We’re Still Rock’n To The Oldies.

 From Kelly Wittenauer - is my father in his Aristocraft Seaflash. This was taken in about 1959, on the Monongahela River in Fairmont, WV. He got the boat cheap from his cousin who'd knocked a hole in the bottom. Seems cousin Tommy got so busy eyeing the young ladies on the shore that he drove it up onto a dock!

From Kelly Wittenauer – is my father in his Aristocraft Seaflash. This was taken in about 1959, on the Monongahela River in Fairmont, WV. He got the boat cheap from his cousin who’d knocked a hole in the bottom. Seems cousin Tommy got so busy eyeing the young ladies on the shore that he drove it up onto a dock!

Once again, we are moved to see the rich history of Woodyboaterville. The shots of Fathers and how much they loved there boats are fantastic. Thanks again for sharing.

Also from Kelly Wittenauer - This is the seed of my boat addiction. My dad bought this 1959 23' Chris Craft cruiser when I was 8. This was taken in 1971 on the Ohio River near Ripley, OH. Dad is standing near the stern, which means that's Mom at the helm - a rare occasion. My youngest brother is in the first mate seat. That's me to starboard & my other brother to port on the bow. Mom was a non-swimmer and always insisted the three of us wear those bulky life vests. Enrolled us in swim classes at the local Y too. Adding her famous quote, "When the boat sinks, your dad has to save me!"

Also from Kelly Wittenauer – This is the seed of my boat addiction. My dad bought this 1959 23′ Chris Craft cruiser when I was 8. This was taken in 1971 on the Ohio River near Ripley, OH. Dad is standing near the stern, which means that’s Mom at the helm – a rare occasion. My youngest brother is in the first mate seat. That’s me to starboard & my other brother to port on the bow. Mom was a non-swimmer and always insisted the three of us wear those bulky life vests. Enrolled us in swim classes at the local Y too. Adding her famous quote, “When the boat sinks, your dad has to save me!”

From David Davison -This is a picture of our 1957 35 foot Chris Craft Constellation taken on the Parker River Newbury Mass around 1980.

From David Davison -This is a picture of our 1957 35 foot Chris Craft Constellation taken on the Parker River Newbury Mass around 1980.

From john D. Dmith - I HAVE ONE OF ME SITTING IN BACK OR OUR 56 CENTURY RESORTER 18' WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GUY. I THINK I WAS 3 OR 4 YRS OLD.

From John D. Smith – I HAVE ONE OF ME SITTING IN BACK OR OUR 56 CENTURY RESORTER 18′ WHEN I WAS A LITTLE GUY. I THINK I WAS 3 OR 4 YRS OLD.

More good stuff from mark Howard with matt at the helm of this cool Chris craft

More good stuff from Mark Howard with Matt at the helm of this cool 1936 Chris Craft racer

From Sean Conroy - Circa 1971, HMCS York (Toronto, Ontario).  Not really on the water but..... Waiting to meet (be inspected by) Lord Admiral Louis Mountbatten, with my Navy League Cadet CO.

From Sean Conroy – Circa 1971, HMCS York (Toronto, Ontario).
Not really on the water but….. Waiting to meet (be inspected by) Lord Admiral Louis Mountbatten, with my Navy League Cadet CO.

From Biggest Balls Winner David Konick - This is my Dad on our 19 foot 1955 Cruis-Along Buccaneer.  This picture taken at Lynch's Marina on Pilottown Road in Lewes in the Summer of 1955 or 1956.  We got this boat after our outboard turned over in the Lewes & Rehoboth (Delaware ) canal in the summer of 1954, and I almost drowned when I was a year and a half old.  My mother told him if he was going to take us kids out any more, he better get a boat that wouldn't turn over, so he got the CruisAlong.  I am pretty sure it had an 85 HP Graymarine engine.  It was built by M.M. Davis & Sons over in Solomons MD.  My memories of this boat are many.  When it got rough, my father put my up under the front deck and I laid on the anchor rope.  I remember many a day watching sheets of spray flying over the canvas top and into the back of the boat and the sound of the waves crunching on those lapstrake planks.  We kept the boat until 1958, when we got a larger, twin-screw 30 foot Egg Harbor.

