Sumner 8 sailing dingy

shemandr · Jul 4, 2014

There is a picture of one in the classified of last month's Good Old Boat magazine. Not the current issue, the one before. I'll try to pass contact info on.
It looks like a good dink. I grew up with my Dad's Sumnercraft 28' cruiser. It was a fondly remembered boat. I met Mr. Sumner at the NY Boat Show many years ago. I think he loved building boats but maybe not so much selling them - at least not at the show.

Sailvayu · Jul 4, 2014

Believe it or not I used to work for Sumner and I built those boats. I was a carpenter for Sumner. I do not have any pictures but will try to answer any questions you have.

shemandr · Jul 4, 2014

What are the chances of that? Did you work on LI or was there another location Mr. Sumner built boats. I think the LI location was Amityville, no?
I have to dig out a pic of our 28. It was probably built in the mid sixties. It was a nice riding boat that saw us through a few dramas. My Dad's favorite feature of that boat was the skeg that ran under the prop and rudder. There was at least once we hit a semi submerged telephone pole in the ocean and that feature saved the running gear.
I think there may have been sailboats in the line but I'm not sure. There was a double cabin motor sailor I remember.

Sailvayu · Jul 4, 2014

Yes I worked at the Amityville plant. I did not work there when he built the bigger boats but yes he did have a double cabin sailboat. They were strip plank with glass over as I recall. Mr. Sumner was quite a character and I got to know him well. I remember he had a plane in the shop that he fished out of the great south bay when it went down there. I was only with him for a year or so but it was an interesting experience.

Sumner 8 sailing dingy

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centerboard

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