Things Are Already Changing In Woody Boaterville.

This is a photo of the new site in the process of being worked on.

I know I should be talking about boat shows and bung holes.. But as you know, we here talk about what happening at the moment. And right now, an epic event is taking place and a ton of time. As we have talked about for about a year now is taking place. Change is never easy, especially when you are comfortable in your ways. But with technology, it's death to stay in one place. When I started Woody boater I started on Blogspot because I did not know what I was doing...still don't... but as things kept growing, we needed to add things that blogspot just could not do.. So we have needed to move over to an entirely new platform. Word Press. I have painstakingly tried to design the change so it feels the same but adds better things.. This will be the one big change, others will evolve over time. And be seamless. The big changes are a 4th line of more permanent stories. That feature boats folks and places that we all like to see stay up there longer. Also each story on the big area, will be a single image that will help have more stories on the home page. That's really it.. The reason for the domain change for some of you is because the base on blogspot is its own hosting.. Now. if you go to the old adress it should move you over.. but its best to just use www.woodyboater.com, thanks again for being patent.. I am not.. You will start see ing some odd things on this blog spot page for the next few days as we transfer things over.. The new site should be live in a day.. Wooohoooo! Complaints! Ha.. WARNING! I have Pat Curtin running the complaint department!

Do You Have A Big Woody?

Well, if you are on this list you do now.. Congrats to all the big winners..  We looked over all that was done this year and here are the results..

Woody Boater of the Year.. Herb Pocklington.  That guy is a machine and lead the charge of the statue of Christopher Smith and Gar Wood. This was a major move forward towards honoring the history that was created by The Smith's and Woods.. Wow! Herb had to deal with nay sayers and a tough fund raising effort.. During one of the worst economic crashes in our lifetimes.. Way to go Herb.. You now have a Big Woody!

Woody Boater Show Of The Year. Algonac. There are bigger fancier shows.. But for Woody Boater and it's tragic un-fanciness, Algonac was the big winner. Located at the epicenter of the hobby. You could feel how it all started and the personality of the folks behind it. Summers in Algonac are a treasure.. That entire area and folks are the best.. I am proud to give Algonac a Big Woody.


Best Show For Show Boats - Bay Harbor ACBS International Show. Jesus Christ you had to be there to see what I am talking about.. The boats there were all best of show winners at any other show.. I got splinters in my lower jaw from scraping the docks.. The perfect docks.. Even that whacked out Duck head boat was killer..So here goes ACBS.. A Big Woody...

Woody Boater Best Website - Antique Boat Center. Finally someone gets it. Facebook, updated content, cool features, boats for sale. And according to the stats.. The largest readership.. By Millions.. Way to go.. You can put another Big Woody in the tent there..

Woody Boater Change The Game Award - Mecum Auctions. Not just the Warner Auction.. That was amazing.. But all the other stuff that they are doing to evolve the passion of classic boats.. Don't auction off your Big Woody.. They are priceless..

Woody Boater Road Trip of The Year- Texx. The Trip From Calgary Canada.. to Southern California, to Tennessee, then to Fla..for the big show And BACK!  You get the Big Hemorrhoid award.. to go with your Big Woody.


Woody Boater Club of The Year. - It's a no brainer.. The Chris - Craft Antique Boat Club. With the Boat Buzz, and new features on the Web Site.. And... ... The Brass Bell.. Crap! No wonder it's growing at a such a fast pace.. Congrats to the team.. you all can share your Big Woody's.

Most Supportive Of The World Of Classic boating. Hagerty- They are everyplace and supportive of even the smallest shows.. They contribute time and money.. And make sure that when you smack your boat into a dock. The support is always there. So Carla.... A Big...... I can't say it.. it, just sounds creepy.. Chris you can enjoy the Big Woody.. Wait, that sounds worse.. Who named this dang award a big woody anyway..

Woody Boater Event Of The Year- The Warner Auction.. Hands down an amazing event. I am including the parties before and after.. That entire month was amazing.. Minnesota, you are now the home of a Big Woody!

Woody Boater Babe Of The Year.  Amanda! She is clueless of her stardom, and clearly will run screaming if anyone says we have a Big Woody for her.. But with over 430,000 votes.. Clearly she is a winner with someone.


Woody Boater Film Of The Year- Mike Mayer from Lake Oswego Boat Works- For introducing original film, with words....to the hobby, not just shots of boats going fast on a lake.. or being put in the water...He is so avaunt guard! "I laughed I cried, I kissed my wife good bye and went to the Warner Auction" You can watch the film here..  Just please, no films with Big Woodys in them..


Woody Boater Barn Find Of The Year - The Third Rumored Thayer IV, and the US mail Boat Mariah.. These two boats created the biggest story of the year..the Harrison's Barn find Sportsman, which was a close runner up.. But with over 100 comments on the Golden Pond boats.. I will send Pat and the Family a Big Woody.. They can tuck it away and one day someone will find it.. ... I would love to give a Big Woody to who ever that is..

