Jack Winninghoff, the company founder, entered M.I.T. in the fall of 1942, and like most of his classmates was called to active duty from the reserve a few months later. After completing pilot training, he flew B-29’ from Tinian to Japan.

He returned to M.I.T. graduating in 1948. He worked for Alcoa (Aluminum Co. of America) which continued a fascination with aluminum started in the classroom. In 1950 he was recalled to the USAF. His last duty before returning to civilian life was as an R&D Contracting Officer at W-PAFB. Over the next  20 years, he worked for several defense oriented companies in the electro-optical equipment field dealing primarily with the Government on various R&D projects usually involving large optics. Working in marketing and program management, he has spent much of his work life matching up the needs and desires of customers with the economic and technological constraints of their projects.

In the spring of 1974 he learned of a patent on explosive forming of sailboat hulls. Intrigued, he obtained a license and formed a company to develop the technology. Explosive forming was replaced by hydrostatic forming. A 7m sail boat with a wine glass hull was designed by Ted Brewer. Though small scale experiments with hydrostatic forming were encouraging; the full scale attempt was not. Experimenting was abandoned 15 months later after concluding that acceptable economic results were unlikely. The cedar strip planked plug built to form the molds was converted to a nice sailboat. Work on the sailboat hull forming ceased.

A prototype 7m lobster boat was designed by Phil Bolger, a project which was reported in the National Fisherman and resulted in several sales orders using Bolger’s hull form. Winninghoff Boats, Inc. was incorporated in March 1976. Over 200 boats have been built since. Jack’s original belief in aluminum as a boat building material years ago, has if anything increased. Most of the boats built in the late 70’s and early 80’s are still operating, a fact which has reinforced the original decision to concentrate on aluminum boats. Others on the staff as well, viz. Warren Jepson, and Bob Kroon, have an excellent insight into the needs our customers. We continue doing what we have been doing with variations in emphasis.

Mold and cover plate for one half of hull, nearly ready for first forming attempt.