A Final Ruling On The 25 Sportsman Port Starboard Companion Way Debate?

Okay, we all chimed in with our internet opinions, some very insightful, and some funny. And one that required a dictionary. But there are a couple things that do make it a clearer reason. The largest is the Scripps Factory vs other engines.…

The 25 Sportsman Walk Through. Port, Starboard? Why?

MAJESTIC, Starboard walk through. MARION E. Port, side by side.Hands down one of the top boats ever made is the 25 Sportsman by Chris Craft.  Very few were made, and always seem to stay in the family, or are long term owned. Which is always…

New Whizoil Coffee, The Perfect Coffee For You 2 Strokers.

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Like your Java with a little something in the morning? Well, we have you covered. New Whizoil Coffee from WoodyBoater Coffee Co. We brought together the finest beans and grind them with outboard props. To add to that, we hired Lisa Douglas …

The Lil Racer Next To The Garage Now Has A Name And You Will Not Believe This.

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You may recall a couple weeks ago, okay maybe a month ago we pulled a lil racer from beside a garage here in Reedville. A very fun Aluminum 12 ft Rich Line Speedster with a 35 Hp Mercury. Anyway, we needed a name, and many jumped in to help.…

My Baby’s Gone, My Baby’s Gone…. To Vermont.

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Yesterday we packed up Baby Chick and all her stuff, and drove to Jimmy's Barn near Fredericksburg VA to meet Michael Claudon  from Snake Mountain Boatworks. I am so thrilled she is headed to a better place, than the purgatory of storage. Actually…

Sausage Dora Day

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Today we celebrate the lips and snouts of images that together make a story. And some yummy Sausage. I love me some Sausage. This years Lake Dora event was very special, and a chapter turn of sorts. You could feel it in the air. Its a new show…

A $2K Special Proves The Fun Of Classic Boating Is Still Alive And Swell. Lots Of Swelling.

At this years field of dreams at Lake Dora, there were some cool boats, and several Lymans. Paul Harrison was looking around, and found this sweet Black Lyman for $2,000 WITH a useable trailer.. And it runs. In fact he had Mike Mayor, Herb…

Owen Turner Takes On The Big Guns, And Wins The Hearts Of The Classic Boating Community

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One of the true joys of having done Woody Boater for over 15 years, is watching the future grow up.  Every year at Lake Dora I have a buddy who keeps me smiling, and confident that all is well in the world.  Owen Turner. Actually the entire…

Ignominy Boater. Yes It’s A Word, Actually A Noun. And Yes, Paul Harrison Used It With Great Glee!

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Oh the Ignominy of it all. And as usual, Paul's use of the English language is perfect, emotive, and yes. So So True. Let me splain. So yesterday we enjoyed meeting everyone. And decided that a boat ride was warranted to release some  steam.…

Quotes From Dora -“Oh Look! A FeatherCraft” “Is It Possible To Overdose On Bacon?” “You Could Carry A Chopped Up Body Through The TSA, But Not Any Seasoning” And “Come Over For Lunch It’s Like A Slaughter House Over Here.

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The Boatress from the back of the truck, HEY! It's a FeatherCraft? What?  16 Years of this may have rubbed off.  What a wonderful way to arrive in FLA. And it just got better and better. The Dora HQ is all set and we are ready to report. The…

WHOOPS Is Ready For Lake Dora, But I Am Not Sure Lake Dora Is Ready For Her. YIKES!

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Yesterday we did the final water test for WHOOPS, the restomod 1961 17 Chris - Craft Ski Boat that Wayne Bomb is bring to Dora. Now, she ain't perfect, as you may recall from last year, we had to kinda spruce her up. But she was built like a…

The Black Cobra Getting Ready For Lake Dora, Sales Of Poligrip Spike. This Could Get Ugly.

If you are still on the fence about going to Lake Dora, this may just push you over. The Jim Street Black Cobra will be at this years Lake Dora event. She has been prepped in the Katzs way, perfect, and test run, and re test run. Why? Because…

These Amazing Photo’s From The Past In Laconia New Hampshire Could Be Worth Gold, Okay Maybe Just Sepia.

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If your boat was owned in Laconia, or Lake Winnipesaukee, these images may be a gold mine for you, and for us a a fun peek into what it was like to be a transport guy back in the day. This is a series of photos found on ebay by Bob Kays…

10 Days, The Big Countdown Is Here, Are You Going There?

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It's officially the big countdown 10 Days. 10 Days til sunshine, summer, and boating with friends. Towing in, being towed in, over eating, over everything..ing. Of course its all hands on deck getting ready, but man oh man it's all worth it.…

The Beside The Barn Find Lil’ Racer Needs A Name

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This past week as you are already aware from yesterdays story, Wayne Bomb and I got the little race boat out from beside the barn. And boy oh boy, her story just kept getting better and better. She is a 1958-1960 Rich-Line 12 ft Speedster. She…

“mmmmm, Sorry Sir, I Don’t Think We Have A Dumpster For That”

Thats the quote from the guy that runs the dump in our area. And maybe his way of thinking is right. But then again, none of us here think right anyway. But man oh man it cracked me up. Wayne Bomb and I were able to extract the lil Racer from…

The Chris-Craft Deal of The Century, Wait, No, They’re Chris-Crafts, Not Centurys. OF THE CENTURY.

