4 Days And 36 Years In The Making
The first Poster
I know to some of us, 1988 was just yesterday. And to some you may be surprised that the Lake Dora Show is 36 years old. It’s become far far more than a show, it’s a tradition, and an opening day for many in the community. A focus/deadline to get your boat ready for the season. I can still remember my first show, which was only about 15 years ago. I felt very alone, and lost. Until Bill Basler from the CCABC helped me out. And since that one kind gesture, I haven’t missed one show. It’s become somewhat of a WoodyBoater tradition as well. The countdown, and first Live-ish reporting was from Lake Dora, the first Virtual Show was created at the outbreak of Covid, T shirts, Coffee Cups all designed for Lake Dora, and lifelong friends. So if this is your first show. Don’t worry, have fun, introduce yourself and talk to folks about their boats. After all its a tradition to meet new and old friends.
2nd annual
3rd
4th
5th
6th
7th
8th
9th
10th
Okay at this point. its a bit out of sequence. And may be missing some. But you get the idea!
And here is this years!
What a fabulous collection of show posters. Nice to see a Michigan boat, Wuzz a Fuzz, in the mix. Thanks for sharing!
Pretty sure I got kidnapped. Not supposed to be 47° in Florida.
I wish all you folks that ARE going, a wonderful and safe time! Hey Steve…are you a grandpa yet!??
Pretty sure I got kidnapped. Not supposed to be 47° in Florida.
Yes! It took an extra 36 hours, but all is well!
Didn’t realize I’ve been going down there that long….got many of those posters…and a boat from the 1998 poster
Great posters, I too have many of them. Good to recall the days when the Show was in Mt. Dora, staying at the Inn and all the friends for back then.
I will greatly miss not going this year. Take care all, best to all. John in Va
Where can I get a 2012 Poster? THAYER IV
Thanks!
Jim, are you sure you are in the right state? It is warm and sunny where I am!
Shrimp are me!
Yum!!
3rd annual poster (1990) features myself and crew ,John Thompson and Peter Bailey performing minor maintenance on the R & H (1911) Mullins Leader Launch, Great time that year with 25 cases of Schooner, compliments of Labatts!
If I remember correctly you guys took R&H on the St John’s River cruise that year and at a speedy 8-12 knots over 150 mile trip a few of those Labatt’s may have been killed.(cases that is).
The show is old enough to have had people born and passed during its run. My daughter was 62 days old when we went to the 2nd Annual Lake Monroe Boat Show having been to the 1st (before it moved to Mount Dora ) where it all started in Sanford Florida. She did the 50 mile lunch cruise to Hontoon Island State Park in a baby carrier on a 23 foot Chris Craft Continental. And, unfortunately I recall one boat owner passing overnight from a heart attack over the weekend. RIP to Dale Tassel and John de Sousa who organized those first few shows.
Back in 2010 when I got back into “Wooden Boating”, I found the WoodyBoater website and all the hype about some boat show in March. I knew we HAD to go!
And in 2011 we took “Old School” and Matt Smith introduced us to all his friends, I was hooked, and we returned for several years.
Now, not being able to walk much without back pain, I live being at the show through your posts and pictures, wish I was there eating a “Chicken on a Stick”…
Thanks for the walk down memory lane this morning.
What a great read this morning. Love seeing all those historical posters.
Not long now WoodyBoaters.