Super Boat Sunday – Ya, It Kinda Goes Off The Rails
The 16 Special Racer Hydro
Today I will try…and fail, to call out some of the most special boats in our little universe of time travel. And yes, they are ALL special. Everyone gets a trophy. But these are the ones that we all drool over and wish one day we could have. And yes, some of these are attainable. And some.. well. we are blessed with very generous members of the community you don’t mind sharing.
SCOTTY is a masterpiece of form and function
INSANE.
Hacker-Craft, and yes there will be many today
BABY HORACE III
Evangeline & Apache II
GOOD GOD!
Okay, Anything John Allen and Lee Anderson own. Period. I wish I knew half of the makers. And I know I should, and yes.. yada yada. BUT DEAR GOD
HORNET – GAAAAAAAAAA – This is on the list of top 5 boats EVER !
Ya it’s real, and ya, spectacular
There are COBRA’s and then there are these two very special ones.
Thunderbird – GAD ZOOKS. Okay, let’s just get this out of the way, Lake Tahoe, Gull Lake, Clayton, have the Lyons share of specialness.
On the list of the top 5 for me. The Century Thunderbolt. AND attainable, IF you can find one
Casper – The Blue Arabian. Its special on a different level. Its the Prototype for the Blue Arabians, has a Caddy engine, and restored to the extreme. PERFECTION in bold design for mass production
Like I said, anything in John Allens collection, including the chairs you sit on while trying to catch your breath
Larson Flyers. Attainable, fun, unique and iconic
RIVA’s and one of them. Period
BUT, Perlita Too, is the top of that food chain for me.
The two MISS AMERICA’s we have left.
Hacker -Crafts
The Red and White series of Special Racing Runabouts. I know, this one may be on the edge. But look at it. I know the natural wood ones are nice. But dang, this boat just is a jaw dropper
Bar Harbor Super Club. Mike Drop!
Lee Anderson’s Boat Houses
Anything Bill Anderson has. It’s one the edge of Special, and Crazy.
VENTNOR’s , all of them. Try and stop at a dock anywhere and not talk about it
Silver Arrows. Beautiful and attainable – You can add ALGONAC to the list of most likely to see some special boats
The Clayton Icon! Pardon Me
There are a bunch of Donzi’s that could be on the list. But BB is one of the top for me. Vintage, fun, and well. Crazy
Feather Crafts. Very attainable. And you can really add some pizazz if you polish them up
The Donzi, The Red and White and Thuderbolt in one photo.
The Chris Craft Red and White is a very special production boat, BUT Eulipion, the YNOT streamlined one is beyond special. The LaDonnes went all out and just nailed it. Think Singer Porsche’s design improvements..
Aristo Crafts – Attainable, instant classics and still being made by the same family. WOW
You can still get one of these at GAR WOOD boats. Just say’n
A newer special boat! Insane. And fun. RUM RUNNER
Time Capsules. Any normal classic boat can be an instant special boat when its not beed touched. Andy’s little Utility is perfection. Original down to the stiches in the cushions.
The Pants! Dave Bortner’s from Freedom Boat Service pants are always a highlight of any event.
THAYER IV. This particular one. the main one used in the film. Seth Katzs from Katzs Marina, preserved it along with Maria the US Mail Boat
BLACK WITCH, the boat, and the model pictured here. HACKER CRAFT –
Black Beauty – a way over the top restoration of an iconic Chris Craft Futura.
The Matthews Martinique. This one is very very special
The original Plaid Series of Chris Craft Rockets
DORK! And its a typo name. which to me elevates it to gold standard special
Arrow Craft Barracuda. I think thats right.
Okay, okay, I am just keeping going, which tells me that maybe it’s almost impossible to call any one of our special boats special. In the universe of boating, all of the antique and classic boats we see are in fact special. And yes, I am missing some, okay, many. And one could even argue that the 26 ft 1929 Chris Craft is super special because it was the boat that really got Chris Craft going, or the Canadian boats. All of them. See. It just never stops. And yet, it’s like Horton Hears a Who. You can go deep into the fist boat made with a Reed and Price screw. But in the grand scheme of things. We are merely a speck of who’s.
Ya manage to capture my favorites.
Thunderbird?
Steven, et al –
Thanks! Amazing boat and even more amazing story. Where is San Souci nowadays? I really love that boat, and being on Harsens Island I would love to see it in person someday.
Steven,
LOCKPAT II is in the care of Lee Anderson at Gull Lake MN. Complete with rare Packard 2025 V-12 power
Wow, talk about some Sunday morning eye candy!!!
We are fortunate to have a wonderful group of passionate friends that appreciate and preserve these wonderful watercraft. I will refer to them as the “Sons and Daughters of Varnish” with a common passion that is still alive and well. I hope that a next generation will carry our banner.
I think there are actually three Miss America boats left. Xlll, lX and X. Nice to see a couple great Michigan boats make the cut.
Just think how many barn finds are out there in just the visible universe waiting to be found. /s/
All I can say is fu(k!n AAA. What great boats! It renews my faith in the expensive boating world. I went to a boat show yesterday. A lot of expensive plastic boats and pontoon boats, with digital dashes. I thought to myself, how many of these will be around in 100 years? It was a good time tho. Great to hang out with my son, nephew, and my brother in laws.
Bill Anderson and John Allen’s collection is like having Raquel Welch, Marilyn Monroe, Ann Margret, et al at your beck and call. Who do you take out for a “ride” next, decisions, decisions.
Outstanding photos. So glad to see Rumrunner making the list. Rumrunners is my favorite restaurant Cape Coral Florida.