Rain or Shine The Boats And Bar Harbor Staff Shined – Live-ish From Gull Lake
“If you get lonely, all you really need is that rainy day love. Rainy day people all know there’s no sorrow. They can’t rise above” Gordon Lightfoot.
This weekends story on the big Gull lake Show at Bar Harbor Supper Club, had to wait to dry out before we published it. Hey, it could have electrocuted you while touching your computer. Safety First. Okay? Don’t buy that? How about this, We had to let it soak up for a day to report it? Okay, no on that? How about? It’s a couple days late cause we had to put together a story! And Dane was up til 4AM editing photos and trying to think of how to report on a rainy show. And since it never rains in Woodyboaterville, we call it drool. Yes! Drool from Mother nature. She loves her wood boats. Okay! Ya, that’s more like it.The good news is that it was a two great days with great boats, great food and great friends. And we have photos and actual captions to prove it! Take it away Dane!
Ya, it drooled!
And they came. Why, because this culture is the best and passionate about our life on the water.
If you attend enough boat shows, sooner or later you will run into a rainy day. Saturday was shaping up to be an all day soaker and as I approached Bar Harbor Supper Club for the Gull Lake Classic Boat Show, I didn’t know what to expect. It was gray and a steady rain was falling, but there was still plenty of activity at the docks. Even with the rain, 58 boats were on display in the water. There was a steady stream of spectators on the docks, in raincoats, admiring the impressive collection of boats on display. Rain or shine this is a special show and the community comes out to see these boats.
Bar Harbor Supper Club is the perfect Woody Boater setting for a show. John Allen built the place around the culture of Woody Boating and the life that makes it so special.
John Allen and his staff at Bar Harbor had to shift gears and deal with a large crowd for lunch inside the restaurant instead of out on the front lawn. The crew at Bar Harbor deserve some recognition for the fantastic job they do all weekend long in support of this event. They know how to treat their guests.
Lockpat II 1931 40′ Hacker Custom, Packard 2025 V-12
Lockpat II take a bow….shot. Thats not rain, its drool by the way.
The rain finally let up late in the afternoon providing an opportunity to grab some photos and more importantly allowing the boat owners to get back home or on their trailers without getting soaked again.
Baby Skipalong
See that guy drooling on Baby Skipalong 1924 Nevins 27′ Gold Cup Race Boat, Packard engine? See him. Proof!
TOLKA 1928 Alexander Graham Bell 31′ Launch
Miss Mary
Miss Mary, 1922 Hacker Gold Cup Race Boat, Peerless engine
Dash for
Baby Horace III, 1923 Dodge Boat Works 24′ International Sweepstakes Racer, Packard 1M-1242 race engine
Dave Bortner in a 1968 Donzi Sweet Sixteen, Restored and repowered with a 435 hp 383 stroker and MerCruiser Bravo outdrive. Okay, Woody here, DEAR GOD DAVE, I drove that sweet 16 with a 350 and it about ripped my wrist off. This thing I bet is faster than fast and funner than fun should be. Oh and is for sale HERE
Stunning 1940 23′ Chris Craft restored by the team at Freedom Boat Service
The Ernst family, always crowd favorites. The kids drive the boats to and from the show docks and represent the boats to the public.
Chief Mackinac, 1918 Consolidated Custom Launch
Our host John Allen in his 1931 Earl Barnes 26′ triple “Johnny Barnes” with Scripps f6
Bill Nolen in this nice 1959 Trojan Ski-Bee
Rare 1905 Standard engine with open sided crankcase. Greavette built in 1946 for the engine.
8034 & 8039 Rare 1905 Standard engine with open sided crankcase. Greavette built in 1946 for the engine.
Liberty 24 cylinder engine, restored and on run stand from the Lee Anderson collection
WOW!
The Liberty 24 in 2015 before restoration
8134 Vintage neon Texxaco sign on the gas dock at Bar Harbor
=
1925 Hacker Dolphin
Aren’t we all?
A huge shout out and thanks to all up in Gull Lake for making the show a great event and yearly tradition here on Woody Boater, to Dane for reporting, and John Allen for being an amazing host, and to Lee Anderson for bringing out a bazillion bucks worth of priceless treasures and letting them get soaked in drool. NOT RAIN. Drool, got it. It never rains in Woodyboaterville.
And you know what we say! It aint a boat show til someone gets towed in!
Great report. The level and variety of boats at this show never ceases to amaze me. Truly in a class by itself!
Rich and I really enjoyed the 2015 ACBS International Show held up on Gull Lake at Bar Harbor. We want to return for a future show there.
nice to see an outboard boat
Beautiful! Thank you, Dane, John, Dave, Lee and all the volunteers.
I would love if Lee authored a book of all his wonderful boats and the stories behind them.
Done right it would be very popular.
And I am sure it would be done right.
Great report with awesome photos as usual Dane. I believe Lee Anderson has been working with a professional photographer / publisher the last few years on a new book. Not sure where it’s at though. – Texx
I really love the paint job on that Donzi. 😉
A great place for a show, even with less than perfect weather. Love the new gas dock with vintage sign & vintage pump.
The people and the boats in Minnesota are first class. Can’t wait to visit again…..hopefully for another International show…hint….hint.
Scott,
You don’t have to wait for another International. You could come for a long weekend next year and spend Thursday on the Whitefish Chain and Friday on Gull before the Saturday Boat Show.