From Biggest Balls Winner David Konick – This is my Dad on our 19 foot 1955 Cruis-Along Buccaneer. This picture taken at Lynch’s Marina on Pilottown Road in Lewes in the Summer of 1955 or 1956. We got this boat after our outboard turned over in the Lewes & Rehoboth (Delaware ) canal in the summer of 1954, and I almost drowned when I was a year and a half old. My mother told him if he was going to take us kids out any more, he better get a boat that wouldn’t turn over, so he got the CruisAlong. I am pretty sure it had an 85 HP Graymarine engine. It was built by M.M. Davis & Sons over in Solomons MD. My memories of this boat are many. When it got rough, my father put my up under the front deck and I laid on the anchor rope. I remember many a day watching sheets of spray flying over the canvas top and into the back of the boat and the sound of the waves crunching on those lapstrake planks. We kept the boat until 1958, when we got a larger, twin-screw 30 foot Egg Harbor.

From Gramme Buttie- Thanks for posting some of the boat pictures I've sent in for your 'Oldies' feature. My family has owned a cottage on Big Rideau Lake since 1890. As you can imagine we have had many boats over the years. One of the earliest is the Hummingbird. However, little is known about her and I was hoping you, your staff or readers could help identify the boat and engine maker. All family members who might have knowledge are long gone. These are the only pictures we have of her taken between 1908 and 1928. Some woody boaters think it's a Fay & Bowen. I don't think so because of models I have researched don't match up. Although the canopy is very similar to a Fay & Bowen. Plus what I can see the engine doesn't fit a Fay & Bowen profile. One old timer thinks the engine is 2 cylinder Urd (?). Your help is much appreciated.

From Graeme Beattie – My family has owned a cottage on Big Rideau Lake since 1890. As you can imagine we have had many boats over the years. One of the earliest is the Hummingbird. However, little is known about her and I was hoping you, your staff or readers could help identify the boat and engine maker. All family members who might have knowledge are long gone. These are the only pictures we have of her taken between 1908 and 1928. Some woody boaters think it’s a Fay & Bowen. I don’t think so because of models I have researched don’t match up. Although the canopy is very similar to a Fay & Bowen. Plus what I can see the engine doesn’t fit a Fay & Bowen profile. One old timer thinks the engine is 2 cylinder Urd (?). Your help is much appreciated.

From Graeme Beattie

From Graeme Beattie

And the third one from From Graeme Beattie

And the third one from From Graeme Beattie

 

Graeme Beattie - Frowildo II in front of our dock at Ste. Anne, Rideau Ferry Ontario. c1958. Our dock is crowded by many of my cousins waiting patiently for there turn at water skiing or aquaplaning. I am the kid at the very left of the dock.

Graeme Beattie  – Frowildo II in front of our dock at Ste. Anne, Rideau Ferry Ontario. c1958. Our dock is crowded by many of my cousins waiting patiently for there turn at water skiing or aquaplaning. I am the kid at the very left of the dock.

From Grahm Beattie - This is my cousins boat. A 1929 28' launch built by Dowset Boat Works in Portland, Ontario. It's original power came from a Junior Gold Cup engine. The first picture shows the Frowildo II in front of our dock at Ste. Anne, Rideau Ferry Ontario. c1958. Our dock is crowded by many of my cousins waiting patiently for there turn at water skiing or aquaplaning. I am the kid at the very left of the dock. The second picture was taken around 1986.

Also from Graeme Beattie – This is my cousins boat. A 1929 28′ launch built by Dowset Boat Works in Portland, Ontario. It’s original power came from a Junior Gold Cup engine. this picture was taken around 1986.

