Yesterday was one of those magic days. Gotta tell ya, it is in a way paradise working at the Railway with friends, laughing and doing what you love, all this while being on the water and surrounded by history and positivity. Of course today I will let the pics tell the story, and hopefully the
Oh, sure it all starts out in a what the hell mind set. Be honest, you started the passion with “I don’t want a show boat” I don’t need all that anxiety in my life. And next thing you know is you are researching zipper patents from the 1960’s YES! I did that. Then you
Some of the long time readers may recall back in 2014 when the storage building at Katz’s collapsed from the snow weight. Sadly many boats were destroyed and, well. Some little hero’s emerged, battered and beaten up. My favorite was the little 1930 Model 99 that dropped an entire story, and had a wall land
A huge thanks to fellow Woody Boater Kevin Fitzke not only for sharing this, but also a reminder that the future is very cool for the WoodyBoater universe. These are also a complete contrast to the Woody Floater Challenge. And illustrate the amazing craftsmanship by Kevin, vs the crapsmanship by me. And thats the joy
We all recall when Knot that Jeff found the little Lyman, and now after a stall in the progress, K-Jeff is back at it and digging out the hull. Or patching it up. And yes I am just say’n K -Jeff now – So as of right now we will have a Plywood boat, a
Well? Three day weekend and water water everywhere. Cant work on B unless the tide is down, but we are working away when we can. On a good note. Wayne Bomb found 2 dimes, so we are chipping away at the outrageous battery expense. Woohoo. And with that said, because were able to find two
While we have been plowing forward, so have the guys out west with the 1951 17’ Ventnor Runabout, which will become the Inland Empire ACBS’s official project boat. I so love these guys, they have expanded this idea and to be honest, possibly in a far more rough area than we are. But? Gotta start,
Well, here is a first. We found some money in the bilge. Okay, not a fortune, but considering usually one would be in the negative by thousands by now, any money is a good thing. AND a great click bait headline. Come on. Desperate times demand desperate measures. Right now we are $129.75 in the
Thanks to Voltaire for the inspiration, and small cheer to keep going on The WoodyFloater challenge. The entire point here is to just start, and not over think, over plan or any of that stuff. Don’t try and make it a show boat, just start. Every great thing I have done in my life for
Yesterday for a brief second, we had ignition. And a new issue. Seems like you make one step forward and well, you know the rest of the cliche. The great news is Wayne Bomb dealt with the insulation on the distributor and BAM. After some coaxing. Thanks Wes V and Tim Robinson. Now of
In between zoom calls Wayne Bomb and I have been chipping away at trying to get the engine to atleast kick over. And while thats happening, I am piecing together bits to bring her back together. I don’t want to use any other Mahogany so it blends better. And we are finding a board here
Today we have what could be one of the coolest finds since the Thayer IV find years ago here. Is this one of John Hackers first designs and build? Born in 1877 he would have made this boat at the age of 23. And started Hacker Boats in 1908. So this is a boat that
Yesterday was one of those insane perfect days. Cool in the AM, warm in the mid day and boating all afternoon. I was able to start dismantling B to assess the damage, and start putting together a list of stuff I need to go find. Note, I said find. The three B’s for B –
Yesterday for me might have been the real fist day of summer. I had the entire day off and the weather was kick’n it. Flat water, 70’s light breeze and jimmy was itch’n for a ride as well. So Jimmy, Hank and Suzy2 and I decided on a ride to Smith Island Maryland for a
Yes this headline may cause some tension in the Butler household, but hey, I got clicks I gotta get. And you already are here, so you know we are talking about a boat. SO? Here is the discussion. How is the correct blonde achieved? Is there a stain? Or as in the image above, Bleach
A huge shout out to my kids in New Orleans who have been slamming it home with some amazing cred. Okay, thats a little slang like for an old geezer like me. Let me try this. I am so proud of all my kids, family. This summer while visiting us here at home, Ham and
I am back from my filming in NY and a huge thanks to Hank for stepping in. Since then we have some entries and new ways to enter. We also have a entry from Frank From Falmouth but will need an image and proof of life. Frank will be doing this vertually. BUT the same
First and foremost, sorry for the dramatic build up. but hey, hopefully your expectations are as low as my standards. We are about to embark on a new feature this late fall and winter. The Woody Floater Challenge. So? One may ask, what is this ship? Here is the challenge, if you are up to
Todays report is late because of lost internet, have been trying various things since about 3AM to no avail. Yesterday was spent with family and we all decided to head to the Railway and play and joke around. And to be honest it was nice old school fun and family. We even brought the dogs.
