Fair Winds and Following Seas to Mark Ellis

[This editor and so many of Mark Ellis' friends in the Thousand Islands were saddened to hear of his death in May 2025. His memory will live on with his many yacht designs and the friendships he made around the yachting world. It is with appreciation that we publish this by Thousand Islands author, Rick Casali]

Mark Ellis – Yacht Designer of the Thousand Islands

One of my favorite yacht designers has deep roots in the Thousand Islands. His name was Mark Ellis. He was born in 1945 in Watertown, NY, and was a sailing instructor at the Clayton Yacht Club, as well as the Crescent Yacht Club in Chaumont, NY. Prior to his birth, Mark’s family had purchased Dumfounder Island in the Navy Group in the St. Lawrence River, and later in life he lived on the island for many years. His wife Barbara hailed from Axeman Island, where Mark learned to sail as a young man.

Over the past 24 years, I have listed and sold a number of yacht designs from the drawing board of Mark Ellis. His designs have consistently been popular. He got his early start as an apprentice with C. Raymond Hunt & Associates. Ellis concentrated on rig and deck designs for the firm. He also worked on the Hi-Liner boats, which share bloodlines with the Bertram 20 Moppie, which Hunt designed. Mark went on to work in the same engineering area with Ted Hood in Marblehead, MA, with the Little Harbour Yacht Co.

In 1970, Mark moved to Canada, where he helped design vessels for C&C Yachts Limited in Oakville, ON. He eventually began his own design firm in 1975 as Mark Ellis Designs, LLC. Mark also maintained an office in Essex, CT, with his good friend Jim Eastman, who brokered yachts.  

One of Ellis’ first successful sailboat designs was the Aurora 40 cutter. It was built by Hinterhoeller Yachts in 1976. It had a keel/centerboard and good hull proportions. Mark’s later Niagara 35 design had a strong resemblance to the Aurora.

My boating buddy David Taylor, who lives on the backside of Grindstone Island, was a close friend of Mark’s and has owned several Limestone boats, which Ellis designed. David is also a collector of Bertram Boats, which came from the Hunt drawing boards. He shared many stories of Mark, who lived on Dumfounder Island, which is just across the international boundary from David’s Grindstone cottage. My fellow yacht broker friend Leslie Quarrier, of Essex Yacht Sales, has a Legacy 40 listed for sale, and she called me about a pending deal. Leslie has family roots on Chippewa Bay and has enjoyed Mark’s company. I learned from her that Mark was living in Essex and was not in good health. She gave me Mark’s phone number, but sadly, he passed away in mid-May before I could contact him.

One of Mark’s early designs was the Nonsuch 30 catboat that was built by Hinterhoeller in St. Catherines, ON. We often see these boats sailing on our River and on Lake Ontario. Over 975 Nonsuch catboats were built. They are also popular on Chesapeake Bay. I have listed and sold two 30’s. Ellis is also responsible for the Niagara 35 sloop, which is a fine cruising design. I also have marketed two of these Ellis designs.

Fred Easton approached Mark Ellis to design a new runabout that eventually became the Limestone 24 and then the 20. He wanted a boat for the rough waters of Georgian Bay. Limestones (24, 22, 20, and 17 feet) are very popular in the Thousand Islands and have been enjoyed by River families for many years.   They have very nice lines, offer a dry, soft ride, and the 24 has a mid-cockpit inboard engine connected to an outdrive via a jackshaft. Good for weight distribution.  

Mark Ellis was responsible for designing a number of powerboats for Legacy Yachts. The 40, 34, and 32 are among Mark’s finest work, with pleasing lines and terrific interior layouts. I listed and sold a Legacy 40 flybridge with a large single diesel and both forward and aft bow thrusters. My owner had purchased a waterfront home on Gibson Island, so he wanted to downsize to a Legacy 32. We found a wonderful 32 in Newport, RI that had a single diesel plus bow thrusters front and rear. This Ellis 32 design is a boat that I absolutely love in terms of performance, efficiency, and accommodations. Lastly, I located a Legacy 40 express in New England that I sold to my good friend and customer Michael Hughes. He named her Shadow and cruises the boat about 10 months a year in Annapolis.

Ellis went on to draw the plans for the Northeast 40 and the Bruckmann 50 motorsailor. The latter has both inside and outside helm stations, and in my view is one of the best marriages of sail and power. It is popular among live-aboard and long-distance cruising couples. The 50 sails well and motors well – which is not often the case – plus she is pleasing to the eye.

About eight years ago, I purchased a used Holby 20 Pilot runabout designed by Mark Ellis. This boat was built in Rhode Island, and had a sweet ride and nice layout for her length. She was powered by a Honda outboard motor. Anne and I had the boat in Stuart, FL, and kept it in a boatel. The engine had some issues that were quite troublesome and quirky. Rather than fix the issues or repower it, I elected to sell. Today, I wish that I had kept this nice runabout. Oh well. Life is full of regrets!

In summary, Mark Ellis was a prolific designer with a very good eye for drawing lovely boats with fine sea manners. His focus was on cruising boats and not on performance or racing designs.  He was good – very good – at what he did.

I regret that I did not get to interview Mark Ellis prior to his passing. I had many questions for him about his power and sail designs. But his legacy lives on in the many vessels that he drew and continue to bring pleasure to boaters in the Thousand Islands and beyond. Fair winds and following seas, Mark. 

[All photograph from the authors collection]

By Rick Casali

Rick Casali is a resident of Wellesley Island. During his youth, from 1947 to 1976, his parents had a cottage on Grindstone Island named The Orchards. Rick now splits his time between Stuart, FL, and the River. He worked for Columbia Gas System for 29 years and ran their Washington, DC office. Then in 2000, he started brokering boats and yachts, and he continues as a broker with North Point Yacht Sales. Rick and his wife Anne cruise the River in a recently purchased 1968 Chris Craft 31 Commander, which they named "Foxtrot". They also have the Seaway 24 named "Miss Annie".

Be sure to see more of Rick Casali's tributes and reviews. He has now written 27 articles for TI Life, and they are not only interesting but also provides an important historical review of River life.

Comments

Just read the Mark Ellis story. I was born in Watertown five years before Mark in 1940. Talked to my brother, Cary Brick, also born 1945, he told me he knew him back in the day. Thanks for this. Mike Brick

Terrific article about Mark Ellis. Thanks for recognizing this wonderful man and his accomplishments. He’ll be sorely missed here in Essex. Lou Mazzarese

Todd Pullaw writes: I dug up some earlier correspondence between Mark and myself. The little sailboat in this notice was originally owned by Sherman Pratt on Niagara Island. Mr. Pratt gave the jetsam to Walter when it was in disrepair. My father restored it and sailed it for a few years. It was always stored inside but still required some restoration. Walter wanted Mark to have the boat so after Walter passed my wife Barb & I delivered it to Mark in Essex, CT. I have attached the article that was published in the Essex Yacht club newsletter. Feel free to add it to the comments section in this months edition.

[Editor's note: In addition Todd Pullaw sent this notice written by Mark.]