Melbourne Smith
Designer and Consultant

Well-known naval architect Melbourne Smith is the designer of Lynx. A designer and builder of historical sailing vessels for more than 25 years, Smith began his career in 1975 after 20 years of ocean and coastal sailing. In addition to Lynx, other ships he has designed are the U.S. Brig Niagara, Californian, Spirit of Massachusetts, Pride of Baltimore and Federalist.

A recognized marine illustrator with ship prints published by the U.S. Naval Institute and American Heritage Press, Smith is president of the International Historical Watercraft Society. He also serves as co-chairman of Advisors to the National Maritime Historical Society and is a trustee of the American Ship Trust.

In addition, Smith founded the American Clipper Trust, a not-for-profit organization which plans to construct the 1845 clipper ship, Sea Witch; its goal is to provide an experiential approach to maritime archeology as a working example.

He is a resident of Annapolis, Maryland where he lives with his wife, Lilith, and is currently leading national efforts to establish the American Clipper Ship Museum. He is also now working with the Fair American Historic Foundation to research, design and build the 1790 flagship of King Kamehameha's war fleet that helped unify the Hawaiian islands. The research and design of the whaling ship John Howland has also been completed for the US/Japan Maritime Foundation. The whaling ship rescued the young Japanese fisherman Manjiro in 1841 and brought him to America. The hapless castaway later returned to Japan to become one of that nation's great educators. Construction of the vessel will begin in Monterey, California in 2005.

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