Minnesota Delivers Some Perfect Fall Weather For Woods And Water Day 1
“Finally” 1952 Chris-Craft 19′ Racing Runabout
I REMEMBER BEING AT LAKE DORA, FLORIDA IN MARCH 2013 during the Sunnyland Boat Festival when we announced live on Woody Boater that the 2015 ACBS International Meetings and Show would be held at Bar Harbor on Gull Lake in Minnesota. It was BIG news for the hobby.
After more than thirty months of extensive planning, the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes Chapter ACBS has achieved their objective of hosting the week long event which officially began on Sunday night – with the outstanding Welcome Dinner at the Bar Harbor Supper Club. Today we hit the water at the Whitefish Chain of Lakes for Day 1 of the popular pre-events.
The first group of classic boats getting organized for the start of the cruise from Moonlite Bay.
The Minnesota weatherman gave us an outstanding forecast today with daytime temperature’s in the high 70s & low 80s. Over forty classic boats came out to celebrate Day 1 as we toured around the Whitefish Chain in style, stopping at Moonlite Bay for a great lunch.
Our groups tour guide for the day was fellow Woody Boater Kermit Sutton in “Bette Noir” – a very cool 1953 Chris-Craft 26′ Express Cruiser which was restored by Freedom Boat Service during the winter of 2012-13. A total of 131 26′ Express Cruisers were produced by Chris-Craft in the 1953-54 model years. Kermit knows the Whitefish Chain of Lakes very well.
The wind kicked up mid-day but that didn’t stop anyone from getting out and enjoying the sights from the water. Minnesota Correspondent Dane Anderson and I did another one of our “tag-team” photography programs and it worked out great.
Mark & Jackie Nelson (and family) with their very nice 1952 Century 20′ Resorter “Oh Buoy”
And from the smiles on everyones faces all day, you could tell they were just happy to be out on the water enjoying the classic boats.
“Oh Buoy” is just a fun boat to photograph, as it looks great from every angle, and we got tons of shots of her during the cruise. However the young man in the aft seat wasn’t sure what the big deal was, as he was just out for another family boat ride on a perfect day in Minnesota.
Always great to see a big Canadian built Shepherd out on the water – this is “Sandy’s Mistress”
Another shot of “Finally” the 1952 Chris-Craft 19′ Racing Runabout presented by Mike Rocca / Paul Schroeder. These racers continue to be one of the most popular pre/post-war Chris-Craft boats and will be the featured Marque Class boat at the 2015 Sunnyland / Keels & Wheels / Lake Tahoe Concours shows.
Another beautiful clinker – a 1959 23-foot Lyman. While some of the crew enjoy the scenery, others just love being in a wooden boat on a warm, sunny day.
Diversity is the name of the game here in Minnesota, and this great looking 1960 Crestliner appeared at the cruise today. Complete with her original interior, hardware and period correct 75Hp Evinrude outboard. Very cool boat.
Dave Bortner from Freedom Boat Service is the co-chair of the 2015 Woods and Water events. Here Dave has a boat load of friends along for the Monday cruise in “On Point” – one of six 25-foot Special Sportsmans built by Chris-Craft in 1949. We will have the complete story this week here on Woody Boater. It’s quite a story.
And everyone on board experienced a bit of a “thrill ride” while we were shooting the boat for today’s story.
These big 25-foot Chris-Craft Sportsmans are simply wonderful wooden boats in every way.
Fellow Woody Boater Mike Favilla from Wisconsin has been a viewer here since the very early days of the website – and he has some amazing wooden boats including this rare 1925 22-foot Dodge Boat Works Water Car.
Mike was on the “dark-side-of-the-moon” for this shot but we decided to include it anyway because as you can see, they are having fun in the old Dodge.
Paul & Karen Harrison have two wooden boats entered in the show this year, this is their super-rare 1946 Gar Wood Sedan powered by a straight-8 Chrysler Royal. “End of the Line” is also a past ACBS International award winner.
Joining Paul & Karen for the Monday cruise was our friend Gene Porter (left) from Hew Hampshire.
Great to see a Chris-Craft Riviera on the lake today. “Drift Wood” is a 1951 18-footer.
“Irish Eyes” is a big Grand Craft Utility.
Another shot of “Irish Eyes” at speed on Monday.
Michael Holland tells his crew “Hang on to your hats everyone” as he gets his 20-foot Chris-Craft Custom up to speed.
We had the pleasure of shooting Scott & Shannon Knight in their very cool 1973 Chris-Craft XK-19 on Monday. A great looking, great sounding classic speed boat. They are here from Michigan.
Shannon gets the XK-19 up on plane (like a plane) for the camera. It was great to see.
Our header boat today, it’s always a pleasure to catch up to our friend Kerry Price from Austin, Texas in his 1946 20-foot Chris-Craft Custom – “True Grit” Nice work Kerry!
Stay tuned for more daily updates from the Woods and Water events here in Minnesota.
Texx
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What a GREAT selection of boats and you are still almost a week out from the main event.
Texx: Do you have any more info on the white sided, front cockpit boat in the second picture. Looks very unique.
“Rio Rita” was built by the Clift Engine Company in Bellingham, WA. She was restored by Alan Thomle and is now owed by David Thompson. She is the ideal “cocktail cruiser” with a full bar in the aft cockpit!
Clift
Bellingham Washington
Don’t know what it is. Probably V8 powered cause it moves out.
Texx is a skilled photographer, wood boat magnet, and weather god. Every story looks like it is direct from utopia.
So when does Matt show uo with the rain, or are they paying him to stay away? What happens when Matt and Texx are in the same place? Sunshowers?
The only thing missing are the fall colors. The weather has been so beautiful in Minnesota that the trees (the “wood”) still think its the middle of summer.
It’s also nice to see Dave Bortner out enjoying himself. After the two-plus years that Steve Shoop and he have put into organizing this event, he deserves some play time.
Get out your raincoats! I arrive tomorrow.
Yup. Changed from 80 to 100% chance of rain.
Weather looks great! Wish I could be there.
CAN. NOT. WAIT. for an update showing Anderson’s boat house. I wanted to go see that so badly. Please get tonnnns of wallpaper sized pics!