Pure Michigan, Pure Hessel, Pure Fun!

Hessel Poster 2016

I love these posters. Diana Windsor Grenier is an amazing artist! Dang!

Thanks again to fellow Woody Boater and Michigan Reporter Wylie for sending in this wonderful report.. Get this.. WITH CAPTIONS. What the heck is that about? Its like work Wylie. WORK, the opposite of Woody Boating. Take the weekend off every now and then. First you send in a report from the boardwalk and now Hessel. Wait, those are on weekends, oooffff. Everyone stand up at your computer and raise your Varnish coffee cup to Allen. Thanks again, for the rough assignment up in Hessel.  Its fall already there by the way. Dang that week of summer goes by faster every year.

Take it away Mr Wylie.

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1970 “Bella Blue” a 23′ Lyman – Jeremy Goldstein from Sandusky, Ohio

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Mike and Chris Zane winner Best Utility 0-17′ with their 427 Interceptor 1964 17′ Resorter from Les Cheneaux

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“Backseat Driver” a 1954 14′ Penn Yan with a 25 hp Johnson with the Schallip family from Barbeau, Michigan

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1930 26′ Hackercraft “Breezing Thru” with a Kermath Seawolf from Cedarville, Michigan Charles E. Letts Jr. background Due Diligence 1948 20′ Chris Craft Custom from Williamsburg, Michigan Lew and Char Kirchner along with “Auora” another 20′ Chris Craft 1947 Custom, Deborah and Joseph Pysh from McKay Bay – Les Cheneaux

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1964 Century 16′ Resorter “Burn Pile” Robert Jenks from Sturgis, Michigan

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“Carpe Diem” 1941 16′ Chris Craft Paul Edward Stevenson from Hessel, Michigan. Winner Best Runabout 0-16′

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From the Bow of CEMACK a 1959 Chris Craft 24′ Sportsman from Lakeside, Ohio. William C. Mack, Winner of the ACBS Most Original boat awarded on behalf of the Water Wonderland Chapter

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The 39th Annual Les Cheneaux Island show from Hessel featured the Century brand this year. At the show was one of the first Century models built. Thomas Holmes 1927 Century Kid M– 540 winner Best Racer, parked next to Andy Sacksteder’s bronze statue ” Captain and the Kid”

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“Cheneaux Belle” a lifetime Les Cheneaux 1949 19′ Century Resorter. Owner Bob Creswell Coryell Island. It shares a boathouse with sister boat “Ada Girl”

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“Double Barrel” 1942 Century 17′ Sea Maid. Winner Best Non-Professional Restoration Larry and June Prebis from Medina, Ohio

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“Tootsie Belle” and “Double Barrel”. Tootsie Belle a 1936 Chris Craft 17′ Deluxe Runabout by local boater David Wallace Hessel, Michigan

 

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“Tootsie Belle” and “Double Barrel”. Tootsie Belle a 1936 Chris Craft 17′ Deluxe Runabout by local boater David Wallace Hessel, Michigan

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The really big Baby Gar 33 “Garfield” with her Curtis D 12 from Bay Harbor, Michigan – William Parfet

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Double winner “Garfield” Best of Show and Best Runabout 25′ and over.

 

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1957 Thompson “Jenny” 14′ 35 hp Johnson winner Best Outboard, Alec and Daniel Kane from Snows Channel

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“Last Cent” a 1968 17′ Resorter the last wooden Century shipped from the factory in Manistee hull no. 68110. It came with Coronado trim on the covering boards. Dave and Linda VanKuiken, Torch Lake

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“Cynsational” a 1953 14′ Century with a 30 hp Johnson Javelin, Steve and Cynthia Shaltry next to “Rockette” a 1947 19’5″ Sea Maid, Roger and Char Pecina from Diamond Lake, Michigan winners Best Runabout 19-20′

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Winner Best Runabout 17-18′ the 1941 Chris Craft “Rumor” a 17′ Deluxe. David and Claire DeHorn Muskegon, Michigan

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“Shannon” a 1949 19′ Chris Craft Racing Runabout from North Muskegon, Michigan Mark and Mary Moulton and “Sully” a 1931 21′ 6″ Dodge, John and Pat Sullivan Cedarville, Michigan

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1935 Chris Craft “Slo Poke” 18′ Standard Utility, Martin & Green Pentwater, Michigan. Winner Best Utility 18-20′ at the wheel here Mike Green

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“Thunderbird” from Tahoe, 55″ by Greg Rice

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Couple of 1955 14′ 7″ Feathercrafts – Alan Biltz from North Webster, Indiana and “Tin Fish” Steve Grower from Harsen’s Island, Michigan

 

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Winner the Jim Bohn People’s Choice “Tinker” steam launch from Escanaba, Michigan William and Mary Kay Movalson

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William Movalson kept the crowd thrilled day with his 20′ wood launch “Tinker” by running his Blackstaffe steam engine all day.