Thanks to Knot That Jeff Gordon we have us a bit of an adventure today to go on. This is Knot Jeff’s grandparents tripple. It was on Lake Minocqua in Wisconsin. It was named FOBAJO. Thats all we have. Now of course this does not look like a Chris Craft, I could be wrong, and
As you know I have been working…at work, for about two months back to back, few hrs free, and slipping in some boat rides here and there. And a small boat show. But this weekend, actually starting today, I only have ONE meeting and then it’s three days off before heading to NYC again for
Over the past couple weeks we have seen some of the finest classic boats in the universe all gather in Clayton, and I gotta say, so I am gonna. WOW! The diversity and styles and smiles, make this segment of the entire boating universe special. It’s like The Best Of Boating, all in one place.
A huge thanks to the YNOT Yachts gang for sending in some of their amazing photos. I love these guys and how they approach things. With deep thought, and as artists. I have said it over and over again. YNOT is our version of Singer Porsche, and I will save that link for the end
Just when you thought it was over, Steve Lapkin in some real tasty treats from this past weeks big Clayton International Show. And a small helping of Chris Bullin. Here we go. “You’re the First, the Last, My Everything” Words and imagery by Steve Lapkin – Vocalist Barry White brought us the tune – “You’re
I can not believe I am starting down the trail to the 2025 Last Gasp stories. But we do have a new category of moments, I am galling “THE LAST GAS”. And no this is NOT the big announcement, I am still ironing out the details on that. I got the lead image from Bob Kays
A huge thanks to all for sending us all some fun images from the big Clayton International. Steve Lapkin is in the air headed back to the west coast, Holly sent us in some cool shots, AND Troy and M-fine sent us the cliche Tow shots to capture that special moment when we all know.
Good morning from Clayton: it’s a brisk Saturday morning in the 1,000 Islands. It is the last day of the 2025 ACBS Annual Members’ Meeting and Boat Gathering at The Antique Boat Museum. I/we have (kind of) saved some of the best (of our collective clicks) for last…not that we have held back, but what
Another wonderful report from Steve and Holly from the 50th Anniversary of the ACBS International at The Antique Boat Museum. Otherwise known as the 50thACBSIABM. Or of course Just “Clayton”, When your one word location is known, well you have achieved Cher status. It can mean only one thing. Wonderful boats and miles of smiles.
