It’s all about family and friends sharing fun on the water.
Founded in 1992 with twenty members, this small group in Oregon and SW Washington grew. In 1993, chartered as the Columbia-Willamette Chapter (CWC), the 37th chapter of The Antique & Classic Boat Society now has over 75 registered members and in 2023 was honored with the ACBS Small Chapter of the Year Award.
Michael and Bree West.
Their first official boat show was in 1993, and they continue to participate in on-the-water boat shows as well as indoor displays. These boat shows, as well as meetings, dinners, picnics, cruises, clinics, garage tours, symposiums, and an award-winning newsletter (The Hull Truth), provide information and activities for club members.
Some of the chapter accomplishments include a new website (CWC-ACBS.org), an active Facebook page, a weekly no-host men’s luncheon, a monthly no-host women’s luncheon called “The Pearl Girls,” and an annual Lake Mayfield, Washington “rendezvous” with cruises and shared meals. Their have name tags include boat photos for all members, co-members, and guests.
Jack Coulter at the Chapter display desk.
During the fall, winter, and early spring (aka “non-boating season” in the Pacific Northwest), CWC-ACBS hosts monthly dinner meetings that often include presentations on boat safety, classic boating, and topics of general interest. Some of those gatherings are just for fun, like an Oktoberfest celebration with grape stomping, a holiday party, and the annual crab feed.
During boating season, CWC members meet at least once a month for a weekend cruise and again for a weekday cruise. Food is almost always involved, whether it’s a at a floating restaurant, a potluck in a park, or a picnic while drifting in the sunshine.
The 2023 CWC Board of Directors.
In 2024 the chapter hosted three boat shows. Each January, their booth is a crowd-pleaser at the indoor Portland Boat Show, with up to twelve boats on display. It seems that everyone who visits seems to have a story about classic boats! In July the chapter has a one-day boat show on the Willamette River at the West Linn, Oregon in conjunction with their Old Time Fair. And in July, they added a two-day boat show on 10-Mile Lake in Lakeside, Oregon where over 300 ballots were cast on the first day for the People’s Choice Award. And the is going back next year!
Ask members what they value most from our chapter, and the answer will always include “the people you meet.” CWC has a very active Board of Directors who oversee policy, activities, and finances. New members have commented on how friendly and helpful everyone is when welcoming them to the fleet. One of their newest “members” is Save the PT Boat, Inc., a non-profit that maintains the only operating wooden WW II PT boat in existence.
CWC’s Pearl Girls.
You don’t need a boat to enjoy club benefits. CWC welcomes new members whether or not they have a boat or boating experience. There are members with no boats at all, some just beginning a restoration project, and folks with more than a few boats!
Whether you’re into fiberglass boats or prefer to float along in your mahogany beauty, CWC is here for you. CWC has a diverse group of people with a passion for classic, antique, and historic boats. Our common goal is to share the of classic boats.