Stephen Chapin Kinnaman
Stephen Chapin Kinnaman, the son of a former U.S. Navy officer, grew up in upstate New York and northern New Jersey. He graduated from the University of Michigan with a B.Sc. in naval architecture and marine engineering and pursued post-graduate research at Cambridge University’s Department of Engineering. He is a professional naval architect and has used his understanding of complex technical issues to expose the many problems that plagued Merrimack’s steam machinery. His experience on the water managing marine operations has allowed him to craft a lively, hands-on account of Merrimack’s two commissions. During his long career in the offshore oil and gas industry, the author published nearly a dozen technical articles in various trade journals and industry forums. More recently he published two works of naval history, Captain Bulloch: The Life of James Dunwoody Bulloch, Naval Agent of the Confederacy and The Most Perfect Cruiser: How James Dunwoody Bulloch Constructed and Equipped the Confederate States Steamer Alabama. Stephen Chapin Kinnaman also has to his credit numerous public speaking engagements at historical societies, Civil War roundtables and the prestigious McMullen Naval History Symposia held at the U.S. Naval Academy. The author and his wife currently reside in Chappell Hill, Texas.