Hudson Boat Works was founded in 1981 by Jack Coughlan, his wife Dallas (née Hudson), and her brother, Hugh Hudson. For the first 25 years, Jack guided the company’s growth through technical innovation, intuition, and risk. Today, HUDSON continues to set the pace with an athlete-focused, technology-driven approach as an employee-owned business, led by Glen Burston and Craig McAllister.
When boats and oars were historically made from wood, Jack foresaw that composite designs were the future heading into the early 1990s. HUDSON became the first rowing boat builder in the world to comprehensively convert its fleet to composite construction combined with wing rigger technology—today the industry standard.
Over the years, HUDSON introduced a series of rowing shells that pushed the boundaries of speed and innovation. This reputation was quickly cemented at the 1984 Olympic Games when Bob Mills earned a bronze medal for Canada in the men’s single sculls. This medal was Canada’s first in the event since 1912, and the first of many World Championships and Olympic medals won racing in a HUDSON.
The 1990s marked a decade of innovation and transformation in rowing manufacturing, with HUDSON at the forefront of the shift from wooden to composite boats. In 1991, HUDSON introduced its first composite hulls with standard wing riggers included on every hull design. This decade also saw the release of the novel “ Z” and “X” rigger designs. A major milestone came at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, where HUDSON athletes secured five medals. Eight years later, at the 2004 Athens Olympics, the USA Men's 8+ won gold setting the World's Best Time of 5:19 in their “Big Blue” HUDSON.
In 2007, HUDSON launched the SHARK™ Series through an ambitious collaboration with renowned naval architect Britt Chance. America’s Cup designer Steve Killing built on this foundation, creating the second-generation SHARK in 2014, the same year HUDSON launched the USP (Ultimate SHARK Predator) aspirational product line to the market. The SHARK shapes were developed using cutting-edge unsteady-flow CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) modeling. This pioneering approach to rowing hull design produced the distinctive SHARK bow forms, enhancing stability and reducing surface drag at race speeds, without compromising the exceptional performance that defines a HUDSON racing shell.
HUDSON continues to innovate in response to changes in the sport. HUDSON introduced the Coastal 1x in 2023 with the addition of the Coastal Rowing discipline in World Rowing events. Coastal Rowing debuts as an Olympic sport in Los Angeles 2028. This durable design meets the needs of rowers on open water and supports the expansion of the sport worldwide.
Between 2005 and 2008, Operations Manager Glen Burston, Commercial Manager Craig McAllister, and the late Sales Manager Jon Beare, joined HUDSON, forming a management team and playing pivotal roles in shaping the company into what it is today. Glen transformed the manufacturing operations into a process-controlled, Industry 4.0, technology-driven leader. Craig conceived and cultivated the SHARK brand and ethos, repositioning HUDSON and its products at the top of the market while expanding the company’s global reach. Jon served as the steady force leading a service and support-focused sales team that established HUDSON as the premier rowing brand in North America and a respected name worldwide. Hugh Hudson remains an industry figure and familiar face to many within the rowing community. Under this guidance, the family-run business evolved into a new era of innovation and growth.
In 2024, HUDSON began a new chapter as an employee-owned company, ensuring that every boat leaving our London, Ontario factory carries the passion, skill, and dedication of the people who built it.
HUDSON continues to set the pace in high-performance rowing shells by refining athlete-focused features that deliver comfort, efficiency, and speed. Never content with the standard, the HUDSON team brings precision and innovation to every stroke, supported through vertical integration. From Speed Rails that create a smooth, connected slide to gender-specific seats designed for different stroke cycles, every detail enhances the athlete’s experience. Each boat is custom made with exacting attention to detail from bow to stern.
From two employees in a garage to a state-of-the-art factory next to Lake Fanshawe in London, Ontario, HUDSON has stepped onto the world stage while staying true to its Canadian roots. Today, athletes around the world depend on SHARK boats to deliver the responsiveness, speed, and reliability needed to compete at the highest level.
HUDSON is proud to serve as an Official Boat Supplier to USRowing and Rowing Canada Aviron.
