I welcome your comments, suggestions, and referrals.
Preston Larus
Preston@BoatsAndWaterfront.com
(941) 232-3574 FAX (941) 296-7336
Keller Williams Realty – Lakewood Ranch
6710 Professional Parkway, Suite 301
Sarasota FL 34240
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BoatsAndWaterfront.com 
See previous message. Jack D.
Awesome site, Mr. P.
Wish we had known you were into this cause when we moved down here we gave away the Bertram! Couldn’t figure a way to move it down here and didn’t think we would ever use it.
Was a 28 ft. Flybridge Cruiser with 2 new Chryslers in her. She would fly. Oh well.
You rock man!!!
hello, wondering if you can elaborate on the history of little brother, as i am very interested in the vessel. i am unfamiliar with summerfield or river bend marina.
thanks in advance,
jon
Hi Preston, I love this story, and love this Boat–the Lady Jane! In fact, I ‘m wondering if it might have once belonged to my own Grandfather in Richmond, Virginia.! His name was Thomas P. Kerse, pronounced Kearse, and he took excursions all over the Eastern Seaboard in his Lady Jane! Mainly, he used it on the Chesapeake Bay and the James River. My mother was full of stories about their family adventures on the Lady Jane! I know that my sister has a picture of our boat, but I cannot remember what it looks like. We have a picture somewhere of my brother standing on deck. I do think it is this boat. I am hoping you might know? If you do, you might be interested in knowing some history of the naming of the boat. My mother was one of six sisters and one boy! My Grandfather’s first boat was named for his first born daughter, The Evelyn, I do have pictures of that boat. The Lady jane was named for his baby daughter, Janey Bell kerse Sommers. All of them are deceased now, but leave numerous children, grandchildren and great grands to celebrate them. I hope we can discover if we share some history. I write a blog also, and just a couple days ago wrote of Thomas’s father, my grandfather james H.Kerse. Earlier, I had written about the tragic drowning of Thomas’s only son, my uncle when he was a child, rowing a dingy away from the Lady jane. If you want to take a look, please visit at Heart of a southern Woman http://heartofasouthernwoman.wordpress.com/category/genealogy/
I look forward to hearing from you, helenholshouser@gmail.com
Helen
Enjoyed article. My church gave me a Silva 18 for pastoring here 40 years. Love it have wanted one for Years.
Just ran across your site while researching Summerfield Boat works. Damn near bought a tear to my eye. I first set foot ashore there in the mid Sixties, I think I was about Nine or Ten years old. My family had moved to The Bahamas a few years before and my Father owned a 52′ 1930’s Herreshoff Sloop which we bought to Summerfield for hauling. My dad fell in love with the place, being quite the Bohemian off -center kinda guy that he was. He fit right in! We returned every year for hauling, doing most of the work ourselves, and when we got in over our heads the “Yard Crew” would rally-round and bail us out. I loved the place so much I ended up working there for a long time. Frank Giambattista hired me and I worked alongside “Big Mike” in the mechanics shop. Ah yes; cold beer at days end with Dockmaster Lyle, Brad Storm, Mark Thunder and the usual gang of reprobates that populated the place. I was there up until the end. Broke my heart to see it shut down, like watching your dog get hit by a truck, it still hurts a little. But what great memories.
I spent quite a bit of time working on dry-docked sailboat called the Somniator owned by Nelson Christiana, doing cosmetic work like teak refinishing (although most of the wood on that boat was mahogany).
I later joined Nelson as a crew in Belize and Guatamala and had had a blast.
I recently looked him up and discovered that he passed away some time ago.
Peace to Nelson, and thanks to Summerfield for great memories!