Ladies Can Look Cool In A Skipper Cap Too!

This post card image was clearly taken at the start of Marilyn's career.. The question is.. Was it the cap that launched her into stardom? I claim, yes! If you are too chicken to buy a cap, you can buy the post card .. Right here on eBay

Woodycycles? Yup.. Thanks To Digital Veneer.

Limited Edition Riva Tribute Vespa !

So you say, where in the world do you find this stuff Woody? Well.. in this case Auckland! Thanks to fellow Woody Boater Lance Sheppard for finding us really.. This stuff is cool as hell, and from the looks of it, you could have a field day with it.. In the example above is as if Riva built there own Vespa.. I LOVE IT! No fake looking fiberglass.. Or if you are a hog sorta dude.. Try it on your Harley tank..

Use your imagination..

DANG!  In the works from the folks at Digital Veneer is a Chris Craft, Hacker tribute Vespa as well.. Double Dog Dang! Golf Carts! The bikes are decorated utilizing there advanced Digital Veneer technology using a ultra high resolution, 100% UV stable digital ink image of real wood that is applied to the bike. They have over 400 wood, carbon and metal films in stock so the customization potential is limited only to your imagination. Click here on the Digital Veneer site and enjoy...

More Stuff on The Warner Aution Site.. My Head Hurts!

This just in.. Another 3 pages of stuff.. It's stuff.. gas tanks, and stuff.. If you leave this auction with nuth'n, then you weren't there.. Bring a truck.. Click here..

Boardwalk Empire. Why The Night Before The Work Week Is Now My Favorite Night.

OK, OK I know, what in the heck does a show on HBO have to do with Antique & Classic boats? Everything! In my quest to understand the soul of my Antique Boat I feel strongly that we must understand how and why it was built.. My recent trip to Michigan was a real eye opener.. It all made perfect sense.. And now this show.. First, for those of you that don't have HBO, call HBO and sign up.. Here.... Then on Sunday nights at 9 pm Eastern Standard time, grab a whiskey, put on my skipper cap, and turn on the time machine. This is no ordinary TV show, it just happens to be broadcast on your TV screen.. Martin Scorsese and Mark Whalberg have created a series of films that will immerse you in the era of prohibition in Atlantic City..Booze, illegal booze.. the fuel in which many of our boats were built for... If that's not enough, there is nudity, and violence.. And if that's not enough, the occasional old wood boat..Although in three episodes all I have seen is some ocean going boats.. One gets the idea behind some of the great bootlegger boats of the day.. The other thing that is cool, and will win every award on the planet next year.. is the set design. It's perfect.. Look at the signage, the window dressings in the stores.. It all works.. Look at the fonts, the hand lettering, the colors, the textures.. No Martha Stewart did not crawl up into my brain.. But this is the sort of stuff that helps when you are choosing a font for your lettering, or you want to do some set design at a show to give your boat that extra kick.. So throw away that plastic mannequin, and do it right... And no one does this better than Scorsese.. Here is another chance to visit the web site..

"Betty Boop" - A One Of A Kind WeldWood Boat

If you missed the big Smith Mountain lake show, you missed the launching of a one of a kind WeldWood, lovenly restored by fellow woody boter Phil Jones.. Here is a great video of the event, and her history written by Phil himself..


  This boat was built by US plywood also known as Algoma Plywood and Veneer Co. and now Algoma Hardwoods. The Co. has been in business for more than 100 years.

During WW II US plywood constructed boats and landing craft for the US government. After the war US plywood wanted to break into the new and blooming recreational boating market fueled by returning GI’s. US plywood had by this time, with the merger of Weldwood products, developed a method to produce mahogany plywood hulls; utilizing resorcinol glue and hot molding method. US plywood wanted to mass produce hulls to be distributed to whole sale boat distributers, which in turn would complete the boat in their design, transom, interior, power option put their name on the product and sell to the general public.
Two brothers, Virgil Lehmkuhl and Curtis Lehmkuhl worked in the R&D department at Algoma Plywood And Veneer Co. in the 40’s and assisted with the design and construction of WELDWOOD a 16’double cockpit executive runabout, with a Grey Marine Fireball 90, twin down draft carb setup.

This boat was a one off unit specifically constructed for upcoming trade shows, and occasionally used to give visiting dignitaries rides on the river at the plant. One of the brother’s took WELDWOOD out for her maiden voyage. The brothers also contributed to a docking system designed with two pedestals that attach to the brass fittings on the boat. This allows the boat to roll with the sea and not bang into the dock. A hand peened brass plaque was also produced to attach to her stern.

