Overview
Founded by Bill and Dick Kenner. Since the late 1950’s they had been building small fiberglass runabouts under the ‘Kencraft’ name. With the introduction of the ‘Ski Barge’, Kenner Boat Company experienced it’s most significant growth and established a reputation as a leader in the field. By the mid 1960’s, Kenner was building, under contract, fiberglass boats of many types, power and sail, up to 35’. The introduction of their own sailboat model, the KITTIWAKE, at the 1966 New York Boat Show was a big success, and many orders were to follow. At the same time, Kenner also built a fiberglass version of the Herreshoff ROZINANTE and began producing the new PRIVATEER 26, designed by Thomas Gillmer. In addition to the new sailboats, Kenner Boat Company also designed, built and started production on a fiberglass high-styled houseboat, the Suwanee 47. By 1967, Kenner Boat Company was building and selling the Ski Barge, Viking 24, Suwanee 47, KITTIWAKE, ROZINANTE, PRIVATEER 26 and started production of a luxury version of the famous Chesapeake Bay Oyster Dredges, the Skipjack 35. In 1968 the company became a division of A J Industries. Under the Kenner name, AJ Industries continued to produce KITTIWAKE’s, the PRIVATEER 26, PRIVATEER 35, SKIPJACK 35, the line of Suwanee houseboats, and other power boats. In the early 1970’s AJ Industries liquidated the original Kenner Boat Company and it’s assetts were sold at auction. The sons of the original founders have followed in the family tradition as builders of a line of Kenner fishing boats. More detailed information about he Kenner Boat Co. can be found at the web site listed above.
