Harken’s 40th Anniversary Party Brings 800 Friends to Celebrate in Pewaukee, WI

Eight hundred of Harken’s friends from the U.S., Australia, Denmark, Sweden and Spain celebrated Harken’s 40th anniversary at an extravaganza of a party at their corporate headquarters in Pewaukee, WI.

Sail America board members George Day and Josh Adams were on hand, along with Executive Director Jonathan Banks.  Don Macaulay, Joe Howey and his wife, Andrea, of Sail, Sally Helme and David Gillespie of Sailing World, and Bill Schanen and wife Jean of Sailing were among the guests. Ben and Nan Hall from Hall Spars as well as Barry Carroll (Summit Yachts) and his wife, Janice, also helped the company celebrate the historic occasion. Sailing photographer Billy Black arrived loaded with cameras to record the event!

The 54’ stern steerer the Deuce (the world’s largest iceboat), Peter’s latest E Skeeter iceboat, along with boats from the Pewaukee Vanguard days were on display. Kids of all ages enjoyed a pool and radio-controlled sailboats. Factory tours showed how a product is made—from prototyping, engineering, machining, injection molding and testing, to assembly, packaging and marketing.

Many faces from the company’s past returned for an amazing reunion that lasted far into the night: the company’s first vendor, 80 year-old Leroy Stippich, plus many others who made a real difference in Harken’s success created a night of wonderful memories. Buddy Melges topped off the evening with a personal salute to Peter and Olaf Harken and the company’s 40 years with a great and entertaining talk.

Finally, the Harken team presented Peter and Olaf Harken with a Segway so they can cruise around the factory in style.

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