WeldWood saw little use other than trade show events. As the Co. began to produce more hulls, WeldWood was retired. The company offered her to the original designers Virgil Lehmkuhl and Curtis Lehmkuhl.
WeldWood was put in a barn in Sturgeon Bay, Wisconsin and there she stayed until 1986.
In 1986 Virgil and Curtis Lohmkuhl decided to pass the “WELDWOOD” to Paul Kruger, there nephew. At the time of transfer WELDWOOD had 143 hours running time on her motor. Virgil and Curtis reviewed WELDWOOD ‘S operating systems with their nephew. That summer Paul used the boat sparingly, and entered her in the local wooden boat show, where she was the “featured boat”. Soon after, Paul retired her back to her original resting place on the family farm in the back of the old barn, and there she sat till Jan. 2008.
2008 and the financial meltdown that ensued brought WeldWood back out into the daylight. Times had gotten tight for the farm implement business that Paul owned. Paul decided it was time to liquidate some of the items that had been stored in that barn over the years.
January 2008 WeldWood arrived in Lynchburg, Va. to her new owner, Phil Jones. Her white sides were faded and filled with crazing. Her varnish had begun to break down in areas, and she was covered with 23 years of dirt and grime. On the bright side, all was there unmolested for 60 years.
On and off over the next two and a half years WeldWood was refinished by her current owner. Her hull was stripped, some wood repair performed, and a new finish applied. Motor gaskets were replaced, original brass fixtures were rebuffed, original chrome parts were rechromed, and the original 6” gage was cleaned only and retains its original face.

She was rechristened in the spring of 2010 by my wife as BETTY BOOP
the iconic babe of the late 40’s

Hot Off The Press - 2010 Geneva Lakes Antique & Classic Boat Show Awards

Go to the kitchen and heat up some rubber chicken.. It's a virtual awards show.. 

Pink.. See we predicted this.. Pink is the new hot color this year.. I am envious.. 

And the O'Neill award goes to...

It's from 1930.. So it can't be called a new town?

Also won the strongest transom award..Look at all that gold leif that thing is supporting 

Way to go Dave.. From one of your Contemporaries

Also winner of the squeezed it into the slip award with out scratching the sides.. 

mmm pre war U22's Dang.. And towels...AND matching ropes.. Dang! 

David.. The Warner collection... Look at the Dingle.. It's like you are made for each other

I love this boat. Sorry.. I am trying to comment.. It's just a very cool boat.. 

George! Way to go.. 

And the award for.. "I wish folks still made cool wood boats award" goes to Streblow Boats.. Who still makes cool wood boats...

It's the leaves.. We called that one

And the Svoboda Award goes to.. 

Texx's Joke is the funniest one from last night story.. 

And the final award goes to the Announcer for having to read this to a full room without messing it up!

Special thanks to the Blackhawk ACBS Chapter for providing Woody Boater with the results of the Awards Presentation from Saturday night.

Texx

2010 Geneva Lakes Antique & Classic Boat Show - Sunday Encore

No Golf Today? Well, thanks to Fellow Woody Boater Chad Durren you can actually see the 2010 Geneva Lakes Antique & Classic Boat Show in the morning (on your computer) and play golf in the afternoon. We supply the 18 boat show images and you take care of the 18 holes of golf.

"Gina" - 1948 20' Chris Craft Custom. There's just something special about seeing a Post War Chris-Craft Custom Runabout at a boat show. Maybe it's because there were only 369 20' Custom's produced by Chris-Craft from 1946 to 1949.

"Victory Rose" - 1951 29' Chris Craft Super Deluxe Enclosed. According to The Essential Guide - Only 38 of these were produced by Chris-Craft from 1951 to 1952, all with white hull sides.

"Wooden Nickols" - 1940 22' Chris Craft Utility. Shipped to Hessel, Michigan in June 1940. Purchased by the owner of Hessel Grocery to deliver supplies in the Hessel - Cedarville area.

1959 Rienell Jetfight

This combo (1959 Chevrolet Impala tow car on left) has been together since the early 1960's in Washington State. It still uses the original Tee nee trailer. The boat also has correct matching interior.

"Miss Millie" Owned by Mark Svoboda.
A 1967 21' Century Coronado with a 325 HP Chrysler V8 - Only 70 produced in 1967.

"Special K" a 1957 Century Coronado 21’ Runabout with a 240 hp Chrysler Engine 5.2 Liter. Owned by Phil Barrett, Lake Geneva, WI / Clarendon Hills, IL.

