If I Could Turn Back Time

The ease of finding parts, not that calling Jim, or Dave, or a bunch of the guys isnt great, and far more personal. But imagine being able to pop over to the marina and just pick up some of these goodies. Then again, it would be less special.…
Read more

I Pulled Some Sausage Out Of The Freezer

YIKES, HQ is under about a 1 inch layer of ice, maybe thicker. Like no way you can even drive on it, the truck wont crush through. UGH. So, today SAUSAGE from the freezer known as home! …
Read more

A Break From The B’s – Some Saturday SAUSAGE!

, ,
It's Saturday, I have PTS"B" and I am sure many of you have become lactose intolerant,  but it is what it is. Winter, nothing going on, and a big deadline. In .....70 ish days til Dora. YIKES!   …
Read more

Sorry to Do This To You. A Swarm Of B’s

So, where were we? Oh, ya brass B's, and simple to the point to match the vibe of the boat. But to me honsest, the perfect B has yet to apear, and becasue its one simple letter, it gets lost. So of course that opened up more options. It…
Read more

Ugh, I F*&ed Up

,
Well, I suppose it's all part of the fun when you are trying new things. But when you are dealing with Varnish, it's all kinda scary, cause once you start, Going back is not really a good idea. But as build coats you have another chance.…
Read more

I Thought I Was So Smart, Then The Chinese Bots Came To Woodyboaterville

,
Here I was thinking that I had done something special. Or was it Mary-Ann and Ginger, Or Marsha Marsha Marsha. Nope, Chinese Bots. Little AI driven bots that scrape and crawl all over the site. They just click and leave. Like mosquitos, but…
Read more

B’s, Color, Obsessiveness, And WTH?

, ,
Yesterdays readership went through the roof, Like 5 times normal. WHAT IS GOING ON? I can only think that its the Babe thing, Mary-Ann or Ginger? Jeanne or Sam? It certainly can not be which B do I choose. Maybe there is a human connection…
Read more

Mary-Ann And Ginger Bring The Heat – And Looking For A Good Nice B…

,
Yesterdays story was one of the most viewed stories in about a year. Was it Mary Ann or Ginger? Or did we hit a nerve? Russian Bots? It's certainly not all the Which B talk.  Well, yesterday I went into the parts room at HQ and dug through…
Read more

I Don’t Know What’s Real Anymore – Two B’s And A Good Old Rant

,
I am in a state of tortured hell. And yes, I know, it’s mostly on me. But I’m obsessed with bringing back the original feeling. Not just how it appeared, but how it felt. That’s the torture. The difference between is measured in emotion,…
Read more

What Is The Correct Pre-War Chris-Craft Side Logo?

As part of the OCD thing, I have also dove into the logo deal on the side. First off, yes a long time ago Bill Basler made a perfect vector file of the side logo. And yes I also know these are available as decals in silver and gold. I think…
Read more

Two B, Or Not To B? Or Maybe A Different B.

Today you get to take a peek into my obsessiveness regarding typography, lettering, whats right, what fits. Okay, now I dive deep into this. From some of the orig first images there is a very cool font…
Read more

Watching Varnish Dry

,
We are now on coat 5 and gonna stop-ish. Yes we will add one more coat, but there is something happening that is cool as hell with the satin finish. Actually several things that are changing the way I think of all this. Less is more real.…
Read more

Welcome 2026, Just 80 Days TIl Dora. What? The Next Step.

, ,
Eighty Days, Or 7 More Weekends. And with work having hammered me since October. Weekend and little bites are all I got. It's gonna be close, and yes close on the old budget part. Just dropped another $200 on varnish and sikaflex. We also…
Read more

Paint, Light, and Smoke, Just Another Day At The Railway

,
It was 60 yesterday, so I jumped into it early, which gave me a wonderful sunrise and some moody light. Art won over any functional work, and then again, it was bilge cleaning and painting time.
Read more

Man Overboard – Adding Grain To Scratches And Dents On A New Varnish Job

,
Okay, today I am going to expose a little of my obsessiveness, I have never tried this, but often wanted to. Doing it with Filler stain is impossible, but the Jeld stain makes it possible, Filler comes right off once you apply a varnish…
Read more

Stain Day, I Tried Something New, To Me. Jel’d Stain.