It's gonna be warm soon, and do we have a deal for you. A wonderful 1947 Chris Craft 25' Sportsman for just $9,500, thats right, this baby ran when she was backed into the barn, and just needs a little TLC. Okay, maybe a tad more TLC.. Like…

A New Day, Okay, The Next Day, Of Many More Days To Come.

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Yesterday around 4 PM the new WoodyBoater went live, and in no time 35 comments. WOW, it's wonderful to know you all are still here. I know Greg needed some shock therapy to stay alive. It's okay Greg,  it was just a long nightmare, Plug…

Welcome To A New Website, And New Day On WoodyBoater, Held Over. Hangover?

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We are thrilled to bring you all, the New WoodyBoater. We had some of our more famous Woody Boaters introduce you all to the new world. If you look around, poke around and try stuff out. Things may break, or not, over the next week, we will…

How Is It We Have Never Known About This? Oh Wait, It’s A Secret.

If you want to set a world record, at 25 MPH, do not name your boat SECRET, and then make a post card out of it, and if you are going to claim you built it, maybe you tell the world who you are? But then again, it's a Secret. I am so confused,…

A Miami Flyer Needs Your Brain Cells

A fellow Woody Boater, emailed us to help with his Miami Flyer. I will let his note tell what he knows. Any Miami Flyer Fans Out there? I now am. I did not know about these, and the style is amazing, along with that V8 WOW, Just Wow o Wow! My…

RERUN FROM THE NEW ARCHIVES – The Rumored 3rd Thayer IV.. The Barn Find Of The Decade!

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Woody Boater and U22-1460 Thayer IV - October 2010 This story is one of the most important stories in Woody Boater history. And marked the moment Woody Boater became a real thing in the wood boat hobby. Okay, not a thing.…

A Woody Boater Backroom Deal?

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From time to time, a fellow Woody Boater offers some special WoodyBoater to WoodyBoater deal. I get it, and have actually been toying with a category on Woody Boater that is for us only. Like a Woody Boater backroom area. If you know about…

The Paper Wake Of A Chris Craft Triple Ride Boat

Hold on, I have been waiting on the mail man to deliver the mail. Yes the Milk man is waiting on the Mail man. And so you are waiting. Thankfully The Wallace man knows how to text.. Thanks man.. Anyway, jokes are now out of the way. We have…

Story Surfing – Special Dart Indian Lake Boat Ride Boat

We have a new term for the Woody Boater dictionary. Story Surfing. It's what happens when you go beyond milking, and the good stuff keeps coming. And such is the case from yesterday. Fellow Woody boater Jim Hawver, chimed in with one of his…

Some Warm Memories To Warm You Up.

Yup, it's official, it's cold outside. No matter where you live, it's colder than it should be. And yes, even for our friends in Florida. Yikes. Lizards dropping from trees. WTH? I do think that may be one of the signs of the Apocalypse, so…

El Lagarto 100th Anniversary Tribute To Warm You Up For Tomorrows Holiday Party

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A huge thanks to Kent O.Smith Jr for this wonderful holiday gift and a reminder that WoodyBoater is actually about boats. Ya? I know, who knew? What? No Mr B shots in here? Mmmmm. Perhaps the most iconic Lake George (NY) boat is the infamous…

Longtime Woody Boater Brian Cuthbertson Suddenly Passes Away

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This morning we were all notified that a fixture in the Wooden Boat universe Brian Cuthberson had passed away suddenly up in Algonac. What became quickly clear is how special and loved Brian was. He was a fixture up in the center of it all,…

Todays Disposable Story Is About, Well Who Cares, It Wont Be Up For Long.

I know this looks like its been the longest tease on the planet earth, but change does require changes before it can go live. With a site that has so many little things in its 15 year history, stuff keeps breaking and needs fixing. For example…

The Queens Ball At Global HQ

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Last night the Railway was the setting for the event of the fall here on the Northern Neck Of Virginia. The Queens Ball, which is a big fund raiser and celebration. We did break a record of just over 100 people and she held up well. It was…

The Sorensen Swirl, Oh It’s Real.

