The 2011 Woody Boater Awards

What a year! More miles, more shows, more boat rides, more boats, more boaters, more stories..almost double last years stories. This we we sat down and tried to recall some of the most memerable events. There are claerly more events and shows and people that made this a memorable year.  But these are the only pictures i could find.. Scientific.. you bet.. So without further adooo, The big 2011 Woody Boater Awards.

The 2011 Hemorrhoid Award – The trip to go get Thayer IV and Mariah, this one story became a catalyst for comments for months, and still today is burned into my brain. March 2011, we ran up to Connecticut from Washington, then down to Florida to the Tavares show. and back, all in one week..

The 2011 Classic Boat Show Of The Year! – Sunnyland ACBS Show. What a year of Classic boat Shows. Each show has merit in this area. But as a social and just insane week long event, The Sunnyland lake Dora Show was the big Winner this year, parties each night, boat rides, The grand unveiling of Thayer IV.. And most of all, Spring time after a train wreck of an economic winter. This one show wakes up the Woody boater soul each year.

Texx, basking on his thrown at Tavares

The 2011 Best Destination Of The Year- Tahoe. If you have never been there.. GO! Amazing boats, amazing location, amazing people. This could have the Show of the year, most amazing boats on the planet earth all in one place.. Great parties, and the gang is fun, fun , fun, they live life on full throttle.Not to mention, but I will, a fun town, and killer flap jacks at the log Cabin resturaunt.. Ohhhh…

Adding that extra Tahoe sparkle to the boats the morning of the show

The Best Local Show Award – Lake Mohawk, 2011 marked the first year of this show. This very private Lake in New Jersey oped up it’s ramp for the gang, and turned out to be a very nice event. And of course, amazing boats. At Woody Boater we love the small local shows just as much as the large mega shows.

Miss Mohawk on Miss Mohawk, on Lake Mohawk..

The 2011 Woody Boater of the Year…  Alex Watson, and Mike Mayer , in a tie! They get to do a shoot out for the last surviving Woody Boater trophy.. I wonder who will win it in a trophy shoot out.

Mike and his Posse, Mike is enjoying the fruits of winning this years Shootout, Century Arabians are chick magnets

Alex is not in this shot, but it represents what makes Alex tick, his kids, and his boats, especialy his two 25 foot sportsman..

The 2011 Woody Boat of The Year-Kabbotts Habit, a very nice low hour Sea Skiff belonging to Paul and Karen Harrison. Yes, I know, it’s no fancy brite sideded triple with an airplane motor.. But it does represent what Woody boating is all about. Getting out there with a pile of pals and going Woody Boat’n We used the crap out of this go to boat in Tavaras last year, and since then it’s been Paul and Karens go to boat despite owning some of the top boats in North America.

Kabbet's Habbit, going out on a photo shoot as the photo boat ,

The 2011 Spark Plug Award For Doing Good for The Lifestyle Of Woody Boating. Seth Katz – I have been up and down the East coast , and I keep running into Seth at various boat shows. Not with just one boat, but 2 or three.. He brings a crew and some of the most Amazing boats you will see. Atainable boats, not museum one of a kinds that you can’t conect with, his personal passion for trying to raise the standards of marina’s and the buying and selling of classic boats is a good thing for the “sport” . He is also one of the few that is actually expanding his business. With a new larger addition to the Katz’s marina on Lake Hopatcong. growth and passion are the fuel that will make this lifestyle not one survive in the next decade, but thrive.

A rare image of Seth, his boats and work are famous.. He likes being in the background.. This is us at the Greenwwod Lake show,

The 2011 Woody Boater Babe Of The Year – The Woody’s For Boobies Gals- I know I know, what about that Donzi Gal, or Miss Chris Craft who took up all our winters last year .. Well, the way I see it, we wouldn’t have any of those babes if not for babes like the Boatress, Kim, Hollie, and Natasha out there helping in a fantastic cause. This year the botress has chosen Denver as the next location for this worthy Woody boater cause.

The 2011 Non Woody -Woody Boat of the Year – Tin Can, this very cool boat stired up quite the conversation in 2011. Is it a Gar Wood? No one could really answer this. because it’s a beautiful Aluminum boat and has some of the tell tale Gar Wood touch’s.. Just unfortunatly, no paper trail.

The 2011 Woody Boater Event Of The Year – Boat Buzz Un-plugged, OK we did not shut down wall street, nore were there 200 boats there. maybe 25 of us, rumeging through a library and then taking a private tour of the Mariners museum in Newport news. But, this was a first of it’s kind event for the Chris -Craft Antique boat Club. And durring a tough time for the Club, The gang set out to try new things, and it not only worked, but another one is planned in Algonac this summer.. Thats right, right were it all began. A return to mecca.

The I Had No Idea Award  Goes To – The ACBS & Dick Warner – For there on going Seminar series. Thanks to Dick and his personal passion for these seminars, he brought them back and make the personal time commitment to making them happen again. The one I went to was at the Antique Boat Center in Ohio. Dam, it was a fun weekend in the middle of winter, and still today, I use some of the cool techniques I learned at the event. There is NOTHING like hands on experience with folks that know what they are doing.. Thanks to the Antique Boat Center for making this happen through out the year.

Joel and the Antique Boat Center talking about varnish drying.. Yes it was fun, funner than talking about grass growing

The 2011 Hard luck Award – Paul and Karen Harrison- I am not sure what cloud of crap is following this wonderful couple. Being stranded in 8 foot snow drifts in Montana, breaking  a transmission in St Lois, a broken Drive shaft in Canada, or running out of fuel on Lake Tahoe.. Regardless of the problems, the humor and fun brought to all of us made Woody boater a more fun and realistic place to visit. All these things have happend to us.. Just not all of them to one of us, in one year!

Paul Harrison on the right with his new BFF's at the transmission repair place in St Lois, Karen was someplace, possibly out getting a AAA membership!

The I Can’t Believe My Eyes Award – Brian Robinson, on his amazing Las vegas trip, were he got to take a gar Wood out on the lake in front of the Belagio hotel.. A once in a lifetime event!

If I could make this up, I would all day long, but sometimes truth is stranger than fiction

The Greatest New Idea Award – The Plaonter Pad- I am not sure how old this trick is, but it’s a doozy. Don and Don Sr, turned us onto this idea. Sheep skin rope covers. Dang, I love them, and helps with the dock rash big time.

The 2012 Most Fun Last Gasp  Ride- Donzi at 105 mph – ya ya, I know its a big plastic boat.. WITH TWIN 750hp motors. f you are going to end the year on a boat ride, do it with passion and eventful enaough to carry you until the thaw!

Adult Deipers are so under rated!

There are more awards to be sure. The entire year is a blur for Texx and I. If you have anyone, or anyplace you want to hand out an award to.. please jump in.. You the readers are the real engine that drives this boat.. Thanks for a fantastic 2011, We are looking forward to 2012.. Woohhooo 80 days til Lake Dora!