In the late 1940s, the U.S. recreational boating industry was booming, with boatbuilders returning to pleasure craft after many years of military contracts. Technological innovations were making boating easier, more fun and more accessible than ever.
In this photo, a crowd gathers to welcome the sedan cruiser Mar-Jo at the public landing in Rockland, Maine, on May 30, 1949. Built by the Owens Yacht Company, she was the first new postwar yacht in the harbor. The boat is named for Marian and Joan Talbot, both seen here looking through the window. (Marian is wearing glasses.) Standing on the dock is Bill Talbot, the boat’s owner.
The Owens Yacht Company was founded in 1925 by Charles Owens, who began building boats in his backyard in Annapolis, Maryland, before expanding to a…