History

For more than a half century, Gladding-Hearn Shipbuilding, Duclos Corporation, has built exceptional steel and aluminum commercial vessels. Located on the Taunton River in Somerset, Mass., the family-owned and operated shipyard counts more than 385 vessels built as proof of its longevity and vessel reliability.

In 1955, at age 22, George Duclos, CEO and chairman, co-founded the yard with Pret Gladding and Richard Hearn, and bought out his partners in 1983.

The Gladding-Hearn brand is synonymous with pilot boats, with more launches operating in the United States than any other shipyard. After building pilot boats for more than two decades, the yard joined forces with designer C. Raymond Hunt Associates in 1978 to build the first launch with a deep-V hull, soon to become the industry standard.

Gladding-Hearn later increased its capabilities to include construction of tugs, fire and patrol/rescue boats, research vessels, and in the mid-1980s, high-speed catamaran passenger ferries. As a licensee of designer Incat Crowther in Australia, Gladding-Hearn became the second U.S. shipyard to build high-speed catamarans that performed as promised and has since built the lion’s share of fast cats on the East Coast and the Great Lakes.

In 2006, Gladding-Hearn expanded its markets to include the award of a “Multiple Award Schedule” from the U.S. General Services Administration, enabling eligible government entities to purchase the yard’s vessels at fixed specifications and prices.