Norgaard, L. Christian

Historical or Biographical Note

L. Christian Norgaard (1920-2000) was a naval architect and marine engineer. He is perhaps best known for his designs of the replica of Sir Francis Drake's flagship, GOLDEN HINDE, Western Pacific's train ferry LAS PLUMAS and the majority of the Red and White Fleet--the sightseeing boats used in the San Francisco Bay during the fifties, sixties and seventies.

Naval architect and marine engineer Loring Christian (Chris) Norgaard was born in Providence, Rhode Island on August 29, 1920. He studied Architecture at the Rhode Island School of Design, and Naval Architecture at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Chris was a longtime resident of the San Francisco Bay Area and of Sacramento, California.

Between 1940 and 1947, Norgaard worked at various naval architecture firms in San Francisco, including Joselyn & Ryan and Matson Navigation Co. He was an associate with Pillsbury & Martignoni where he designed small craft. During this period, Norgaard helped design U.S. Navy, U.S. Army and Maritime Commission auxiliary and small combatant vessels. He also spent one year in the U.S. Navy in the Technical Section, Ship Repair and Construction in San Diego.

In 1947 L. Christian Norgaard and Thomas Clark, Jr. formed the firm Norgaard and Clark, Inc. to provide design and consulting services to the marine industry and governmental agencies. In 1948 Mr. Clark left for the East Coast and subsequently formed Marine Consultants, Inc. in Hoboken, New Jersey. Mr. Norgaard remained in San Francisco and continued to work as L.C. Norgaard and Associates and as the West Coast affiliate of Marine Consultants, Inc.

During the years of 1948-1970 Norgaard designed and supervised construction of over 100 vessels, many operating in the San Francisco Bay Area. He designed the Crowley tugs MERIDIAN, FEATHER RIVER, SEA SCOUT, SEA WITCH, and SACRAMENTO. Norgaard designed the cargo vessels MOKUHANA and KOMOKU for Bay and River Navigation Company, and the train ferry LAS PLUMAS for the Western Pacific Railroad, which was christened July 28, 1957. Mr. Norgaard also designed and supervised the building of the tug REDONDO for the Standard Oil Company of California, the San Francisco pilot boat DRAKE, and the Los Angeles pilot boat ANGELS PILOT. He designed the fireboat BETHEL GIFFORD (no. 4) for the City of Los Angeles and also supervised its construction.

Norgaard also designed and constructed many passenger vessels in the Red and White Fleet for Harbor Tours; the replica of the GOLDEN HINDE, from 1971-1973; and restorations of famous vessels, such as President Roosevelt's yacht POTOMAC. During this time, Norgaard also served as a consultant for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service in Hawaii (for 5 years) and the California Department of Fish and Game, for whom he designed the patrol boat ALBACORE. He advised corporations like Kaiser Engineers International and Union Oil, consulted in Admiralty Law Cases and for U.S. Coast Guard Rules, and spent two years as Naval Architect for the Mexican Navy consulting on re-powering their destroyer fleet. From 1970 until 1978, Norgaard was Director of Marine Engineering for Del Monte Corporation in San Francisco where he was responsible for design, supervision of construction and setting the standards for maintenance and repair of approximately 300 refrigerated cargo ships and fishing vessels. During this period Nogaard also served as Marine Consultant to the Alaska Packers Association in Bellevue, Washington.

In 1974 Thomas Clark returned to San Francisco and to private practice in 1977. In 1978, Norgaard and Clark again formed their partnership under the name Norgaard and Clark. Norgaard served as vice president and continued to design harbor service craft, re-power commercial small craft and refit and reconstruct vessels, like the brigantine TAIYO. In addition, Norgaard served as a consultant to various tug companies and various small boatyards on the East and West coasts; did drawings of small craft for the Maritime Museum in San Francisco; and served as an expert witness for law firms.

Over the course of his career, Norgaard was responsible for numerous maritime engineering innovations, such as the developing and designing the "Kort Nozzle" for U.S. West Coast application. He also authored and compiled number of technical papers and books, including Golden Hinde II: a galleon, c1570 (1974). Norgaard was a member of: the American Bureau of Shipping, Committee on Naval Architecture; Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers; and the American Society of Naval Engineers. He died at the age of 79 on February 23, 2000 in Bellingham, Washington, where he had lived for the previous two years. Norgaard was survived by his wife Jean and his two sons, Peter and Gregory.

Sources:

L.C. Norgaard resume, circa 1978

"Loring Christian 'Chris' Norgaard Obituary," San Francisco Examiner, 2000 March 4

"Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering Consulting Services", by Norgaard and Clark, circa 1978

[Written by Marjorie Bryer, SAFR staff, 2007 August. Revised by Amy Croft, SAFR staff, 2011 October.]

From the guide to the L. Christian Norgaard photographs, circa 1954-1995, 1960-1980, (San Francisco Maritime National Historical Park, Historic Documents Department)