Another huge thanks to Steve Lapkin and Holly Weber for some amazing images and story form the big Clayton International. “The views from where I sit” is a phrase that refers to your personal perspective(s) ad experiences, shaped by your unique position. So here I/we are going to share our various points of view on
A huge thanks to Steve Lapkin and Holly Weber for sharing some pics from Day 2 at Clayton, and the 2025 ACBS International. And of course I get to make up the comments from rain soaked HQ. Indeed, we must all be blessed! Today’s schedule at the 2025 ACBS Annual Members’ Meeting and Boat Show
Today the images and stories are starting to get in. And wow. And Holly and Steve are there already clicking away. Which of course sets up one of my favorite things. A good old shoot out, where we see to photographers take some of the same stuff, but you get to see how story telling
While we wait for the Clayton reports, I thought we should clean up some of this weekends lips and snouts. This way we can focus on Clayton, and then the big news out of HQ. Be prepared to be underwhelmed BTW. Anyway, enjoy a nice Monday morning. The outboard races in Threasa NY near Alexandria
Yesterdays Reedville show delivered all the fun the weather could deliver. Perfect weather, a wide variety of boats, and classic boat show moments. And of course again, never really had the chance to go to the actual show. What? Well, the show is at the Reedville Fishermans Museum. The railway is a spot where you
Here we go. I guess. Maybe not. After all the calls and business meetings, I had to just walk away. Things were getting a little tight in the old timeline area. I can handle much of it on my iphone now. BUT, first I need to Get Stinky over to the Railway. And of course
All week, I have been trying to get over to HQ for some quality time. Okay to take the trash out to the dump and kinda clean up. A summer of neglect has given the railway that certain look. Which may not be all that bad. But the simple fact is, I have been there
Today in the universe out there, it’s a conflicting day of emotions. On one hand we remember that it is 9/11 and all that conjures up. Nothing good BTW. We have the recent violence from yesterday in Utah and Colorado, and proof of life from Mars. Just incase you have been avoiding the news, that’s
A huge thanks to fellow WoodyBoater Tim Dies for sending in some wonderful images of some real masterpieces of floating art. This is the largest wooden boat show in North America and draws quite a crowd. What I love about this is it celebrates all woodness, and the craft of it all. WOW. What is
It’s gonna be a busy week starting Saturday, with the start of Clayton, Reedville, and Smith Mountain Lake. I am not sure what will come in or most likely plastered all over the social universe. But it will be a ship show, thats for sure. And we are ready. Engine running, and vacuum cleaning up
Troy will be arriving in style to the big International at Clayton. Of course leaving a plastic chemical spill across the St Lawrence. But hey, beats what I will be doing. WORK! Ugh. But thats okay, I will get my boating in this weekend at the Annual Reedville Boat Show, so if you are near
Well, as the old saying says, I feel like a dog that caught the car it was chasing, Now what? In fact, the entire Railway experience has been like that. Just moving forward where my heart wants to go, doing and finding things that go together in a natural way. And in a cool way,
WARNING: This is what happens when I’m wiped out—I get deep, a little boring, and tend to ramble. So if you’d rather not, just look at the pictures today. And then… GO OUT ON YOUR BOAT. Doing WoodyBoater has been an incredible journey full of learning, joy, friendships, and a window into how our little
Forget how fast summer went by, this week? Oye! Yesterdays day is a blur. Like it never happened, and yet it did. Left at 5AM got home at 11Pm. And bam, it’s Friday and well. It’s friday Thats my story today, it’s friday. We are going to be making a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT THIS MONDAY, so
I am headed back up to NY for a scouting day, and have had this story in the que for such a moment. As in I am leaving at 5AM so this story is from a couple weeks ago. At first I was gonna just take the Thompson to the glue factory, and then thought.
Holly Weber sent me some wonderful images yesterday. I suppose it was some sort of pity email, since my life of boating seems to be on hold. With that said, I am going to need to be at the Railway cleaning up after a summer of neglect, for the Reedville Boat show on the 13th.
Perfect weather, end of summer magic, and, and, and, well, I built a fence. Okay, I have spent the past 3 weeks trying to build the fence between calls and so on. But three clear days of 75 degree days with no interruptions and it was to good to pass up and getter done. SO?
Was your Chris Craft delivered in Toledo? Maybe. Well, today on ebay are some wonderful photos of what appears to be dealer pics of customers boats and I am guessing delivery day. The seller feller of the images is in Toledo, so I am assuming that these were part of a photo album estate sale
Here on the East coast we have been waking up to 65 degree days with top temps in the 70’s, no humidity and flat water with big puffy clouds. AND after this weekend, the whacko wake maker boaters will be gone! Leaving the perfect weather and water for me and my boat. Never mind the
Two seconds after I got off my last meeting of what has been a back to back week of meetings, I was one the road headed to Farham Virginia to get an old sign pole we found a bit ago. This will be at HQ, I just have zero idea where or how. I suppose