Tommy Holmes Takes Us On One Last Tour Of Michigan’s Finest Classic Boat Shops!
Woody Boater Tommy Holmes finishes up his amazing e part report from Michigan today from Maritime Classics! Take it away Mr Holmes.
Woody Boater cub reporter reporting in on the 2015 boat shop world tour of Northern Michigan Part 3 from Cedar, MI, home of cheap wine and not of U.P. fame.
Third stop on the world tour is the Maritime Classics new facility captained by Mike Green. Not only does Mike have good Smith DNA in him, his knowledge belies his years. “2014 Boat Restorer of the Year” Mike can tell you a lot in a few words. I could write a book about my visit but I’ll let the pictures tell the story.
Oh my, another Gar Wood being saved by another Northern Michigan boat restorer, this 1936 Gar Wood Model 631 is a 25 foot triple cockpit and it is humungous.
Wiring circa 1936 will be restored exactly. Just one of the many challenges that boat restorers face every day.
Mike and his crew plan on using this pile of African Mahogany to restore the 1936 Gar Wood back to factory fresh.
One of the many reasons that Mike really likes this particular boat is the extremely gorgeous tumble to the narrow transom.
Upon completion, the boat will look similar to this Wood family boat. Photo by Bill Wood, GarWood Boats by A. Mollica, Jr.
Another boat under restoration is a rare 1936 Chris Craft Standard Utility 18’. A rather “Plain Jane” Chris Craft model is so unique you gotta’ love it.
Simply irresistible.
Mike in motion.
A 1948 Chris Craft Special Runabout 17’ in for some deck repair.
A wonderfully restored 1941 Chris Craft Custom is for a re-freshening in preparation for the forthcoming 2016 boat show season.
And then there they were again, the Gar Wood champagne glasses, calling out “cocktail hour”
Professional boat restorers have the Good Life. I hope this world wind tour of three boat restorers illustrates the many, varied tasks and challenges that they take on in their daily line of work.
Full speed ahead!
World Tour 2015
The End.
Tommy thanks again for this wonderful tour of Northern Michigan shops.
Sure beats paying for the plane ticket to go there.
Great series! I think you should send Tommy around to each of the 50 states, then Canadian provinces, maybe Europe and down under as well. He could be the expert reporter for restoration shops.
I agree. Very good story.
Love the tour. Your three shops just scratch the surface of boat restorers in Mich. Hope you will have Parts 4, 5, 6, etc some day.
Jon
Loved it but Michigan has many more boat restorers. Hope you will have Parts 4, 5, 6, et. al. Some day
Well now Texx can hop on his bike and carry on in the off season……………..
Thanks Thomas for your reports. Great to see there are some fantastic boats in the pipe. More Century’s are needed. Here is an award winner from the shop of Maritime Classics.
Neat century triple. I believe there are not that many around. I thought dick werner had one of the few left. Worthy of an article all by itself on the century triples.
Thank you, that was a challenging to restore because it was in such bad shape and there is only one other to go off of. I help restore the only other Century Triple of Dick Werner’s but the 2 boats are really not the same. You will be able to see this boat in Florida for the March boat show.
Mike – did that Gar Wood come from Dave Wright?
It is, feeling very blessed to work on another boat that Dave had.
Thanks again for the Coverage Tommy.
I have had the pleasure of working with Mike on several projects. He is about the nicest, most humble guy you will ever meet. He just wants it right.
Thanks Brian, and Tommy for writing this up for us.
Great story. Great boats. Great guy. But is it true that you have to Let Tommy play footsie with your wife to have your shop featured?
That’s what I heard too…
Great report on Mich restoration shops. For tours 4-5-6 consider going to Algonac. The restorations leaving that small community are fantastic.
WOW, Mike,
I hadn’t seen your new shop.., NICE.
I can only wistfully recall when my latest shop was that clean and new.., the clutter will come, you’ll see.
I didn’t realize that Gar Wood triple was in your new shop, and hands, congratulations.