About Us

Scarano Boat designs and builds period wood, aluminum, composite, and steel boats, Coast Guard–certified for public transportation and excursions. Scarano Boat has developed a national reputation for modern wood construction. The business was founded by John Scarano in 1974 and Richard Scarano joined the company in 1984. Scarano Boat has found a niche in the production of replica sailing vessels, and certified passenger vessels with classic styling and appointments. 

At Scarano, we take pride in our adaptability and craftsmanship. We work in a wide variety of materials from wood to composites, aluminum, and steel. We've been working with carbon fiber and kevlar since the early 1980s and have over a quarter century of experience with composites. This allows us to create and build fast vessels with a combination of excellent strength-to-weight ratios while maintaining high safety standards.

It is our goal to give our customers vessels that combine the best of old world charm and today's most advanced, proven technologies.

Why Scarano

Three reasons why your next boat should be a Scarano

Experience

Scarano has been building efficient, reliable, innovative, cost-effective boats for more than 50 years, and we have been designing and building Coast Guard–certified passenger carrying vessels over 35 years. 

Value

Scarano has the ability to build quality boats at a lower cost than many of its competitors.  Same boat, less money. Time has shown that Scarano boats maintain their value over time as many of our vessels have been sold for more money than original cost to their owners. Great quality, greater value.

Innovation

A Scarano-designed boat is custom designed for its owner.  Scarano design means innovation.  No design option is left off the table.  All available technologies will be considered, and no stone will be left unturned to design a vessel that meets all your needs.

History

John and Rick Scarano first learned to sail on a small upstate NY lake in what was referred to as the tub. The tub was an 8’ lug rigged sailboat fashioned out of a surplus World War II bomber fuel tank split in half. It was enough to get the Scarano clan hooked on sailing. John started drawing boats as a youngster and by the early 70s he was designing his own 14 international racing dinghies.

In 1986 the brothers incorporated the business after receiving a contract to build the first passenger carrying vessel a 65’ 149 passenger power boat. Since then, the company has developed the reputation for building the most attractive vessels in the industry. John developed an eye for the aesthetic as well functional that has created the Scarano brand.

Always curious, the Scarano team has been working with various materials including composites since the 1970s.

Management

John Scarano, President and Lead Designer

John is responsible for design, sales, general product development, and management at Scarano Boat. Over the past 40 years he's designed and constructed private and commercial vessels ranging from steel crane barges, upscale yachts, historic replica vessels, and commercial USCG-certified power and sailing vessels weighing up to 750,000 lbs.  His designs have been likened to those of Nathanael Herreshoff, L. Francis Herreshoff, Olin Stephens, George Steers, and Lyle Hess and clients have commissioned him to replace vessels from some of those famed designers.

Richard Scarano, Vice President

Rick is responsible for business development and management, systems installations, quality control, and production at Scarano Boat. He joined the company in 1984. He also operates Adirondack Sailing Excursions, which operates four Scarano-built vessels, the three Adirondacks and the motor vessel Manhattan, in Newport, New York, and Key West. He is a trustee for the National Maritime Historical Society and an active  member of numerous maritime-related organizations, including the American Sail Training Association, Friends of Hudson River Park Trust, the Waterfront Alliance, and the Passenger Vessel Association.

Robert V. Scarano, Operations Manager

Bob is responsible for all plant and product engineering at Scarano Boat. Bob has worked as an industrial research and design engineer for over 25 years for General Electric, Thermo-Electron Corporation, and various other corporations.  He is a registered professional engineer and the holder of eight U.S. and international patents. In 1993 he started a company to develop one of his inventions. That company was acquired by Thermo-Electron Corporation in 1999. Bob left Thermo-Electron’s AES Division to join Scarano Boat in 2003. He has a mechanical engineering degree from Clarkson College.

William Hubert, Systems and Electronics Director

Bill is systems designer and installation director for electrical, electronic, plumbing, equipment, and machinery installations at Scarano Boat. He ensures that all systems engineering meets quality and Coast Guard Certification requirements. He has more than 20 years experience in marine electronics, including the design and manufacture of computer-based instrumentation. He has a bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University and is a U.S. Navy veteran where he served in Naval Intelligence. He joined Scarano in 1992. 

Keith Duffy, Design Manager

Keith manages the design department at Scarano Boat where he oversees the implementation of every aspect of the company’s boat designs. He has a degree in mechanical engineering technology from Purdue University. He began his career in boatbuilding in the fall of 1980 at the Apprenticeshop in Bath, Maine. After a stint building fiberglass kayaks and guideboats in Amsterdam, NY, he spent the next 25 years in product development design at various corporations. He joined Scarano in 2004.

Eric Everson, General Yard Foreman

Eric oversees all new construction and repair work at Scarano Boat. He has extensive experience in all phases of construction of wooden vessels, power, and sail, up to 120’ L.O.D. He is highly skilled in directing and performing frame beveling, frame erection, planking, fairing, and painting of large wooden vessels and the construction methods required for the manufacture of composite vessels. He joined Scarano in 1990.

Contact Us

Contemplating a new build? A restoration? Tell us a bit about your project in the provided form or give us a call. We are anxious to hear about it.