Becoming A Reality

by Kenneth Moeri member of the Lake Hopatcong chapter My dream of owning a classic boat became a reality in July 2010. I acquired Hornblower with love in my eye in beautiful Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey from an ACBSLH chapter member. Hornblower is a 1954 20 ‘Chris Craft Special Sportsman had been basically restored to…

My Affair

By Kevin Stephani member of the Wine Country chapter The wood boat bug bit me as a 10-year-old child in 1968 in dad’s 1958 Chris-Craft. Always taking a Monday morning fishing trip on Lake Hopatcong, New Jersey. A memory well cherished. Fast forward to the summer of 1992 while as a newlywed, and vacationing on…

Hathor’s Restoration

By Larry Larkin member of the Blackhawk chapter Hathor is 73’ long, with a 13’ beam and displaces about 60, 000 pounds. Hathor was built in 1898 by the Racine Boat Manufacturing Company in Racine, Wisconsin, for Martin A. Ryerson of Chicago, who was best known as an art collector and philanthropist. The boat was…

The Yellow Boat

By Randy Cunningham member of the Blue Ridge chapter Having progressed from a 1968 Glassmaster Tri-Hull fiberglass boat to a 1955 Chris Craft Capri started a new adventure into ACBS and antique and classic boating. Then finding a very rare and desirable 1965 Philbrick and restoring it to a level that made us feel comfortable…

Half Hitch

By John Peckham member of the Southern Calif chapter Half-Hitch is a 13’2” sloop built in 1940 with apple that was felled locally by a 1938 hurricane, as well as with oak and Pacific hardwoods. She was designed by Edson I. Schock of Kingston, Rhode Island. She was built by a Mystic Seaport trustee and…

FireFly

By Joe Lepley member of the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chapter Those of us who belong to ACBS have read articles and seen pictures of dozens, perhaps hundreds of makes and models of beautiful old wooden boats. Some makes and models appeal to us more than others. Sometimes the lines of a boat just take your…