Kent O. Smith Jr Throws A Hale Mary From Lake George For The Big Classic Boat Show Show Down!

Lake George Village docks on a very overcast day.

Thanks to Kent O. Smith Jr for taking having some fun with the Big 1St Annual Classic Boat Show Showdown. Gull Lake VS Lake George, Dane VS Kent, Cannon VS Nikon..Yes, it aint Hockey speed that’s for sure.. More like charging snails! But it is an interesting idea to have a competition between two shows on the same day!  So here is the report in from Kent O. Smith Jr! Take it away!

A modern 28’ HackerCraft triple.

41^st Annual Lake George Rendezvous – Kent O. Smith Jr.

Well, Matt, thanks for adding the “synthetic pressure” – in addition to carting the awards, breakfast food, nine boxes of Joe, tables, registration materials (all coordinated by my better half, Marsha), towing a friend’s 1926 Hacker land display, and running a 26’ Chris triple to the show for another friend – you still want me to send in some (good?) photos???

Front cockpit of the HackerCraft 28’.

AND call out a Show Down?

First of all, Mother Nature did not fully cooperate.  The Friday evening cocktail reception was a drizzling washout, one brave couple arrived by boat, but the rest of us were land lubbers arriving by car with umbrellas.  Saturday morning brought overcast gray skies and mist.  Fortunately the rain held off and we did receive some peeks of sun amongst the dramatic gray clouds and overall flat light in the afternoon.  But that does not a Show Down make…

Dash and helm of a 1937 Gar Wood utility.

Secondly, I am at a distinct disadvantage in that the boats at Lake George, while very nice, are more mainstream boats than the uber rare don’t drool on the varnish boats of Gull Lake.

Bird’s eye (or flying fisheye) view of a Chris Craft Capri engine bay.

And thirdly, Dane’s Canon typically thunders louder than mine !

So how to compete?  Step one, get the cooler from the truck and make a discreet Bloody Mary, sip and contemplate.  Step two, repeat.  After the third, the immortal words of Clint Eastwood in “Heartbreak Ridge” come to mind:  “Improvise, Adapt, Overcome.”  As Matt always says, “Dock Shots are Deadly” – so how do you photograph boats at the dock and try to make it work??  Do something different!  So here’s my hail Mary throw, we’ll see how it stacks up to Dane’s Canon’s opening volley…

Brand new Fish Brother’s 26’ Gar Wood inspired racer, a healthy 502 provides ample power. Yes, that’s my foot in the lower right part of the frame…one of the pitfalls of working with a lens with 180* view.

Digging around in the camera bag, I pull fish out the dreaded 15mm fisheye lens.  It’s different.  It’s great.  It’s horrible.  It’s a love / hate thing.  But on a dismal overcast day, it’s all I have.

Did I mention to watch out for the tour boats? A classic Lake George picture, steamboats and mahogany.

So sit in a chair, hold on to a railing, and if you are prone to vertigo, scroll down the page past the fish eye shots for the standard been there done that telephoto shots.

old on to your shirt, Honey! That’s the Fish Brother’s 26’ GW style racer….brand new and available…

BOOM!  Take that, Dane!

Spectators watching the parade from the village docks. That’s Cynde Smith of the Tumblehome Boatshop shooting pics from the bow of “Caprice”, a Sound Inter Club one design sailboat. Could that be Canon she’s shooting??? Hopefully Cynde will send in some of her photos…

Duane and Jeanne again on “Golden Fury.” They bought me drinks at the cocktail party, so they get the double dip photo post….it doesn’t take much, does it?

The only way to bring your Adirondack Guide boat to and from the show…

Viva Italia! Mike Turner graciously took us out on his Italian built Comitti runabout. Mike is the exclusive importer of these boats built at Lake Como. Check out the retro Italian styling at www.turnermarinegroup.com Viva Italia! Mike Turner graciously took us out on his Italian built Comitti runabout. Mike is the exclusive importer of these boats built at Lake Como. Check out the retro Italian styling at www.turnermarinegroup.com Viva Italia! Mike Turner graciously took us out on his Italian built Comitti runabout. Mike is the exclusive importer of these boats built at Lake Como. Check out the retro Italian styling at www.turnermarinegroup.com

Thanks Kent.. Wow, you milked a crappy weather day into a fun report.