Ben

Owner/President

From riding on the back of his dad, Steve Van Dam—founder of Van Dam Custom Boats—as a small child, to building an 8’ One Day rowboat with him at age five, to sweeping the shop floor after school, Ben Van Dam has always been immersed in the world of custom boatbuilding. These early exposures left lasting impressions as he observed skilled craftsmen pursue their trade. As a result, Ben had his first serious conversation with his dad about the appropriateness of “shop talk” at a very young age.

Ben officially joined the company in his early teens and continued to develop his skills alongside his schooling. If he wasn’t playing hockey or sailing competitively in high school, he was working in the shop. Somewhere along the way, he realized boatbuilding wasn’t just part of his upbringing—it was in his blood.

That realization led him to the University of Michigan, where he earned a degree in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering. While at U of M, Ben competed on the sailing team and worked in the Hydrodynamics Laboratory tow tank. Between his sophomore and junior years, he interned at a yacht design office in New Zealand. In his senior year, he and his teammates won the International Workboat/Small Craft/Yacht Design Competition, awarded by the American Boat and Yacht Council (ABYC) and the Society of Naval Architects and Marine Engineers (SNAME). Still, when asked about the best part of his college experience, Ben will say it was meeting his wife, Erika, in their final year.

After graduation, Ben returned to Van Dam and worked under several project managers before becoming one himself in 2008. His formal education added technical depth to his hands-on training, and he remains a key driver in Van Dam’s continuous pursuit of perfection.

In January 2016, Ben was named President of Van Dam Custom Boats, bringing fresh energy and a clear vision for the company’s future. In 2021, Ben and Erika purchased Van Dam Custom Boats and Boyne Boat Yard from his parents—marking a proud continuation of the family legacy.

Outside of work, Ben enjoys training for and competing in triathlons, working on the home he and Erika built, and spending time with their daughter and son.

• Born in: Harbor Springs, Michigan

• Graduated: University of Michigan, BSE in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering

• Favorite projects to work on: Anything unique with the goal of being second to none

• Favorite Fundamental: #1 – Practice continuous improvement every day, all day

• Favorite thing about working at Van Dam: The people I get to work with and the variety that each day brings