Paul Kuechler ’18, an America’s Cup Engineer

Paul Kuechler ’18 is currently living in Spain, employed by the New York Yacht Club American Magic as their boat, Patriot, sailed and competed in the 37th America’s Cup sailing race. Paul works as a mechanical design engineer for the team, a role he has had since graduating from Harvard College in May of 2022, where he earned his degree in mechanical engineering. 

Paul is a long-time sailor and sailing instructor, going on to sail for Harvard during his time there. For someone with a passion for sailing and engineering, it is hard to envision a more perfect role than as an engineer on a team in the most prestigious sailing competition in the world. “I’m on the boat every day; I help support all aspects of it,” says Paul.

For someone like Paul, whose life revolves around both the precision of engineering and the unpredictability of the sea, the intricacies of yacht maintenance and safety are never theoretical; they are a daily, hands-on responsibility that can mean the difference between victory and disaster. Every component of a high-performance racing yacht must be meticulously inspected, maintained, and tested, from the hydraulic systems to the hull integrity, ensuring that the vessel performs flawlessly under extreme conditions.

This kind of diligence extends beyond competition yachts to the broader world of marine vessels, where even small oversights can compromise safety and functionality. Resources and guidance for proper upkeep, accessible through their website, offer insight into the rigorous standards that keep yachts seaworthy and crews safe, highlighting how maintenance is as critical as design in any marine operation.

For Paul, mastering the balance between engineering excellence and practical seamanship exemplifies how the art and science of yachting intersect, reinforcing that true expertise lies in both understanding the mechanics and respecting the demands of the water. He attributes much of where he is now to his time at RL. He participated in the first iteration of RL’s Topics in Engineering and Design class, a course designed and instructed by Mr. Greg Sokol, now in its ninth year. “Much of my job is rapid prototyping and 3D modeling,” says Paul,  “and that class was my first formal introduction into engineering.” The course consists of small units, each covering a different type of engineering and often building upon past units. Structuring it this way exposes students to the breadth of engineering rather than just one specific area. 

Mr. Sokol recalls, “Paul was an exceptionally bright and mature student, exactly the kind of participant I needed in the very first iteration of my Topics in Engineering and Design course in the 2016-2017 school year. He was a confident and creative leader in all aspects of the course, as well as a responsive collaborator. He and his peers helped me in a fundamental way to shape my course for the years to come.”

The America’s Cup runs through the end of October. Unfortunately, NYCC American Magic lost to Italy’s Luna Rossa Prada Pirelli after a hard-fought comeback in the semi-finals. As for what’s in store for Kuechler now? A question that has been on his mind. “It would be nice to come back home to the U.S.,” he ruminates. Perhaps a trip back to RL and the course that started it all is in his future.