My Baby Was Born With An Aluminum Head!
The first photo of her after the tarp was removed.
As we wrap up the Barn find stories, I reflected on why barn finds are so special to us all. One of the true joys of a barn find, is the euphoric feeling of a surprise. And yes I had to google euphoric! Anyway.. each boat, has a special history that you are adopting. No one buys an old woody boat. You are in a way adopting her and her history, and take on responsibility to make sure her life is full of joy and fulfillment. Yes this may be a bit deep, but its true. Everything on earth has emotion in it, yes even earth its self. But a woody boat is special. Her wood, is a sponge of her wonderful life spent bringing joy to all that joined her on her journey. No robot made her, she was designed using pen and ink, and passion. Office fights and agreements all happened to make her this way even before she was built. That is in her. The wood that was cut down by people, then cut into shapes and bent and muscled into place. Each flat screw hand turned into place. All real and done with humanity. The special paint applied and chosen for her. Red White and blue chosen during a time of American Pride. This is all before she was even adopted by her owners.
Factory Photo – Courtesy of the Chris Craft Antique Boat Club Archives
Then joy of the time she went out on her first run, and the smiles and waves she has inspired for close to 80 years! Thats life! That’s Woody Boating. I love the fact she has special things that make her who she is, from her Aluminum head to her 1970′ cigarette lighter. Hey alot of people I love smoked in the 70’s. Now all I have to help her with is the years of isolation in a dairy barn. But somehow I think a good run on the water is a good way for her to feel alive again!
Gone Woody Boating – Now I feel sorry for those chairs.. HELP ME!
Matt, well said. The part you left out is saving another piece of nautical history from the fate of the chain saw or bon fire. Unfortunately, that is still happening to boats of less collector value, and those wonderful cruisers! I keep hoping that more younger people will learn to appreciate the joy of saving and using a classic boat.
Each new barn find fuels the hope that more are out there waiting to be discovered. I don’t know where your lead came from, Matt, but we should all keep our ears and eyes open. Even if we can’t personally act on a lead, let someone who is able to know about it. Let’s save them all!
Matt…..well said! Best of luck with the boat.
We are all just Stewards that come into the life of these boats and hope that some day someone will take over the stewardship from us and treat them with love and respect.
You’ve so clearly expressed what I love about Woody boating: the history, the connection to real people and events from a time past, the art in it all. It’s an understanding of what came before us and an opportunity to keep it alive.