Final Preparations For 2015 Woods and Water Events Are Under Way!
IN WORKSHOPS AND BOATHOUSES AROUND THE COUNTRY, boat owners and restorers are making final tweaks and adjustments to their classic boats in preparation for the big 2015 Woods and Water events – being held later this month at Gull Lake, Minnesota.
And as we all know, regardless of size, engine type or age – one of the most important things to check in advance of the show is to make sure the boat starts and runs properly. Nothing worse than travelling all the way to a major boat show only to discover your boat won’t start.
On the weekend, fellow Woody Boater Richard Daley decided to fire up his vintage 1958 Fellows and Stewart Junior Racer (known as a “Little Fellow”) before heading off to Minnesota for the 2015 Woods and Water show. Here is his story and video. – Texx
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You Know You Are Addicted When…
Story & Photos by Richard Daley
Texx – Thought you might like this. It’s a cold rainy day here in southern Alberta, Canada. I am bringing this boat to Gull Lake, Minnesota in a couple of weeks for the 2015 Woods and Water show and needed to know it was going to run.
So here’s the deal – You have a real boat in the cottage and then you feel compelled to start it.
My plan was to take “Knock On Wood JR” out of the cottage down to the lake and start it, as it has not run in 3 years. But the weather is terrible here this weekend, so as I was sitting here having coffee and smelling varnish I thought “why not just start it where it sits?”
“Knock on Wood Jr.” is a 1958 Fellows and Stewart 6.5 foot junior racer known as a “Little Fellow.” Fellows and Stewart was a large boat builder on Terminal Island in Wilmington California – now a part of Los Angeles. It has a 2 cylinder 7.5 HP Scott Atwater outboard bolted in under the hatches. Thus has a rudder for steering with forward and reverse. A very cool little boat – Richard.
Firing-up the boat inside the cottage? I asked the wife and she just shrugged her shoulders, so why not…
I went to the shop and grabbed a spark plug wrench and a squirt bottle of gas. Pulled the spark plugs and verified that she still had spark. Then put a shot of fuel in each cylinder, put the plugs back in and handed the camera to my very understanding wife.
Then two-pulls and it started right up, burned it’s fuel charge and stopped – all caught on video!
Now you might not want to fire-up the Liberty V-12 in your Baby Gar inside the cottage, but for our little wooden boat it worked great. Looking forward to meeting everyone at the 2015 Woods and Water show at Gull Lake. – Richard Daley
Thanks for sharing your story and video with us today Richard.
Woody Boater will be on hand in Minnesota for the 2015 Woods and Water events – including the pre-events & boat show. The events run from Sunday, September 20th thru to Saturday, September 26th.
For more information you can check out the Woods and Water website by Clicking Here, as well as find updates on the 2015 Woods and Water Facebook page over the next few weeks leading up to the show.

A shot from the 2014 – 39th Annual Lake Minnetonka Antique & Classic Boat Rendezvous courtesy of Dane Anderson.
Also, on Friday and Saturday (September 18-19) just prior to the Woods and Water event is the 40th Annual Antique & Class Boat Rendezvous at Lake Minnetonka – near Minneapolis. For more information on that show you can visit the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lake Chapter website by Clicking Here.
Question: Are you planning to attend the Woods and Water show this year? Let us know in the comment section today. If you are, we look forward to seeing you in person.
Matt & Texx
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Does that beautiful little boat also have a corresponding little trailer? Is the passenger compartment Adult sized? Great little Boat!!
Nice video Richard!
I will admit I never started my boat in the cottage.
Question: How is the water pump?
Looking forward to the pre events. Hoping the cell phone don’t work. And maybe a bonfire.
Does anyone have plans or drawings to build a small boat like Knock on Wood ? I would love to build one for my son.
Mike, consider building one of these. Your son could even help you put it together, making it a memorable bonding occasion. Several were built in our area, Les Cheneaux Islands, MI, with assistance by the Great Lakes Boat Building School. Their owners have fun racing them. I have to believe assembly is not complicated at all. Best of luck.
http://www.clcboats.com/shop/boats/powerboats/cocktail-class-racer.html
Looking fwd. to meeting you at Gull Lake. Unfortunately I signed up too late to attend the booked event @ the Anderson Museum but I’m sure I can keep the camera busy on the docks. First things first, we have a boat show and cruises to work on for the weekend here at Smith Mtn. Lake, VA so I have to get off the computer and go clean up the workshop plus get ready for the NY boaters coming down here from Keuka Lake.
It will be a fun weekend!
I signed up for the Auction within days of the announcement. Will their be a “Sons of Varnish” booth at the event?
Would also love to obtain a set of those plans!!
We will be attending Woods and Water this month, along with Fin & Tonic. Long ride from Idaho…looking forward to it!
Brought back old memories — I remember, and loved, these Little Fellows when I was a kid. As I remember, they were all painted (no mahogany) and were ‘kneelers’ (no seat). I still have a brochure around somewhere, I’ll see if I can find it and send a picture.
We will be there, but without a boat, this time around. Look forward to the ACBS annual Board of Directors meeting on Thursday and the Friday night Event.
Yes randy you are correct about them be Kneelers
Also that there was no mahogany
This boat was made to look like its big brother Knock on Wood which is a 1964 Chris Craft 17 foot Skier which is also coming to the show, its painted to look like big brother.
The seat comes out and we will be looking for a pre teen child with boat driving experience to pilot this boat, I have driven it but its not a pretty picture.
Also if you have that brochure I would love to see it or get a copy of it.
Richard, send me your address:
matt42mtq@comcast.net
and I can mail you color copies of the brochures. The cover letter was dated August 6, 1958. I had obviously asked if plans were available in my letter since they answered back that “… plans for the boat are not available.” Price (as you may be able to read in the small picture) was $485.
I am going up but was planning on take plastic barnes but bigger water maybe samoan again,but will be there,,Bill
Now that is a custom top Bill. A get smart sorta cone of silence inspired thing?
Actually Matt,it was the quincy cruise ,102 degrees I think,my wife brought umbrella,,I gave her #### then we got to the locks and had to wait for 1 hr,,scoot over honey…
Texx today’s header photo is extraordinary, as are the vintage accoutrements that Eric has added to himself and his PY Swift. Heck If it weren’t for those vibrant colours I would have been utterly fooled into thinking that the scene had been captured 60 years ago at some obscure APBA event in the Midwest .
Although the shot is not at all baseball related it made me think of “Field of Dreams” in a different context…Old outboard racers come back to play on the river. Hmmm ??
Thanks CK – We had fun shooting Eric in his perfectly prepared Penn Yann Swift after the Gull Lake show. Eric’s attention to detail is impressive.
Here’s a period correct photo of Eric taking flight in the Swift.
One more…
Don’t forget the “Big Beam” lantern and transistor radio
Karen and I will be there, with our freshly completed ’61 21′ Continental, hopefully being stationed beside sister ship “Fin and Tonic” on the docks.
We are registered for all the pre-event cruises and will be using our ’46 22’6″ Gar Sedan for that work – prepared for any weather! Gar will be in the show as well, and we are looking forward to it all, as usual
Paul, Looking forward to seeing “Over The Top”. She looks great!