Thank You Al, You Made The World A Better Place.
Al Schinnerer at 2011 Lake Tahoe Concours
Yesterday we got a report in around 10AM east coast time that one of the original and most loved Woody Boaters had passed away. Al Schinnerer made everyone smile and was always there to make things better. In fact Al is responsible for saving many of our boats. When a part could be found, he made casts and made the parts. He was always there for advice and yes a good laugh. He did indeed live a VERY full life and made all of ours better for it. Al started the Southern California Chapter of the ACBS, which is one of the best in the country. And certainly was one of the first to embrace us here at WoodyBoater. UGH, it just sucks to be honest. Even though he was in his late 90’s, his spirit was still 12 like all of us, and ugh again, Al we already miss you. You made us all better people by knowing you.
Al out doing a break in on his amazing boat.
Al back in the day on the first Lake Aroowhead show
Steve Lapkin covered Al out on lake Tahoe!
RIP Al Schinnerer. Our community has lost another wonderful member.
I’ve only met and talked with him a couple of times but he made you feel like he knew you and was a long lost friend. RIP Al, you will truly be missed. Thoughts and prayers for his family and friends.
I first met Al at the LA boat show where He and others had a ACBS booth to promote the hobby. Some thirty plus years have passed since that meeting and we have been friends ever since. Al was a wealth of knowledge and he shared that with me and others while walking the docks judging boats. He was a master craftsman having restored many boats and cars and was the best at producing reproduction classic boat parts. If you had trouble pronouncing his last name he would tell you Schinnerer sounds like murderer. Lots of fun filled memories of Al, you will be missed. RIP old friend.
I met Al early on in my ACBS experience and several times after through the years. Always a smile on his face and something to share. Another icon lost to our world… Rest in Peace, Al. God Bless.
Just a genuinely nice guy.. he will be missed by many. At my first Tahoe show in the early 80’s he made us feel welcome and appreciated . RIP Al.
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Had the pleasure to work with Al 3 years ago when he was 94. He made a new steering wheel for our 1940 Barrelback. A true gentleman and wealth of knowledge. He will be missed!
20 years ago I worked at Long Beach airport right down the street from his shop. It was always a pleasure to stop by and he was always the most gracious of men. You would always find him sitting at his desk taking an order over the phone or back in his shop fulfilling one. If he didnt have it, he would make it, and there were numerous occasions where he had just the right advice or tool you needed to get the job done. His best advice…don’t buy a boat that is half restored, get one that is either perfect or needs a full restoration. Unfortunately I had already bought the half restored one. I will remember him every time I put my hands on the steering wheel he made for me. Farewell Al, Happy Boating.
Was introduced to Al at Dave Wright’s house at Lake Tahoe, After I shook his hand he proclaimed to all that was there “Welcome to our new President of SO CAL ACBS
This completely Blew me away! What a way to start a lasting relationship. Will miss you dearly, RIP Dear Friend!
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There are precious few people like Al and then there are the rest of us…….
Always a gentleman, always a kind word and unlimited patience with dumb questions from people like me many years ago.
We should all try to emulate this kind soul and make that generation proud.
RIP my friend. I spent a lot of time with him in his shop helping him and learning how he made parts. He let me use his shop to store my sailboat and to varnish parts for my big boat. He helped me restore the gauges by making new faces. He had so much information and contacts of where to get things made if he couldn’t do it. Lots of lunch’s at his favorite place Curleys. When Scooter still lived here, the three of us would have lunch maybe once a week. I still took him at least once a week and would hear a new story from that old rascal ! He was a charming man, and a true gentleman and he will be sorely missed!
John Peckham
I just want to say goodbye to my grandpa was a legend and an amazing, very interesting person whom I looked up to throughout my childhood. Countless days and nights monkeying around in his shop while he worked on parts or traveling to the lake with Miss arrowhead so I could ride in the third row and experience the awesome splash of the water as that old wooden gem hauled butt through the glass of the lake.
One of the real good guys. First met Al when he was Huntington Beach putting 40 Carats together. Walked into his shop never spoken to the man before.
Told him I was new to old boats and he took me under his wing.
Knowing Al, he already has the big guy in the sky riding in the third cockpit and getting the thrill of speeeeedboating!.
Thank you, Al.