Les Hutchins had started as a
farmer and trained
tool and die maker, but became an inventor, designing many automotive accessories and parts and even a folding
high chair. He established his first company in
St. Louis, Missouri, doing metal-stamping and fabrication work, making parts of the automotive industry under subcontract. Hutchins ended up owning a number of patents and registered trademarks. In a company profile for
Small Craft Advisor magazine, writer Dennis Boese described the company, "Com-Pac Yachts has endured and prospered through lean and boom times of the sailboat-building industry. The Hutchins Company's unique ability to meld classic design and high quality with new and innovative technology virtually assures its continued success." == Boats ==