The Joy Of Modern SIX (or five)
Grew Jeff Souch
Thanks to fellow Woody Baoter Sean Conroy for sending in this nice report from Kawartha Lake! And yes I just copied and pasted Karartha. Who names these lakes? What the hell? Lake George, now that is a name, or Lake Bob, JAne Lake.. this Karartha, Skaneateles, Hopatcong stuff has to got to stop! Anyway, enough of my rant, thanks Sean for the report, Or is it Shawn, UGH.. Shaun? Shawon, Shonn, Shawne, LeSean, DeSean, DeShawn, Ra’Shon. No really, these are all real!
The Joy Of Modern SIX (or five) by Sean Conroy!
Under beautiful skies and summer temperatures the Trent-Severn club gathered for its fall run in Southern Ontario’s Kawartha Lakes, putting in at Lake Chemong. Now, the T-S club is an active bunch that loves to use their boats. This annual event is the last of the season and well attended for many reasons including the great facilities of Chemong Yacht Haven and the generosity of our hosts, the Philpots.
Rich Hughes Greavette
This year also saw the Maple Leaf Outboard Motor Club in attendance. Needless to say, there was a great variance in the size type and capability of boats. Dealing with a fleet of 20 or so boats with vastly different characteristics is actually a difficult task as while the larger boats can barely stay on plane some of the smaller ones are screaming to keep up.
Our up-lake cruise through lakes Chemong, Buckhorn and Pigeon, up to the town of Bobcaygeon couldn’t have been more perfect. Then something new happened… Since the day was so beautiful and the water so nice nobody was in a hurry for the down leg run. This of itself was not so surprising. However, looking ahead to the inevitable haul-out (before another spectacular pot-luck late lunch) and estimation of the speed of the returning fleet we decided a window of opportunity existed to burn off a few more litres of fuel. So, a decision was made for some of the quicker boats to split off and explore more of the area while the smaller boats could enjoy a leisurely ride back without working so hard to keep up.
This dang boat does not take a bad photo. Stunning!
Led by Club President Rich Hughes in his spectacular 1968 Greavette Executive Aqua Velvet, five boats split off. The now Woodyboater famous Clarion Gold Cup 25 Riot, of Chris and Julie Bullen, the Greavette-esque Hughes of Mike Gridley, Miss Canada V the pocket hydro built and driven by Jeff Hughes and Yours truly, in Sea-J a 1972 Greavette Sunflash IV made up the group.
Interestingly enough, three of these boats are powered by Mercruiser 4.3l V6’s and all boats are powered by modern-ish engines. Riot has a stock Mercruiser 502 while Aqua Velvet runs her original V8 motor but, modernized. It was great to let these boats stretch their legs a bit, and not have to worry about keeping up, or others keeping up. All of this group are capable of 50 + mph… reliably. Cruising in a woody formation or, hopping a wake or two was so much fun on a beautiful clear day. This may be a different type of woodyboating from the “boathouse queens” that only come out for shows but, if fun is what you’re after then these modern power boats can, and do run regularly all summer.
Our group explored both Little Bald Lake and Big Bald Lake, the narrows and some picturesque inlets where we found a great stop for ice cream and refreshments. Back out on the water at a good clip, we let the boats run out again through alternate routes on our way back to Chemong Yacht Haven. Smiles were everywhere and I can say this was the most fun we had this year.
Thanks for a great report, Sean! Interesting to see a wide variety of boats playing together nicely. Good strategy letting the quicker boats play in one group while the more leisurely group stayed together in another. Wish we could have brought Eau! Canada, our ’49 Greavette Runabout, up to join her sisters for the perfect day you had. She likes running on cold water.
It would be sooooooo nice to have your Greavette back in the clear clean water of Muskoka sometime. We have some great events up here with multiple clubs in Southern Ontario.
I’m still hoping to bring my Greavette south to Lake Dora, Lake George and maybe even lake Tahoe someday… well you have to have a bucket list, right?
Add Lake Cumberland in KY to your list and come down next year. Always the week following ACBS International show. The water last weekend was even warm enough to swim.
That might be do-able… only 11 hours drive!
Dang!
There is just something about a black sided boat. I don’t know why but I sure do like them!
What a GREAT day! Thanks for the report!
Me too Troy! Luv the black or dark, dark green hullsides. Classy they are!
I like how a 1970’s engine designed by chopping 2 cylinders of a 1955 V8 block is called modern in this hobby! There are some nice advantages to an electric fuel pump (available for marine use well before 1955) and electronic ignition (early 60’s) so I am a fan of “modernizing” v8’s in user boats.
🙂
This can’t be Canada. Where are the dangling fenders?
Those Canadians really know how to have fun. I wonder if a couple Michigan boats would be allowed to participate. it looks like it would be worth the six hour drive to head up there next year.
your always welcome to come to Canada and pay more for gas.
By all means please come up and visit!!! We love to see new boats in the fleet and new faces at the socials. 🙂
the weather was perfect! one of those days you just want to keep going , but then you ding the prop and you have to go home before the boat shakes apart. dang!
That is why you need a v6 powered dippy!
i think i should , had the boat for 2 years and hit something each year. but this was a gentle one not like last year. we made a Buddhist inspired gong out of that prop for a new dinner bell. and i do not need another one
Nice gong! You sound like a good candidate for a Penn Yan Tunnel Drive or a jet-drive.
What’s with the pontoon boat? Expecting Texx? Is it carrying the group keg? Dry dock for hauling sinking woodies? Looks like everyone had a blast.
The pontoon was going the other way… we swarmed him so he could see what boats look like, lol 🙂
Sean, Thanks for the memories, born and grew up in the “Kawarthas”
Cool story and photos Sean. Seems that his year’s “last gasp” event was a big ol pile O fun…. Dang, I wish I had been there!
For those that don’t already know, the Trent Severn Antique & Classic Boat Association just has to be the most active WB groups in the entire WB hobby.
For me it’s always inspiring to see the wonderful lakes of the lower Trent Severn (my backyard) profiled in the international media..
Now if only we could get our friends who live over on the south side of Lake Ontario to come on up and explore the 240 miles of beautiful lakes, rivers, scenery and history that is Park’s Canada’s Trent Severn Waterway.
For an off the hook look at the TSW go to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ZVz_N96v0w
Looks like a great fall day in Ontario. Good thing for Matt the Canadians didn’t visit Kashagawigamog Lake. That would really blow his mind (and his spell checker, not that he uses one, lol).