Penn Yan Sealiner (ZBL)

Penn Yan introduced the Sealiner series in 1954. By 1955, some 28 variations of the 16 ft boat were offered. Billed as “the King of Striptite line of outboard boats”, the Sealiner was touted to possess “astoundingly perfect running characteristics”. (Striptite construction incorporated a plastic liner sandwiched between an outer layer of bead & cove cedar planking and a thinner inner layer of cedar planks, all fastened to white oak ribs.)

The boat shown here, model ZBL, was considered top of the line in the Standard series when she was built in 1955. (The ZBL model was offered from 1955 – 1957.) She sports a long front deck, handsome covering boards, a wooden windshield frame, and walk-through front seats backed by aft-facing seating. The Sealiner was one of the last smooth-hull designs built by Penn Yan. The series was replaced in 1960 by the new plywood-lapstrake models. This boat spent its entire life on Keuka Lake prior to being donated to the Museum.