Mike Davis

Mike Davis (December 6, 1939 – November 3, 2008) was a boat builder who was a hands-on advocate for making recreational boat usage available on the Hudson River from New York City and New Jersey.

Michael Kincaid Davis was born in Baltimore on December 6, 1939. He was one of three children. While his father was a captain in the United States Coast Guard, it was his experience as an anthropologist and archeologist that triggered his nautical interests. He graduated from Beloit College in 1964 and was awarded a master's degree at the University of Oklahoma in anthropology.

After reading articles in boating journals, Davis created an organization called Floating the Apple in March 1994 to help provide boating opportunities on the Hudson River. With financial assistance from the Open Space Institute, Davis decided that the group should build boats and make them available for public use. A design was developed for a boat that could accommodate ten passengers, and the boats were constructed using donated tools in space made available to Davis by the 42d Street Development Corporation.