Woody Boater Boat Of The Year! Oh boy.. I am thinking here and trying to weed through which boat made the most impact on us.. Which is the boat that left me saying, god, I want that boat, I want to oil it, rub on it and just..... OK.. It's a toss up.. First, ya got Mr White, the nicest U22 on the planet Owned by the Kadimicks, . Or  Foxy lady.. Also a very cool Higgins's owned by the Ploetners, Or Seth Katz's Cobra, or that Barrel Back in his show room at Katz's marina..... Dang that thing has a finish on it that I would kill for.. Or... wait.. Wait one second, they are all from Lake Hopatcong.. So.. The award goes to all the boats from Lake Hopatcong! You all can get in a circle and share your Big Woody!

Woody Boater Destination Of The Year. Michigan.. Between, Hessle, The St, Clair, and Bay Harbor.. It's an entire state of Woody Boat Bliss.. That poor state got the shaft over the past couple of years.. So now.. A Big Woody..

Woody Boater Thing I Would Not Miss Ever Award. Sunnyland Show- I can't keep giving this show the best show award.. But it should get one each year. The volunteers, the location , the time of year, the people, the boats, the weather, the food.. Wait.. the food is normal and boring..Wait, Chicken on a stick.. Ahhhhh!  everythinge is fantastic, the flea market... The pals, the.. it goes on and on.. Just like a Big Woody!

Changes Coming To Woody Boater!

Stay Calm! I won't be, so some of us need to be adults....

It's that time of year where I actually have some down time to rethink Woody Boater.. WAIT, don't worry, I know how sensitive folks are to change. me included. But things need to evolve.. I just need to inhale.. A lot...but not to much or I will black out.. In the up coming weeks we will be moving away from the address blogspot to just www.WoodyBoater.com please change your book marks. The reason for this is simple. We have out grown Blogspot and are really no longer a blog.. We have somehow turned into a online magazine / News / Community  deal.. I still don't know what to call it.. I do know it's fun as hell, and growing ...fast... we have been yacking about this for about a year now, so the change should not all be that dramatic.. But for folks that still believe in flat head screws, this could be life changing.. With the growing demand for video and live broadcasting, a new platform will allow that easier.. And we want to add more sticky stories.. No not stories on gum or glue.. Just ones that hang around longer than one day.. We will still update daily, possibly more each day this way.. But now feature Woody Boater of the Month, Woody Boat of the month, and so on.. Some of the stories that Texx does should be up longer.. They deserve it. Now... Things may not exactly go smoothly for a while.. Commenting may change.. things may not click as smoothly til I get the bugs worked out.. Just let me know and we will fix it.. Thanks again for your loyalty, and keep click'n..

Happy New Year 2011 & We Forgot To Say Thanks To The Captain Of The Ship

I would like to interrupt the regular scheduled programming - Matt's "Best of 2010 Series" to wish everyone a Happy New Year and to say thanks to the Captain of the Woody Boater ship.

We have lots of fun putting these stories together and Friday morning's "Best of 2010 - Woody Boaters" story was a good example of what it takes some days. At 3:00 AM Pacific Time I just checked in to a hotel after a 20 hour round trip drive to deliver "Zsa Zsa" (my 1952 Chris-Craft Riviera) to Ryan Trailers in Oregon for her new trailer. It was 6:00 AM Eastern in Virginia and Matt e-mailed me, asking me to proof read the story because he was concerned that he was going to forget to include someone in the story.

Matt's a "Morning Person" and I'm a "Night Hawk." If we are working on a story together, because we are on opposite sides of the country, it's very common for Matt & I to communicate live via e-mail in order to get the story out on time in the morning. Nine e-mails back and forth exchanging names and images and a few hours later the story was ready to be published. Matt went to work and I went to bed in the hotel for a few hours.

Later that day, we spoke by phone about how the story came together and we laughed and laughed like a couple of teenage girls at the beach... At one point I had to pull off the highway I was laughing so hard. That's a normal day behind the scenes at Woody Boater and that's why we enjoy it so much - We are always having Fun!

Here's the Captain posting live updates from the Warner Collection Auction on his trusty iPhone, Matt doing what he's best at - with his unique style of wit and humor like no other... What a great weekend that was...

Regardless if it's creating a story, attending a boat show or an auction, or just coming up with fresh new ways of presenting a Woody Boater story, Matt's "Energizer Bunny" level of enthusiasm and creativity in infectious.

In our efforts to get the Friday Woody Boaters story completed and published, we forgot to mention one important person. So please join me to say THANKS to Matt Smith, the Captain of the Woody Boater ship. We appreciate everything that you do for the hobby and the opportunity to stay in tough with the Daily News from the World of Antique & Classic Boats on Woody Boater.com

Now back to our regular scheduled programming... It's now 2011 and before long the snow will be off the mountains and the lakes will once again be ready for a New Year of Woody Boating...

I for one can't wait for the 2011 boating season to start again!

Texx