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Today we get to know the Sorensen's and that time they went out boating, and caused quite the stir on the lake. So, it turns out the Sorensen's were known for being rather energetic up in the midwest, and were always doing crazy things,…

Different Kinda Rerun For All Our Model 99 Readers

Yesterday the comment section got lost in a model 99 conversation. BTW, I love it when that happens, and I can go story surfing. NEW term, where I grab the wave of conversation and run with it. HEY!!!! Have you been outside? It's COLD. YA…

The WoodyBoater Secret Lair Of Repair

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Yesterday was the day, no gasp, just a quick drive to the ramp and get those suckers inside and winterized. But this year, we have something very special. Hidden away in plain site is a special secret place that Jimmy has with his buddy…

A Tugboat That Tugs Your Heart.

Open up your mind, cause this tugboat is gonna park its self in there. Yup. You will laugh at first, and then the gears will start turning. I gotta say thats what it's doing to me, and I have 7 boats, including a tugboat of sorts. Sweet…

It’s Official, I Am Already Climbing The Walls.

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Well, it's happened. Cold weather is here, and well, I have run out of wall space to climb, or put stuff. I swear, how did that happen. The workshop is becoming a museum of my need to collect strange crap. WTH? Like every inch. Hell I am…

RIP My Old Friend.

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So long my old friend, it was a great summer, actually several summers. You were with me through the sweaty heat, dirt, sanding and painting. Lots of painting, crawling. You kept me covered, and yet had a little tear, rip and flap to show…

Sweet Pea Rides Again

For those of you following Sweet Peas beauty make over, here she Is headed back home after her stay at the spa. She will get more touching up in the spring, and of course some good lov'n over the winter.

Making Things Up To Survive. It’s Okay, It’s Just A Propeller Story

We got this cool note and pics from longtime fellow Woody Boater Gary Michael from Inland Boatworks, makes you think, mmm this is actually a very good idea, and I am sure saved the day..a lot. I know of some old prop guys that could just…

Adding A Little Swoopy-Doo To Sweet Pea.

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There is a spot on Sweet Pea that has always felt naked. And so yesterday, I tried a little sumthn sumthn. A flair, or as the Boatress refers to it, a Swoopty Doo. Now, it's just paint. But it does add a certain style and sparkle. I will…

Reflections Of The Click!

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On Saturday the light, weather and life just seemed to all come together in a perfect symphony of visual splendor. Sometimes it just clicks, and it's always good to collect those moments in a quick click. And reflect on the reflections.…

1911 Skipjack At The Global HQ Makes A Picture Perfect Day

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Forget setting your clocks back.... We set the decades back yesterday at Global HQ, and wow! I mean WOW WOW WOW! Yesterday was a magical day in so many ways. Warm, low light, and it all became some sort of spontaneous boat event at HQ. I…

The Old Lady Needed Some Strong Underwire!

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What? Oh just simmer your britches, this is a wood boat site, any old lady is your boat. Okay, so all you goody two shoes can keep reading. Or just look at the pictures. You read Woody Boater for the articles... Right! Got ya.. So here.   SO…

Todays Story Will Make You Laugh, Cry And Say Swingers? WHAAAAAAT?

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Over the past week or so longtime fellow Woody Boater Bob Murdock who BTW is also another owner of a vintage boat yard.. HOWE MARINE, Anyway, I digress into Nutsoville. Anyway Bob found his old family boat. I can tell you this type of moment…

Baby Gal Left At HQ Doorstep, Now What?

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Yesterday a fellow Woody Boater Danny Holden and local wood boat nut like us, showed up with a Baby Gal and left her at our door step. Yes, the poor dear had been out in the cold, heat, and cold again for decades. Clearly she had a full…

Chop Chop, Or She Goes Chop Chop!

Today you get to play god! Yes, or maybe just Caesar. You have one day, and thats right now. Will you save this old lady from being fed to the chainsaw? Yes. CHAINSAW! RIP SAW, DRILL, and Possibly Fire pit. UGH! A slow and sad death to a…

BOO!

How many times have you heard someone say, "I love wood boats, but they scare me"? This past two weeks of Sweet Pea painting I think I heard that once a day. Really? Whats there to be afraid of? paint? repair? ending up owning a railway?…

That’s Really All I Desire. Not A Riva, Not A Railway, Just The Beautiful Work Of Art On My Bow.

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Rabbit has a small desire. Okay, lets make Rabbits dream come true. Certainly someone out there in the Woodyboaterville community has one they would part with. After all you would be fulfilling a life long dream. But I ask you this…

What Was Your Kairos Summer Ride?

Every year around this time and seem to only remember one amazing ride. And it's never the one you think it will be when you go out. The ride becomes magical for a myriad of reasons. Sunset, engine performance, the company, location etc.…