Browse news articles, stories and media for the the Antique & Classic Boat Society; including photographs and stories related to ACBS International and it’s chapters.
by Bob & Janet Kircher members of the Southern California chapter Escapade is a 1959 Dorsett Catalina, she was found in a parking lot of an office we were renting in Las Vegas, NV. Janet thought it would make a great bay boat and did not mind if I put it in our garage to…
by Denny Newell member of the Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chapter For more than six decades, the N.J. Blanchard Boat Company produced some of the finest yachts, sailboats, and motor boats in the Pacific Northwest. Blanchard had built his business on manufacturing large custom motor yachts and stylish sailing vessels. It wasn’t until the early 1920’s…
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…
Note: Charles Mistele passed away in early March. A few weeks before his passing, Charles mailed a handwritten story to the ACBS office. We are pleased to publish this story in memory of Charles and his life long commitment as the caretaker of Miss America IX. by Charles H. Mistele member of Blue Ridge, Michigan…
by Craig Stanfield member of the Southwest chapter I wanted one since I was 13 – holding that December 1968 issue of Rudder Magazine. A Nova 24 built by Nova Marine. A gentleman’s racer. 22 years later (I was 35 by this time) a candidate was in the driveway. Hull number 24-122. Life got in…
It is with great sadness to report that since this story was written Lee passed away on April 14, 2020. by Lee Heinzman member of the Southern New England chapter I was talking to a fellow at the supermarket checkout line one day and we got talking about antique boats. He said he had a…
by Trevor Hall member of the Michigan chapter The original owner was a family in Livonia who used the boat for skiing and cruising on Michigan’s inland lakes. In 1985, the father of the family passed away and the boat was stored awaiting restoration. In 2014, I bought the boat after the son realized it…
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 Al Tosi member of the Blue Ridge chapter Since growing up off the shores of the Great South Bay of Long Island, New York, I have had the love of boating on the Bay. For those not aware, the Great South Bay is a pristine body of water surrounded by Marsh Land with many…
by Rob Hennessy member of the Northern California/Lake Tahoe chpater I grew up on Long Island, New York and enjoyed many days on the Great South Bay and summers at the family lakefront cottage in the Adirondacks. It was during this time that I developed an appreciation for wood speedboats like Chris-Craft and Century to…
by Frank Mizer member of Mid-Atlantic Chapter The hydro known as Beep was built by the Fred Jacoby Boat Works in North Bergen New Jersey. The firm had been building life boats for the government but Fred’s son “Fred Jr” started racing small outboard powered boats, and that is where this story starts. Fred Jr…
by Jeff Peterson member of the Northern California/Lake Tahoe and Bob Speltz Land-O-Lakes chpaters Riva Aquarama Hull #313 was originally delivered in 1969 to Colin Will in the city of Lausanne Switzerland on Lake Geneva and was given the name Erue. In early 1969, Riva was transitioning the Aquarama model from a Series II to…