Grumman Flyer

Description

The Grumman Flyer, a lightweight fiberglass daysailer and racer designed by William Shaw and produced by Pearson Yachts (with Grumman Aerospace as a major shareholder) from 1968 to 1972 in Portsmouth, Rhode Island, with around 200 hulls built, captures the era's enthusiasm for affordable, trailerable performance craft ideal for club racing or family outings on lakes and bays. Measuring 16 feet 2 inches LOA with a 14-foot-6-inch LWL, 6-foot beam, and 550-pound displacement (including 150 pounds of ballast for a modest .27 ballast/displacement ratio), it features a centerboard drawing 2 feet 6 inches down (9 inches up for beaching) and a fractional sloop rig with 140 square feet of sail area—yielding a SA/D ratio of 23.3 for spirited upwind performance up to 5.5 knots hull speed, though its D/L ratio of 118 classifies it as a light, responsive racer rather than a stable cruiser. The low-profile hull with plumb bow and transom emphasizes speed and simplicity, with an open cockpit seating 3–4, basic V-berth storage forward, and optional outboard bracket for 2–4 hp auxiliary; while not bluewater-rated, its capsize screening of 2.24 and comfort ratio of 8.2 suit coastal day sails, earning praise for forgiving handling in puffs. Discontinued amid shifting market demands.