Paul Stuart Crandall’s Legacy Lives On

Paul Stuart Crandall, PE 1919-2002

Paul Stuart Crandall passed away on July 20, 2002 following a massive stroke. A Civil Engineering graduate, MIT class of 1942, and a registered professional engineer, Paul Crandall served 3-1/2 years with the US Army Corps of Engineers in the Water Supply Battalion operating in North Africa, Sicily, Italy, France and Germany during WWII. Crandall joined Crandall Dry Dock Engineers in 1945 as the fifth generation of engineers to carry on the dry dock business begun in 1854 by his great-great grandfather, William H. Crandall. He served as designer, field engineer, and subsequently principal engineer until 1953 when he became President of Crandall Dry Dock Engineers. He retired from his full time position in the late 1980's, but continued to consult on a variety of projects as time allowed, until most recently. During his 40 plus years with Crandall Dry Dock Engineers, Inc., Crandall served as principal in charge of design on many new floating dry docks including, but not limited to: the Port of Portland 81000T Floating dock that was recently moved to Grand Bahama Shipyard; the 81,000 ton floating dock at Avondale Shipyards; and the 57000T floating dock at Northrup Grumman – Avondale formerly known as Litton-Ingalls and the mooring system for the NASSCO "Longbuilder" floating dock. He was lead designer on the basin dry dock in Quebec for Verreault Navigation, three piers – including the pier at Provincetown, MA, Boston navigation locks, and other miscellaneous structures. He worked on the design and installation of more than 45 new marine railway dry docks including the 5200T railway at Colonnas, 4400T & 1200T railways at Atlantic Dry Dock; 3000T & 800T railways in American Samoa; twin 3000T railways in Dartmouth NS; two 1000T railways in Belgium; 5000T Sorel PQ, and perhaps his most beloved were three railway dry docks (1500MT, 1600MT & 2500T) in Boulogne Sur Mer, France. In addition to design of various projects, Crandall was also a special consultant for difficult dry-docking, an expert witness for both public and private interests, he issued certifications for safe capacity and he conducted more than a dozen dry-docking seminars around the country for instruction and training of dockmasters. From 1958 through 1963 he was a visiting lecturer at Princeton University, School of Engineering where he spoke of the design and construction of railway and floating dry docks for Princeton's Rivers and Harbors Program. During his tenure with Crandall Dry Dock Engineers, Inc., Crandall traveled the world: he went to Canada, France, Belgium, England, Sweden, Zaire, Argentina, Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia, Ceylon, Japan, Taiwan, Australia, Tahiti, and American Samoa. As testimony to his forebears and himself Crandall Marine Railway Dry Docks and Floating Dry Docks, can be found around the Globe up to but not limited to: Vancouver BC; Puntas Arenas, Chile; Copenhagen, Denmark; Boulogne sur Mer, France; Dordrecht, Holland; Honolulu, HI, Reykjavic, Iceland; Havre Aubert, Magdelan Islands; St Pierre et Miquelon, France; Halifax, NS; Winnipeg, MB; Baltimore MD – where the USCG 3000T wooden floating dock is still in service today; Georgetown, PEI; Rimouski, PQ; Les Mechins, PQ; Sandy Beach, PQ; Saudi Arabia, Newport RI; Hollywood SC; Seattle, WA; Jacksonville, FL; Rockland, ME; San Diego, CA; Pascagoula, MS; Newport, VA; Fairhaven, MA, Port Moresby, New Guinea; Calleo, Peru; Groton, CT; Sitra, Bahrein; Phillipines; Guam; Venezuela, Argentina, Columbia, and Papeete Tahiti. Memberships included the following organizations: Registered Professional Engineer in Massachusetts American Society of Civil Engineers, Fellow Boston Society of Civil Engineers Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers American Concrete Institute American Bureau of Shipping Committee Member of for rules for classification of floating dry docks. Shining Sea Foundation, Trustee Crandall published many articles and contributed to the maritime industry in many ways during his life. He was a general consultant to the shipbuilding industry, USCG, and US Navy on dry docks, vessel launching, certifications and waterfront construction. He held patents for floating dry dock subdivision & the Crandall Mooring System. He was a loving father and husband who enjoyed sailing and fishing and "tinkering" with the many projects he always had going at home. He is survived by his two daughters Martine Crandall-Hollick and Francoise Ferrer, their husbands, and his son-in-law Grosvenor Newcomb. He has four grandchildren.

In memory of Paul Stuart Crandall: Nephew of Ruth (1916) & Marjorie Crandall (1922) and grand-father of Margot Crandall-Hollick (2003) donations in his memory can be made to: Picker Engineering Program Smith College Attn: Gift Accounting 33 Elm Street Northhampton MA 01063 His two aunts, Marjory and Ruth Crandall were both Smith graduates and they paid for his MIT education. So now you can help return the favor. His grand-daughter Margot Lutece Crandall-Hollick is a Dunn Scholar and First Group Scholar at Smith College studying mathematics. Crandall was a dedicated engineer who took great pride in his profession and always found time to help and inspire young engineers and technical staff. As testimony to his teaching and enthusiasm, several of his younger colleagues have formed successful engineering firms, of their own in marine related fields, hence his legacy lives on. Paul Crandall was associated with Crandall Dry Dock Engineers, Inc up until his passing. His presence on the waterfront will be missed. A Celebration of his achievements will be held in September 2002 in Boston – if you are interested in attending please contact Elizabeth at Crandall Dry Dock Engineers, Inc. 617-884-8420 or via fax 617-884-8466.