by Dennis Padden member of the Heartland Classics chapter I grew up in a family that always owned a boat. We spent most summer weekends and vacations at our favorite lake in Oklahoma, Tenkiller Lake. When I was 6 my step dad had an early 60’s mahagony Chris-Craft, he named her “Ski Mist”. This was…
by Pete & Ramona Seitz members of the Heartland Classics chapter In 1968 a Bud and Bob Muraves decided they wanted to build a controversial style of boat. The boat became known as Renegade. It is an all wood Campbell boat with a modified bottom that was rigged to be a ski race boat. It…
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…
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…
by Paul and Marge Morris members of Heartland Classics chapter As a young lad during the early and mid 1950’s, our family’s residence was on the edge of the harbor at Hyannis, Mass. on Cape Cod. Today, the property is part of a large parking lot for one of the seasonal excursion boats to Nantucket…
by Dick & Cara Moist members of the Heartland Classics chapter My wife Cara and I bought our first cruiser Fifty one years ago. It was a 25′ Owen’s cruiser. We had it for just one year, but with a 3 year old and another on the way 25′ was just a little tight. Cara’s…
by Bruce Hurst member of Heartland Classics chapter I basically purchased the boat as a project from one of our Heartland Chapter members. He had bought it sight unseen from a guy in Ohio, he kept it for quite a few years but never put it in the water, when we went to look at…
by Mike Yancey member of the Heartland Classics chapter Caravelle Boats began in 1966 and at the time were manufactured in Conway AR by Centark Industries which went out of business in 1982. However, the brand was resurrected, but financial issues resulted in another change in ownership in 2010, moving the company to Americus, GA…
By Rafe Hunsucker member of the Heartland Classics chapter My parents bought this 1960 Chris-Craft Cavalier slightly used in 1962 and it has served the Hunsucker family ever since, having It restored by Antique boat shop Ft.Wayne Indiana around 2010. The most prestigious award was Most original boat at the International boat show 2012 at…
By Dan Gyoerkoe, Executive Director. Group photo above by Forrest Bryant, Heartland Classics Chapter. Upon arrival, I was told the Classics Cruisin’ weekend at Table Rock Lake was a “7-pound” event. So, I jumped right in starting with the Welcome Reception Thursday night and a wonderful dinner at the Rock Lane Resort. This was my…
By Kevin Hogan member of Heartland Classics I found “Love Me Timber” in an ad in our Heartland Classics publication of Mahogany and Chrome. She needed a complete restoration…I mean total. She was ready for the burn pile. But, with about 1300 hours of time and sweat I brought her back to life. The “twist”…
Today’s Tour of Vintage Boats starts with Skidaddle, a 1962 Correct Craft Compact Skier. She is 16 feet long and pictured here on Mirror Lake in Lakeland, Florida. Photo by Brandon Baker. Skidaddle is owned by Bruce Kester, Past President of the Sunnyland Chapter of ACBS. You will see her at the Sunnyland Boat Festival March 22-24,…