Our Carpenters

Peter Bell

Master Carpenter, 1990 - present

Pete grew up in Montgomery County and began cruising and racing with his family at an early age. He, together with his parents, were competitive sailors and his interest in sailing and racing has never diminished.

Pete attended the University of Maryland, Anne Arundel Community College and Colleges in Florida. He worked in Connecticut boatyards and for a boat builder in Florida before joining the Hartge team in 1990.

Pete is one of the stars of the boatyard in knowledge, experience and skill in most every form of boat construction. It’s difficult to find something he lacks knowledge in.

Pete races keel boats, dinghies (owning three Chesapeake 20’s), wind surfs, skateboards, mountain bikes, snowboards, and plays guitar in the West River Band. Pete has much respect from the Chesapeake 20 class for leading a team of fellow employees and friends in building about eight Chesapeake 20’s that has helped to keep the class alive.

Ernie Stuermer

Master Carpenter, 2012 - present

Ernie’s impeccable talent as a master carpenter is largely self-taught. At 16, he constructed a Penguin and from there, developed his skills to become an exceptional master carpenter with an innate talent for cutting and fitting wood perfectly (on the first cut!).

His early years were spent in Hawaii before his family relocated to Annapolis in his teens. Between the age of 17 and 21, Ernie sailed around the world with his family aboard their 65’ gaff-rigged ketch, STARBOUND, and for a second time around when he was 25 to 29. Between circumnavigations, Ernie earned a degree in Natural Science from St. Mary’s College.

Ernie’s knowledge and interests are wide ranging: from raising orchids, performing in medieval re-enactments, sailing square rigged ships, to an understanding of our world of chemicals and the products we use.

Mark Haritan

Carpenter, 2018 - present

Mark joined HYY in June 2018. He grew up in Bowie and attended the University of Maryland. After college, he ran a surveying crew and then worked at Annapolis Performance Sail Craft, building Gemini Catamarans. He worked in whichever department needed, including fiberglass, electrical, and woodworking. After the business was sold, he moved into carpentry at Anchor Yacht Basin and custom woodworking on Fleming Trawlers at Burr Yacht Sales.

Quiet, confident, diligent, and positive, Mark is a fine addition to the Carpenter Department at Hartge Yacht Yard.

William Babin

Carpenter Apprentice, Feb 2023 - present

Will brings a strong and unique skill set to Hartge Yacht Yard.  Originally from Carroll County, he found a passion for woodworking and craftsmanship at an early age. His hobbies have included pinewood derby cars to motorcycles, pushing him to explore more in these careers. He has worked as an arborist, climbing trees to building complex sets at the U of M Center for Performing Arts.  After working in a lumber mill, he explored almost every roll in the woodworking manufacturing process: fine woodworking, cabinet making, CNC design and manufacturing and now, marine carpentry.  He finds the new techniques and skills learned from those experienced in the field bring him great reward.

His knowledge and diligence along with a good-natured personality make him a great part of the carpentry team.