels show a characteristic sensitivity to detail and balance that is proper and fitting for a luxury vessel. In all aspects from design to decor, these vessels just look and feel right. It is this sophistication and attention that has been painstakingly learned in over 460 custom yacht projects. This experience has also made Stephen R. Seation's ability a valued commodity for an increasing number of production boat builders.