As head of design for Hinckley Yachts in Trenton, Maine, for the last 20 years, Shaw is still following his passion, albeit on a bigger scale. He says there have been many career highs, but none greater than designing and building a custom picnic boat for the late philanthropist and banker David Rockefeller.
“When the platform was done, it was beautiful — a marvel of machine-polished stainless steel and teak — and the operation was flawless,” Shaw says. “David loved that boat, and I loved the opportunity to focus on a single project and take it to that level.”
These days Shaw is exploring an exciting new facet of boatbuilding: additive manufacturing, better known as 3D printing. “We’re working with a team from the University of Maine, which includes my two sons, and it’s incredibly exciting,” he says. “Building a boat via 3D printing allows for reductions in weight, cost and time to market — it’s blue sky!”
The courage to pursue passion projects is a quality that Shaw associates with his Bucknell experience. “My time there was hugely formative, not only because of the value of my chemical engineering degree, but also because it’s an unbelievable place,” he says. “I met a lot of people there with tremendous passion. In later years, I recalled those experiences and it drove me to rediscover what I loved.”