More Live-ish From Hessel Michigan -The 38th Annual Les Cheneaux Islands Antique Wooden Boat Show and Festival of Arts 2015.
Momma Mia this has been some kinda crazy weekend. Tahoe, Hessel, and New Hampshire to pick up the new Woody Boater boat and go to New Jersey and then, go boating in Virginia. Crazy.. So we are trying to catch up on the reporting so the over 7,000 of you all that came to Woody Boater yesterday can fill your eyeballs up with all the best mahogany goodness out there. The culture of Classic Boating is stronger than ever and causing a huge wake of smiles! Thanks to our newest bestest Michiganest reporter Allen Papendick we have more amazing photos and captions today. Take it away Allen.
1947 31’ Hacker Boat Company “Wuzz a’Fuzz” is this year’s Poster boat. Original artwork by Diana J. Grenier featured at the Les Cheneaux Islands Art Gallery. “Wuzz a’ Fuzz” a former Detroit Police Department patrol boat. Mary and Tom Flood Les Cheneaux Michigan
The poster child!
The 38th Annual Les Cheneaux Islands Antique Wooden Boat Show and Festival of Arts 2015. This years show the feature make is Hacker-Craft by designer John Hacker.
Feature Boat and last year’s Best of Show winner the flawless “Hornet” 1932 28’ GarWood, Schipps V12. Stripped and varnished over the winter by E.J. Mertaugh Boat Works in Hessel gleams “like a grand piano”. Janet and Jay Stingel Mackinac Island Michigan.
Prior to the show we had overcast skies. Then as the boats began to arrive a glimmer of sunshine gave way to full sun at show time. Mother nature provided a perfect day, low 70’s and a refreshing breeze. The mellow musical background was provided by the Main Street Band as we gazed at the 142 entries and shopped at the Festival of Arts.
“Catch Me If You Can” and “LULU III”
McKenzie driver admires “BOSS” a 1921 42’ Great Lakes Boat Building Corporation, Milwaukee. Winner the Jim Bohn People’s Choice Award. Original wood and hardware, owners Collins/Carrington.
“McKenzie” 1929 29’ Hacker-Craft Dolphin. Gail and Mark Andreae, Mullett Lake Michigan
The Main Street Band is a nice compliment to the show.
“PAL” 1918 21’ HackerCraft. 95 hp Hercules. Winner 21-24’ Runabout Tom and Joyce Neff Milledgeville, Grorgia
“Pioneer” 1930 26’ Hacker-Craft Dolphin, Billy Johnson Les Cheneaux Michigan
“Twisted Timber” 1942 19’ Chris Craft. Kelly and Glenn Charest, West Bloomfield Michigan
“Sweetie” 1949 22’ Chris Craft open boat by Chris Fox Naples Florida
“Maumee Mistress” 1970 26’ Lyman Skiff, 260 hp Crusader Linda and Loren Sattler Hessel Michigan
“Three Docs” 1949 22’ Chris Craft winner Best 22’ Chris Craft Utility, Debra and Michael Wagner Hessel Michigan. 1941 Chris Craft 22’ “Blue-By-U” Russ Arrand, Cadillac Boat Shop – Cadillac Michigan
1964 17’ Century Resorter 427 Ford Interceptor, Christine and Mike Zane Les Cheneaux Michigan
“ Trident” 1939 22’ Chris Craft Abnee/O’Halloran Les Cheneaux and “Sweetie” 1949 22’ Chris Craft open boat by Chris Fox Naples Florida
1964 “Pathfinder” 57’ Chris Craft Constellation Twin GM 8-71 diesels. Claudia Baird Charlevoix Michigan
“Lisa Ann” 1953 14’ Penn Yan 1954 10 hp Johnson Drew McDaniel Hessel Michigan
Winner in the Racer class Bill Winn’s “Catch Me If You Can” also winner best Transom Art. A 2009 24’ Larry Lauterdauch. Following the show I saw “Wuzz a’ Fuzz” point a radar gun at the 750 hp Chevrolet as he roostertailed back to Boyne City, Michigan via the Straits.
“Uandi” motors by McKenzie’s bow a 1926 26’ Hacker-Craft. Keeley and Norman Betts, Les Cheneaux Islands
From the bow of “Benchar Too” as “Floating Point” motors by. “Benchar Too” 30’ 1993 Hacker Boat Company with Crusader 454. J.B. Ball #8 Island Michigan
Make sure you see yesterdays report as well.. And yes, there is more Tahoe magic with a special photo shoot from Texx and the full report on the new Woody Boater Sportsman!
Thanks for the report Allen!
Looks like a wonderful show.
You know the quality beer was consumed in large quantities in upper Michigan when a race boat with no transom wins an award for best transom art!
Great report!!
I drove up Saturday morning from Detroit in rainy / cloudy conditions most of the way. Crossing the Mighty Mac was the secret, Da Upers had reserved the picture perfect day for Hessel.
Great turnout of local boats! There was also a nice group of Feathercraft’s there, a couple were hard to look in the sun, the hulls polished to a mirror finish.
Glad I made the last minute decision to go, well worth a long day in the car!!
Really great Hessel coverage this year folks!! Especially as last year’s was a little slim. The video yesterday was a very nice touch.
No mention of the pancake breakfast at Hessel……And again…so many U-22’s, they are just referred to as “open boats”
Great report and great pics…So many boats…so little time.
I gave a thank you to the Lion’s Club in yesterday’s report. Pancakes and sausage, I went back for more.
The amazing Chris-Craft U-22 – the workhorse (floating pickup truck) of the Les Cheneaux Islands…
Nice report today Allen!
Great stuff guys, thanks.
Love that show.
What a fantastic show poster!
So there was a while ago when if you clicked on an image in a story, it would open a new page and get much larger. Now the story images are small and will not enlarge. Is there a reason you are doing this? It used to be great to be able to see the picture lager? They are some great images just too small.
Steve
Hi Steven, just right click and it will come up veiw image. Bam! Just clicking on the image will bring up the size you see, but all these images are twice that size.
Hi Steven, I don’t get the “view image” option when I right click on a photo with my windows 7 internet explorer 11 computer. I found that I can right click and “save picture as” and it will save it in “my pictures” folder where I can view it full size. Hope this helps.
I had the good fortune of attending this incredible show over the weekend. It’s my first trip back to Hessel in 5+ years and it CERTAINLY didn’t disappoint!! The boats were gorgeous, the weather perfect and the U.P. hospitality is always #1. Thanks to everyone who stopped by the Hagerty booth to say hi! Always a pleasure..
Kudos to the boat show crew and the entire Les Cheneaux Islands community. Once again, they’ve raised the bar on vintage boat shows.
As for “Catch Me If You Can”, while I can’t speak to the amount of beer consumed in the UP, the award was for Best Boat Name or Transom Art. Based on Bill Winn’s high speed exit from the harbor after the show, however, I think the painted-on name was likely blown off…!