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“T.J.” a 1956 14’6″ Dunphy from Snows Channel, Michigan with a 30 hp Evinrude Lark. Nancy & Gary Coates

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“Tookie” 1950 U-22 Chris Craft James Keighley Cedarville, Michigan

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“Windswept” a 1935 Greavette 23′ Dictator, winner Best Runabout 21-24′ from Gull Lake, Michigan Chris Mahoney

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“Wuzz a’ Fuzz” winner Best Youth Judges award a 1947 31′ Hackercraft Tom and Mary Flood Cedarville, Michigan

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“Ada Girl” a 1958 22’ Century Raven also owned by Bob Creswell, boat mate to “Cheneaux Belle”

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“Cheneaux Belle” a lifetime Les Cheneaux 1949 19′ Century Resorter. Owner Bob Creswell Coryell Island. It shares a boathouse with sister boat “Ada Girl”

 

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The 2016 Les Cheneaux Islands Antique Wooden Boat Show and Festival of Arts happens with the help of 300 volunteers. They all work together and it all happens with choreographed activity that looks seamless to me. 160 boats registered. Everyone has smiles on their faces volunteers, participants and attendees alike. This years show featured one of the earliest Century’s made and the last wooden Century delivered by the factory. I was concerned driving thru and hour and half of rain below the straits. Thankfully the rain held off at Les Cheneaux and we all enjoyed good times.

Thanks so much Wylie for your report and thanks to the 300 Volunteers and 160 boat owner. Heck thanks to the boats for making it. They have feelings too.

Now, if you have made it this far, you get a bonus surprise. It’s 8 minutes which in internet terms is War and Peace. BUT.. Crank it up.. After Tinker.. Its 8 minutes of engines rumbling through the water. Oh Allen.. You saved the best for last. Happy Monday fellow Woody Boaters.

24 replies
  1. Ann
    Ann says:

    Great job, Allen, we missed seeing you up there! Saw so many others from all over, you must have been going in another direction than our group was.

  2. Don Vogt
    Don Vogt says:

    Great pictures, and sounds like a great show. “Tootsie Belle” , btw, is an 18 foot 1936 deluxe runabout, not 17 foot. the 17 foot deluxe runabout (double cockpit forward) was introduced in the 1937 model year.

  3. Greg Wallace
    Greg Wallace says:

    Bill Mack’s 24 Sportsman is an incredible time capsule of originality and still looks like a new boat. The only things not shipped when new is engine oil and gas. Original varnish still there, as well as original role of toilet paper. Great coverage and pics!!

  4. John Rothert
    John Rothert says:

    I like the outboard boats being featured right up there with the high dollar stuff…..some of those at that show were really nice.
    If you want to actually “go boating” and go a lot….those smaller outboards are the ticket.

    Thanks for the fine coverage.

    John in Va.

  5. tommyholm
    tommyholm says:

    Nice reporting Allen. It was a wonderful day in Hessel. Thanks to all the Century Boat Club members that helped make this year’s show special. BTW, two new members purchased Century boats at the local auction that supports the museum. Welcome Aboard! And yes, it was great to mingle with those Water Wonderland ACBS Chapter gezzers as well.

    • Gerry VandeVusse
      Gerry VandeVusse says:

      What’s a gezzer? Just remember that you are one of us. It was a great show; thanks for all your help!!

  6. m-fine
    m-fine says:

    Great coverage and love the video. Luckily I don’t have a stereo in my office otherwise I might put that soundtrack on loop for the week.

    BTW, I was wondering where Alex was…until I got to the last picture.

  7. Troy in ANE
    Troy in ANE says:

    WAIT ONE MINUTE MISTER!

    I saw some GREAT cruiser shots from the Hessel show on FaceBook. I’ll let it go this time, but don’t leave us cruiser nuts out.

  8. Wylie
    Wylie says:

    Cruisers so big they wont fit in my camera. Very popular too, hard to get even a close photo from the dock with all the fans.

  9. Dave Griffin
    Dave Griffin says:

    Awesome coverage and great “rumble video” ! I enjoyed hearing the sounds!! It brought back great memories of growing up in the Lea Cheneaux Islands! With so many local Chris Crafts (and Century) wooden boats in the area, most every day there are beautiful boats “rumbling” through the bays and channels of the Islands. It’s a treat to hear one running wide open down the bay!

  10. Kentucky Wonder
    Kentucky Wonder says:

    Thank you for the report. Wish we could have been there to see this year’s show. Looks like the surrounding booths and displays multiplied, and it is always an interesting walk through them. Would love to know more about the Greavette Dictator. It did not go home for the reunion in Gravenhurst this year. Looks like a beautiful boat.

  11. Wylie
    Wylie says:

    Very cool. I may have mistakenly noted Windswept a Michigan boat as the card read only Gull Lake. I think Windswept came from Toronto.

    • Gerry VandeVusse
      Gerry VandeVusse says:

      The Boat is a Greavette; the owner lives in California. A spectacular boat. It took second place Best of Show.

      • Gerry VandeVusse
        Gerry VandeVusse says:

        Correction: Windswept was the Best Runabout, 21-24 ft; “402”, a 1970 65 ft Huckins FairForm Flyer was second in the Best of Show awards.

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