Carl Sherman Schumacher grew up in Newport Beach, California. At an early age, he began drawing images of boats and racing Naples Sabots, Snipes and Stars.  In 1963 the age of 14, he entered a design for a competition for a three-crew sailboat hosted by Yachting magazine. In high school, Schumacher was drafting 12 Meter designs inspired by the America’s Cup races in 1964. All told, he designed fifty-seven popular production and custom sailboats throughout the years, with nearly 600 of his designs ultimately built. He was noted for the Express line (27-, 34- and 37- footers), the Alerion Express (20-, 28- and 38- footers) and the Capo 30 (renamed Olson 911-S).

He graduated in 1972 from the California Polytechnical State University in San Luis Obispo.  During that period, he served in the U.S. Navy Reserve.  His first job was working for Jensen Marine the builder of the iconic Cal 40 designed by National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee Bill Lapworth. In 1973 he went to work for another National Sailing Hall of Fame inductee Gary Mull.  In 1977 he started his own naval architecture firm, a one-man shop. Schumacher’s first notable design was the 26-foot sloop Summertime Dream, which won the Quarter Ton National Championship in 1979 and again in 1980.  The speedy boat was light displacement and easy to sail.

Oyster Marine built one of his designs in England. Schumacher had several very successful designs that raced on San Francisco Bay, notably Surprise, Q, Swiftsure II, Recidivist, National Biscuit and Wall Street Duck. Another fast light-displacement boat was a 50-footer named Heart of Gold. He even designed a sailing pram for famed artist Jim DeWitt. Among his portfolio was a vessel he called a “Scow Schooner” and two Ultimate 30s for a professional sailing circuit.

Carl Schumacher was a member of the Encinal Yacht Club and the St. Francis Yacht Club.  He served on the Board of the NorCal PHRF committee and was a regular judge for Sailing World magazine’s Boat of the Year competition.

Carl and his wife, Marilyn, had two children – a daughter, Sutter and a son, Evan. The family raced together on the West Coast and the Caribbean.  His friends described Carl as someone who “worked hard and played hard.” Many admirers used the word “nice” to describe him at his memorial service. He was an active member of the Christian Science Church, noted for being diligent about his diet and refrained from alcohol his entire life. It was quite a shock to the sailing community when he died during a dinner at his Alameda, California home at the age of 52 in 2002.  Tom Leweck, the original editor of Sailing Scuttlebutt noted, “Carl will be missed for his always friendly manner, his positive attitude and his freely given advice.  You simply could not find a nicer, more caring or giving person than Carl.”

~ Gary Jobson