The Mathews Maritime Foundation recently acquired several items from the Thomas E. Colvin Boatyard, Miles, where Zimmerman Marine, Inc., currently does business.

Barbara Colvin Read of Glebe recently loaned several items to the MMF Museum that belonged to her brother, the late Tom Colvin, who is well-known in Mathews for purchasing the land, clearing it and starting his boatyard. He designed and built steel and aluminum sailboats there for years.

MMF spokesperson Nancy Lindgren said included are a sail plan that Colvin designed for the owner of a scow schooner, as well as two books he wrote, “Cruising as a Way of Life” and “Coastwise and Offshore Cruising Wrinkles.”

According to Lindgren, Colvin also worked as a senior designer for Newport News Shipbuilding and Drydock Company. He was also a consulting naval architect for Kaiser Aluminum Company.

“Colvin could well be considered a true renaissance man, having a broad range of interests and capabilities...