Penn Yan Boat Company
Encyclopedia
Penn Yan Boat Company, which produced a wide range of wooden and fiberglass powerboats
, sailboat
s, canoe
s and rowboats
, was founded in 1921 by German-native Charles A. Herrman. It derived its name from the location of its headquarters, Penn Yan, New York
.
In 1936, Penn Yan introduced its "Car Top" outboard boat. The Car Top, which Penn Yan marketed as being easily lifted by two people, was designed to be light and narrow enough to fit on top of most cars of that era.
Among other innovations, Penn Yan was known for its patented "Tunnel Drive" concept, whereby a cavity was molded into the bottom of the boat's hull, partially enclosing the propeller and drive shaft. The tunnel drive system provided better boat speed and stability.
The company was sold to new owners in 1979 and finally ceased operations in 2001. The "Penn Yan" trademark has since been cancelled by the United States Patent & Trademark Office.
Recently a new company, Penn Yan Boat Company, has come into being near Penn Yan. They offer replacement parts and accessories for Penn Yan boats, as well as assisting the sale of old Penn Yan boats.
Motorboat
A motorboat is a boat which is powered by an engine. Some motorboats are fitted with inboard engines, others have an outboard motor installed on the rear, containing the internal combustion engine, the gearbox and the propeller in one portable unit.An inboard/outboard contains a hybrid of a...
, sailboat
Sailboat
A sailboat or sailing boat is a boat propelled partly or entirely by sails. The term covers a variety of boats, larger than small vessels such as sailboards and smaller than sailing ships, but distinctions in the size are not strictly defined and what constitutes a sailing ship, sailboat, or a...
s, canoe
Canoe
A canoe or Canadian canoe is a small narrow boat, typically human-powered, though it may also be powered by sails or small electric or gas motors. Canoes are usually pointed at both bow and stern and are normally open on top, but can be decked over A canoe (North American English) or Canadian...
s and rowboats
Watercraft rowing
Watercraft rowing is the act of propelling a boat using the motion of oars in the water. The difference between paddling and rowing is that with rowing the oars have a mechanical connection with the boat whereas with paddling the paddles are hand-held with no mechanical connection.This article...
, was founded in 1921 by German-native Charles A. Herrman. It derived its name from the location of its headquarters, Penn Yan, New York
Penn Yan, New York
Penn Yan is a village in Yates County, New York, USA. The population was 5,219 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Yates County and lies at the north end of the east branch of Keuka Lake, one of the Finger Lakes....
.
In 1936, Penn Yan introduced its "Car Top" outboard boat. The Car Top, which Penn Yan marketed as being easily lifted by two people, was designed to be light and narrow enough to fit on top of most cars of that era.
Among other innovations, Penn Yan was known for its patented "Tunnel Drive" concept, whereby a cavity was molded into the bottom of the boat's hull, partially enclosing the propeller and drive shaft. The tunnel drive system provided better boat speed and stability.
The company was sold to new owners in 1979 and finally ceased operations in 2001. The "Penn Yan" trademark has since been cancelled by the United States Patent & Trademark Office.
Recently a new company, Penn Yan Boat Company, has come into being near Penn Yan. They offer replacement parts and accessories for Penn Yan boats, as well as assisting the sale of old Penn Yan boats.