Virtual Launches For Breakfast?

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Launch time! Come and get it

As part of our series and partnership with The Antique Boat Museum and The Wooden Boat Experience video series. Today you can take a tour of the National Boat Show Building. This is a great exhibit and you really get to see the our beloved boats in a boat show of the day environment.

BTW, you can also have your boat in the museum and in your boathouse at the same time by just clicking HERE.

Love this building

I do have a rather dumb question. And yes. I should know this. But what makes a boat a launch? Is a small racer like Miss Behave a launch? And a cruiser? Triple? Runabout? I am so confused? And should we look at these around noon? Launch time? okay, okay, okay, this joke was a stretch. Get out there. And as of right now, The Museum will be open on June 27th.

12 replies
  1. Troy in ANE
    Troy in ANE says:

    Good question!

    I don’t know the answer, but this is the type of boat I expect to see when I hear “Launch”. Note it even says Launch on the sign.

    Love looking at them all though.

  2. Captain Nemo
    Captain Nemo says:

    I would qualify a vessel to be a launch, in part, being smaller 28’ or less, having a displacement hull design (not a planing type). That’s my feeling on this. Do we have a naval architect in our midst to comment on this?

  3. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    Launches used to be the main boat carried by a larger ship used to get to shore and back. In more modern terms, I think of launch as the style of motor boats from the later 1800’s through pre WWI era. Generally they are long narrow displacement hulls (non planing), often with a covered portion.

    When planing hulls and bigger motors arrived mostly after the war, launches were replaced by what we call runabouts and utilities that were much faster and more fun, but missing some of that Victorian elegance.

    Speaking of launch day, the snow finally stopped so I may be launching a boat or two this afternoon! Yeah!

  4. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    I love the pic of the Naphtha launch…back in the day the government, in response to steamboat explosions (not uncommon), required any boat boiling water for propulsion had to have a certified steam engineer on board, in their wisdom upon the development of the Naphtha engine, they dropped the requirement. Naphtha engines essentially boiled gasoline…but hey…what could happen?
    I am going boating.
    John in Va.

  5. Mo Sherrill
    Mo Sherrill says:

    In 1976 my 1926 26-foot Chris triple was awarded the Chris-Craft marquis award and People’s Choice Award for best Post War Launch! This was at the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton and an ACBS sponsored show! I was dismayed at this category because I considered my boat to be a v-bottom “runabout” and NOT a launch but my trophies specifically say Launch! I don’t knowACBS decided to change it.

    • Mo Sherrill
      Mo Sherrill says:

      Yes! It was the old Flash from Roseland Amusement Park in Canandaigua Lake, NY. I renamed in “OPUS III” – my third boat.

  6. Mark in Ohio (wishing he was in da U P )
    Mark in Ohio (wishing he was in da U P ) says:

    Another great video! I just wish the videographer would go to film school, and learn some techniques. Hard to watch on a hangover.

    • Wudzgud
      Wudzgud says:

      Well reality has set in. Just found out this morning that the Geneva Lakes Boat Show has been cancelled.
      I know this has been a hard decision for many Boat Show Committees to do, but looking at the bigger picture we want to be here next year to carry on the traditions.
      Better to be 6’ apart than 6’ under.
      Thanks Matt, for these great videos and the virtual tours!

  7. Briant
    Briant says:

    According to Merriam Webster….

    launch noun (2)

    1 : a large boat that operates from a ship
    2 : a small motorboat that is open or that has the forepart of the hull covered

    Oh yeah, that helps a lot. Not.

    I always thought that a launch was one of those narrow little boats with an awning and Victorian folks in wicker chairs…

    And a Tender was a boat that was used to shuttle people to and from the yacht or ship to the shore.

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