,
I have now done more digging in on this than anyone should. Jel'd Stain vs Filler Stain. I know many feel very passionate about one way or another. And regardless of money and whatever, this is a big choice, because if its wrong, its a long…
Read more

Bleach Baby Bingo

,
Where were we before we got interrupted by Christmas? Oh, ya, bleach. Sorry for the late morning, I slept in and man oh man, its like a jet back recharge. I keep thinking I have to work, but NOPE! Just NUTH'N. So Bleach it is.  OH…
Read more

Getting Ready For A Little Bleach, And Tomorrow’s Party

,
No worries, bleach will not be in the punch bowl.... Bungs in, check, all wood stripped, sanded with 100 grit, and I think. Ready. There will be some hardware removed, and then Bleach. A two part bleach so this will be interesting. WHY? To blend…
Read more

There Is Some Mail For You DEAR!

There it is, sitting on the floor thru the mail slot in the door. The dog has not chewed it up, and there mixed in the pile letters is this magical gift. Now of course, your sweet bride has already seen it, and so you are busted. You sit down…
Read more

One Simple Magazine Ad, So Many Goodies

I saw this on ebay this morning, and of course started getting lost in it. Funny how a simple ad can inform so much. As I have said a bazillion times. Marshall McCluhan quote "ads were the cave art of the 20th Century." I suppose I love the…
Read more

A Little Sausage To Warm You Up

Sorry for the lateness, was on the road yesterday and a little slow waking up. The good news is that some nice sausage is always a great way to wake up.
Read more

Hooray Flip Day

,
Yesterday I had a full uninterrupted day and took full advantage of it. Cranked up the heat and got to work around 7 AM. I was able to fix some mistake son the bottom chine /rail near the transom and fair the sides more. Now with 100 grit…
Read more

A Good Old Sausage Day

Today we have us some good old fashion Sausage. The yummy kind, with lots of fat and some spices mixed in. Mid way thru the story we will give you a break to go to the bathroom and enjoy the benefits of a good cup of coffee and sausage. SPEAKING…
Read more

Syd’s Finished Making His Floater

Ahead of schedule and with a total expenditure of $0.00 Syd of Syd's Maritime Text Message Museum, is the first one done. Syd even went as far as pulling out the blue velvet. Which I might add, brings a very classy element to it all. That…
Read more

Bring’n On B’s Bungs, Some Bottom Bling, And BTU’s.

,
Yesterday I was able to start getting the bottom stuff on B's bottom, Rudder, Strut, drain plug etc. I was also able to get the bungs all in her side, AND brought in some heaters. Woohooo. An actual productive day. …
Read more

Thank You Frank Gehry

Yesterday I saw that Frank Gehry had passed away at age 96. I didn't know Mr Gehry, but I was changed because of him, and Jay Chiat. Who I also didn't know that well. So you ask, then why are you talking about these guys on a classic boat…
Read more

OH SNOW!

Well, they said it could happen, and it did. And it appears we here are not alone. All I was able to pull off this morning as a reference was the one image, so today, it's all up to you all. Share your sNOw shots. Yesterday…
Read more

Cold Paint & Cold Parts

, ,
I sure love me an old can of paint. Especially one from Michigan. I think this was part of Art Armstrongs stuff. And I don't want to waste it, but there sure is some temptation. Maybe just the visible parts. …
Read more

Meanwhile Back At Rocco’s Woody Shed

,
We just got an update from fellow Woody Boater Rocco on Long Island. He is out in the wood shed, (ain't we all?) which I am very jealous of,  installing the new bottom on his 17 Barrel Back. The coolest part of this is that he is doing…
Read more

The Difference Of Resurrection, Vs Restoration

,
I know I’ve become obsessed with this topic, restoration, preservation, pre-restoric, all the semantics. And yes, in the end, we all just want to go boating. BUT. And it’s a Bertha-But-Boogie BUTT: the nuance matters. It might even be the…
Read more

Some Leftovers From The Past Couple Weeks.

