Greatest Race Boat Show In Canadian History – At The Muskoka Wharf In Gravenhurst

After a year of extensive planning by the Toronto Chapter ACBS, the 33rd Annual Antique & Classic Boat Show featuring “100 Years of Racing” is now just over a week away. The Toronto Chapter recently released the summer issue their quarterly publication Classicboat to celebrate the event. Classicboat Editor Kathy Rhodes sent us this update.
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Greatest Race Boat Show in Canadian History!

With 9 days to go, the planning committee for the Greatest Race Boat Show in Canadian History is in countdown mode. Here’s a brief update of what you can expect to see and do in Gravenhurst, Ontario, July 4-7.

Boat Show Update:

Close to 150 antique, classic, and contemporary gentleman’s racers, gold cup racers, racing launches, inboard and outboard hydroplanes, and tunnel boats are coming from across North America for the Greatest Race Boat Show in Canadian History on Saturday, July 6.

With lots of in-water and land displays, there will be something for everyone. In-water hydroplane runs are scheduled morning and afternoon on a Canadian Boating Federation sanctioned demonstration course, and our traditional Boats in Motion will be held in front of the docks between 12:00 and 1:30. Check out the Schedule of Events for all the details of the day.

Ragtime & Falcon – Gentleman’s Race Boats

Four Days of Fun:

The Greatest Race Boat Show in Canadian History is just one element of a four-day festival of events. The fun starts Thursday night with Racing with the Legends, a series of films and talks by famous racers, Jim Thompson, owner of the three time Harmsworth winner, Miss Supertest III; Tom D’Eath, winner of three American Power Boat Association Gold Cups and three Prince Edward Canadian Gold Cups; and Ken Warby (via Skype), current holder of the water speed record at 317.60 mph set on October 8, 1978.

Following the Woody Boater Poker Run on Friday will be the gala Reception for Champions where you’ll get your opportunity to mix and mingle with 11 members of the Canadian Motorsport, Canadian Sports, and Canadian Boating Federation Halls of Fame. Come out and hear their stories.

On Sunday, join us for our youth-oriented Summer Action Program featuring a Sea Flea Festival, BMX/FMX stunt shows, and a Rolling Stones Tribute band.

To order your tickets for these events and more, Click Here.

HORNET, reconstructed from original plans, is a dead ringer for her namesake from 1934.

Boat Show merchandise and a limited edition signed Boat Show poster are now available for pre-order to pick up at the Boat Show!

Boat Show Festival Merchandise: T-shirts, golf shirts, and ball caps – all with specially designed Boat Show Festival logos – are now available to pre-order for pickup at the show. Shirts are available in sizes Small through XXLarge.

For details and to order your merchandise, please Click Here.

New owner Bob Hampton will be bringing XANADU up from New York for this years show.

Limited Edition Signed Boat Show Poster: A limited (maximum 100) edition version of the official boat show poster, personally signed by members of the Canadian Motorsports and Canadian Boating Federation Halls of Fame who will be attending the Reception for Champions on July 5, is now available for pre-order. For details and to order your unique piece of Canadian race boat history, Click Here (scroll down to the bottom of the page for order details).

Come and join us for the Greatest Race Boat Show in Canadian History!
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“Miss Canada IV” Prepares For Her Historic Relaunch

And we also received this update from fellow Woody Boater Jamie Smith and the “Miss Canada IV” restoration team at Tom Adams Boat Shop in Port Carling. The team is busy preparing the famous 1949 Greavette multi-step hydroplane for her official re-launch during the Toronto Chapter ACBS boat show. In Jamie’s update, he also highlights a few more details about the upcoming Racing with Legends evening which is mentioned in Kathy’s update today. Not to appear repetitive, but as we get closer to the big “100 Years of Racing” event, we want to make sure that all the Press Releases we receive from the organizers for the upcoming event are represented, as they have invested a great deal of time and energy into the four day celebration.

Now that the extensive testing and sea trials have been successfully completed by the “Miss Canada IV” restoration team, in anticipation for her historic re-launch during the show, the race boat has now returned back to Tom Adam’s Boat Shop for some final details… Almost like she is going to the “beauty parlour” to get her hair done and a pedicure as she prepares for the big day.

Jamie notes in his e-mail:

Now that “Miss Canada IV” is getting her final coats of varnish, and the final details are being completed under the hatch, artist Pat Doran is in Tom’s shop to do replicate the original art work just as it looked when she was presented to the public in 1949. And this is what he worked from. The original lettering behind the aluminum plate before the hull cracked in Detroit 1949.

The original Greavette artwork, as revealed when the aluminum plates added after the 1949 season were removed. The colours were still vibrant, thanks to not being exposed to the air for 64 years.

Racing with Legends
Antique & Classic Boat Society Toronto Movie Night
Gravenhurst Opera House, July 4th, 2013

The Toronto Chapter ACBS “Racing with Legends” movie night will kick off “The Greatest Race Boat Show in Canadian History”, the theme for this year’s 33rd annual Classic Boat Show.

Pat Doran laying out the stencils for the lettering of the name.

The evening will be a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for attendees to see outstanding powerboat racing films and meet three famous race boat drivers featured in them. “Making Waves: The Story of Canada’s Miss Supertest Team”, will be introduced by Canada’s Jim Thompson whose Miss Supertest III is the world’s only three-time winner of the Harmsworth Trophy.

World Champion driver Tom D’Eath from Florida will narrate the 1976 Detroit Gold Cup race between himself and Bill Muncey, driver of the famed Atlas Van Lines Unlimited hydroplane, and the 1990 Detroit Gold Cup race between himself and Chip Hanauer. The third will be the Ken Warby video “The Fastest Man on Water in the World”.

The artist at work.

The screenings will be followed by a Q&A session with Jim Thompson, owner/driver of Miss Supertest III, Tom D’Eath, winner of three American Power Boat Association Gold Cups and three Prince Edward Canadian Gold Cups, and Ken Warby, who set the world’s water speed record set on October 8th, 1978 at 317.60 miles per hour, a mark that has never been equaled. A large number of other champion race boat drivers will also be in attendance.

Pat Doran at work on the starboard side of Miss Canada IV.

Tickets are available through the ACBS Toronto website Boat Show registration package at www.acbs.ca. Tickets are also available at the Gravenhurst Opera House at 705-687-5550. It’s going to be a sellout!

The ensign and burgee are starting to take shape.

The evening is sponsored by Tim Horton’s Gravenhurst and Muskoka Film Works, producers of the award winning dvd “Harold & Lorna, World Water Speed Champions”. Miss Canada IV, the unlimited hydroplane that husband-and-wife team drove at over 200 mph in 1950, is one of the feature boats of the weekend.

Pat works in the detail on the Ensign Coat of Arms. What he is creating is identical to the 1949 artwork.

Looking good, Pat!

“Miss Canada IV” photos courtesy of Tom Adams, boat builder and a great photographer!

For additional information:

Jamie Smith: ph 705-645-1991 and email jds470@sympatico.ca)
websites: www.acbs.ca, and www.haroldandlornamovie.com
facebook: www.facebook.com/pages/Harold-Lorna-and-Miss-Canada-IV/141533622607405 www.facebook.com/ACBSToronto?fref=ts

James D. Smith
705 645 1991
SKYPE: riverbendmuskoka
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Thanks Jamie – This 33rd Annual Toronto Chapter ACBS Antique & Classic Boat Show will certainly be a weekend to remember and is a “must see” of you are in the Southern Ontario area.

Texx
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