The morning air over Lake Coeur d’Alene was crisp and bright, and before long it was filled with the unmistakable sound of vintage marine engines coming to life. With glorious sunshine blessing the region throughout the weekend, the setting was nearly perfect for the 2026 Antique & Classic Boat Festival—a celebration of beautiful boats, great…
If you weren’t able to join us at the 2026 ACBS Vintage Boat Week, we hope these photos are the the next best thing. The spray and smiles are contagious and everyone is enjoying the ride! Here are just a few highlights of boats in attendance. Follow ACBS on social media to keep up with…
The Lake Champlain Chapter of the Antique & Classic Boat Society proudly raised a glass to a true icon of our community, Gene Porter, as he marked a landmark 90th birthday! Gene’s love for powerboating traces back to his early years raised in the southeastern Adirondacks and Watertown, New York, with fond memories waterskiing behind…
By Don Leutz, Northern California/Lake Tahoe Chapter One of the most important safety items that antique and classic boaters should carry on board with them is a communication device in case of emergency. Most people today have a cell phone. In fact, in any given boat, there may be several cell phones available. Cell phones…
By Carmen DeLeo, Mid-Atlantic Chapter Another enjoyable outing is in the books for the Mid-Atlantic Chapter, this time shared with the fine members and friends of our neighboring Chesapeake Bay Chapter. For some of our members, the day began around 7:00 AM on July 11, with a little more than an hour’s drive to Chesapeake…
By Dan Arena, Northern California/Lake Tahoe Chapter Dan Arena was born in 1916 in Oakland, California near Lake Merritt. Dan and his younger brother, Gene, made the Lake as well as their father’s nearby Golden Gate Winery their personal playground during their adolescence. They had constant access to water and the woodshop within the winery.…
By Bill Calliet, Smith Mountain Lake Chapter Metal fasteners have played a critical role in boatbuilding for centuries, evolving alongside advances in metallurgy, woodworking, and marine engineering. From hand-forged iron nails used in ancient vessels to today’s precision-manufactured stainless steel screws and silicon bronze bolts, the choice of fastener has always been influenced by strength,…
By Don Leutz, Northern California/Lake Tahoe ACBS Chapter When a boating disaster strikes, you need to be ready. Sometimes, that means you must abandon ship due to a collision, fire, sinking or some other cause. A “Ditch Bag” or Abandon Ship Bag has long been an important piece of equipment for boaters to have on…
By Jeff and Diane Waco, Rocky Mountain Classics Chapter A lot has been written about Esmeralda, but very little about her origin story—how she came to join the Rocky Mountain Classics Chapter and earned the rare distinction of honorary member of ACBS. Like many great stories, it all began somewhere unexpected: Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. While…
By Robert Charron, 1000 Islands Chapter In the summers of the early 1950s I explored the shores of interconnected lakes and streams in the Allagash region of northern Maine. I came upon a new Chris-Craft runabout and was totally mesmerized by its sleek design and gleaming mahogany. How was I to know this enchanted vision…
I was born into a boating family in 1952. My grandparents owned Burkhardt’s Boats and Motors located at 4th & Jackson in Topeka, Kansas. Starting in the mid 1940’s my dad, Roy Jensen, raced boats for Burkhardt’s Boats and Motors. One newspaper account of the races shows him racing with the Quindaro Boat Club members…
A Restomod Evolution By Cathy Wallace, Heartland Classics Chapter Performance vehicles played a large part in my upbringing. Our family spent weekends at the drag strip; my dad and I raced snowmobiles, and my older brother, Charlie, raced the Pro Superbike road circuit. This aspect of family life set the stage for the evolution of…