By Whitey Smale member of the Sunnyland chapter Joe Charles phoned me as I was cruising into Midland to tell me he had a 1929 or 30 26 ft Ditchburn for sale. He said he could meet me at the Midland dock later that afternoon to show me a picture of the boat in the…
by Jim Gould member of the Finger Lakes chapter I had always wanted a Chris-Craft so when I retired in 1995, it seemed a perfect time. My search ended when I found Boyd Mefferd (Boyd’s Boats, Canton CT) and an “easy project” 1955 20ft. Chris-Craft Continental. A research visit to the Mariner’s Museum in Newport…
by Skip Bliss member of the Blackhawk chapter Lake Geneva is the second largest Inland Lake in Wisconsin, and has long been recognized as a mecca for Sailing and Motor Boating enthusiasts. At roughly 5,000 spring fed acres and 160 feet deep it attracts both summer tourists and year round residents. I have spent my…
by G. Douglas Ball member of the Northern California/Lake Tahoe chapter When I was a young boy my father was stationed in Japan as part of his Air Force duties. While there he and my mother commissioned a 24′ wooden cabin cruiser to be built at a boat yard in Tokyo. We had many hours…
by Pat Penhallegon member of the Blackhawk & Bluegrass chapters In the summer of 1966, my older brother Bill, who was home between his sophomore and junior year of college, answered the newspaper ad for this 20′, 1942 Chris Craft Custom Runabout. He and his best friend each chipped in $250 and bought it. The…
by Carolynn Wesp member of the Chautauqua Lake Twin Tier and North Coast Ohio chapters My husband Dave has been a boat lover all his life and began boating on Chautauqua Lake in a 13′ Boston Whaler when he was just 10 years old. His love of boats continued at the Chautauqua Lake Marina where…
by Stuart & Helve Clough members of the Thousand Islands chapter While spending summers on Grenell Island for the last 70 years or so we thought it would be nice to have a safe dry boat to take us to the mainland when the weather was threatening and waves were building. With this thought in…
by Ron Cuccaro member of the Adirondack and Finger Lakes chapters Built in 1903 in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, the 28’ open launch was originally used to ferry vacationers to their remote cottages in the islands of Toronto area in the early 1900’s. The actual name of the manufacturer is unknown, but it is very possible…
by member Tim Pratt member of the Bay State Classic Boat Club I came upon acquiring my 1963 20’ Chris-Craft Holiday by sheer chance in April of 2009. Sitting on a bar stool waiting for a pizza at a local restaurant, I started a conversation with an older chap next to me and not before…
by Nick Blaine member of the Mississippi Valley chapter In 1969 my family started boating Lake of the Ozarks in central Missouri, marking the 2020 season as my 51st year enjoying those waters, so much so I believe the Lake of the Ozarks is part of my DNA. In 1969 I could go anywhere on…
by Rod Taylor member of the Finger Lakes chapter Sometimes, things that bring us joy and beauty have unpromising beginnings. So it has been for our classic “barn find”, a closed gunnel, Type 1, grade A, B. N. Morris, 18’ wood and canvas canoe. She was built in Veazie, Maine, circa 1911, shortly before the…
by Dick Fritz member of the Lake Champlain chapter Whenever I pass Rick’s Antiques I always have to look. Why not? I’ve gotten two dingys, a 1922 18’ Old Town HW canoe and last my 20’ 1970 Celebrity sailboat. Celebrity was originally a Dutch design which allowed the mast to quickly be lowered to go…