Pictures and report shared from the Inland Empire Chapter by Wes Yandt.
Not even the thick smoke from the local wild fires could dampen the spirits of close to 100 classic boaters this past Labor Day weekend at the annual Dry Rot Parade and Boat Show held in Priest Lake, Idaho.
The three-day event is hosted by the Inland Empire Chapter ACBS. Priest Lake was beautiful but the hills were smoky.
Dick Werner giving us the weekend run down at the Welcome Aboard Dinner.
The weekend started with Friday evening’s welcome aboard dinner held at locally famous, Nordman Restaurant. It is filled with North Idaho charm and memorabilia not to mention they serve a great spaghetti feed.
Poker Run Master, Brian Fair, warned us to fuel’em up on the way to the start of Saturday’s Poker Run because you’re gonna need it! He put together a 2-hour tour of the lake at an average speed of 22 mph. That’s 44 miles for those that have not had their coffee yet. The motto of this entire show is “If you don’t want to use your boat don’t waste your time and effort coming up” This is a use your boat show. We ran almost two tanks of fuel through the Uncle Bob.
Past ACBS president Dick Werner and wife Louise take some Dry Rot guests for a ride during the poker run on Saturday in “Morning Mist” a 1965 21’ Lyman Utility. The perfect Priest Lake Boat.
“Kaniksu” is a 1968 40’ William Atkin design Launch that was 1 of 4 tour boats salvaged from Crater Lake in 2003. It was literally helicoptered out of the caldera lake to make room for new fiberglass models. Dan and Dee Indjerd found “Kaniksu” under a bridge in Portland, and brought her to Priest Lake to pack up to 64 of their closest friends around. You can read more about these great boats here. http://www.atkinboatplans.com/Articles/CraterLake/index.html
Ironically the motor in the oldest boat in the show, Frank and Barbra Robinson’s “Das Wasserauto” a 1928 22’ Dodge Water Car, came out of one of the other three Crater Lake tour boats.
Saturday night we had 86 people over to Dick and Louise Werner’s for a catered dinner and a chance to hear stories of the Poker Run.
Crowds on the docks at Elkin’s Resort
Sunday we let our engines cool for a few hours and congregated at Elkin’s resort on the west side of the lake for a couple of hours and had a boat show. The locals came out in force to look at beautiful boats that caused all the chaos on their normally serene lake the day before. With 44 boats on display, the dock hands at the resort had their work cut out for them.
Murray Danzig taking a morning ride in his 1992 29’ StanCraft runabout “Tutta Bella” in front of our boat show hosts Elkin’s Resort.
Then came my personal favorite time of the entire weekend, “The Roar Off.” North Idaho Style. We gather all the boats just outside the marina and take off in mass for a “Roar Off” like no other. The sight of 44 classic boats, ranging from 14′ outboards to 40′ tour boats all jumping to life and heading off down the lake at one time is an image that you will never forget. This is where it pays to be the photographer, as I get to be towards the front of the pack during the Roar Off. 
Monday morning, Labor Day, about a dozen of the classic boats took the 15-mile trek up to Upper Priest Lake for a wieny roast and yet another chance to exercise our boats.
The boats on the beach at the Monday afternoon Weiny Roast.
The “Crew” up at Upper Priest Lake