By Peter Robinson, Allegheny Chapter In 1957 my uncle Skip purchased a 14-foot, 1957 Larson Falls Flyer for $800. As I understand it, 1955 was the first year Larson built this fiberglass boat. The bubble engine cover, like ours has, was an optional design. Today only three like it survive. Our family loved that boat…
By Bjorn Bakken, Instructor, IYRS The curriculum for the first-year students at IYRS in Newport, Rhode Island is rebuilding Beetle Cat sail boats. More than 160 boats have been built over the last 25 years. The school year starts with traditional measuring and lofting of the existing hull and concludes with a new hand built…
Dan Payne, ACBS Member Stephens Brothers hull #661 was the last boat delivered by the yard before the outbreak of World War II (launched June 24th, 1941). Built for a ranch owner outside of Stockton, California, her original price was $11,800.00 (equivalent to $245,000.00 today). She was named after the ranch and their brand, Circle…
By Paul Miller, Blackhawk Chapter In March of 2015, my friend Peter Mueller sent me an email with a picture of a very unusual boat listed for sale with the suggestion that we buy and restore it. The listing had current pictures and a few original photos said to be from 1947 or 1948. Mention…
By Tony Boudos, Blackhawk Chapter My grandfather owned a marina on the Calumet River in a suburb just south of Chicago and, of course, he had a boat, a 36-foot 1964 aluminum Chris-Craft Roamer called the Sta-Shu III. So, it’s no surprise that our family was into boating. We took many boat trips on Lake…
The Boss 1921 Day Express Cruiser The Boss is a 42-foot Day Express Cruiser built in 1921 by the Great Lakes Boat Building Corporation of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The Great Lakes Boat Building Corporation built custom luxury wooden yachts in Milwaukee from 1916 until moving to the Chicago River in 1926 where it continued operations until…
Tips from a Recent North Carolina Coastal & Piedmont Chapter Workshop By Judy Hills, North Carolina & Coastal Piedmont Chapter When the North Carolina & Coastal Piedmont Chapter gathers in John Justice’s workshop, AKA The Piglet, you know it will be a good time. It was a rainy day when the Chapter recently got together…
By Jeff and Renee Davey, Glacier Lakes Chapter This obsession began when we were restoring our 1947 19-foot Higgins known as Covergirl. We kept seeing a 23-foot Higgins named Foxy Lady winning numerous awards and knew that we had to have a boat like this! After a lengthy search, we found a 1949 23-foot Higgins named…
By Kim Norton-O’Brien and Warren Barker, IYRS “The Wee Winn, which Herreshoff designed in 1892 for Miss Winnifred Sutton of England, proved so exceedingly fast that she was the talk of the Solent for many years,” said L. Francis Herreshoff of the Half-Rater Fin Keel design. A fitting name for the speedy racer, win she…
Dave Bortner is a BSOL Chapter Member, and, as the owner of Freedom Boat Service, a long time ACBS Sponsor. Here is his story… Drawn to wood boats after receiving “The Golden Book of Powerboats” in my Christmas stocking at age five, I selected the Century Coronado (speeds to 55 mph!) on page 134 of…
By Seth Vore, ACBS Community Engagement Manager and Ad/Sponsor Sales The unofficial start to boating season kicked off March 21st-24th in Tavares, Florida with some excellent pre-events, a chapter roundtable and international board meeting, followed by the popular Sunnyland Boat Festival. Personally, this was my first time attending the show and the first time ACBS…
By Bob Mullarkey, Northern California/Lake Tahoe Chapter Early mornings at Lake Tahoe, before others are on the lake. I step on the gas pedal and her bow rises above the horizon. Wildwood seems to levitate above the water as scenery flies by. Looking back, I see spray coming off the fins as exhaust trails just…