The Indiana Chapter was the 21st ACBS chapter created in 1986 in Indianapolis by Mike Boone, Russ Smith, and Bruce Clark at the Indianapolis Yacht Club.
Our three founding members have grown around 120 and each of us enjoy annual dinners, lake tours and a sense of philanthropy.
The chapter hosts various boat shows around the state and these include pre-show events such as lake tours. The Indianapolis White River Yacht Club hosts our annual show and this event has, so far, raised over $50,000.00 for Riley Children’s Hospital, a true accomplishment that we are all very proud of.
Many of Indiana Chapter’s board members and presidents are not only boat owners, but boat restorers as well. We also have had a chapter member serve as the ACBS board president.
Our Lake James boat show is a favorite. The first boat show held there was in 2010. Lake James is at the four corners, the location of the famous Bledsoe’s Beach, Bright’s Holiday Marine, (later known as the Boat House). A former Century and Chris-Craft Dealer were located there. The show is hosted by Mike and Nancy McBride. Mike is a past chapter president, and Nancy’s family owned Bright’s Marina.
When this show started, there were only eight or so woodies on the Lake James chain. Now, over a decade since the first show, it boasts an attendance of over 60 boats, and most of them are at home on the Lake James chain of lakes. The Lake James group of owners does several lake tours around Jimmerson Lake, Lake James, and Snow Lake several times each summer.
They also do lake tours on holiday weekends to let all of our local lakers enjoy the sites and sounds.