Live-ish From Spokane! Over 2 Photos!

dsc_4862-editFellow Woody Boater Wes Yandt sent us in this fun one boat show report from Spokane. One boat, three photos! Hey, it aint the size its the passion..Right.

“Only in a boat” is the rather catchy jingle that is in all of the Inland Northwest residents mind that listen to the radio or watch local TV.  That is because the crew at the 63rd Annual Spokane Boat Show has done such a good job promoting this year’s show that every TV and radio channel plays it about every five minutes.  The 2017 Show ran for 8 days from January 28th through February 4th. The show featured boats and boating accessories from around the Inland Northwest.  Over 50 dealers are represented this year.  One of which is Tobler’s Marina from Hayden Lake Idaho.

dsc_4864-edit
Tobler’s Marina was the first Century dealer to sell over $1 million of Century boats in one year.  A good friend of mine’s parents started the marina.  David Tobler talks about those days where they had a show room on one side of the lake road with all the different Century models set up and a dock full of the same models on the other side of the road.  The unsuspecting customers would see something they liked in the show room and before they knew it they were running down the lake in the same model writing a check.
Along with Tobler’s Marina there was also two of the industries leaders when it comes to contemporary wooden boat builders at the show.  Stancraft started building boats on one of the local lakes in 1933 and is still going strong.  Hagadone Marine’s Resort Boat Shop has been a supporter of our Club for many years and builds one of the nicest wood boats anywhere.  Be sure to play the video at the bottom of their page.  It shows a time lapse of their latest build.
The ACBS Inland Empire chapter has brought their boats out to show for years but it is always somewhat risky with our weather.  So this year we tried something a bit different.  We down sized our booth, showed less boats and more photos.  The smaller booth allowed us to move into the main hall of the Show where there is more traffic.  This has given John Whitcomb, our newly appointed Membership Chair and Daryl Reynolds our new President, plenty of interested people to talk classic boats with.  One of the ice breakers (not talking about the ice out in the parking lot) has been our version of WoodyBoater’s  “A fully restored classic boat is cheaper than you think” poster.  Thanks Rabbit and WoodyBoater for the concept.

dsc_4872-edit
We are lucky enough to have three very large very beautiful lakes in our area with venues at each one to host boat shows.  The hard working members of the IEACBS will put on three first class boat shows this summer.  Do yourself a favor and put one of them on the calendar.
Sandpoint Annual Antique and Classic Boat Show July 7 – 9
Coeur d’Alene Annual wood Boat Show August 25 – 27
Priest Lake Dry Rot Parade and Show September 1 – 4
In addition to these, three of our neighboring ACBS clubs have shows scheduled this season as well.
Whitefish Woody Weekend VI June 23 – 25
Payette Lake Classic and Wooden Boat Show July 28 – 30
Mahogany and Merlot October 6 – 8

11 replies
  1. Tuobanur
    Tuobanur says:

    “1 million boats in 1 year” from my calculations that’s over 2,700 a day if they were open 365 days that year, I think I’m calling BS. 😉

  2. Jim Staib
    Jim Staib says:

    Beautiful boating area. Hauled “Lucky7” to Idaho about 15 years ago for the ACBS show. Three days there, three days boating, three days back. Worth every mile.

  3. Dick Dow
    Dick Dow says:

    ACBS PNW is hosting an on-the-water boat show July 22nd at Gene Colon Park, Renton, Wa. Boat rides will be the order of the day! Wrapping up the Seattle Boat Show this evening, it’s been a good week spreading the message and getting folks excited about woody (and old ‘glass) boating. Summer can’t get here fast enough!

  4. Wilson
    Wilson says:

    Coure d’ Alene is one of the neatest towns and ;lakes in America. The next time they have a boat show, you ought to go if you haven’t been….And then there is Priest lake, another gem and to the West is Lake Washington..Just great boating out that way.

  5. Bruce
    Bruce says:

    Haydenlakehouse.com, it’s my brother-in-law’s place in Idaho, he rents it just look at the website. Right next door, his brother, my other brother-in-law owns the former builders house, he doesn’t list it for rent but if you needed both he’d let his little brother handle it. They have a nice floating dock that will accommodate 4 or more boats, perfect get away for the West Coasters.

Comments are closed.