Digital Photograph

A family portrait of the Owens family, taken around 1930, in front of the door to their brick home on Taney Avenue in Annapolis, Maryland. Pictured from left to right are Norman, Billy, Chuck, Jack, Molly, and Charles Owens.

With only $500 and a few loans, Charles Owens was able to secure a lot on Spa Creek to take his business to the next level. His first order was for a series of "knockabouts" from an official at the Naval Academy. The Navy believed these 26-footer sailboats would be the perfect vessels to use to teach their midshipmen how to sail.

Every Owens child would work for the company in some way. Molly acted as a clerk and dabbled in public relations, advertising, and interior design for the boats. Chuck was a sales manager and did a lot of the early advertisements for the company. Norman was the production manager and Jack acted as the business manager. Billy had the least to do with the company, as he studied at the Wilbur Institute at Johns Hopkins to become an accomplished ophthalmologist.