It's been rather chilly here so getting any work done at HQ is pointless. Which is beyond frustrating since I have 4 days off, and can't take advantage of it. Such is life I suppose. So today, we have a sausage day, or leftovers. Little…
Read more

Today I Step Into The Dark Side Of Epoxy Addiction

, ,
Yesterday between meetings I was able to sneak over to HQ and prep B's bottom for big moment. The step into the darkness of fiberglass. Now of course I have already been micro dosing epoxy so I can be immune to the poison glass I am about…
Read more

Syd’s Been Getting Busy On His Floater

,
A huge thanks to insanely longtime fellow Woody Boater Syd Marsden. Okay, maybe just insane WoodyBoater. Anyway, Syd has sent us in some progress he has made on his Woody Floater project. He has spent minutes upon minutes of painstaking…
Read more

Barn Finds Still Come True

,
A huge thanks to Gary Michael from Inland Boat Works, who just sent us all a little hope in the form of a barn find. Dang, it always fills my heart with a childlike giddiness when I see a boat like this. Thanks Gary for the report. "I…
Read more

Laying Out The Plywood In The Morning Light

,
This weekend we are supposed to have two warmer days, low 70's and so it's Johnny hustle to get at least the 5200 down with plywood. 3/16 okoume, I had ordered 4 sheets of 4x8 in case and was able to use the patterns to only use 2 and 1/3…
Read more

Bung’n Time At HQ

,
In between calls in half hour slivers, I am making some bungs out of the old wood and new wood so they matchy matchy. Some of them are gonna be very very thin, and yes, to do this 100% correct, either take the sides off and either back the boards…
Read more

The “Emotional History” Of Classic Speed Boats

, ,
I know this is a topic I have been blabbering about for EVER, but it is for sure more true now than even before. It explains the shift in the passion size and age demographics. Why clubs are struggling, and magazines closing. So yes, the community…
Read more

Smith’s Clear Penetrating Epoxy Sealer Provokes A Rant

, ,
For the record, there was no trade or donation made by Smith's CPES to do this story, in fact I am not sure they even know this website exists. As are many of the companies and so on I feature here, I use AND pay for the stuff. It was one…
Read more

Bringing In The Big Guns To Dig More Down The Rabbit Hole

, ,
Where are we deep in the hole of rabbits?  Satin finish varnish. SAT"I"N  In yesterdays comments, even Rabbit commented on the rabbit hole "I met Bob and Taylor M at Woods & Water II at Gull Lake. So good to meet someone you only…
Read more

Down the Varnish Rabbit Hole

,
We all love that fresh, glossy varnish finish — so let’s just get that out of the way. In yesterday’s comments, Bob Murdock shared a bit of his adventure down the varnish rabbit hole, and for the first time, it all clicked. What…
Read more

The WoodyFloater 99’s Hull Card Opens up More Questions

, ,
After the extensive search for her hull number, stamped on one of the stringers UNDER a strip of wood, has opened up so much more coolness. A huge thanks to the Mariners Museum for helping out, and now sending me her hull card. One…
Read more

Attack Of The Giant Oyster

From time to time I get these little fun projects from Pals here. I love doing them and it's a way to chill on some sort of artistic endeavor. The giant oyster was dropped off by my pal Charles Williams, who owns the Crazy Crab restaurant,…
Read more

One Little Tool, With So Much History

, ,
As we all rem-anise about Classic Boating Magazine, we were all asking about Rocco's secret cone tool. And of course to many out there. This may have seemed like a obvious question. AND ANSWER, But no to me, or others. Which of course is…
Read more

A Very Cool Skil-Craft Painted Sign on eBay, It’s Gonna Be One Of “Those” Days.

,
There is a bit to unpack here today, I will warn you ahead of time, there is some possible driving on the ice type writing thats gonna go on. Maybe even a loop or two. Ready? Okay, fellow Woody Boater Glen Thayer, yes, Thayer, as…
Read more

Fitzke Boats + The Huntsman Work Together To Build The New Collectable

, ,
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…
Read more

The WoodyFloater Challenge Parallel Universe Out West

, ,
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…
Read more

Making The Most Of It – Floatdate

, , ,
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…
Read more

John L. Hacker’s 125 Year Old Punt Boat Could Be Yours.

,
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…
Read more