Achilich, John

John grew up in the Bronx, attended Pratt Institute, and resides in Bethpage at the age of 81. John was employed by Grumman as a Tool Engineer and was approached to help design aluminum canoes of 15, 17 and 19 feet. From his designs, hard-wood molds would be created over which sheets of aluminum would be stretched on presses to make each half of the canoe. Part of his challenge was to engineer smooth lines that would prevent the aluminum from wrinkling during pressing.

The Grumman Canoe was an improvement over the conventional canoe by adding water-tight compartments at the bow and stern so the vessel would stay afloat when swamped. They became fixtures at summer camps and rental sites on rivers and lakes. They were so popular that Grumman built a separate boat manufacturing plant in Marathon, New York, 40 miles south of Syracuse. A 1975 brochure cited sales of more than 300,000 Grumman canoes in 30 years. (Taken from NEWSDAY, May 16, Long Island-Our Past)