OFFICE

Alex’s namesake was his great grandfather and founder of the yard business in 1865, Emile Alexander Hartge. Alex’s grandfather Oscar, father Buck Schlegel, and mother Elsie all worked at Hartge Yacht Yard.

Alex grew up playing on the West River and sailing mostly Hartge built boats. From a young age, he worked on his own boats, family boats, and charter boats at the yard. After receiving a degree in Architecture from the University of Virginia, he worked for architects in Annapolis and in San Francisco; but boats and boatyards were more attractive to him.

Alex worked for Anderson’s Boatyard in Sausalito, California before returning to West River in 1974 to oversee the construction of a 41 foot cruising boat built for Bennett Crain. Upon completion, the opportunity to help manage the yard overcame any desire to return to San Francisco. In 1978 his uncles and mother decided to retire and sold the operating business to Alex. After thirty years in leasing the land from his extended family and managing a thriving business for himself, the lease expired and family members decided to take their turn at running all operations.

In 2008, Alex relocated with an abundant inventory of equipment and twenty-five employees to the old Woodfield Fish and Oyster Company location on Tenthouse Creek. He was determined to see the business continue and prosper while making a new home for his dedicated employees and loyal customers.

For fun, Alex enjoys racing his Melges 24 sailboat on Wednesday nights, taking long cruises around the Chesapeake and Maine with his wife, Donna, aboard their Frers 41, and skiing in the winter months with family and friends. He also enjoys working around his home on West River where there is always plenty to do in maintaining a good bit of land.