By Lew Dobbins, Northern California Lake Tahoe Chapter Like your car, we need to change the oil and filter regularly. Most of our older boats do not have oil filters but one can be retrofitted if you desire. Re- gardless of filter, your oil should be changed seasonally. Every engine has a little bit of…
By Lew Dobbins, Northern California/Lake Tahoe Chapter Several people have recently asked me questions about winterizing boat engines, so, let’s discuss some of the issues and what we need to do to protect our boat engines and get a long life out of them. Like most things in life, there are a multitude of varying…
By Jeff Waco, Rocky Mountain Classics The magnetic compass is basically standard equipment on most boats both large and small. What does a compass do? Almost nothing. Basically, it is nothing more than a disc with some magnets. On the disc are the cardinal directions and degrees. Older compasses did not have degrees, but it…
By Don Leutz, Northern California/Lake Tahoe Chapter As you are most likely aware, there are certain rules and regulations that must be followed when piloting any boat. Much like the “Rules of the Road” that are necessary to follow when driving an automobile, boaters must follow the “Rules of the Road” set by the U.S.…
Do you remember this story from 2018? It’s about a Myster Girl – cabin cruiser, trailer and light freight trailer all in one, patented in 1950. Enjoy Mystery Girl is truly a rare find! Mystery Girl, when found after being in hiding since 1961, brought Scot Marechaux and Lois Bulger to membership in ACBS and the…
By Randy Fletcher, Thousand Islands Chapter The float started as a 1947 GarWood Ensign that we were going to put a new bottom on. As the project advanced, it needed more than a bottom, she needed a total all wood replacement to make her seaworthy again. The decision was to scrap the project, sell off…
by Jeff Waco, Rocky Mountain Classics It seems whenever a new Bilge Pump comes out, I highlight a particular boat builder or company. For this issue I am going to highlight the Ditchburn Boats. The Ditchburn Pleasure Boats Ltd was established in 1871 on Lake Muskoka by Henry Ditchburn to build wooden pleasure boats and…
By Grace Gluck, Lake Hopatcong Chapter Photos by Bob and Grace Gluck As we drove north on the morning of Sunday, September 14th, the fall colors were just startng to turn with yellows and oranges through the Poconos and central New York, which made our trip to the 1000 Islands all the more memorable. We…
By Dan Ritchey, North Coast Ohio Chapter The America’s River Roots Festival took place October 8-12, 2025, along the riverfronts of Cincinnati, Ohio and Northern Kentucky (Covington & Newport). The festival featured nine majestic riverboats from seven historic river-cities, offering brunch and dinner cruises, and other themed riverboat events. Riverboats in attendance were the NATCHEZ…
Our final boat show of the season brought the Rocky Mountain Classics chapter high into the Rockies—literally—to Dillon, Colorado, home of Lake Dillon, one of the highest navigable lakes in the country. Nestled among towering peaks and blue alpine skies, it’s a fitting place to close the season, where the thin air makes every engine…
In 1948, the Hacker Boat Company built a boat for the City of Detroit to operate as a police patrol boat on the Detroit River. She’s special, and not just because Hacker produced only 10,000 custom boats during the company’s existence. They named her Fireball. Originally, she had twin Chrysler straight 8 engines, but in…
You got a great boat… or maybe just a great deal, and you’ve trailered it to your garage. Now what? If you live in Florida, and are a member of the ACBS Sunnyland Chapter, you attend the Adult SCAMPY Program and enjoy hands-on learning while restoring a Chris-Craft Rocket. SCAMPY stands for Sunnyland Chapter Apprentice…