Lyman Boats LLC [Press Release]
Lyman Boats Reinforces Trademark Rights of
the Authentic Lyman Brand
LEXINGTON, OHIO, May 7, 2018 – Lyman Boats, LLC, home of the original Lyman Boat Works wooden boat production tooling and historical archives since 1988 today emphasized its proud, ongoing continuation of protecting the official trademarked Lyman logo. The statement comes in response to widespread confusion of the brand’s rightful ownership for the production of Lyman apparel and accessories.
“Throughout the last 35 years, I’ve been dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Lyman Boat legacy,” states Tom Koroknay, Founder and President of Lyman Boats, LLC. “To do this, I’ve diligently worked hand-in-hand with the national antique boating community and official Lyman groups, including serving as a founding member of the Lyman Owners Association in 1985, now known as the Lyman Boat Owners Association.”
“In addition to the purchase of the wooden boat production and tooling and archival material in the late 80s with the expressed intent to preserve the legacy of this American boat building icon, I later acquired intellectual property rights to the famous Lyman trademark and have closely monitored use of the mark,” he explains.
To ensure professional and proper reproduction of the Lyman mark, Koroknay formed a partnership in 2016 with lifestyle retailer The Lyman Life, LLC as the exclusive officially licensed purveyor of Lyman trademarked apparel and accessories. The move has garnered positive attention and increased renewed passion for the brand from thousands of Lyman and classic wood boat owners and enthusiasts from across the Country.
“Possible random use of the Lyman logo on products over the years always concerned me, and led me to encourage or require proper use of the logo by all boating organizations,” Koroknay states. “My formal joint venture with Lyman Life secures the Lyman mark is used in the way it was intended by the boat’s founders, brothers Bernard and Herman Lyman in 1875—to promote their attention to detail and love of the handcrafted legendary ‘clinker’ boats.”
A native Ohioan and third generation woodworker, Koroknay has gained a worldwide reputation as the preeminent Lyman Boat subject matter expert, earning him the moniker “Doc Lyman.” As author of Lyman Boats: Legend of the Lakes, Koroknay detailed the company’s iconic 98 years of wooden boat building history and has owned and operated his renowned Lyman Boat restoration business for over 35 years.
Over the past 25 years, Koroknay has provided Lyman Boat historical exhibits and technical information for the National Museum of the Great Lakes, Toledo, Ohio, The Maritime Museum of Sandusky, Sandusky, Ohio, the Antique Boat Museum, Clayton, New York, the Chesapeake Bay Maritime Museum, St. Michaels, Maryland, and the renowned Mariner's Museum located in Newport News, Virginia.
Building on the relationships established over decades, Lyman Boats and Lyman Life recently announced their collaboration with the New England Lyman Group. This step is key for future support of both existing clubs and those yet to be formed around the country, according to Koroknay. “Supporting the efforts of Lyman clubs helps protect the Lyman brand through offering officially licensed Lyman apparel and accessories, while also encouraging fundraising opportunities to ensure the legacy continues,” he says.
Additionally, Lyman Life has partnered with eight local Ohio small business retailers and The Maritime Museum of Sandusky, which all carry official licensed Lyman apparel and accessories.
As Koroknay continues efforts to preserve a legacy for all Lyman owners throughout the country, he admits he is most proud that his son, Ryan Koroknay, is following in his footsteps. “He wants to take up the crusade for all future Lyman and wooden boat enthusiasts,” he says.
Lyman Boats is home of the original Lyman Boat Works wood boat archives, including hull records, blueprints, photographs, patterns, jigs and tooling all used to build the iconic boats. Learn more at www.lymanboat.com or ryank@lymanboat.com.