First Ever “Woodies on the Coosa” Crashed By A Bunch Of Bassholes!
Eleanor, 1965 Chris Craft Super Sport and ……
Event tainted by inconsiderate bass fishermen
The Dixieland chapter of the ACBS hosted its first ever “Woodies on the Coosa” event in Gadsden, Alabama, The event was held at the Coosa Landing Recreational Park, located on the Coosa River which flows through Gadsden. It’s a very pleasant facility, with docks on the river where the boats could be displayed.
Lola, 1954 Chris Craft Riviera
Unfortunately, the event coincided with a bass fishing tournament. Some of the fishermen ignored the no wake zone, causing some damage as a result. By Saturday, most of the boats were on display in the parking lot to avoid damage from bass boat wakes in the no-wake zone.
Lola, 1954 Chris Craft Riviera
Lola, 1954 Chris Craft Riviera
The park features meandering walkways, and several docks.
There were both older and newer boats on display at the show. Most were wood, but there were some fiberglass boats there also. This is the oldest boat that I saw at the show… a 1927 Chris Craft 300 named Jr.
Eleanor, 1965 Chris Craft Super Sport
Eleanor, 1965 Chris Craft Super Sport
Cool setting for a classic boat event. Sans Bass Fishermen, cant they fish from the bridge like all the others?
In fairness, I will say that I saw plenty of bass fishermen come and go while I was at the show on Saturday. Most of them were either quietly fishing, or observing the no wake zone. Most, but not all. Local authorities, perhaps the DNR, even had a police boat right there in the river with a flashing blue light to enforce the no wake zone.
Here’s a good segue to the parking lot. This 1953 Chris Craft Rocket, High Maintenance, had been at the dock the day before. The wake from a bass boat slammed High Maintenance into the dock, causing this damage.
How pissed would you be?
I watched one bass boat blow right past it, leaving a wake that soon had the classic boats at the dock rocking and rolling. Apparently, I’m not the only person to refer to such an inconsiderate boater as a “basshole”.
At least flowers are out down south
Wood N Whistle, a 1955 Chris Craft Continental.
Lady Kay, 1950 Chris Craft Deluxe Runabout
Magnolia is a 1940 Barrelback.
Amazing lettering. Flawless!
Magnolia, 1940 Chris Craft Barrelback engine
More Magnolia
Putting new registration numbers on a 1999 Hacker Triple named Cocktails
okay! Lets go!
1999 Hacker Triple named Cocktails
Lady Kay, 1950 Chris Craft Deluxe Runabout Engine
Lady Kay, 1950 Chris Craft Deluxe Runabout
Sea Wood, 1947 Gar Wood Ensign
Sea Wood, 1947 Gar Wood Ensign
Sea Wood, 1947 Gar Wood Ensign details
1959 American Marc Stardust
Great lines -1959 American Marc Stardust
1959 American Marc Stardust
Correct Craft Ski-Tique
Correct Craft Ski-Tique
A late ’70s Century.
The steering wheel on this 1970s Century reminds me of a 1978 Trans Am.
And last but not least…
Torch Song, a 1953 Chris Craft Sportsman
A huge thanks to fellow Woody Boater Michael Maddox for sending us in this Live-ish report. Despite the Bassholes, looks like it was a great event.
Sometimes the BassHoles will come along and bounce their lure off the side of Yorktown as she sets on her mooring because the Bass tend to hang out in the boats shadow.
One day my Dad almost got out the 30-06 after one such BassHole bounced his lure off the float of the seaplane.
We did learn that if you take down their registration number and complain to the tournament directors that the violators will often be eliminated from the tournament.
Wow – I did a full restoration of Seawood 15 years ago and was the one who named her. Glad to see she’s helpomg to draw crowds. So, if you ever want me to take her off your hands . . . . Just sayin.
Michael G, would love to talk and maybe exchange some info. Uploaded some current picture with some changes to what is a wonderful boat. I have been a good steward and made several upgrades. Coosa was nice with the noted exceptions and thanks to all who attended. Thanks WoodyBoater and keep up the GREAT work! Michael Maddox should be commended for a job well done.
Love the upgrades I can see. Here is my email – send me your phone number and let’s talk. I’ve since moved to NC from Texas.
Michael@sea3sg.com
Would love to connect. Michael@sea3sg.com
Looks like the water patrol that was present coud write tickets to the bassholes for ignoring the no wake area, They would at our lakes if they catch you. Ive been there years ago and it is a beautiful area.
I have found that a well placed flare will get the inconsiderate person’s attention.
For the next Tournament, invite the Marine Patrol.
They might enjoy the scenery ( the Woodies) and pass out some tickets to violators, which translates to $$$ for the State.
A good day could be had by (almost) all!!!
For the last couple of years, we had trouble with the kayaker drunks in the Boardman River during our Boats on the Boardman Classic show. Seems the kayaker rental place loves to send 20 to 30 kayaker down the river as we try to leave at the end of the show. With the strong current and narrow river, it is a trick to maneuver, without all the drunks.
This Year, we offered to have the Local Sheriff’s boat be the “Featured Boat”, and stop the drunks until we are all released, one by one.
Naming a boat “High Maintenence” implies a costly past. A cursed name. I would change the name and risk the curse for changing it!
