Portage Lake Annual Boat Show. June 27

Thanks to fellow Woody Boater Walt Stashkiw for sending us in info on the upcomeing Portage Lake Boat Show. – Here is the ..well.. info. Take it away Walt.

We are celebrating the 40th anniversary of the Portage Lakes Antique Boat Show; one of the longest running shows in the U.S. The location will be at the “On Tap at the Harbor” restaurant which provides an excellent venue for displaying 50+ boats in the water and more on land, while good food and drinks are served right next to the boats.

This show is sponsored by the Antique & Classic Boat Society, North Coast Ohio Chapter and the Portage Lakes Historical Society The show committee is excited to bring one of the most interesting boats ever seen to the show this year: a magnificently restored 30’, twin engine, 1917 Hickman Sea Sled. Collector Jack Beatley of Columbus Ohio will display his unique piece of boating history along with photos of the boat’s restoration and articles of the amazing Hickman quest for ocean travel speed and endurance records.

HICKMAN SEA SLED. WORTH THE TRIP ALONE TO SEE IT.

The show will also have beautifully restored wood and fiberglass boats at least 25 years or older from the golden age of boat design and the growth of recreation on the waterways. One such boat will be a very rare 18’ 1947 Gar Wood Sedan restored over 10 years by Les Demaline of Avon, Ohio. The boat will be displayed in the water for the first time in decades along with local boats and some from as far away as Pennsylvania and Virginia, which have won many awards throughout the country.

The awards banquet will be at the historical Turkeyfoot Island Club which has docking for 16 boats and dinner space for 100 guests. On Friday evening there will be a cocktail party for show participants at one of our members’ beautiful lakefront homes. The Portage Lakes are easy to navigate with many interesting homes, inlets, 2 modern launch ramps, and fuel docks on the water. The Island Club does have a limited number of very nice overnight rooms and there are many nearby hotels a couple miles from the show site.

Show participants may obtain registration forms on the North Coast Ohio chapter website  and can contact the show chairman, Gil Maringer, at 216-310-7475 for more info. Launching and retrieval assistance, along with trailer storage will be provided. Each show entrant will also receive a special wood framed poster as a gift for attending and will be eligible for many classification awards presented at the awards banquet.

The show time is 9:00 am till 3:00 pm with the awards banquet at 5:30. Make plans to attend this special weekend at the Portage Lakes.