Century only produced 240 of these in 1957.

"Swingin Shepherd" - 1954 24' Shepherd Hardtop. Based on the images Chad sent in to Woody Boater, there seems to be a few of these beautiful Canadian manufactured Shepherd's at this year's event. We love these boats - Often see them with the fold down Bimini style soft tops but I can't remember seeing one with a hard top like this.

Here's a side view of the same Shepherd's hard top - Very cool.

Here's another one... "Audrey III" - 1954 24' Shepherd Runabout.

Not sure how many 1954's were originally produced, but we know there were at least two!

A 1947 Shepherd 17' Utility (above) c/w yellow interior.

"Ragtime" - 1954 20' Century Resorter c/w yellow interior.

A total of only 99 were produced by Century in 1954.

"Jensen Special" - 1945 16' Peterborough English Racing Canoe

In the 2010 Geneva Lakes show entry information, the owner states -
I have attached a few pictures of this very special canoe of historical significance to the modern canoe racing community.

The canoe is a Peterborough Canoe Co. "Canadian Strip" built model number 1430 William English racing canoe built in the mid 1940's.

This canoe was used by Gene Jensen and Tom Estes to win their first Minneapolis Aquatennial Canoe Race in 1949. The Aquatennial was a 500 mile 10 day race that began near Bemidji MN. and ended on the Mississippi River.

"Little Guy" - 1956 14' Chris Craft Typhoon (I think)

"Fire Escape" - 1978 23' Streblow Runabout

"The Big W" - 1947 22' Chris Craft Sportsman

Not sure what this is but it sure looked fast...

"Sugar Lady" a 1932 Chris-Craft 27' 309 Custom Triple Cockpit Runabout
from the Warner Collection on display.

I would love to know what this fellow is thinking... "Hmmm - Maybe I should attend that Mecum Auction in October and bring this boat home as a gift for my wife?"

Thanks Chad for the great images from the Geneva Lakes Show.

Some information for this story was provided from the Blackhawk ACBS Chapter / Geneva Lakes Antique & Classic Boat Show entry list and web site. Century Boat production information was provided by the Century Boat Club.

Texx

Live Same Day Coverage from the 2010 Geneva Lakes Boat Show

Once again this year, thanks to Fellow Woody Boater Chad Durren we get to see some live same day images from the 2010 Geneva Lakes Antique & Classic Boat Show. The Geneva Lakes show is presented by the Blackhawk ACBS Chapter and like last weekend's ACBS International, this event brings out some of the best boats in the country.

"Nato" is a beautiful 1970 28' Riva Super Aquarama which, according to the transom, is from Monaco... He should get the long distance award this year...

"Sportin' a Woody" a 1959 18' Chris-Craft Continental c/w show towels.

"Effie" is owned by Tom Whowell - a big 1948 25' Chris Craft Sportsman. Looks like it was too big to fit in the standard dock space.

Bill Basler Director of Marketing and Membership for the Chris-Craft Antique Boat Club, proudly displaying the club's fabulous quarterly publication, The Brass Bell. We know that the annual Geneva Lakes event is one of Bill's favorite shows. It's great to see him get out of the office and get a chance to visit with the folks - See that big smile...

"NOKOMIS" Charles Colman's 2003 36' Van Dam Saloon Runabout - Wow!

"Oz' Ark" - 1956 26' Chris Craft Continental

"Swift Fawn" - 1929 24' Chris Craft Triple

"Feist Forty" is a 1940 20' Gar Wood runabout owned by Fred Sikorski from Mundelein, IL.

"Untouchable" a big 1995 28' Hacker Triple

"Sweet Addiction" a classic, colorful 1955 21' Century Coronado.

Above, a 1957 Larson Thunderhawk Jr.

"MARIA" - 1974 18' Century Resorter

"I'm speechless" - No that's not the name of this launch, "I'm just speechless"

"What Fun" - 1937 17' Chris Craft Custom (above)

Another beautiful example of a pre-war 19' Chris-Craft Custom Barrel Stern.

"Still Sking" - 1964 16' Correct Craft Atom Skier. What a great name for a classic boat.

"Quananiche" - 2001 40' Grand Craft Salon Cruiser. A BIG name for a BIG BOAT.

1959 Glasspar Seafair Sedan "Mama Mia!"

"Majen Sawasmo" - 1898 34' L. E. Fry Launch

"Got Woody?" - 1965 15' MiloCraft Valkyrie

Stay tuned for some more boats from the 2010 Geneva Lakes Show on Sunday.

Thanks again Chad!

Texx