Merrill Carr Allyn was born in Los Angeles on August 4, 1904. When he was four years old, his family moved to a ranch in the upper Santa Ana Valley, now more commonly known as Upper Ojai. He graduated from Ventura High School in 1922. He soon began to work as a deckhand for H. Bay Webster, a seaman who had a business offering tourists excursions to the Channel Islands. He also ran a sport fishing boat for a while.

During the Great Depression he spent 2 winters on Anacapa Island living in a cabin and tending to lobster traps. At one point he purchased a 40-foot charter boat that he used to earn a living through light hauling, tourism, fishing, and lobstering.

Following World War II, Allyn launched a boat building business, producing 8- and 10-foot dinghies. His shop was originally located at the pier and eventually moved to Front Street. His boats were called “Allyn boats” and were known for their sturdiness and ability to withstand harsh conditions. Allyn’s boat shop would become a place for boaters to gather, exchange news and information, and hold informal meetings.

He was a supporter of a small-boat marina in Ventura. Prior to the opening of the Ventura Marina, boaters had to keep their craft at Santa Barbara. He was appointed to the board of the Ventura Port District on April 26, 1955 and served as commissioner three times. He was also a writer and amateur photographer. He wrote several manuscripts including Three Old Kings of Anacapa Island and the article “The Ever Changing Islands” in Boats Magazine (1958).

Allyn died at the age of 62 in Santa Paula on February 23, 1967 with family.