by Neal & Jean Ganser members of the Big Sky chapter My son Quentin Ganser was doing well in mechanical engineering. However, being an active young man with a gift for working with his hands, he was not enthusiastic about life in front of a computer. Discovering the Northwest School of Wooden Boat Building in…
by Steve & Kathy Flood members of the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chapter Kathy and I bought our 1st boat – a yellow and white 14’ Crestliner with a 50 Evinrude – from Schwann’s Marine on Long Lake in Sarona, Wisconsin. For the maiden voyage, Bill Schwann, Jack Kunz the mechanic and I launched the boat…
by Dave Samson, Bayou Chapter I’ve always had a passion for vintage wooden boats, especially the “lake boats” I remembered from the 50’s. I restored my first runabout, a 1955 Chris-Craft Capri, that took first place awards at Lake Arrowhead, Lake Tahoe and most recently the Lake Pontchartrain wooden boat festival in Madisonville, Louisiana. This…
by John Bush, Dixieland chapter In 2006 my wife, Carol and I began searching for a “wood” boat to use at our home on Lake Jordan near Titus, Alabama. Neither of us had any prior experience with “woodies” but owning one was on Carol’s bucket list. As we began our search, our brother-in-law told us…
by Dave Gordon member of the Allegheny chapter As I drove across a bridge over the Allegheny River during the Easter weekend of 1995, I noticed a large old boat sitting inside a steel mill building below. When I inquired about the boat, the owner was more than eager to sell, as he stated that…
by John Beekley, Adirondack Chapter Better Already is a 22 foot 1947 Chris-Craft Sport Utility, but her story actually begins in 1929. That is the year that my great-grandfather built a unique and wonderful boathouse on northern Lake George. While visiting my aunt and uncle, who had owned the place since 1969, my aunt mentioned…
by Tom and Joanie Moynihan, Adirondack chapter Ol’ Smoothie is a 28-foot 1929 Chris-Craft Model 17 Runabout. There were 180 boats built from 1929-1931 and reportedly only 30 remain. She was delivered to Lamb’s Marina on Lake George, NY on April 25, 1930. Vernon Hovey of Schenectady, NY was the new owner and named her…
by William Kelting, Adirondack Chapter The Elkin has been in my family since 1930. Since then, four generations have enjoyed many hours aboard. Elkin has spent the majority of her time cruising the waters of Upper Chateaugay Lake. Upon having her restored, my husband Bill and I have taken several lengthy cruises aboard the Elkin.…
by Tom Carlin, Pacific Northwest chapter One of the original fleet of recreation boats at the Malibu Club in British Columbia, this boat was used in the salt water of the Princess Louisa Inlet from 1941 until 1950 when the club was abandoned. In 1953 the club was sold to the Young Life Christian Ministry…
by Rex Lytle, Inland Empire chapter My love of wood boats started when I was a child and my dad owned a small Wolverine wood fishing boat that was probably 14 feet long. In the early 2000 my wife and I purchased a 1961 Chris-Craft Continental wood boat at an estate auction. Every time we…
by Eric Prahl, Inland Empire chapter Our lake neighbor Darrell Kuelpman told us about this boat in the spring of 2007. I was always helping him tinker on his 1947 Century Resorter and he thought we should own a wood boat too. The boat had been stored in a barn up in Hope, Idaho, so…
by Mitch & Tracy Johnson, Inland Empire chapter My father was born on August 1st, 1926 on Whidbey Island, Washington. Growing up on the island, fishing and boating in Puget Sound was his love since childhood. On my Dad’s birthday in 1967 he factory ordered his new 20’ Thompson Offshore that we still have today.…