Here is another family boat from Graeme. My grandfather purchased the 'Starlet' from Nichol's Boat Works in Smiths Falls, Ontario in 1932. It is made of narrow strip cedar over oak frames and powered by a 201 cu in 40hp L-shaped flat head Model A Ford engine. It doubled as a work boat supplying provisions and getting people to and from their cottage at Star Island on big Rideau Lake plus as a pleasure craft including this scene of trick aquaplaning.

Here is another family boat from Graeme. My grandfather purchased the ‘Starlet’ from Nichol’s Boat Works in Smiths Falls, Ontario in 1932. It is made of narrow strip cedar over oak frames and powered by a 201 cu in 40hp L-shaped flat head Model A Ford engine. It doubled as a work boat supplying provisions and getting people to and from their cottage at Star Island on big Rideau Lake plus as a pleasure craft including this scene of trick aquaplaning.

Thanks to the gang for making this an amazing week.

14 replies
  1. Troy
    Troy says:

    Fun Fun stuff.

    I will not coment about going thru drawers since it brings up strange images in Matt’s mind. but I will try and find more old boat shots when I see Mom next.

    Would love to find one of my first boat which was a home made woody with a 1953 25 hp Johnson outboard. The engine was given to me by a Jr. High teacher that lived on the lake.

  2. floyd r turbo
    floyd r turbo says:

    Dang it, wouldn’t you love to go back to one of the marinas about 1950 just to see row after row of mahogany cruisers, sedans, utilities, and runabouts tied up and not one tuperware boat in sight.

    I remember going to Albert G Frost’s Marina on Sebago Lake Maine every weekend with my grandfather to take out his triple and then he sold it and bought a Cruise-A-Long that was more “fuel efficient” (and had a head/galley and place for his cooler),

  3. cobourg kid
    cobourg kid says:

    Graeme ,based on the marine hardware (particularly roof support brackets and poles) the coaming and rub rail designs , lack of visible raised panels in the interior and in particular the design of the high stern railing I suspect (based on other research that I have been doing) that the Hummingbird is not a Fay and Bowen product .

    Just a hunch but I do however think that there is a good possibility that Hummingbird was constructed by Charles L. Seabury – Gas Engine & Power Co. (renamed Consolidated Shipbuilding after World War I) which was based in Morris Heights New Jersey. Unfortunately the pictures don’t disclose whether the stern of Hummingbird is a torpedo or counter stern. Either way Seabury built both.

    The fact that the stem is plumb rather than raked strongly suggests that she was built between 1900 and 1905. Launches built in the latter half of the first decade usually utilised forward raked stems…

    Assuming an earlier build date Hummingbird may have originally been a naphtha launch that was subsequently repowered ( perhaps when your ancestors acquired her). That might explain what looks very much like a Fay & Bowen two barrel circa 1911 ensconced in the bilge. F&B did sell a lot of “crate” engines for use in non F&B boats so that is a possibility

    For comparison I have attached a drawing of a Seabury Naphtha launch from the 1900 catalogue. I will also separately post a photo of the 1911 Fay and Bowen two barrel engine … which looks extremely similar to the Hummingbird’s power plant as shown in your granny’s photo’ .

    • Graeme Beattie
      Graeme Beattie says:

      Hi, Thank you so very much. I will check out Seabury. There is no way I can ascertain if she came with an original naphtha engine. The Fay & Bowen company is not far from Smiths Falls so a refit by them could be possible. Star Island was purchased in 1890 and they would need transportation. So she could have been built any time after that. But no later than 1905. Thanks again for a quick and informative reply.

  4. Walter
    Walter says:

    Here’s a picture of my dad in a Sears kit boat he and his dad built in 1955. This picture is probably from 1957.

  5. Bob B.
    Bob B. says:

    Floyd R Turbo–re: 1950s marinas. That’s why I love my 1952-53 edition of Chapman’s “Guide to Piloting…”. All the boats pictured are woodies, beautiful woodies! My newer edition is full of tupperware and I/O’s, (not that there’s anything wrong with that; some of my best friends…)

Comments are closed.