Landlocked in the Midwest, THOM McLAUGHLIN grew up working on farms and having the cycles of nature deeply rooted under his skin. After finishing a graduate degree in visual arts (sculpture), he found himself surrounded by water as an art professor at the University of South Florida. In 1993, while searching for an art form that could more directly inspire an awe of nature, he stumbled onto pond yachts. Since then he has written articles on, investigated the history of, and made many vintage pond yachts. He is currently the Southeast regional vice-president of the Vintage Model Yacht Group. In the last five annual National Vintage Marblehead Regattas, NASKEAG has placed second or third, PEONY has placed third, and Thom received the Best Craftsmanship trophy for PEONY in the 2006 national regatta.