by Don Peting member of the Columbia Willamette chapter In 2005, my late wife and I bought the 1958, 22′, Century Raven, which we appropriately named Reminisce, remembering the same model boat my parents owned back in the 50’s when I was in my late teens. From Chicago, my folks traveled the Great Lakes, and…
by Brian and Lisa Kramer members of the Glacier Lakes chapter My 1948 Century Sea Maid is Nineteen-foot six inch Century Sea Maid with a Nordberg 6 cylinder 339 ci / 155hp flathead engine. 1 of 65 made with 6 known to exist. I noticed the Sea Maid stored in an outdoor boatyard in 1990.…
by David & Claire De Horn members of the Water Wonderland & Blackhawk Chapters I spent several years looking for a pre-war barrelback, and finally found our boat in Lake Tahoe. I was able to squeeze in a ride, inspection, and even an invitation to dinner during a business trip out to California from the…
by Rich & Linda Hughes members of the Toronto/Manotick Chapters The Clarion project was one of the most challenging yet interesting builds to date. Clarion boats already have the reputation for building high-end quality craft that perform as well as they look. So to take a new stock GR21 racer hull and transform it into…
by Bob & Janet Kircher members of the Southern California chapter Escapade is a 1959 Dorsett Catalina, she was found in a parking lot of an office we were renting in Las Vegas, NV. Janet thought it would make a great bay boat and did not mind if I put it in our garage to…
by Denny Newell member of the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chapter For more than six decades, the N.J. Blanchard Boat Company produced some of the finest yachts, sailboats, and motor boats in the Pacific Northwest. Blanchard had built his business on manufacturing large custom motor yachts and stylish sailing vessels. It wasn’t until the early 1920’s…
by Forrest Bryant member of the Heartland Classics chapter This 19′ Cobalt was hours away from being donated to charity. It had been sitting for over three years next to a garage in Baldwin, KS. The boat was originally purchased and used at the Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. The boat was passed from…
Note: Charles Mistele passed away in early March. A few weeks before his passing, Charles mailed a handwritten story to the ACBS office. We are pleased to publish this story in memory of Charles and his life long commitment as the caretaker of Miss America IX. by Charles H. Mistele member of Blue Ridge, Michigan…
by Craig Stanfield member of the Southwest chapter I wanted one since I was 13 – holding that December 1968 issue of Rudder Magazine. A Nova 24 built by Nova Marine. A gentleman’s racer. 22 years later (I was 35 by this time) a candidate was in the driveway. Hull number 24-122. Life got in…
It is with great sadness to report that since this story was written Lee passed away on April 14, 2020. by Lee Heinzman member of the Southern New England chapter I was talking to a fellow at the supermarket checkout line one day and we got talking about antique boats. He said he had a…
by Trevor Hall member of the Michigan chapter The original owner was a family in Livonia who used the boat for skiing and cruising on Michigan’s inland lakes. In 1985, the father of the family passed away and the boat was stored awaiting restoration. In 2014, I bought the boat after the son realized it…
by Brent Howard, Heartland Classics Chapter One of my Grandfathers was a railroad carpenter that trimmed the fancy Pullman Car interiors. He took me under his wing while Dad was a Commander on a troop ship during World War 2. I have worked with wood ever since but did not discover working on wood boats…