Johann Tanzer Explained

Johann Tanzer
Birth Date:3 January 1927
Birth Place:Velden am Wörther See, Carinthia, Austria
Death Date:23 October 2016 (age 89)
Death Place:Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Nationality:Canadian
Occupation:Sailboat designer, builder, businessman
Known For:Tanzer Industries

Johann Tanzer (1927-2016) was a Canadian sailboat designer, who founded the sailboat manufacturer that bore his name, Tanzer Industries, in 1966.[1] [2]

Early life

Johann Tanzer was born on 3 January 1927 in the village of Velden am Wörther See, in the province of Carinthia, Austria.[3] [4] In 1941 Tanzer began his apprenticeship in shipbuilding at the Valentin Feinig (Feinig Werft) boat yard on the shores of the Wörthersee. The shipyard built sailing yachts, cruiser-racer and motor boats. Johann Tanzer completed his apprenticeship before being drafted into the Navy on Jan. 3, 1945, his birthday.[3]

Professional life

Tanzer immigrated to Canada in 1956, with a portfolio of sailboat designs that he hoped to put into production. He first worked in the aerospace industry, but quickly decided to pursue boat-building instead.[5] [6]

Tanzer is noted as the designer of several commercially successful sailboat designs, the most produced of which is the Tanzer 22, with 2,271 built between 1970-1986.[1] [7]

His company, located in Dorion, Quebec and with satellite manufacturing operations on both American coasts, became one of the largest boat builders in Canada during its 20 years in business, before it was forced into bankruptcy in 1986.[2]

Personal life

Tanzer was married to Gabriella, who died in 2012. They had three children, two grandchildren and one great grandchild.[6]

Death

Tanzer died on 23 October 2016 at age 89 at the Lakeshore General Hospital, in the Montreal suburb of Pointe-Claire.[6]

Boat designs

Tanzer's designs include:[1]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Johann Tanzer 1927 - 2016. 28 February 2022. McArthur. Bruce . sailboatdata.com. 2022. https://archive.today/20220228230342/https://sailboatdata.com/designer/tanzer-johann. 28 February 2022. live.
  2. Web site: Tanzer Industries Ltd. 1966 - 1986. 28 February 2022. McArthur. Bruce . sailboatdata.com. 2022. https://archive.today/20200908184852/https://sailboatdata.com/builder/tanzer-industries-ltd. 8 September 2020. live.
  3. Web site: Johann Tanzer, Passionate World Class Boat Builder . Voile Quebec . Quebec Sailing Federation . 8 June 2020 . English. https://archive.today/20220302001313/https://www.voile.qc.ca/en/federation/board-of-directors/157-the-federation%23faqnoanchor. 2 March 2022. live.
  4. News: Johann Tanzer Dies at 89 . 8 June 2020 . Canadian Yachting . Kerwil Publishing Group. . 5 December 2016 . English. https://archive.today/20220302001439/https://www.canadianyachting.ca/news-and-events/3724-johann-tanzer-dies-at-89. 2 March 2022. live.
  5. Web site: The Demise of Tanzer Industries . 8 July 2016. Michael. McGoldrick. Tanzer 26. 1997. https://archive.today/20220302001611/https://tanzer-26.com/Demiser.html. 2 March 2022. live.
  6. Web site: Johann Tanzer Obituary. 15 January 2020. Montreal Gazette. 23 October 2016. https://archive.today/20220302001342/https://montrealgazette.remembering.ca/obituary/johann-tanzer-1066521516. 2 March 2022. live.
  7. Web site: Tanzer 22 sailboat specifications and details. 6 July 2016. Browning. Randy . sailboatdata.com. 2016. https://archive.today/20201023225926/https://sailboatdata.com/sailboat/tanzer-22. 23 October 2020. live.