Walter Hunnewell Greene

Walter was born in New Haven, Ct. and raised in Guilford Ct. where, at age 15, he built his first boat, a 14’ Blue Jay.

After graduating from Tabor Academy and the University of Vermont, he worked for several winters on the ski patrol at Stowe, Vermont, and spent summers maintaining and racing monohulls on Long Island sound. It was then that he completed his first of many trans-Atlantic races.

While working for Ted Hood in Marblehead, Ma. he built his first trimaran (30’) there in an empty loft and slid it down planks to the first floor for its “launching”. In this boat he competed in his first solo trans-Atlantic race. Walter then moved to Maine and built the 51’ Dick Newick design “Moxie” at Handy Boat in Falmouth, Maine. At the same time he designed and built, in his own garage, the 35’ trimaran “A Capella”. The racing success of these boats drew commissions from both American and European racers, so in 1981 he started Greene Marine Inc. on the Cousins River in Yarmouth, Maine.. Many multihulls, day charter boats, monohulls and power boats emerged thru its doors.

Walter had a large impact in the sailing and racing community in a time when it was possible to innovate and create without huge budgets and complex technology. He mentored many prospective boat builders from both sides of the Atlantic. After an early diagnosis of Parkinson’s disease he remained passionate and active for many years at Greene Marine and sailing with his wife Joan on their schooner “Seaward” around Casco Bay.

Walter was predeceased by his sisters Jennie Greene and Elizabeth Greene. He is survived by his wife Joan Greene, sister Esther Greene, brother Nathanael Greene, niece Kate Greene and nephews John and Prescott Walsh.