Princecraft mourns R&D supervisor Yvon Gosselin
The Princecraft Boats team announced the death of Yvon Gosselin, R&D supervisor for over 37 years. He died on April 3 after a long illness, surrounded by his beloved ones.
First hired as a designer in 1978, Gosselin rose through the ranks to become one of the pioneers of the R&D department at Princecraft in the mid 1980s. Under his leadership, several innovations emerged such as a reinvented square chine hull. Deeper, with a wider transom, this new hull could accommodate higher horsepower engines while remaining aerodynamic and stable.
At the same period, Princecraft diversified its operations to attack the new and fast-growing pontoon market.
It is under his leadership as well that the European-style design appeared, where the rear of the hull is cut at an angle. This design was launched at the end of the 1980s; the Corsica was the first boat of its type with an aluminum cabin.
To keep pace with market trends and compete with fiberglass products, Princecraft developed an aluminum deck boat line in the early 1990s. The deck boat had a V-shaped hull with the roominess and comfort of a pontoon.
The Princecraft Boats team said they will remember Gosselin as rigorous, unifying, dedicated, passionate, human and warm person with a witty sense of humor.