By Brian Thalhammer Sponsored Content Few endeavors feel more tied to the eternal dialog between man and the sea than restoring a wooden boat. Maybe it’s the aroma of varnished mahogany in a warm workshop, the glimmer of chrome beneath marina lights, or the moment an old inboard awakens from decades of silence with…
By Brian Thalhammer Sponsored Content Ask any seasoned restorer what truly brings a wooden boat back to life, and the answer goes beyond varnish lines and polished chrome. It lies beneath the floorboards, where cast iron, brass and impressive engineering await a second chance. As beautiful as a wooden hull may be, it’s the engine…
By Brian Thalhammer Sponsored Content by Mecum Auctions Wooden boat restoration is one of those niche pursuits that, once discovered, tends to become a lasting fixation. Those familiar with it know that with two hands, abundant ambition and some extra project space, a unique opportunity exists to navigate sculpted lumber back into the shimmering expanse…
By Brian Thalhammer Content Sponsored by Mecum Auctions For many dedicated collectors, there are certain auctions that rise above the swells—special occasions that feel less like bidding transactions and more like the christening of a new ship. It’s a sentiment that’s proven prolific within the wooden boat community, where the reward isn’t just in ownership,…
This is the story of the Phoenix, a 1958 55-foot Chris-Craft Constellation, and how a group of friends brought her from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, to Lake Cumberland, Kentucky by waterway. In 1996, Paul Cundiff a retired Engineer and now owner and operator of Woodies Restorations, purchased the Phoenix from Bill and Marian Coggin. The couple…