About Us
J. HAROLD, LLC was established as a family owned business and workshop in the year 2000. The founder, Jeffrey, is a shipwright having worked in shipyards rebuilding large traditional sailing vessels. His wife and cofounder, Ann, is a retired U.S. Coast Guard licensed master of sailing vessels 1600 tons.
Jeffrey and Ann have worked and sailed on the open sea for many years. They have traveled throughout the coastal communities of the U.S. eastern seaboard, Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, and Prince Edward Island, Canada, as well as the coastal communities of the Caribbean Sea, and the Hawaiian Islands, Hawaii.
Why Build Kids Boats?
Our business ideas began in the past while we sailed aboard traditional vessels. We commonly visited ports for waterfront festivals and saw firsthand how children of all ages enjoy climbing aboard boats of all sizes. This experience, along with a lifetime of creative intuition, has inspired us to build simple unique Backyard Boats to bring into your children's play.
We fully believe that today's technology has left our children to grow without the challenge of imagination. We conclude that bringing imagination back into play™ is a necessary and essential part of every child’s development. Our play boats stimulate physical coordination along with the creativeness that comes from the power of imagination. Environmental analysis supports the fundamental role of imaginative play. Play is not a luxury we should ration, but rather a crucial dynamic of physical, intellectual, social, and emotional development for children of all ages (Elkind, 2007).
Our mission serves to bring imagination back into play and in achieving such, rejuvenate our youth’s interest in the seafaring industries. We promote an organizational culture who is passionate about play, excited for creativity, and enthusiastic about rejuvenating our waterfronts.
As roads become more congested, resultant from an increase in interstate trade, urgency to identify viable shipping alternatives emerges. As short sea shipping enterprise opportunities develop, an increase in demand for the U.S. merchant mariner arises. Although seafaring careers have faded into memory, rejuvenation of seafaring livelihoods is an essential component of viable shipping solutions in America (American Association of Port Authorities, 2012).
We believe that successful rejuvenation of waterfronts, waterways, and seafaring industries in the United States is important. With fundamental beginnings our Backyard Boats support this— bring families and fun back onboard boats every day for imaginative play.
Our promise— Backyard Boats will provide your sailors, young and old, with a lifetime of creative memories.
Reference:
Elkind, D. (2007). The power of play: How spontaneous, imaginative activities lead to happier, healthier children. Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, Inc.
American Association of Port Authorities (2012). Short sea shipping initiative. Retrieved from http://www.aapa-ports.org/Issues/USGovRelDetail.cfm?itemnumber=892
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