Images From The 38th Annual ACBS Meeting and International Boat Show In Coeur d’Alene
Today, thanks to fellow Woody Boaters Steve Natale, Wes Yandt and Brian Robinson (header) we get a glimpse of some classic boats at the docks (and on the lake) on Friday from the 38th Annual ACBS Meeting and International Boat Show in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
Steve Natale is a writer / columnist from northern California who specializes in vintage transportation, and writes two columns for the San Francisco Examiner, and also for a number of classic automotive publications and websites. Steve’s coverage for the Examiner from both the South Lake Tahoe Boat Show in July and the Lake Tahoe Concours in August was great. And now he is in Coeur d’Alene to cover the ACBS International event this weekend.
Steve offered to send us some live iPhone photos on Friday as he made his way around the docks at the Coeur d’Alene Resort which we appreciate. Steve’s iPhone photos began at dawn and continued through the day… and once Steve has the opportunity to download and edit some photos from his professional camera, he will share a few more photos with us in the days to come. – Texx

Darryl Onia’s beautiful 1956 14′ AristoCraft Torpedo “LIFE O’ RILEY” (FYI – Small world, I first met Darryl Onia when I was 12 years old, at the time he was riding a Triumph 650 Bonneville… True story – Texx) – (Photo by Steve Natale)

Jim Winslow’s recently restored 1928 24′ Schillo Triple Cockpit Runabout named “NEMO” – We reported on this rare boat 2 years ago, and it’s great to see it back in the water. Nice work Jim! – Texx (Steve Natale Photo)

The Glenn H. Curtiss V-12 powered “Miss Detroit III” resting at the dock before a busy day. (Steve Natale Photo)

A rare 1916 Curtiss V-12 aircraft engine took Gar Wood to victory in the 1918 Gold Cup. This Curtiss was recently restored by Robert Mishko in Tennessee. (Steve Natale Photo)

Here’s Steve Natale out for a spin on Lake Coeur d’Alene with his friend Steve Marini in his Cadillac powered 1955 21′ Chris-Craft Cobra.

The subject of “User Boat vs Show Boat” is always a hot topic here at Woody Boater. Here’s a great description that Steve found in a boat at CDA on Friday.(Steve Natale Photo)
Thanks Steve! – Texx
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Wes Yandt is a frequent contributor to Woody Boater and is also the Editor of the Inland Empire ACBS Newsletter “The Inland Scuttlebutt.” And make sure you click on the images below to enlarge them, then hit the return arrow to go back to the story.
On Friday morning Wes rode along with the chase boat to capture some great photographs of “Miss Detroit III” as veteran vintage race boat pilot Ike Kielgass put her through her paces on Lake Coeur d’Alene. Recently owner Ken Muscatel and Ike Kielgass re-launched “Miss Detroit III” with her vintage 1916 Glenn H. Curtiss Model V-4 / V-12 race engine after almost 3 years of hard work to reunite the Chris Smith / Gar Wood designed replica race boat with the vintage Curtiss race engine.
Beginning with our first (of five) reports starting in April 2012, we have been following the progress of this remarkable project, which you can find by simply entering MISS DETROIT III in the search box on the Woody Boater home page. There you can see the different stages of the engine restoration, some history of engine designer Glenn H. Curtis, Gar Wood, the actual engine restoration process at Robert Mishko’s shop in Tennessee, and the recent re-launch at Lake Tapps, WA.

With the flip of a switch, the Robert Mishko restored 97 year-old Curtiss (Model V-4) V-12 comes to life and the guys are off! (Wes Yandt Photo)

“Miss Detroit III” up on plane and doing what she does best as she speeds across Lake Coeur d’Alene on Saturday morning.

Fellow Woody Boater and qualified vintage race boat pilot Ike Kielgass peers through the vintage steering wheel as he passes the shoot boat – note the heat coming off the exhaust. (Photo by Wes Yandt)

In this shot, Ike and his riding mechanic Hutch return from another successful run on “Miss Detroit III” still taking things seriously by the expressions on their face. – (Wes Yandt Photo)

The magnificent 1916 Glenn H. Curtiss Model V-4 12 cylinder race engine which develops an estimated 400 HP from it’s huge 1,650 cubic inch displacement cylinder jugs at around 1,500 RPM. When running you can see the “jewel like” valve train in action and experience the amazing sound of this vintage V-12. (Wes Yandt Photo)

A vintage look at “Miss Detroit III” as she leaves for a speed run on Lake Coeur d’Alene early Saturday morning, courtesy of photographer Wes Yandt.
Thanks to both Steve Natale and Wes Yandt for sharing your photos from the ACBS International show on Friday. And to Brian Robinson from Robinson Restoration for today’s great header shot.
Texx
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Nice photos of a great show with lots of fantastic boats from out of this area, too. We very much appreciate the effort to bring these boats to coeur d alene.
Well done.
Love the “Def'” of the user boat.
PS: Really loved the header yesterday with Suzy and Suzy.
Glad to see the Schillo back in the water. Been at least 40 years.
Wish I could hear the music that V-12 puts out of those pipes!
We have had a great time at this show, everyone has been so accomodating! Got ot see Schillo in real life Jim Staib! It is beautiful! Great views, beautiful lake for cruising and a wide array of different boats. I think I need to move to CdA!
Also see Frank Robison’s 1928 Dodge Water Car ‘Das Wasserauto’ Frank’s Dad bought the boat in 1939 for just $25 bucks!! Been in ‘the shed’ since 1963, and Frank just finished it for this show…Wow! “Bone Daddy”
Today’s header and subsequent story got me thinking that it would be incredibly cool to see a modern day shoot-out on the Detroit River between Ken Muscatel’s Curtiss V12 powered Miss Detroit III and a replica of “Whip-po’ Will Jr.” armed with her original 500 HP (3900 pound!) 12-cylinder Van Blerck. Whip was one of three other step hydros (the others being Miss Detroit II and Miss Minneapolis) that ran against MD III in the 1918 Gold Cup regatta.
According to MotorBoating magazine’s coverage of that legendary event MD III (piloted by Gar Wood) “fairly jumped over the surface of the water” but suffered from horrific hydrodynamics which literally beat the stuffing out of her crew at speeds above 60 mph.
In contrast Whip, (captained by the equally illustrious George Reis, later of El Lagarto fame) was both obstinate in turns and unwilling to achieve the 70 mph plus speed record she had previously set at her home port of Lake George NY. Motor Boating speculated that the latter problem was entirely attributable to hull deformation inflicted by an exceptionally heavy power plant and improper lifting and transportation.
Assuming that a reconstructed Whip would not be hampered by hull deformation it would be fascinating to see which of the two boats would come out on top in a modern-day match race.
BTW today’s replica vintage photo of MD III reminded me of an actual vintage photo of the same subject. Scanned from the Oct 1918 MotorBoating Magazine a snap of Gar Wood and his Gold Cup crew tinkering with Miss Detroit’s Curtis Power plant.
More on Whip-po’-Will Jr. can be found at: http://www.lakegeorgemirrormagazine.com/tag/wipp-o-will-jr/