“Money Sunk” is another curse. I knew a guy that had an Owens cruiser by that name… It was and it did. CQ
Thanks for the report. In all of our experiences on water, we have come to realize that getting out there and floating generally makes people more relaxed and easier to deal with. it tends to bring out the best in most folks. The ones that are jerks on water are REALLY jerks when back on land.
It all comes down to realizing that what one person does affects someone else. Your wake crashes my boat, your fishing rig chips our hull paint, your collective indifference forces a boat show onto trailers. And your drunk kayakers make it tempting to run over said kayakers…oh, wrong response.
Of course, the bassholes are thinking “Your Boat Show makes me go slower and lose the fishing tournament.” And nobody wants to be a loser, right? Right?? Problem is, the speed logic is all wrong. The winner is not the fastest one, but the one who pre-fished the best and had them waiting on a hidden stringer. And put weights inside them to make them heavier.
I bet nobody was making fun of Canadians and their “funny lookin’ fenders” that day….
Canadian fenders are “funny lookin’…eh?”
Most boaters follow the rules and are respectful of others using the same water…except BHers, who often cut you off, disregard local boating rules, and generally believe the waterways belong to them. Yet they’re the first to flip you off if you get within 200′ of their fishing spot. Don’t even go near a ramp if they’re launching or re-trailering, as they are the most inconsiderate of all boaters in my boating experience.. They’ve also damaged our ramp many times by gunning their engine to get their boat on the trailer, rather than floating on like everyone else. If there’s a BH tournament on our chain of lakes that weekend Jan & I just stay off the water rather than go through the frustration of these interlopers. We can’t wait until they go home, then hope they never come back.
We have them here too. I tell them u can throw it at the tin or plastic boats but please don’t throw it at the wood one, cause if you bounce it off the wood one, you won’t like what I bounce off you. Dosnt always work but most of the time it does and it makes me feel better.
We have a couple of real jerks that routinely bust past our marina rocking all and disrupting too. Marinas are by definition no wake zones…but as perfectly described above these people are jerks no matter where they are. What get me is the bad example the provide for the wake boarding grandkids that see all the folks at the marina waving at them with only one finger.
We had a liveaboard ….”lievaboard Ed”, who hated the jet ski and wake board crowd. He made up one of those potato guns….used it as a howitzer and/or mortar….scared us more that them…but was cool revenge tactic…if almost as dumb!
John in Va.
I’ll bet most of you took the high ground and didn’t disturb the offending boats. I on the other hand would have taken a different approach I like to refer to as “an eye for an eye”. Sometimes is good if I’m not around.
Nice report and great pictures Michael Maddox. Thanks for all the effort putting this together.
We live on Reelfoot Lake and own from the waters edge out to 50 feet. my property is roped off and I have signs up, no trespassing and no fishing or hooks on my property. these b ass holers have no respect for others property. they bounce their lures off the boat and pier house and leave their treble hooks stuck everywhere. we swim here and our grandkids swim here. can you imagine what a treble hook or bass lure does to a kid. I do go off on them several times each year.
First off the no wake zone is between bridges if you’ll notice these boats are tied up below bridges therefore the bass guys did not break any laws therefore didn’t receive any tickets. Get your stories straight before you bash the fisherman we spend a lot more money to use that water than the pleasure boaters.
That’s why the DNR boat was further down from the two bridges. Y’know… the one with the two uniformed guys aboard, and the flashing blue light? Most of the bass fishermen recognized that, and slowed their boats down in plenty of time.
No one is bashing fishermen at large. Just the JERKS who show zero respect for other people’s property and seem to have some delusion that the waterways belong to them.
I have had words with (B)assholes as well….being camped out behind my boathouse slip…and casting under the boat…and refusing to move so I can leave my slip. I’m glad you have encountered some nice tournament fisherman…to date, I have not. That also includes blasting by local docks and coves going 80 mph….as far as I’m concerned…(B)assholes one and all.
Great report and even better pictures! By replying here I may invite some criticism, but I don’t mind. I work for the tourism office for Gadsden and Etowah County and worked very hard to bring the Woodies to Gadsden We felt it would be a great location for the boat meet up and show. When the Dixieland Chapter picked the event weekend to coincide with our First Fridays celebration (closed off downtown, classic cars, entertainment, etc.) they were aware of the 150 plus boat bass tournament that would be sharing the launch and docks. Plans were made to speak with the anglers at their tournament meeting and with the tournament director to respectfully request they expand the no wake zone past the end of the docks. We could not get the no wake zone officially extended and marked by the Marine Police, but they agreed to a temporary expansion for that weekend. The Sheriff’s Dept. tried to get No Wake buoys installed in time, but could not. They instead offered to place a boat with lights and uniformed officer at the temporary extension point of the no wake zone. The anglers agreed to the expansion and every single one of them idled to that point and beyond before punching the throttle. I know because I was there at blast-off. The problem was not on Saturday, but on Thursday and Friday when there was no Sheriff to slow boats down. Also, since the expanded no wake zone was temporary and unmarked, the officers were not allowed to hand out citations. The community and we enjoyed the Woodies very much and hope they’ll return next year. With a year to plan, we hope to have that no wake zone permanently expanded and marked and some fixes to the docks that will make for a better docking experience as well. You can see a short video of the event here (just copy the link into your browser): https://bit.ly/2KB6Eso